Inferno Part 4

~74~ SURPRISE

Trigger Warning!

Emma's POV

After Trace's ultimatum, Izzy watches him carefully as her eyes stay lifeless and her scowl rigid. Several long breaths later, she crosses her arms.

"I have nowhere else to go, Trace."

"That's not true and you know it. You have four other houses, you just don't want to go to theirs."

She watches him another minute before she nods. "I'll take my smoking outside."

"And leave Emma alone," he says in a calm, yet serious voice.

"Fine."

"And put on some damn clothes, now!"

She rolls her eyes as she walks away, and Trace keeps his eyes to the ground as she does. When we hear the door click shut, he looks at me and pulls me against him.

"You ok?"

Although there's so many things I can say about all of this, I say the simplest.

"Yes"

~*~

After a long week of walking on eggshells with Izzy and preparing Jake's party, I'm completely and utterly exhausted. Add in the fact that Trace and my most intimate moments have been a few kisses here and there, I'm feeling like my life is starting to spiral.

"When do you want me to pick up the cake?" Trace asks as he walks around the kitchen in only sweats, eating Beef Jerky.

"4. Can you pick up the sub sandwiches right after that? Our moms are bringing the sides, but I was supposed to get the food at 4:30 and I forgot about the balloons I ordered...And I still need to decorate."

Trace finishes the jerky as he silently gets out his phone.

"Hey Luke. Can you run to Party City and pick up Emma's ballon order?....Thanks man."

"Balloons are taken care of. The food and the cake will be too. Now you have all day to decorate while he's at the gym."

That simple gesture just took ten pounds off of me and I blow out a breath.

"Thank you"

He smiles as he kisses my forehead, and we both turn when we hear a disgusted sound.

"So you can be naked, but I can't?"

Trace looks at his sister and gives her an exasperated look.

"Do I look naked to you?"

"Where's your shirt?"

"Isabelle, this is my house and if I don't want to wear a shirt, then I won't."

"Cool. Good to know that you're just a typical white male who thinks he's superior to everyone else. Better watch out Trace, your entitlement is showing....."

Trace blows out a breath as he runs his fingers through his shaggy hair.

"Izzy, I'm trying to be understanding, and I hope that one day you will tell me about all of the hell you've been through. I pray for you every single night, and I have from the second you left. But for the love of my sanity, shut the hell up."

She nods as she brushes black hair out of her face.

"Go ahead and save your prayers, brother. God doesn't care about me. If He cared......"

She immediately stops and bites her lip.

"If He cared what?" Trace asks as he walks over to her carefully, desperate to know even a nugget of information.