Page 34 of You’re Mine

I knocked, staring at the little overgrown yard littered with empty beer bottles. The sounds of dogs barking filled my ears. Finally, the screen door swung open. The man standing there could only have been Jace’s dad, although he was about four inches shorter, with red bulging eyes and capillaries crawling on his nose.

“Who are you?” He was holding a beer bottle, clearly drunk.

It was only three p.m., but Jace had told me all about his dad’s addiction, so I wasn’t surprised.

“Um hi, I’m Haley,” I answered. “I just wanted to know if Jace was home?” He took another swig before belching loudly.

“You one of his whores?” I was so taken aback, I didn’t know what to say. This man actually reminded me of my dad, albeit a less put together version of him. But it was still the same abusive, entitled asshole.

“Don’t be scared, little girl,” he burped, not waiting for my answer. “You can come in. I’m sure I can treat you better than Jace does.”

I stepped back, not wanting to get anywhere near this guy. Fortunately, I bumped straight into the wall of Jace’s hard chest.

“Get away from her,” he snarled at his father. I braced myself, waiting for sharp words to be exchanged, but the older man just shrugged and burped again.

“Up to you,” he said, the words trailing over his shoulder. “I got better things to do.”

I looked up at my boyfriend, my eyes questioning, but he merely looked away, as if embarrassed.

“Don’t ever come here again, you hear?” he asked. “It’s not safe.”

I nodded and agreed. Seeing that he was okay was enough for me, and I fell into his arms with a kiss of relief. He swept me into his arms, and we embraced, feeling like it was the two of us against the world.

But I did to back to his house to find him, and a lot has changed since. Is it the same Jace now? The same boy who would do anything and everything to keep me safe? I thought so, given how he stormed into Lenville to rescue me and Jamie. But looking around, I’m not so sure anymore because there are no memories of our past here. In fact, I’d say that his enormous wealth completely obliterated his background. This penthouse has to be worth a hundred times his parents’ house back in Lenville, and there were no pictures on the walls, nor any knickknacks or personal tokens. The apartment was so impersonal, like he didn’t want to remember his past.

I step forwards again, determined to find Jace in this huge apartment. We have things to figure out, including sorting through our shared history and determining a present for our son. Hope fills my breast, and my step is light, but then a weird grunting interrupts my thoughts. It’s rhythmic and strained, like someone’s physically exerting themselves. What could it be?

My brows lowering, I follow the sound through the labyrinthine apartment. I make a left, then a right past a series of doors, and then a left again. I follow the sounds, which have only grown louder, to a closed door. Putting my ear against it, the noises of someone moving around are clearer. It’s probably Jace, but I wonder what he’s doing in there. What could those sounds be?

I remove my ear from the wood, hovering my fist to knock. Maybe I should just wait until he’s done. But I take too long to decide because suddenly, the door opens.

“Oh!” I exclaim.

Jace is standing before me without a shirt. His chest is very broad, sweaty, bare, and I see that behind him is a home gym.

“Oh,” I say again, unable to move. My pulse beats erratically and it’s hard to breathe because he’s in incredible shape, with a visible six pack and a vee that cuts into his gym shorts. And is that …? Oh my god, it is. His cock is huge, and the outline of the enormous pole is visible beneath his gym shorts. It’s so long that it’s practically wrapped around his waist, and I feel like I’m about to pass out.

“Haley?”

“Um, so sorry, I just got lost, and-“

The corner of his mouth turns upward into a lopsided grin at my incessant babbling. He knows I’m staring at his body, but that’s not even the truth. I’m not just staring at his body, I’m fantasizing about it. Him on top of me, beneath me, and in me. My hands skirting down the ridges of his abs, kissing his heated skin before he owns me completely, making me scream with pleasure.

Oh god! I need to calm down.

“Are you okay?” he drawls again, looking amused.

“Yeah, I was just looking at – for you. I was just looking for you.” Dammit, why am I coming off like some awkward fifth grader?

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