5 Alone
Jace
The Guild lounge is packed, cliques of the elite huddled together in their own pitiful circles. Each “pays their respects” to Tex’s father.
I scoff and roll my eyes. Mr. Ward is soaking up all the attention as if he actually lost a son. The only thing that pathetic excuse of a man is mourning is the fact that he no longer has an heir to carry on his name.
He doesn’t even participate in the Guild anymore.
He sits back, squandering his money and posturing like he still matters.
The only reason Mrs. Ward sticks around is for the lifestyle she’s grown accustomed to.
She’ll turn a blind eye to her husband’s affairs, as long as he doesn’t bring home another bastard child.
My heart squeezes in my chest as I think of Tex. My brother.
I still remember the night my father brought him to our house. He’s never been a selfless man. Never charitable out of the goodness of his heart. I knew Tex served some purpose, but I never imagined…this.
My eyes land on my father. Holding his own council in the corner. He tilts his head back, laughing at something someone said, one hand in his pocket, the other wrapped around a glass.
It always amazes me how well he can play the role. How well he can charm others. Make people think he cares. My hand squeezes around the glass, then my gaze drifts to her.
She’s curled up on one of the couches by the fireplace. Luca and Noah sit on either side of her. She wraps one hand around a glass she isn’t really drinking from. The other clenched in a fist. I know without a doubt that rock is tucked in her palm.
She’s barely let it go since the moment he put it in her hand.
Tex died because my father decided he was no longer useful. No, he was murdered. Reduced down to an expense that no longer served the bottom line.
My mind races with possibilities, things I could’ve said. Should’ve said. The lies I could’ve told. How I didn’t emphasize his importance enough. How I could’ve given him cover, made him sound irreplaceable.
But none of it matters. It wouldn’t have saved him.
Gideon has eyes everywhere, and carefully laid plans he has no intention of altering for such a small thing as the life of a friend.
Tex was collateral in the war Gideon’s waging against Lucian, a casualty he anticipated and executed.
None of us matter if we get in Gideon’s way, not even me.
I watch as Noah and Luca talk with her. She gives them a small smile.
I feel like I’m on the outside looking into her world. I don’t know how to be what she needs. Guilt punches through my chest. I watch as Isobel stands, mumbles something, then she moves toward the lounge doors and slips out onto the patio.
My feet move before I can understand why I’m following them. I catch my father observing me. Scrutinizing. All the while, keeping his own mask in place.
I step close behind her, not touching, but enough to give her my warmth. Her shoulders stiffen. For simply getting closer to her? Why? She sighs and watches her breath float away on the wind.
“I need to ask you something.” Her voice wavers, but when she turns around, I can see the hardness in her eyes.
“Anything,” I reply.
She crosses her arms, eyes narrowing. I can’t read the situation, I can’t figure her out and it unnerves me. I’ve been by her bedside for days. I held her in my arms all night after we lost Tex, but now she seems… distant. Detached. I furrow my brows.
“What were you going to say that day? The day he…” the words get caught in her throat.
“It’s nothing.” I shake my head.
She frowns. “How can it be nothing? You made it seem so urgent.”
I sigh. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
“Why?”
“It just doesn’t.”
“Then tell me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Iz.”
“If it doesn’t matter, then just tell me.”
I huff out a breath. This woman.
“Just drop it.” I look down at her. She seems so small, so frail right now.
I try to gain some insight into her questioning by staring into her eyes.
The last thing she needs is my pathetic confession of feelings in the middle of all this.
I can feel the pleading edge of my voice escape even though I try to stop it. “Please.”
She blinks as if I’ve stunned her. “Why did you give me your Guild ring that day?”
It’s my turn to frown. “To protect you.”
She narrows her eyes further. “I’ve been thinking about it, and I can’t help but think you knew something.”
“What?” My eyes widen. “You can’t be serious.”
“Then make it make sense!” Her voice is rising. “First, you needed to tell me something urgently, but now you won’t tell me what you were going to say because ‘it doesn’t matter’. I can’t help but think you were going to tell me not to go. Because you knew what was going to happen to Tex!”
“Isobel, I swear I didn’t know—”
“But you knew something!” She’s yelling now. I can feel the eyes turning our way. “You could’ve stopped it!” Fresh tears race down her cheeks.
“No, Is—”
“Get away from me!” She screams, throwing the remnants of her drink in my face. “I can’t stand to look at you!”
The door bangs open behind me. Luca rushes out and bundles her into his arms.
I wipe my face. “Isobel, that’s not —”
“Just go away, Jace.” She sobs into Luca’s chest.
I straighten. The cold mask that my father instilled in me slips right back into place. I turn and walk away. Noah tries to reach out for me, but I shrug him off.
I can’t stay here.