"If she downs another drop of liquor, you'll find yourself jobless." Jace's words were clipped. His eyes never strayed from my face as he spoke to the bartender.
"Yes, Sir." I gasped at the bartender. The wimp only bowed his head and moved on down the bar to tend to a demanding drunken fool bellowing about a body shot.
"What the hell do you think you're doing, Jace?" I spat the words.
Oh holy hell, I was angry with him. How dare he leave me for seven weeks with no contact only to show up in my life unbidden when I finally found a way to let go of my feelings? Why the hell was he here? I didn't give a shit that I'd demanded he leave me and never show his face again. I didn't care that I knew I was to blame for the pain I'd endured at his loss. I was still unexplainably angry with him. No - I wasn't just angry with him. I was flipping fuming. I was on the brink of losing any and all rationality I had left within my grasp. He hurt me. His absence was a slow and agonizing death. How dare he waltz back into my life the first moment I start living again! How dare he?
"Let's go, Olivia." Jace's hand shot out and grasped hold of my wrist. The contact burned. Pleasure and pain. I felt as though I was coming home. As though I had found my reason for living…and at the same time…he left me robbed of movement and reason.
"I'm not going anywhere with you." I shook my head almost frantically and his blue eyes darkened dangerously. "How did you even know I was here? And why are you here?"
His jaw tightened and I knew he was clenching his teeth tightly. "I said we're leaving. Do not make me repeat myself."
I tugged on my wrist. The effort was pathetically futile. There was a part of me that couldn't fathom the thought of him releasing me, while there was a more reasonable part…a sensible part that demanded I run for the flipping hills and never look back. Jace Rush had the potential to destroy me. Oh wait - he already had. What was one more hit going to hurt? I was already arbitrarily addicted to him. If I went with him tonight…to wherever he wanted to take me…would it really cause any more damage than had already been done? Was there anything left of me to break?
"I'm not going with you." I said forcefully. Where did that come from? I didn't mean it - did I?
"You are." He said without concern. "If I have to carry you out over my shoulder, you will be leaving with me."
Panic. Yes, it was utter panic that flooded through my veins. What the hell was going on? "Where's Trisha and Trey?"
Jace's face remained stoic and he stepped closer to me. His scent hit me like a ton of bricks to the head. Oh. My. God. I missed him.
"Trisha called me."
Abandonment. That's what I felt then…raging abandonment from my best and most trusted friend. She was my family and she was handing me over to the man who'd hurt me. How could she?
"Trisha called you?" I sputtered. Jace nodded his head in obvious irritation.
"Yes. Now, let's go."
"No."
"Olivia, I'm not into playing games with you right now."
"Then don't." I snapped, feeling a blush heat my cheeks. "Leave. You wanna go? Well then go. I'm not standing in your way!"
"Fuck Olivia," Jace growled under his breath as he ran his free hand through messy hair. My stomach clenched of its own accord. "I'm not leaving without you."
"Well, I'm not going anywhere with you." I hissed as I stared longingly at the bottles of liquor behind the bar. My mouth watered and the need to forget Jace ran hot through my body. I tugged at my wrist, more forcefully this time.
"Forget it, Olivia." Jace glowered at me. "You're finished for the night." With those words, he bent and swooped me up in his arms before throwing me over his shoulder like a sac of potatoes.
The club filled with astonished gasps and full belly laughs as I thrashed violently against Jace's back with my fists.
"Jace, you fucking asshole!" I spat my words. "Put me down right now!"
"Watch your fucking mouth, Olivia." He barked back at me as he made his way to the door.
I lifted my head in astonishment at being scolded for my language. Never before had someone apart from my stiff lipped mother bothered to tell me what a lady should and should not say. I knew my face was screwed into a look of utter distaste that was soon replaced by dark contempt as I made eye contact with Trisha. She was worrying her lower lip with her teeth as she watched me being carried out of the club she dragged me to. Oh, when I got my hands on her…the thought was chased away by the chilly night air blasting up my short dress as Jace stepped onto the concrete sidewalk. I was startled to see the white Audi SUV sitting at the curb. I knew Gabe waited inside and for some reason that made my blood boil even hotter.