Eighteen

Eighteen

DESI

After our last meal in Infernis, my entire family accompanies us to the portal. My brothers and their partners spend more time saying goodbye to Jace than they do me. They've created little inside jokes with him, and he and Glen even made up a handshake that ends with them licking what I believe symbolizes an ice-cream cone for Jace and a certain part of my brother's anatomy for Glen, and all of them say they can't wait until he's here for good.

I've just helped my family fall in love with a man they'll never see again, because he'll never be my partner.

Father moves beside me and wraps an arm around my shoulder and lowers his voice, saying, "I want you to know that what I've asked of you and your brothers is more important than my ongoing rivalry with Angelo. Although I do enjoy gloating that more energies have chosen Infernis as their home than Pax."

"I know that. No demon ruler has been responsible for the happiness of so many energies before. I imagine that stress is a lot for you," I say, patting his hand.

He grunts as he watches my brothers and Jace. "Your happiness is important to me too. The job you will take on ruling the Circle of Sloth won't be easy. Your mother has been my rock, just as your grandmother Persephone was Hades's. Your brothers have found the beings who will support them through the good and the bad. I want that same kind of devotion and companionship for you. Someone with a good head on their shoulders to help guide you when I'm no longer here."

My head snaps up and I search his face. No one is as strong as my father. He's carried the Seven Circles for centuries. Under his rule our realm has flourished, and he's won the ongoing gentlemen's bet with Angelo for decades now.

"We have time, Father. I'll figure it all out eventually."

"I must admit that I had my doubts when you left, but Jace is a perfect fit for you, Desideria. I'm proud of you for stepping up to the plate, but even more than that, glad that you've found someone who makes you happy."

My heart sinks to the pit of my stomach and I've never felt so guilty in my life. "Thank you," I murmur, leaning into my dad's embrace and hugging him around the waist. "But, Dad, he hasn't agreed yet, so don't—"

He waves me off. "Yeah, yeah, it's only a matter of time, though. I can see it in his eyes. He loves this place almost as much as he loves you."

My heart leaps back from my stomach all the way into my throat.

Jace could never love me. Jace doesn't believe in love. We're roommates, friends . . . apparently with a few benefits. But he's not in love with me because he's made it clear he'll never let himself love anyone again.

That thought makes me sad. I push it away to finish up the show for my family.

"Desi, come on, the medium is ready for us," Jace calls, holding out his hand to me.

"All right, I'm coming," I say, turning back to my parents and wrapping my mom in a hug before addressing everyone. "I love you guys, and I'll see you soon, okay? Thank you for being so kind to him."

Julius and Lux exchange wicked grins. "That fine specimen of human better return with you," the prince of Lust says with a wink, and suddenly I hope that he doesn't have some kind of weird connection to everything that goes on in the Museum of Sin. I shudder to imagine it.

I roll my eyes and wave over my shoulder. "Okay, on that note . . . bye!"

I take Jace's hand, and after going through the motions with the medium, we step into the portal.

"You ready to go back to reality?" I ask, giving his hand a squeeze.

"Yeah, it's time. My stomach isn't feeling well and I'm starting to feel light-headed. I guess my time in hell is officially up."

"Oh no," I say, placing my palm on his forehead and checking for a fever. I let out a relieved sigh when I find his forehead a normal temperature. "Okay, no fever, you're fine. You'll be good as soon as we get back to the human realm. Close your eyes, I think we're about to—"

And with that, we're off. A few moments pass and we're back in the broom closet in the bus station, being greeted by the gum-chewing blond.

Jace still looks a little woozy when we reach the BMW, so I pull a bottle out of my purse and shake a pill onto my palm.

"Here, take this," I say, handing it to him with a bottle of water.

"What is it?"

"Devil's claw root. It's only found in the human realm, but my mom keeps a stash of it. It's the only thing we've ever discovered that helps humans when they've stayed a little too long in Infernis. I grabbed some before we left just in case this happened."

He nods and swallows the pill before helping me load our suitcases into the trunk. He hands me the keys, and I drive us home. I realize then how sick he must feel if he's letting me drive. Jace follows all the traffic rules; he even holds the steering wheel at ten and two. It's another thing he never gives up control over. I'm so grateful we left when we did.

My brain buzzes with thousands of thoughts. I think about my family's reaction to Jace, the responsibility of my Circle, but mostly, I think about the man next to me. Jace's hands rest on his stomach, his eyes closed, and soft snores drift through his lips. I wonder how things will change between us now that he knows everything about me, about where I come from . . . and after what happened between us in the lust exhibit.

It was an effect of the art; it played on the tension that had been building between us. But will it change our dynamic? Will it make things feel awkward around the house? I hope not.

When we get home, Jace carries in our bags and kicks the door shut behind us. The sheen of sweat is gone from his skin, and it has returned to its beautiful tan tone. He doesn't wait for me, taking the steps two at a time and heading for my room. Keeping some distance, I wrap my arms around my stomach and watch as he heads for the door. My heart sinks and I fight back the sting in my eyes. Everything is awkward. We've crossed a line we shouldn't have and now he can't even look at me.

He stops at the threshold and glances at me over his shoulder. "Thank you, Desi. I'm honored that you trusted me with such an important secret and that you let me help you with your family."

It surprises me enough that a tear I'd been trying to hold back nearly slips down my cheek. I wipe at my eye and step toward him. "No, Jace. I should be thanking you. You trusted me with your life, something you've come close to losing in the past, and I can't put into words what that means to me."

He drops his bag and turns to face me. Leaning against the door frame, he cocks a brow and says, "Come on, you let me bring you to an orgasm in the same room as a demon artist. Once in a lifetime experience."

And there it is. The playfulness and humor he shows when he lets his guard down. I was so close to thinking I'd never see it again, that we ruined what we built with one moment of uncontrollable passion.

I cover my face with my palms and laugh, sinking down onto the mattress. "I mean, there was no way I was getting out of that room without having an orgasm. I was just glad you were the one to give it to me. It was by far the best one I've ever had."

His gaze darts to my bedside table and the drawer in the top. "I'd hate to think I've put some expensive toys out of business."

I clench my thighs together and my face heats. "Even my clit-sucking toy has nothing on you, Jace Wilder."

He blushes. Blushes! Rubbing the back of his neck to hide his face, he says, "And with my newly inflated ego, I apologize for clearly putting a favorite device to shame, and wish you good night, Desideria."

I smirk and bite my bottom lip before nodding in his direction. "Good night, Jace. See you in the morning."

I contain the giddy laughter that bubbles in my chest as I enter the house. Jace and I finished another Star Wars movie, completing his favorite three. To celebrate the occasion, I ordered him a gift, and it arrived today. Jace has been stressing out since we returned home. He jumped back into his proposal for the guy Matt wants him to hire. Late nights and early mornings have ruled his life, and every minute in between is spent behind a computer screen. He carved out two hours last night for us to finish the third movie, and I'm excited to offer him another small reprieve.

I fumble with Jace's gift as I shut the door and maneuver through the entry. It's long, awkward, and bound to bring chaotic joy to his day. I step into the kitchen and find him sitting at the counter with a bowl of cereal, his laptop, and his glasses sitting high on his nose. This is perfect timing. He is clearly moving toward stressed out.

He glances at me from the corner of his eye and mumbles, "Another busy day at the mall, I see. That has got to be the strangest pair of shoes you've ever bought."

"Although I looked at several pairs of shoes today, this didn't come from the mall. It was just delivered to the house." I place the box wrapped in black paper in front of him. It stretches from one side of the kitchen island to the other.

He picks the gift up and studies it. "This is normally where I would make some ridiculous guess about what you bought, but I'm at a loss."

"I guess you'll just have to open it then."

His attention splits between ripping the paper and watching me. He looks hesitant, like I've wrapped a boa constrictor in a box and handed it to him with the hopes that it will curl around his body and put him out of his misery. The nondescript box comes into view, and he pries open one end. He looks inside and just as quickly closes the flap.

"No way," he says with wide eyes.

"Yes way. Take them out."

Jace opens the box again and removes two lightsabers. He hits the button on one and it lights up with a deep, electric drone. The red light reflects off the steel kitchen appliances. "Oh my god."

"The other one is Luke's," I say.

He turns on the other lightsaber and jumps to his feet. "Desi, these had to cost a fortune."

I shrug one shoulder. "Eh, my dad has no real concept of human money, and he's given me way too much as an allowance. I suppose I could have told him, but instead I decided to spend some of it on my friend. Dad has been saving his fortune for like, eight centuries now, so I think he can spare it."

Jace hands me Darth Vader's lightsaber and he takes Luke's in his other hand. "All right, I recall having a lightsaber fight once in this very room, and you had no idea what the hell was going on. And now, not only do you know what's going on, you bought me my very own weapon. It's time for a duel."

I grin and back up to the other side of the kitchen with the lightsaber in hand. "Join me and together we can rule the galaxy."

"Never." Jace swings and the glowing green light streaks before him with a sound that matches.

We spar and every time we hold our weapons together, they crackle with electricity. Our duel leads us around the kitchen and into the living room. Like children, we stand on the couch and jump off, bringing our lightsabers together again. I make a move to land my blade across his stomach, but Jace spins out of my way. The determined gleam in his eyes tells me that he won't let the dark side win.

I move around the coffee table, hoping to gain some of the space I lost. Jace bolts the other way and grabs my wrist. My lightsaber ends up on the floor and my arm behind me. He pulls my back to his chest and holds the lime-colored light to my throat.

"Surrender," he says against my ear.

My stomach clenches, my skin prickling with the awareness of how close he's pulled me against him. I don't think he intended to make this moment sexual, but I've gone from playful to horny in five seconds flat.

"I will if you will," I whisper, all thoughts of the duel out of my brain. I'm thinking with a different body part now.

He holds my wrist a little firmer and pushes the blade against my skin. "You give in so easily. If only you knew the depraved things I want to do to you, princess."

I'm not sure how he turned the tables. He was the good guy, and I was the bad. Now, I'm not so sure. I shouldn't let my mind run away with this thought. I shouldn't picture the wicked things I want him to do to me. But the husky sound of his voice won't allow me to ignore them.

Even though I know I shouldn't, even though I know it's going against everything we agreed on before we left Infernis, I push it just a little further.

"I can only imagine," I say, bumping my ass against him to see if he's as turned on as I am. Of course he is, and my panties are immediately soaked at the feeling of his erection. "But even better? I'd like to feel them."

His grip on me wavers, and he takes a step back. I'm afraid I've taken things too far. But when I turn around, Jace flashes me a smirk and replies, "Too bad I'm not prone to fraternizing with those who are on the wrong side of the Force. No matter how stunning they are."

Relief washes over me and I stoop to pick up my lightsaber, switching it off and setting it on the island. "Okay, what about now? I'm no longer on the wrong side," I say, holding up one hand in surrender and placing the other on my hip. "Now I'm just stunning." I lift one side of my lips in a grin that I hope tells him I'm teasing.

"I should reward you for coming to the right side of the Force, but seeing you wield a lightsaber was really sexy. I know, let me make you dinner. Fettuccine alfredo?"

I can't argue with that. "Sounds perfect, Skywalker. Don't let your guard down, though. I might switch sides at any moment. You have to keep your eye on me."

His laughter fills the kitchen as he moves to get the pots from the cupboard. "Keep swaying your ass like that when you walk and I'll have no problem keeping an eye on you."

I raise an eyebrow and stroll past him, swatting him on the ass. "I'm built a certain way, so I can't help the way I move, but I will admit . . . I sway it a little extra when you're around."

"What a coincidence. I shake my ass more when you're around too. Tell me my efforts haven't gone unnoticed." He grabs the firm globes of his rear and looks over his shoulder. "I've worked hard for these buns of steel. I want to know someone in this house appreciates them."

"You aren't kidding. You've got an ass to die for. I absolutely appreciate your efforts and your rear end. And don't worry, I notice when you shake it. You do it when you pour your peanut butter puffs. It's like you're dancing out your bad attitude because you know your cereal is coming."

Jace pulls ingredients out of the refrigerator. "I'm getting ready to put twenty cups of sugar straight into my veins; of course I'm happy when I'm making my cereal."

"Fair enough. Do you need any help?"

"Nope. I told you, I'm doing this for you. Go sit on the couch and relax while I do all the cooking," he says, and the sloth in me has no problem obliging.

After running upstairs to change clothes, I'm lounging on the couch, my pajama shorts rolled up a little too far to be considered decent, my tank top dipping low in the front, and my hair falling wildly over my shoulders when Cannon strolls in from work.

"Good evening, roommates," he greets us, lifting his chin as he enters the kitchen. "Jace, are you making alfredo again?"

"We've got to keep our princess happy. Besides, check out what she bought me." He tips his head toward the counter. "I'll be making her dinner for the next year."

Cannon picks up one of the toys and whistles. "What did you do to get this?"

"Apparently she has a thing for me shaking my ass."

Jace flashes me a cheeky grin, and Cannon gives me a surprised raise of his brow and asks, "What were you two up to while I was gone?"

"Nothing really. It was like a trip to hell without you here," Jace answers.

I clap my hand over my mouth, smothering a giggle. The way he talks about my home realm is so tongue in cheek, but I don't miss the adoration in his eyes. He enjoyed his time with my family. A week ago he asked me to explain my family line and some of the legends of my realm. In exchange, he told me about his career and his decision to become a business owner. The give and take of our conversations has become one of my favorite things. Besides giving his ass a little swat.

Cannon comes over to the living room and flings himself in the chair across from me. "So . . ."

I lift an eyebrow and repeat, "So?"

"I have this friend who has two tickets to a concert downtown Saturday night. His date bailed on him, and I thought you might want to go."

A chuckle rings out from the kitchen, accompanied by the tinny sound of a wooden spoon sliding in circles inside a pot. "Real smooth, bro."

Cannon cranes his head over the chair back, looking in Jace's direction. "I have the balls to ask the lady out on a date if that's what I wanted to do."

I cover my mouth with my fist. It's a clear jab. Cannon has been saying for weeks that Jace has a thing for me. Now I know he does, but he's dead set on not acting upon it. Shots have been fired, and Cannon took no prisoners.

"I don't date," Jace grumbles.

"Your loss, man." Cannon shakes his head and hands his phone to me. "His name is Seth. Cool guy. Totally chill. I think you would have a good time with him."

I look at the picture of a handsome guy with light-brown hair and hazel eyes, a smattering of freckles across his nose. He wears a baseball uniform with a field behind him.

"Is he really a baseball player?" I ask, unable to hide my excitement. One of my favorite rom-com actresses was in a movie about baseball. It was hard not to drool over the men in formfitting pants swinging at a ball with some kind of barbaric club.

"He is."

Jace drops a pan in the sink with a loud clank. "Don't set her up with a jock."

I twist around on the couch so I'm facing my roommate, whose skin has suddenly taken on a slightly green hue. Well, it might as well have because he looks so jealous that I wonder if my brother Julius rubbed off on him while we were in Infernis.

"Oi, you over there, shut up," I say with what I hope is a light, carefree tone. "I happen to like baseball."

"Yeah, man, baseball players barely even qualify as ‘jocks.' They're not nearly as meatheaded as some of the other athletes I've known," Cannon adds. "Seth's a good guy."

"I just think Desi needs . . ." Jace yanks open the refrigerator and pulls out a carton of heavy cream. "Someone who'll put her first. Do you really think this guy is going to give up his baseball career?"

Cannon and I lock eyes. The exasperation on his face indicates his frustration with Jace. They always get along about everything. I hate to see a disagreement about my dating life putting a kink in their friendship.

"She's running out of time, Jace. At this point, every decent guy should be a possibility."

Jace fills a pot of water and slams down on the faucet handle to turn it off. He was in such a good mood a few minutes ago. I don't understand why this conversation is getting to him. He doesn't want to be one of my possibilities. He can't possibly believe that I wasn't going to come back and keep looking for a real partner.

"I mean, yeah, you're right," Jace says, mixing up ingredients for the sauce. "But shouldn't we try to at least, I don't know, make sure that we're helping her choose men who are actually viable options? And not ones who are probably playboys who can't commit to a cologne, let alone a woman for et—the rest of his life."

I shrug and glance at Cannon. "That's a fair enough point, but . . ." I look down at the picture of Seth again and wiggle my eyebrows at Cannon. "You went through all the trouble of setting this one up so I might as well, right?"

"You should. And you never know, maybe you and Seth will have a life-changing connection, and it all works out."

Handing his phone back to him, I say, "Will you send him my number so we can work out a meet-up spot?"

"Absolutely."

"Make sure your tracking is on. We don't want another issue like the one at Apex Fusion," Jace mumbles, adding more spice to the sauce.

"I will," I say.

While Jace finishes dinner, Cannon gives me all the information about the singer performing Saturday night. He plays me their music and shows me footage from one of their concerts. We remain huddled on the couch until Jace calls us to eat.

The mood doesn't change much at the kitchen island. We sit side by side, Cannon and I holding all the conversation while Jace focuses on eating. He finishes before us and rinses off his plate.

"Cannon, you got the dishes tonight?" he asks.

"Yeah, I got it."

"Thanks for dinner," I say in a quiet voice.

Jace gives a curt nod and heads to his office. "I'll be finishing up a project for the rest of the night. You two sleep good."

Several quiet minutes pass by after Jace disappears. The air is thick with tension. It's so uncomfortable that Cannon and I scratch at our arms and necks, never making eye contact. Whatever is going on with Jace has the potential to change the dynamic in this house.