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Chapter forty two

What a day, it's been another long one. Waking up to my fiancé, in our marital bed, in our family home was amazing. The fact he was still sleeping and so peaceful was a shock, Jace never sleeps in. I didn't dare move incase I woke him and laid quiet and content by his side for over an hour before his bodies needs woke him up, fuck me he was needy.
I loved it.
I snuggle deeper into the sofa, lifting the blanket to my chin. I'm not sure why I chose to play a stupid scary movie but I now regret I did. I could go sit at the bar, hang with the guys because I know it's not busy but I wasn't in the mood to dress up tonight. I have no makeup on and just my soft old skinny jeans and a black hoodie of Jace's. It would be just my luck I'd go out there and my high school would be holding a reunion. No thank you, I'm not that scared really.
My phone rings loud in the quiet room and I jump belying my claim and I laugh at myself for my cowardice.
Looking at the screen I smile, it's been so long.
"Hello?" I answer cautiously.
"Oh holy shit she lives!" Iz sighs.
"Yeah, sorry" I blush.
I know I've avoided her calls, even Cooper tried to call me.
"Honey what's been going on? Tell me everything is okay. What's happening with Jace? Are you two alright?" She rushes through the questions and I wonder if this is what a conversation with me is like.
"Too much for you to worry about, everything is getting better now, Jace is working, yeah we are fine" I answer.
"You both have been avoiding us, Cole won't tell me anything. It's not like Jace to shut us out, please tell me he's not drinking!" Izzy is so worried.
"Isabel, I'm sorry. It's been a difficult couple of weeks, I don't want to bother you with my drama while you are supposed to be enjoying your honeymoon. Jace is sober I promise" I dodge.
"Are you... Still together?" Her voice is hesitant and soft, maybe apologetic like she knew we wouldn't last long.
"We are now"
"Now? Fuck honey what happened?" Iz asks
"Jack happened" I whisper.
"Honey I know it's hard for you, you have to try to forget. It's over now" she soothes me.
"No Belles, it wasn't. I didn't know it but I never got away from him, the fucker was my fucking next door neighbour. He found out about Jace. He didn't like it" I say.
"What?! Oh fuck honey please tell me he didn't hurt you?" Her voice is begging.
"No, he broke into my place while I was sleeping though. Jace came home after work and my front door was wide open, he got back in a few times after that but I wasn't there"
"I'm going to kill him this time I swear to fucking god" Iz fumes.
"Iz..." I groan.
"And Jace let you leave him? You broke up?" She asks confused.
"He left me, kinda. I made him leave" I say ashamed.
"No he wouldn't leave you alone like that, not when that fucker was creeping about" Izzy defends him.
"He would if I told him I was in love with someone else" I whisper.
"You did what?!"
"I had to, he had to leave Iz. I got a message I had to go back to my apartment, I thought it was security, it was Jack. Jace was busy so I went alone, Jack had been inside. He left pictures of Amber and Lilly in my kitchen, he had been following them for months. He told me it was them or Jace, I couldn't have both. I chose them"
"Oh fuck" her voice is hollow and quiet.
"I told Jace to leave when he turned up looking for me, I didn't know Jack was down the hall at this stage but he knew Jace was there. He was texting me that he had to leave right that second, sending me pictures of the girls at school. Jace was already pissed about messages from my boss, I told him they were from him. Jace accused me of being with him and I agreed. I told him we were together and I loved him. Jace believed me, he left. I didn't see him for two weeks. I was so scared and alone but Jack was happy, he didn't go near the girls or me. I had my security track him down from a car that had been following me, we found him and I knew I had never gotten away" I explain.
"Fucking asshole motherfucker!" Iz is angry and I hear Coop in the background.
"Shh it's okay, I'm sorry. You don't need this, I'm sorry" tears fill my eyes embarrassed and ashamed.
"No honey, I'm sorry. Please don't cry, where's Jace? You two are okay now right?" She worries.
"He's working, he's always working" I mumble.
"Fuck, you need him. Coop we have to go home" Iz says.
"No! No Isabel you don't. I do need him but it's okay, I'm with him kinda. I'm sorry but I've taken over your office tonight, Jay wouldn't leave me alone" I admit.
"You have? That's fine honey. Anything I have is yours if you need it, you know that. What about work? You can't be out all night and still work all day, trust me" Izzy calms down a bit.
"I'm kinda off work right now, I couldn't go with everything that was going on. I was kinda maybe in hospital up till yesterday, Jace found me and busted me out" I grimace, I know this is news I don't want to give over the phone.
"Fuck Lizzy why?!"
"Malnutrition, nausea, stress" I stick to the official reasons.
"Oh god, I feel so guilty. We should have been there" she groans.
"There is nothing you could do, it's fine. I'm glad you missed all this" I say.
"What happened yesterday? Why did Jace find you?"
"He missed me? He wanted me back, he went to my office to steal me from my boss. I wasn't there and my boss gave away my lie, told him I was in hospital. He found me sedated and I spilled my guts, I told him about the girls. He had his dad get them from school and lock them up, he made sure they were safe and took me home. He was so sad Belles, I broke him. I thought he would hate me"
"But he didn't, he couldn't. He loves you" she tells me confident.
"He didn't, he still loves me. I said yes, no more maybe. We're getting married" I smile.
"Oh good girl, congratulations honey" Izzy's smiling too I can hear it.
"There's more, Jack's in prison. Jace had him arrested, he and Lauren were out all night last night. Jack wasn't living down the hall alone, he was abusing another girl. I told Jace and he is Jace, he lost it. He couldn't let it go on any longer. Jace met Jack when he was arrested, Jack told him things, about me. He admitted everything he did to me, he taunted Jace that he was going to kill me and the girls, and you" I tell her.
"Well he could have tried, the fucking pussy would soon learn otherwise. Fuck! I want to knock the asshole out so bad" Iz yells away from the phone and I hear Coop shushing her.
"Jace recorded everything, his confession will stand up in court. Lauren says he won't be getting out for a long time, Sarah, the other girl is talking too. Jack told Jace he was going to do to the girls what he did to me, being minors his charges are going to put him away for close to the rest of his life" I sigh.
"Oh god Big Man, how did he not lose it?" It sounds like Iz is shaking.
"He did, he came home with a bloody shirt and bruised hands. He let loose on Jack's face was his words" I almost smile.
"And he wasn't arrested for assault?" Iz asks shocked.
"Apparently your friend is easily distracted, she didn't see anything" this time I am smiling.
"God she's a little crazy but a good friend, were you losing your shit alone last night?" Iz asks and I hear her smile too.
"I wasn't alone, Cole stayed with me" I tell her.
"That little shit, he told me he was hooking up with a gorgeous blonde all night. I called him like ten times, wait! You weren't hooking up right?" Iz blurts.
"Hmm, he said I was gorgeous?" I giggle.
"Beth!" Iz demands.
"What? He's a hottie, he kissed me a little, he played his guitar for me and we made pancakes and ate way too much junk food. It was really fun, I like hanging with Cole. His pedicures are pretty awesome too, my toes look like rainbows" I grin.
"Elizabeth, he kissed you?" She growls.
"Careful Isabel, you almost sound jealous. You are married now remember" I tease her but I can hear jealousy in her tone.
"Answer me" she presses quietly.
"Yeah, my cheeks, my hair, my fist" I laugh.
"Your fist?" She laughs relaxing now.
"I maybe punched his face today, gave him a black eye and a busted face" I grimace.
"Maybe?"
"Well no maybe I did, I'm sorry" I say.
"Why?" She worries again.
"Because he punched my man, they were arguing. Cole was accusing Jace of being with someone else, Jace was so angry and shaking. Cole just threw a punch out of the blue and I snapped" I confess.
"What the fuck? I knew we shouldn't leave them together" Iz groans.
"No he wasn't fighting with him, I didn't know. Cole was helping him, it's what they do apparently. Jace is finding it hard right now, you know? After what I did to him. He needs the distraction and Cole's fist seems to do the trick, then they hug and it's really weird. They don't even like each other" I say guilty.
"Why hasn't he called me? Silly man" Iz sighs.
"Because he loves you, because you are on your honeymoon. Because if he felt like I did, he didn't want to have to say out loud we were over. I knew I still wanted him but he thought I was with someone else, he thought I had moved on, I broke his heart Iz. I crushed him"
"But he knows now, he would understand why you did it. He's okay now right?" She almost begs me.
"I'm not easy to love, he's trying hard. I just need to trust him, and I do trust him, it's me I don't trust. He is just so perfect and gorgeous and sweet and I'm just me, when I see someone else in his arms I automatically assume he's over me" I sigh.
"Who? Why is someone else in his arms?"
"Sarah, she kinda attached herself to him. She flipped out when she saw me, she hates me and blames me for what happened to her"
"Oh, honey you know it's not your fault right?" Iz says uncomfortable.
"It really is, Izzy she looks exactly like me. Cole says she not as hot but everything about her is just like me, except she has brown eyes. It's obvious Jack chose her because he was replacing me, so every time I made him mad I know he punished her. He saw my ring, he was waiting for the elevator when Jace and I got out after he proposed. I knew it was him but I let it go thinking I was paranoid.  That poor girl would have been punished so bad for that" I whisper.
"And it's still not your fault Elizabeth. It's his, put the blame where it belongs. Why was Cole checking her out?"
"He wasn't he was just trying to make me feel better, he's not really a dirty pervert" I sigh smiling.
"Well listen to you. Someone has a new fan" she giggles.
"He's very sweet, he let me ruin his shirt and just held me when Jace left with the other me today. I busted his face and he didn't even get mad, he was more worried about my hand than himself. He risks Jace's wrath to ask my stupid insecure questions so Jace doesn't know they are mine, he would take a beating to make me feel better. Like I said he's very sweet" I blush.
"Don't worry I won't tell him you said that, he cares more than he wants people to know. He hides the good guy he is, I'm glad he let's you see it" Iz tells me proudly.
"I'm going to make Jay ask him to be groomsman. I don't think it even needs mentioning that Coop will be his best man" I smile.
"Ha, yeah I know right. Sometimes I think they love each other more than they should" Iz teases and I know it's for Coops benefit. "Have you thought about your maid of honour yet?" Iz asks casually.
"Hmm yeah a little. I was thinking of Rose and Leah, they could just toss a coin for it" I say flippant.
"What?!" Iz blurts and I laugh.
"I love you Belles, would you please be my maid of honour?" I ask seriously.
"Yes of course I will. I love you too" she says happy and pleased. "I love Rose and Leah but if either of them put their hands on my man for any reason I would tackle them" Iz continues sweetly.
"What about Cole? I was thinking about asking Rose to be bridesmaid" I smirk.
"Have you asked Cole?" She hedges.
"No, he doesn't know he's a groomsman yet. He's coming round for breakfast in the morning so I'll talk to Jay tonight when we get home"
"Home? Did you stay in your apartment after Jack broke in?" Iz asking thinking about it for the first time.
"No I stayed at Jace's apartment then when we broke up I stayed in the hospital mostly but I stayed there for a night or two I don't really know, I kinda lost the plot for a while" I confess.
"Jace sold his place right? He payed out his loan last week"
"Yep he exchanged today, he moved into the house yesterday. I moved in today, we are officially living together. Waking up there this morning was everything, it was awesome" I boast.
"Excellent news Beth, I'm so happy for you. Jace has it move in ready already?"
"When I said he's always working I didn't mean just at the bar, he hasn't stopped. He knocked down walls and re-did the kitchen and all the floors, he did two full bathrooms and the basement. It's fucking amazing what he did, he's my superman. My world stopped when we were apart, he just made sure he built me the perfect house, I really don't deserve someone like him" I sigh feeling proud, loved and so guilty at once.
"You both deserve each other, you are beautiful and amazing Beth. You are exactly what Jace deserves and I wouldn't say that about anyone, I freaking love my big man. He deserves the best and now he has it, thank you" Izzy is serious and she makes me cry.
"Don't you have a husband to jump or something? We've been talking for half an hour surely you're ready for another round by now" I sniffle.
"No I'm punishing him right now, he smiled at this little Italian woman twice today. Twice! She has really big knockers and likes to show them off, she likes to touch what's mine and I swear to god if she gives him one more flower I'm going to make her eat it. I have no idea what she is saying to him but I bet it's something dirty, and my husband just smiles at her" she rants and I hear Cooper laughing.
"That bastard" I agree laughing too.
"It's not funny, I love his smiles, they belong to me" she pouts and I hear Coop murmuring then Iz giggle.
"Make him work for it Iz, have you pulled out the blue teddy yet?" I grin.
"Ooh it's on, I forgot you packed that. Chuck, you will be begging for my forgiveness all night" she teases excited.
I think Coop says something about his knees and I blush.
"So I'll tell Jay to call Coop tomorrow then?" I giggle.
"No tell him to call whenever he wants, Coop has been freaking out without his boyfriend"
"Yeah Jace too, Cole is trying but he's just not Cooper. He needs his boy to tell him he's okay"
"Then tell him to call when he has his break, trust me Coop will be free for hours yet today" I hear the challenge and playful smirk in her voice and smile.
"I will do, now let me get back to this stupid movie. This little girl is drawing pictures on her wall of dead people" I shudder.
"You're watching movies in my office?" Iz giggles.
"Yeah we have too many TV's at the house now so Jace put one in here for me, you can keep it. It's already got Netflix" I say wondering if that's okay.
"Sweet, tell him thanks" Iz laughs.
"Thanks for calling, love you" I say ending the conversation.
"Thanks for answering, love you too. Everything is going to be okay now" she tells me.
"Bye"
"Bye Lizzy"