21. Jace
TWENTY-ONE
JACE
There are very few things that have ever caused me to feel true fear, but finding Payton running through the woods without me chasing her tops the list.
When I arrived at her house, immediately something felt off. She wasn’t waiting inside or out, and I didn’t believe she’d leave early. A strange instinct pulled me into the forest and right to her.
I should have fucking guessed Bennett was involved in her disappearance.
Once Payton’s safely out of view, I glare at the prick who’s still not walking quite right. When I’m done with him, he’ll be nothing more than scraps for the animals to pick at.
“Shouldn’t surprise me you’re the one fucking her.”
I’m not a murderer, but everyone is capable of it, no matter what lies they tell themselves. Perhaps it’s ironic—on the weekend meant for repenting one’s sins, I’m fantasizing about committing the ultimate one.
If there’s anyone I’d go to jail for, it’s her. To ensure her well-being, and that he’s unable to breathe near her. She’s worth the first-degree murder charge, but being without her is another thing entirely. Like I reassured her, I’m not ready to let her go after finally finding her.
So, I won’t. Doesn’t mean I’ll go easy on him, though.
His staggered steps are slow, so I meet him halfway, grasping his shirt like I did the other day in the diner. He swings at my face, which is easy to duck, and his half-assed attempt lands in my stomach. I block his next incoming punch, then stick a foot out so he trips, landing on the ground.
I come down on top of him, my fists saying what the blood roaring through my ears longs to. He blocks every few, but his attempts are getting weaker and weaker. Before I accidentally kill him, the possessive feeling controlling me needs to be reeled in.
Blood streams from his nose and into his mouth, and his eyes are more glazed than before. His face already shows hints of the swelling and bruises he’ll wear later.
“Now that you’re listening, listen well. Leave town. Do not contact her. Do not look at her. Do not even think about her.”
He spits, blood splattering onto my face. “You can’t do shit to me, Hayes. But I?—”
Hands in his shirt, I haul him upright. My teeth clamp together, making my next words gritted. “Test me and see what happens. She is the only reason you’re still breathing, so be fuckin’ thankful I honour my promises to her. Piss me off again, and I’ll bury you alive in my cement truck. It’d be a pretty shit way to go, don’t ya think?”
Blood drains from his face.
“You know my demands. The money you charged to her cards and the bankruptcy you put her in will be cleared. You and I both know Mommy’s and Daddy’s bank accounts are well padded, and there wasn’t a need to exploit her. By noon tomorrow, you’ll repay every last cent you owe her with ten percent interest. Don’t, and you and I will be taking a little drive in my cement truck. You won’t enjoy the destination, but it’ll be a peaceful end to my holiday.”
“You’re fucked, man. Fucked in the head. She ain’t worth it.”
I release him, slowly unpeeling one finger at a time from his shirt. “That’s where you’re wrong. She is worth it. She’s worth everything, but you always had your head up your ass.” Pulling out my phone, I check the time. “You have seventeen hours, and that’s more than enough time to get the money. Tick, tock, Bennett. By one p.m. tomorrow, I better see your car driving out of town.”
I turn to leave. The only thing that stops me is his next question, ground out between a low, pained moan. “She tell you about the notes?”
Ice cools my veins. “What notes?”
He smirks. “Just the reminder she’ll always be mine, no matter who she fucks.”
If the bullshit he’s spewing is true, Payton will be the one to tell me as soon as I make sure she’s okay. Finished with this conversation and his bullshit, I tread close to him for a final time, ramming my heel into his ribs. The satisfying crack fills the air seconds before his scream.
Whatever notes there may or may not be, if he wrote them, then he deserves the injury.
I walk away, leaving him in misery.
Payton leaps up from the couch when I enter, her gaze darting to my bloodied knuckles. She takes off down the hall, returning a moment later with a first-aid kit. Wordlessly, she begins cleaning my knuckles, her fingers quickly marred with Bennett’s blood. The sight makes me rethink my cement truck plan, wanting to do it now.
“What happened?”
“Doesn’t matter. He’ll leave you alone. He’ll also repay you all the money he spent, with interest.”
She stares warily at the cuts on my hand with the scar that gave away my identity. It would be fitting if tonight creates another scar—both gave me her. “You didn’t have to.”
“Yeah, I did. I shouldn’t have had to, though. That’s the difference.”
“It wasn’t your responsibility.”
“Payton.” Unable to finish the statement without sounding maniacal, I grasp the back of her neck and tug her backwards with me, settling her on my lap. “ You’re my responsibility now, because it’s what I want. Tell me about these notes he wrote you.”
Her shoulders deflate with her murmured curse. With another sigh, she twists off my lap and leans toward the coffee table. Pulling open the drawer, she retrieves three scraps of paper and hands them to me.
I take them, reading them once. Twice. Then a few more times, each letter ingraining itself into me before I’m shooting off the couch, intending to hunt him down again.
“I shouldn’t have left him alive.”
“No!” She lunges, her small hands slipping around mine. “Don’t do it. Don’t let him ruin any more of our night.”
This isn’t about ruining a night; it’s about the fucking fact he’s been threatening her.
There’s not enough ice in the world to cool my fury, making my next words gritted. “Payton, he’s been threatening you. Why the fuck didn’t you say anything?”
“I tried. I found the third note the day before you came to the diner. Before work that day, I brought them to the police, figuring maybe they could do something, like maybe help me file a restraining order. But they didn’t believe me. They barely even listened to me.”
Not surprising, considering his family connections.
“Honestly, at first I assumed he was just being mean. He never said anything ‘til the diner the other day. Inside and out of it.”
Out? My mind scrolls to that day, realization like a cold splash of water. The kick to Bennett’s ribs better keep him out there long enough the animals pick him apart alive, because I swear to fucking?—
“Before I picked you up,” I confirm, already knowing the answer.
Her nod is barely a bob. “Said I was still his, and I shouldn’t sleep with anyone else.”
I’m sure there’s more to it given the shit he said to me, but my sanity can only take so much.
“Why didn’t you tell me ? You didn’t have to deal with this alone.”
“I’ve been dealing with him alone for years. We were just getting friendly again, and I didn’t want to ruin it.”
I hate this. Hate it more than anything.
Payton tugs on my hand again, urging me back to the couch. “It’s over, it’s fine. Jace, let it go.”
Let stalking and threats go? Un-fucking-likely.
“Fine,” I lie, “but I’m keeping the notes.”
She stares warily at where I’m gripping them. The question is clear in her expression, but it goes unasked.
After a tense moment of silence, she tugs on me again. “Shower with me? I’d really like to wash him off me.”
The fact she needs to, coupled with the threats in my hand, reignite the murderous rage in my veins.
Tomorrow. He’s tomorrow’s problem.
“I hate he ruined our night,” she mutters, leading me toward the bathroom.
“Night’s far from ruined, little rabbit. We haven’t tested your bed yet.” I release her hand to scoop her into my arms. “Lucky for you, the egg is like a credit card. It’ll retain my debt to you until you ask me to pay it off. We’ll have a repeat of last night another day.”
She doesn’t reply, and I wonder if she’s thinking about her own debt that will soon be paid off. She’ll be free to do what she wants and to live where she wants.
I want her here with me.
Now that I have her, I won’t let her go.