[MC #4] Mafia's Angel

Part 3

She wonders how those people are doing now, and if they regret doing what they've done, but her concern quickly disappears and turns into bitterness. Who cares what they're doing now? They're no longer a part of Jamie's life nor will they ever be.

Jamie can't dwell on this for too long, though, as the sound of her phone interrupts her thoughts. "Hello?" she greets quietly, not even bothering to look at the caller.

"Hi, sweet angel," Jace greets, a content smile spreads on his face just from hearing Jamie's voice. He didn't plan to call her so early, but decided to tell her the reason he can't go visit her. He doesn't want her to think he's giving up on her or anything. "I know I was supposed to come to visit, but there were some... complications."

"You don't need to explain yourself, Jace," Jamie quickly retorts, stopping the man from continuing. "You're not supposed to come here every week, I know you're a busy man."

Jamie's dejected tone for some reason strikes a chord in Jace. He thought Jamie liked it when he came over, so to hear her so indifferent about his absence is a little upsetting. "I promised to see you as often as possible, Angel, and I intend to keep my word. Unless you don't like it?" he trails off hesitantly, toying distractedly with his knife as he sits in his office, completely ignoring the piles of reports on his desk.

"It's not that I don't like it when you come..." Jamie sighs quietly. "I just feel like it's a waste of your time to go back and forth all the time..."

"You're being silly, Angel. If I could, I would fly to Iowa every day to see you," Jace chuckles. "You know what I'd like even more?"

"No," Jamie trails off confusedly.

"If you moved to Montana. Then I would be able to see you whenever I wanted."

"Jace... I told you I can't do that. I don't want to be a bother," Jamie breathes out, rubbing her forehead tiredly. What a hypocrite I am... I tell him I don't want to be a bother, yet I'm still bothering the bikers.

"Angel, darling, you wouldn't be a bother, you know that. I've told you that many times," Jace admonishes gently. He doesn't understand why Jamie is so reluctant to leave Iowa. Perhaps it's because she feels grateful to the bikers for saving her from the hellhole she was trapped in, or perhaps she wants to stay with the other two girls that were saved alongside her. Unless she simply doesn't like Jace and that's why she doesn't want to go with him. The mere thought of that is heartbreaking.

"Jace, I can't move to Montana all of a sudden," Jamie tries to argue, but even she knows her reasoning is weak at best.

"Why not? Can you please just tell me the reason?"

Damn it, he got me. I've been avoiding this topic forever, but I can't run away anymore. He deserves to know. "I was originally from Montana before I was taken by Burns. I made some... bad decisions and now I'm... I'm afraid to go back there."

"Why didn't you tell me that? You know I wouldn't let anyone hurt you. If there's anyone you're scared of, I'll get rid of them for you. You have nothing to worry about, Angel."

"I can't ask you to solve my problems, Jace. It's not fair to you to use you like this."

"You can use me however you want, love. I want to help you, to be there for you," Jace declares sternly. He immediately decides to have someone investigate Jamie's past to find out what she can be hiding from, but then chooses against it. He doesn't want to pry into Jamie's life behind her back.

"Why?" Jamie implores, slightly bewildered by the man's persistence.

"What do you mean why?" Jace frowns in bafflement, even though Jamie can't see it. "Angel, do you really not know why I'm like this?"

"I'm... not sure."

"I don't want to play hide and seek with you, and I thought I made my intentions clear. I've fallen for you, Angel," Jace confesses truthfully.

Unfortunately, because of the distance separating him from Jamie, he can't see the shock on her face nor the tears streaming down her cheeks. She absolutely cannot believe what she's just heard. He's in love with her? How is that possible? He barely even knows her!

What's even weirder is that she also has feelings for him. Love may be too strong of a word to describe what she feels, but there's something.

"I... Jace, I don't-" Jamie stammers pathetically, roughly wiping the tears off her face with the back of her hand.

"I know, Angel," Jace cuts her off. "Don't worry, love. I won't ask you to reciprocate my feelings right away and I won't burden you with them either." He knows he's being rash by saying this so early, but he's at the end of his tether. It's been months now and his patience is wearing thin. He's a man of action, and the constant game of hide and seek Jamie's playing with him is getting a little... exasperating. He can hardly concentrate on his work because he keeps constantly thinking about his Angel, and the more he thinks of her, the more he wants to see her, and the less he can concentrate on work. It's a vicious cycle that he just can't escape from unless he has his Angel with him for good.

Jamie can't help but be surprised by the man's benevolence. He really is nothing like she thought he was. He may be a little... blunt, but overall he's not a bad man, despite being a mafia boss. It's astounding, really.

If he's like this, then maybe it might not be a bad idea to trust him. Maybe this time, she won't be so unlucky.

"Jace... if I changed my mind about moving from here, what would you do?"