Chapter 1
JACE
***
I hate sleeping alone anymore. Taking her home last night had been hell, but she was right. Asking her to move in here was too much. I just wish I could shake the feeling of dread each time she was out of my sight. I know she’s safe at home with her family, but whenever she’s not with me I lose my mind.
I rolled out of bed and headed for the shower. I’d see her in a little while and then maybe I could breathe right again. Fuck that. I went back to my room to grab my phone. She answered on the first ring like she’d been waiting for me. “Morning baby, how did you sleep?”
“I missed you.”
“I missed you too, I woke up reaching for you.”
“Aww, that’s so sweet I love you too.” She grinned and the sound eased the knots in my gut. “I’ll be there to get you soon baby go get ready for school.” After she made me embarrass myself by sending her kisses over the phone we hung up and I went to take that shower. A very cold one.
“Son are you up?” Dad came into my room while I was towel drying my hair. “Yeah what’s up?” He looked around the room like he hadn’t seen it in days, which was about right. Since Sian my parents hadn’t been visiting my wing as often as they had in the past. They were giving us our privacy, which I appreciated but I did miss our little talks and mom’s nosy ass dropping in unannounced to check up on me.
“ Nothing’s up, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I’m leaving for the city a little early today so I won’t see you for breakfast.” Uh-huh, he wasn’t fooling me, there was something else on his mind.
“What’s really going on dad?”
“I just got off the phone with Chad. We were discussing the situation with you and the cops and the Mandy girl and we both agree that you need to steer clear. She’s not going to be in the hospital forever, she should be going home soon, which means back to school. I need to know that you’re not going to do anything stupid.”
“Dad…”
“I know what you’re going to say and I admit, if I were in your shoes I would feel the same way, but I’m asking you to leave it alone. Let us handle it. Chad and I have talked about this and we’ve got it son, let us take care of it. Don’t forget, Sian’s his kid he doesn’t want her hurt again and you getting involved will only drag her into the middle of this thing.”
Dammit, I hate going against him, hate keeping things from him. But I wasn’t sure I could give him what he was asking for now. “I’ll try dad but if she starts anything I can’t promise I won’t finish it.”
“Good enough. Give your old man a hug I gotta go.” I didn’t even bother telling him that I was too old for this shit, he wouldn’t listen anyway, no more than mom does when she corners me. “It’s all going to be fine son trust me.”
***
MANDY
***
I need out of this hospital. It’s served its purpose, but now I need to get out there and do what I do best. There was too much left undone and I was afraid if I left it too long things might only get worse. Things have been spiraling out of control with me not being there to keep them on track. I hate feeling this out of the loop, like I had no power over anything. That look’s never worked for me.
I like being in control, it’s the only way I know and I’m good at it. All those grown men, powerful men, at the end of my little fingertips. It fed the need in me among other things, but this was no time to think about that. I had work to do. Soon enough I’ll be able to relax again once I got all this behind me, but for now I had to do cleanup.
I had a good thing going until lately, and I could pinpoint exactly when things started going to shit. It started when that ugly freak moved here and moved in on my man. Sure Jace and I were on the outs by then, but I was working on getting him back. Then she showed up and pushed herself on him. There’s no way I would ever believe he preferred
JACE
***
I hate sleeping alone anymore. Taking her home last night had been hell, but she was right. Asking her to move in here was too much. I just wish I could shake the feeling of dread each time she was out of my sight. I know she’s safe at home with her family, but whenever she’s not with me I lose my mind.
I rolled out of bed and headed for the shower. I’d see her in a little while and then maybe I could breathe right again. Fuck that. I went back to my room to grab my phone. She answered on the first ring like she’d been waiting for me. “Morning baby, how did you sleep?”
“I missed you.”
“I missed you too, I woke up reaching for you.”
“Aww, that’s so sweet I love you too.” She grinned and the sound eased the knots in my gut. “I’ll be there to get you soon baby go get ready for school.” After she made me embarrass myself by sending her kisses over the phone we hung up and I went to take that shower. A very cold one.
“Son are you up?” Dad came into my room while I was towel drying my hair. “Yeah what’s up?” He looked around the room like he hadn’t seen it in days, which was about right. Since Sian my parents hadn’t been visiting my wing as often as they had in the past. They were giving us our privacy, which I appreciated but I did miss our little talks and mom’s nosy ass dropping in unannounced to check up on me.
“ Nothing’s up, I just wanted to see how you were doing. I’m leaving for the city a little early today so I won’t see you for breakfast.” Uh-huh, he wasn’t fooling me, there was something else on his mind.
“What’s really going on dad?”
“I just got off the phone with Chad. We were discussing the situation with you and the cops and the Mandy girl and we both agree that you need to steer clear. She’s not going to be in the hospital forever, she should be going home soon, which means back to school. I need to know that you’re not going to do anything stupid.”
“Dad…”
“I know what you’re going to say and I admit, if I were in your shoes I would feel the same way, but I’m asking you to leave it alone. Let us handle it. Chad and I have talked about this and we’ve got it son, let us take care of it. Don’t forget, Sian’s his kid he doesn’t want her hurt again and you getting involved will only drag her into the middle of this thing.”
Dammit, I hate going against him, hate keeping things from him. But I wasn’t sure I could give him what he was asking for now. “I’ll try dad but if she starts anything I can’t promise I won’t finish it.”
“Good enough. Give your old man a hug I gotta go.” I didn’t even bother telling him that I was too old for this shit, he wouldn’t listen anyway, no more than mom does when she corners me. “It’s all going to be fine son trust me.”
***
MANDY
***
I need out of this hospital. It’s served its purpose, but now I need to get out there and do what I do best. There was too much left undone and I was afraid if I left it too long things might only get worse. Things have been spiraling out of control with me not being there to keep them on track. I hate feeling this out of the loop, like I had no power over anything. That look’s never worked for me.
I like being in control, it’s the only way I know and I’m good at it. All those grown men, powerful men, at the end of my little fingertips. It fed the need in me among other things, but this was no time to think about that. I had work to do. Soon enough I’ll be able to relax again once I got all this behind me, but for now I had to do cleanup.
I had a good thing going until lately, and I could pinpoint exactly when things started going to shit. It started when that ugly freak moved here and moved in on my man. Sure Jace and I were on the outs by then, but I was working on getting him back. Then she showed up and pushed herself on him. There’s no way I would ever believe he preferred
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