She’s always been like this delicate doll in my eyes that needed to be protected, cherished. Valerie reminds me of her, it’s those same qualities that had drawn me to her in the beginning in fact.
My delicate little flower. I ran my hand gently over her hair before putting a crick in my neck to kiss the top of her head. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here baby.”
I whispered the words knowing that she couldn’t hear them, but I needed to say them. I’d made a promise to myself and to her, that I’d always be here for her.
It hurts that she was in danger and I wasn’t with her. If I didn’t already hate Mandy for fucking with Jace this shit would’ve done it. Didn’t I tell him to stay away from that viper?
Maybe I was partly to blame because I didn’t tell him what I know from the very beginning. I always knew Jace to be smart so I never expected him to be caught in her web.
The fact that I wasn’t here when he started dating her adds to my guilt, but what’s done can’t be undone so there’s no use in going over and over it again.
He’d broken things off before they got too serious though, so I’d thought that was the end of it.
After giving him an earful without divulging too much, which would’ve only raised questions as to how I knew what I did, I thought we were in the clear.
Who knew the girl wasn’t just a bed hopping skank but a manipulative little shit who would set off this latest turn of events?
I had no doubt she was somehow part of what was going on with Jace’s girl. And now I’d put Valerie in her path.
I waited until I was sure she was asleep before rolling her onto her back so that I could listen to her chest to see if there was any wheezing.
Once I was sure she was okay I kissed her cheek and got off the bed. First I see Jace and then I make a quick stop at my house to check on my family. Then I can concentrate on my girl for at least a day or two.
5
Jace
There was no point in going back to bed now since Sian was asleep, so we headed for the kitchen. I wasn’t hungry but I needed to do something with myself so I might as well eat.
My mind wouldn’t let the past night’s events rest and I wanted to be doing something, but there wasn’t anything I could do until I knew more.
Track came back downstairs not long after and headed straight for the fridge and a bottle of water. He tipped it back and emptied the bottle in a few swallows.
“You wanna tell me what the fuck happened?”
“I’m not sure yet but I’m pretty sure Mandy had something to do with it even if there’s no evidence of that as yet.”
“Did they say what type of explosive was used?”
“Some kinda homemade pipe bomb. Don’t worry your girl wasn’t hurt. She was busy disobeying me along with Sian and the others.”
“Yeah, about that. What the fuck were they going to her house for?”
“What do you think? To confront her of course.”
“Hmm, I guess now they’ll say that it was okay to disobey because it saved them from the explosion. Gotta find a way around that shit or there’ll be outright mutiny.”
“Way ahead of you bro. I took care of Sian’s hardheaded ass, you see to yours when she wakes up. Though it’s hard to argue with them on this one.”
I studied him as he stood in front of me, checking for any changes. Like if those assholes were mistreating him in that place. “So, are you home or you gotta go back to that place?”
He looked at me and then at the others who were busy raiding the fridge and I got the message. He didn’t want to talk here. “Later!”
“I have to go home but I’ll be back later. Don’t go anywhere without me.” I nodded my head at his order and smiled. Always the protector.
My eyes followed him out of the room and I didn’t like the way he looked; like he had the world on his shoulders.
I wonder how long it’s going to be before I stop worrying about him. I have to remember to talk to dad about this shit.
I don’t understand why his own father, hasn’t put an end to this mess long ago. Unless he’s the one who keeps sending him away every time he acts up.
Whatever, I’m going to put an end to that shit soon even if I have to move him in here with me. When he’s not breaking shit or somebody’s head, he’s the most standup guy I know.
Our friendship had lasted more than some marriages in this town and I knew it would be like that until the day I died.
I love all my friends, but Track has a special place in my heart. He’s the one I know I can count on no matter what, and not to make light of my other friendships, he’s the only one who could rein me in when needed. The one I want at my back always.
I watched the other three while I sipped my juice. Talk about body language, they’re not very good at hiding shit.
I’m pretty sure that the lie they told me earlier was to hide up something about what had happened last night. Either they saw something or they suspected someone.
Track would’ve known how to handle it, but Shayne and Alec, even though they’ve been with me as long as he has, are still a bit wary when it comes to dealing with me.
They hide it well but I know they never forget who I am, who my family is. Track on the other hand don’t give a shit. He just sees me as his friend and there’re no barriers between us.
I can’t fault them though. We’ve been through a lot together, and they know the worst of me, and what I’ve been through because of my family’s wealth.
Shayne would try to shield me and Alec would worry himself half to death. While Track would fight whoever and whatever before it touches me.
It’s been years since my life has been in any real danger, but I know none of them have forgotten what happened when we were kids.
I know that our friendships had been shaped by those events, things I never let myself think about. The time I almost lost my life because of someone else’s greed.
I brushed those thoughts aside and got to my feet feeling disgusted. I didn’t have time for a trip down memory lane, but I knew why my mind was going there now.
“I’m gonna go check on Sian. I want you three to think really long and hard about whatever the fuck it is that you’re doing.”
I glared at them with their guilty expressions before storming out of the room and heading up the stairs.
My girl was sleeping hard, my pillow clutched in her arms tight. I stood over her on the bed letting my fear show now that there was no one to see it.
I don’t like feeling like I can’t take care of her. That helpless feeling isn’t something I’m familiar with. I’ve never known failure a day in my life.
I knew that had a lot to do with who my family is and the way I was raised. From birth until now I’ve always gotten my way.
Though mom and dad have always tried to inject some form of normalcy into my life, I’ll admit to having moments of selfishness, even outright delinquency.
I’ve never had to be responsible for anyone or anything in my life until her. As I stood there with fear in my gut I realized that she’s the most precious thing I’ll ever have in my life.
No matter what comes next. Kids, our life achievements. Nothing is ever going to mean more to me than the girl asleep in my bed.
For the rest of my life she’s going to be that one thing I need to hold on to. She came earlier than I expected, but there was no escaping the fact that she’s my one and only.
I sat on the side of the bed when my knees got too weak to hold me up. Have I been doing everything I can to protect her?
There’s so much more I should’ve done, but for my own personal reasons had chosen not to.
I thought I was doing it for her, that anything else would’ve been too much.
I put my ring on her finger as a sign of ownership but have I really done anything to show that I deserve that right?
How could I not have seen that as mine she needed the same care and protection I have? In my haste to make
her mine I’d been neglectful and now she’s the one paying the price.
Already she’d been stabbed and left for dead in an alley like garbage, and now this. It didn’t matter who was behind it or why. What matters now is what I’m going to do about it.
I’ve been trying hard not to come on too strong. She already thinks I’m overbearing though she has no idea. If she knew how much I want to smother her she’d freak.
Not only because of my own personal need to be part of everything where she’s concerned, but also out of necessity.
As part of my family there are certain things that will have to change, things I haven’t told her about as yet. I didn’t want to scare her off in the
beginning before we even had a chance.
But how much longer can I allow her the freedom that she has now? How will she react to the reality of who I am and who she’ll be as an extension?
If this keeps up I’m afraid I’m going to have to take drastic measures and knowing her stubborn ass, she’s not going to like it. But I might not have a choice after last night.
I’d barely been willing to give the cops the time they asked for before, but I don’t think I can go through another attack on her without taking action no matter what my dad or hers say.
I brushed the hair back from her face and gave thanks for the one-hundredth time that she wasn’t hurt this time around.
Will my heart always feel like this around her? How long before the sight of her stops making me weak in the knees?
Even in sleep her pull is strong. My alluring baby. It’s not hard to understand why Mandy hates her. Why the very sight of her threatens her.
It’s not only because she owns my heart. It’s because of who she is. That special thing she has that shines through even with her eyes closed.
It’s what I saw in her the first time we met. What drew me to her before I even got the chance to know who she was.
She’s the polar opposite of Mandy. Come to think of it, she has them all beat without even trying. Not just her beauty, or her amazing body; but her heart as well.
She’s the kind of girl that’s one in a million. The type that once you have her you’d be a fool not to do any and everything to hold onto.
I’m pretty sure Mandy knows that. She knows that whatever plans she had to win me back were dead the moment Sian came into my life. And because of this I know she won’t stop.
She’d set this war in motion, I’m sure of it. Dad has always taught me to know my opponent in whatever arena I meet them.
It was just a small part of his training for when I take over the family empire. I didn’t think I would need to use that shit in fucking high school though for fuck sake.
But now because of Mandy, because I’d underestimated her greed and the lengths she’d go to, to get what she wanted, I’d slipped up and put Sian in danger.
My mistake was in thinking that she’d keep her focus on me, and trying to win back my favor. I hadn’t really expected her to go after Sian like this.
If I’d exposed her in the very beginning none of this would’ve happened. She probably wouldn’t even be here any longer if I’d done that.
I know my family’s power in this town. Know how I can impact lives with just a word and have always gone out of my way not abuse it, flaunting my power and using it against others.
To expose Mandy for what she truly is would’ve caused harm to a lot of people, and though I didn’t care for the idiot men who got caught in her trap, I knew some of their children. One of who, was even now asleep in my house.
It was for them that I’d kept my mouth shut all this time. Not wanting to destroy the lives of so many.
But I was to the point where I was willing to do that shit to keep her safe if that’s what it took. But there was another side to that as well.
If I take that step, there’s a chance that I might have to make some changes in my own life as well. Unless I wanted my father to carry the weight of the fallout.
The men in her little black book weren’t just any men. They were some of the most powerful men in the industry. Men who wouldn’t go down without a fight.
If I exposed them there’s a good chance I’d face some serious backlash. Though none of them would dare come at me head on I didn’t put it past them to make trouble for me, and my family.
I can’t let my father pay the price for my stupidity, not after all he’s done for me. So I would have to be the one out front on this one.
This wouldn’t just be a scandal that can be swept under the rug and would disappear from everyone’s lips when the next juicy bit of gossip came along. No, this shit was way more serious than that.
If I opened Pandora’s box there would be no turning back. I know I’m holding back even now because I’m not ready to lose the carefree fun loving Jace yet.
Stepping into that world would take me from a boy to a man with all the responsibility that entails. I can’t just go up against these men and carry on as I am.
In other words, exposing them, would also lead to exposing myself. I have no doubt that all my dad’s hard work would unravel.
All the lengths he’d gone to, to keep me safe and out of the spotlight would come to nothing. I would no longer be free to live life as Jace the high school student, but will most likely be propelled into the world that has been awaiting me since birth.
I’d wanted to enjoy the rest of my youth before I put on that cap. But it was looking more and more like I wouldn’t be given that chance.
To keep her safe I have to destroy Mandy. To do that I have to stir up shit that would topple a lot of high ranking people.
So as not to put my father in a tight spot because of my own lack of judgment I have to handle it myself. To handle it myself, to fight whatever may come behind that mess, I can no longer be just another teenager.
This is so fucked. Maybe I’m overthinking things. Maybe in trying to protect everyone I’ve built this thing up in my head as more than it really is.
Somehow I don’t think so though. I know very well how this shit works. Even though I’ve been kept out of the actual workings of our world, I am well versed in what goes on behind the scenes.
That’s how I know how vicious things can become. And what about her? My little small town girl? I wanted her to enjoy being the girlfriend of the high school jock, before she became the wife of the mogul.
We had years ahead of us before dad stepped down. Years in which to get her ready for that future role. I didn’t want to rob either of us of that time.
But if I don’t do something, if I don’t stand in front of her now, how will my enemies take me seriously? In a little less than a year I’m going to graduate and leave her behind.
That’s something that’s been plaguing me even before all of this started. My dream is that she’d be able to graduate early and join me but that’s not guaranteed.
How can I even think of leaving her behind when others were trying to harm her? If I don’t take care of this now, will someone else come out of the woodwork somewhere down the line and go after her again because they see me as a weakling who doesn’t know how to protect his woman?
I sighed in frustration as I took her hand in mine. I shouldn’t be having these thoughts, shouldn’t have to deal with anything this heavy at my age. But it seems I have no control over it.
That other people are going to force me to come out of my zone and become something I’m sure they’re not ready for and won’t be able to handle.
If they only knew that the one thing keeping me leashed was the very thing they were trying to destroy. Like hell I’d let them.
Dad and I had an agreement since I was thirteen years old. I’d be allowed to enjoy my teenage years the way he never did.
He promised to allow his only son to have a life free of the restraints that usually came with being an heir. I didn’t have to live in a bubble, or curb my natural human instincts as a teenage boy.
In the meantime he protected me, l
oved me, guided me. No one knew, not even Sian, that I spend a good portion of each week being fed weekly reports of my family’s holdings.
I’ve been doing it since I reached sixteen as a way to get a sense of what laid ahead. Even with that, dad never allowed me to be burdened.
So even while I was being groomed to be something more than a trust fund baby, I still had this amazing childhood, the best of both worlds.
I’ve always been able to keep the two separate. I’m in no rush to sit in that chair, but I already know the power behind it.
So far I’ve kept from using it, never mixing the two. But something tells me that I’m being pushed in that direction.
I’ve seen some of my peers over time using what little power they have in this town to manipulate and harass people they saw as weaker.
That’s how I know that power in the hands of someone too young to understand the full ramifications, is a dangerous thing.
I never used that power for my own purposes in the past. Not even to get out of a speeding ticket. But for her I’d already dipped into it when dealing with the cops. But now I think that may not be enough.
I don’t for one second underestimate Mandy. That’s the problem with the cops handling the case; they have. Like everyone else she’s manipulated, they too have fallen for her good girl act.
I know very well how she turns on the charm and use her wiles to pull the wool over people’s eyes. I should’ve finished her the first time she messed with Sian, should never have let it get this far.
But I’ve never been fond of people who use their wealth and power to suppress others. I know what she is, and yet foolishly thought that she’d have enough sense not to go up against me. I was wrong.
6
Sian
Jace please, the girls and I were supposed to be having a weekend together.” It was Sunday evening and this nut hadn’t let me out of his sight or his damn house once.
Eden High Series 2 Book 5 Page 4