Saving Scarlett.

Chapter Twenty-Eight. Betrayal.

My eyes slowly opened, my head pounding in my skull. I was seated in a chair, my arms and legs bound to it. I thrashed around, letting out a desperate scream as I tried to escape. The metal cuffs only burned my skin as I moved around in them, weakening me. I slumped over in the chair in defeat, panic setting in.

"I see you're awake."

My head shot up, my eyes falling on him. He looked like Jace, but something was off. He didn't have that sweet smile on his face, or the carefree look in his eyes. He didn't look like the loving Jace I had grown to love as my best friend, my partner in crime.

"Why are you doing this? Let me go." I huffed out, my voice dry and weak. Jace only let out a menacing laugh as he stared at me, slowly walking towards me.

"Your father made me a promise. He said if I brought you to him, he wouldn't kill you. He'd let me, keep you." Jace's eyes were filled with delight as he came closer to me. I stared at him in horror, not believing my eyes. This wasn't Jace. This isn't my Jace.

"Keep me?" I asked, trying to put all my thoughts together.

"Do you know what it's like to lose a soul mate, Scarlett? No, you don't. It crushes you, it kills you. A part of you dies with them. How do you except me to be sane after that?"

I didn't say a word as Jace paced around the room we were in, going frantic. His eyes were bloodshot, his hair going in every direction.

"I was so lost, I was dead inside. Then, I found you. I knew you were his daughter immediately, I could sense it. I could even sense you were Grey's soulmate, and I hated that. I had to keep you away from him, I had to have something that was going to make you stay with me, stay home. I had to break you."

Tears filled in my eyes as the air in the room went away. This can't be happening. This isn't happening. Wake up, Scarlett. Wake up!

"So, I killed her. I killed your mother. I could've just gotten into your head more, but it wasn't working. It had to be something real. I tried and tried to make you love me. But something in that head of yours never allowed me to do that. You couldn't love me, you were always supposed to love him."

My head was in complete confusion, and pain. I didn't want to accept the words that he was saying, I didn't want to believe them. I was very much awake, and all of this was happening.

"And then he came. He finally found you, and came into your life. I figured I could still win you over, especially if we brought you back here. To the school. You guys were getting too close, he was about to spill all his secrets to you, proclaim his love. I had to do it, Scarlett. I had to kill Lydia, she had to die. I thought if I did that, you'd be broken. You'd blame it on him. But you didn't! You still don't love me! You love him! Why?"

Jace was screaming hysterically at me, pacing crazily around the room. Everything around me was collapsing, as I felt lost. He killed my mom, he killed Lydia. This whole time, he had us all fooled. Hot tears poured out from my cheeks, as I didn't say a single word.

"I knew you were always going to love him. So, I went to my last resort. I made a deal with your dad. If I brought you to him, he said he wouldn't kill you. He wouldn't have to. We could be each other's soul mates, start a family. He wouldn't have to kill you, because our children would be just like you. They'd have the same power you have, if you gave birth to them. He'd just have to absorb power from them, but it would be worth it, because I'd have you. That's all I've ever wanted Scarlett, you."

My breathing was ragged in my throat, as I watched Jace unfold in front of me. He was completely crazy, he lost it. All this time, I had no idea his mind worked this way. I had no idea he was capable of all these things.

"You're fucking crazy!" I spat at him, as his eyes turned towards me. He connected his fist with my cheek, causing me to let out a cry of pain. My cheek burned, as he stared at me in horror.

"Baby, I'm so sorry! I didn't mean that I promise. I'll make it better." He put his hand to my face, healing it, then wrapped his arms around me in my chair. I thrashed away from him, unable to move. I felt lost, I felt hopeless. I didn't even want Grey to come rescue me, they would kill him. I couldn't live knowing I was the reason for all of this.

"Get the fuck away from me, you psycho!" I screamed, Jace only giving me a sad look.

"You'll understand eventually, my Scarlett. But right now, it's time to meet your father."