Page 79 of Stolen Fate

Evelyn

Breakfast wasa quiet affair between Jace and me, with only Elliot’s chatter to keep us company.

I didn’t even know why Jace had insisted on me having breakfast with them since the first time, and I wished we could go back to the way things were before, when the only time I saw Jace was when he left Elliot with me and headed out to work.

Now we were both sitting at the dining table, and though he tried to catch my eye earlier, I had been using Elliot as a shield. Whenever he looked like he was about to say something to me, I turned to Elliot and asked him a question I knew he could talk for hours about.

Elliot seemed to be basking in all the attention.

By the time breakfast was done, I busied myself with the clean-up while Jace helped Elliot with his jacket and shoes.

But that didn’t take long, and Jace must have convinced Elliot to play quietly by himself because the next thing I knew, Jace and I were in the kitchen alone.

I backed away when he moved closer to me, and Jace frowned, standing still where he was. Jace was a big man, and I knew he was always aware of our size difference. I felt bad, making him think I was scared of him, but the alternative was him getting close to me and turning me stupid at the closeness of us.

I had to keep a level head if I wanted to get out of the situation.

He let out a sigh when I didn’t say anything and continued to stare down at my feet.

Sometimes, I wished I could revert back to when I was five and had myself convinced that as long as I closed my eyes and couldn’t see the other person, that they couldn’t see me. Certainly, I would be braver if that were the case.

“We have to talk about this, Evelyn.”

“What’s there to talk about?” I asked, a little desperately.

“There’s no reason for you to be embarrassed.”

“Oh, yes there is. There are plenty of reasons, and I can’t believe you stayed there and listened. A gentleman would have walked away.”

“Who says I’m a gentleman?” Jace responded, and if I wasn’t mistaken, with a little amusement.

Finally, I looked up and scowled at him. His blues eyes were dancing, and his lips were curved up in a small smile.

“I have to take Elliot to school, and you have work you can’t be late for.”

“What’s the point of being the boss if I can’t be late once in a while?”

“Well, Elliot can’t be late for school.”

I moved past him just as Jace gently placed a hand on my elbow. Electricity buzzed where we touched. I had almost forgotten about the chemistry between us.

Now I was reminded all over again, and I wanted to both stay there with him and run away at the same time.

“Please,” I said, my cheeks getting hotter the more I looked at him.

His eyes softened a bit and he let me go. He tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear and looked me in the eyes. “Okay, sweetheart. Have a good day today. I’ll see you tonight, okay?”

I could only nod and watch him walk away from me. Moments later, I heard Jace tell Elliot goodbye before he walked out the front door. I continued to stare at the spot he disappeared from long after he left, and I didn’t move until Elliot ran up to me, his jacket on and his backpack hooked around his small shoulders.

“School, Evelyn.”

I smiled and ruffled his hair, and when I made a move to leave, he grabbed a hold of my hand in his small one and we walked out of there.

“Okay, Elliot. Let’s get you to school.”

I grabbed my jacket on the way out but didn’t put it on because Elliot was still holding my hand, and after hearing all that he had been through with his mom, I didn’t want to have to let go of his hand unless I absolutely had to.

I could feel the flame of anger licking sharply in my insides at the thought of Camila.

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