All Good Things(42)

When I was all dressed and I had combed through my hair with my fingers until it was as presentable as I was going to get, I opened his bedroom door, and stopped immediately. Jace was leaning against the wall waiting for me. I scowled at him as I moved past him. I didn't know why I was so angry with him when he told me before we even had sex, he was only interested in my body. I supposed it was because I still wanted him even though he was an ass. He was everything I had always promised myself I would steer clear from. But, I wanted him, regardless.

"You are angry." Jace stated as I stalked past him.

"I just need caffeine." I mumbled, as I started my descent down the stairs with Jace close behind me.

"Well it's a good thing I made coffee." Jace replied and I looked over my shoulder at him. I could not see him making coffee. "Because, we have important matters to discuss."

I rolled my eyes and walked to the kitchen where I left my bag on the island counter. I opened it and dug for my phone. There was a pile of missed phone calls and texts from Trisha. Shit. I totally forgotten to contact her and let her know I was with Jace and I was not coming home. Jeez, thank God for the twenty-four hour rule before someone could report a missing person to the police.

If it was not just past four in the morning, I would call her. I placed the phone back into my bag without opening the texts and sighed, rubbing my face.

"Is something wrong?" Jace asked, passing me a cup of coffee. I frowned as I brought it to my lips. It was perfect, just the way I liked it. I wondered how he knew what I liked in my coffee, but I decided it was probably just a lucky coincidence. I decided not to give him the satisfaction of making my coffee correctly.

"I just forgot to let Trisha know that I was staying here last night and apparently she is worried." I took another sip of my coffee and he nodded. "What is it that you need to discuss with me?"

"I wanted to resume our earlier conversation of your safety." Jace replied tightly. His eyes were hard as they watched my reaction. I set my coffee on the counter and stared back at him with equal stubbornness.

"I'm still opposed to a bodyguard. That has not, and will not, change." I was so not awake enough to deal with this. Hell...I didn't get enough sleep to have to deal with this without wringing his neck. My fingers twitched and I thought once about where I would bury his body, before I shook the thought from my head and forced my hands to my side. I could not dispose of him simply because I was irritable as a starved lion.

"Olivia, be rational." Jace growled, interrupting my thoughts.

"I am Jace." I snapped as I pulled my bag onto my shoulder. "And, I said no."

"Why the fuck are you so stubborn?" Jace was close to yelling, but I was close to throwing my mug at his head. How could someone turn me on one minute, and then, anger me, like this, the next? Jeez, if I didn't clear my head soon, I would lose my sanity.

I took in a deep breath and set both hands on the counter to halt their shaking. "Look, I will make you a deal."

Jace narrowed his eyes. "Let's hear it."

"I don't want a bodyguard, and right now, I don't see the need for one, so how about we go on with our lives like normal. If something happens to make me feel unsafe, I promise, I will tell you, and then you can assign Gabe as my shadow. How about that?" I proposed, hoping to God he would agree.

"Why would you want to wait until something happens before you take a bodyguard?" He demanded, and I fought the urge to pull my hair from my head.

"Those are my conditions. You can take them or leave them." I said through clenched teeth. He made me so angry. I was moments away from screaming at the top of my lungs.

"How do I know you will tell me when something happens?" Jace growled as he stared hard at me.

"I don't like the idea of living my life in fear. You have nothing to worry about. If something happens, I will tell you."

"If that's what you want, then fine." Jace said without commitment. There was a glint in his eye I did not trust. I decided there was definitely something he was not telling me.

"I need to get home." I said as I walked away from him.

Jace followed me to the elevator, tapping the screen of his phone. When the doors rolled open, he followed me in. "Gabe will be driving you home. I have an early meeting."

"I can take a cab." I said, by way of declining his offer.

"Will you just let Gabe drive you home, Olivia?" Jace looked up from his phone and glared as he waited for me to answer.

"Whatever, Jace." I folded my arms over my chest and leaned against the wall.

"Thank you, Olivia." The doors rolled open to a glamorous lobby. "This is your stop."