Page 115 of Stolen Fate

“I didn’t mean for it to. But I need to look out for them. Jace and Elliot are my family.”

“And you think I’ll hurt your family?”

“No, Evelyn. I think you can be a part of it. But you’re scared. And that’s understandable. But it’s also making you hesitant, and being hesitant is what’s going to hurt them in the end.”

“I have no answer to that, really. It’s not something I’ve thought about.”

“Well, maybe you should. Cause I know Elliot has already fallen in love with you. And if Jace isn’t already, then he’s halfway there. And you’re going to need the patience of a saint to deal with them, but I promise they’re worth it.”

“I already know that,” I defended vehemently. I didn’t need anyone to tell me how to hold onto Jace and Elliot. Didn’t he know how badly I wanted to?

“Good. Because that shit with Camila really messed them up. I think you can tell how badly it messed up Elliot, but what you can’t see is how badly it messed Jace up as well.”

“Did he… did he love her?”

Jensen let out a harsh chuckle. There was nothing funny about it and I stared at him, trying to keep my face expressionless. “No. He did not love her. If he had a choice, he wouldn’t have married her in the first place.”

I frowned. “Then why did he?”

“That’s for him to tell you. And he will,” he said cryptically. Jensen brought his fingers up and ran them through the long strands of his light hair. “You’re good for them. But I do hope you decide to jump in all the way. Because when you let yourself go… give yourself permission to love him, I’m sure you’ll only find good things there.”

I looked down at the chair, not knowing what to say to that. When I looked back up at Jensen, there was a knowing look in his wise eyes. I doubted anyone had ever been able to hide anything from him.

He had one of those penetrating gazes that could make most people uncomfortable. I shifted a little in my seat just as Jace came back with Elliot, who was holding a sippy cup with what I was guessing was apple juice.

Probably feeling the tension in the air, Jace paused in his steps and took us in. “What’s going on?”

Jensen kept his eyes on me when I answered, “Nothing. We were just talking about family.”

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