⚫️ J A C E ⚫️
Damn you, Pem.
I rubbed my hands down my tear streaked face. "When, Vance? When did you find out?" My voice coming out muffled through my hands.
"Yesterday, when his manager showed up," he said.
He was so stoic, I love Vance, with all of my being, but he was acting all casual, like we were having afternoon tea and my heart didn't fucking just walk out of my life.
"And you let him take me up to my room, give everything to me, just to rip it away...and you didn't think to tell me?" I shouted in disbelief.
I stood up and placed the floor, "I trusted you, Vance," I stopped in front of him, "you lied to me, you withheld information that I had every right to know!" I started pacing again, "I could've talked him out of it, I could've gotten him to stay!"
"And he knew that, Jace, that's why he asked me not to tell you, he's under contract, he had to go," Vance's deep voice held firm.
"I'm going to go to him," I stopped pacing and glared at Vance.
"No," he held my stare, "he doesn't want you to."
"What?" I expelled, "Why not?"
"He has his reasons," Vance whispered.
"That's not good enough!" I slammed my fist into the wall, the pain instantly overtook me, I held my wrist as I keeled over, "What reasons, Vance? Tell me, I need to know!" I gasped out.
He stood up and pulled me close to him, taking my wrist in his hand as he inspected the damage.
"We need ice," he said to the room.
I saw Wren jump up from his seat and run to the kitchen, He speedily returned with an ice pack, which Vance took and gingerly placed it on my hand, I winced in pain.
"Jace, he's afraid," he hummed out as I met his gorgeous eyes.
"What? Why? Is he in trouble?"
"Not like that, he's afraid that he'll get us in trouble, if the paparazzi ever found out about our relationship, we'd lose everything. I tried to reassure him, but he doesn't want to risk it. He's not thinking of himself...he's doing it for us," he sighed, eyes lowered. "He doesn't want to ruin what you have here," Vance looked over to everyone, "What we all have, he'd rather live in misery then hurt us," Vance's eyes teared. "And that is why... after his contract obligations are up, in one month, if he doesn't come back to us, then we'll go get him."
"You promise?" I whispered.
He nodded his head, then frowned, "Jace, he might not come back, he was very adamant about his choice, I need you to know when to let go," he held my chin in his hand, Steele gray eyes piercing my blue ones.
"No..." I shook my head in defiance, "I won't leave him. I failed him when we were growing up, I wont do it again, not after last night, Vance, and I know the alternative," I sighed, "I'm sorry, but if there's a choice, there's only one I can make," I rasped.
There were gasps throughout the quiet room.
"No Jace, you don't mean that! You wouldn't leave us!" Milo cried out, "you wouldn't leave...me?" a tear escaped the corner of his eye.
Fuck!
I went over to Milo and hugged him close, kissing his temple gently, "That's why we need to make sure he comes back with us," I placated.
He nodded his head in earnest.
"We were supposed to go on our date with him today, he made brownies and mapped out a trail that we were supposed to hike. At the top of the mountain, he wanted us to have a romantic meal, he worked hard on it," Fox whimpered.
"That's why we made brownies, yesterday," Wren whimpered.
My heart dropped, I swallowed down the bile that tried working its way up my throat. I felt like I was suffocating. I haven't felt like this in so long...not since that night when Felix sold Pem's body, Pem's virginity.
I felt like I was being pulled in two directions and I didn't know which way to turn.
I needed to go for a walk, to get out and breathe, "I'll be back guys," I called over my shoulder as I grabbed the car keys and drove to the only mountain I knew, I was going to hike up a mountain, just like Pem wanted to do on our date.
🌟 P E M 🌟
I couldn't do it, I physically couldn't leave. So, before the flight attendant shut the hatch, I jumped out of my seat and ran off the plane. Cindy called out for me, she yelled that I was making the worst decision of my life, but as soon as I was off that plane, I could finally breathe again.
I watched out of the floor to ceiling windows as Cindy flew out of my life, along with my luggage, but I didn't care, those things were replaceable. My life was no longer there, in the spotlight. I no longer wanted the money or the fame if I couldn't have them.
I wasn't going to go back to The Centre though, I still had a lot I had to take care of before I could see them again, before I could see him again. First, I was going to call my lawyer and start the process of getting out of this contract, no matter how much it costs, I'm not going back to California and the miserable life I led. No more alcohol, no more pills, no more meaningless sex.
⚫️ J A C E ⚫️
The more I climbed the mountain, the more calm I became. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the call of the animals all around me, I felt like I could finally breathe again.
I passed a group of about ten people as I reached the top of the mountain. I was thankful that they were leaving, I wanted to be alone, to collect my thoughts.
As I came upon the clearing, the sun shown brighter, the sky was as blue and bright as my eye could see. Someone else was here, they were sitting on the ledge of the rock that jutted out of the side of the cliff, they leaned back, almost like they were sunbathing.
The sun was blinding and I had to squint to see where I was going. As I walked closer to the figure, it seemed familiar, something about the way their hair swooped back, the curve of their neck.
I just had to get closer to see who it was. About ten feet away from them, me feet stopped, my breath hitched in my throat,
"Pem," I gasped out.
His head turned towards me, "Jace," he scrambled up as I stepped towards him, "what are you doing here?" he whispered as he took a shaky step my way.
"I don't know..." I mumbled, "I had to clear my head," I brought my palms to my eyes and rubbed them, willing the tears away. It was useless, I felt the knot in my throat tighten as a sob escaped.
"No, Jace," his breath was on my ear as his warm hands pulled my hands away from my eyes.
🌟 P E M 🌟
As soon as I heard him, I knew I was done for. I couldn't resist him. I never could, I never will.
As I removed his hands from his face and he opened his bloodshot sky blue eyes to mine, my breath hitched. What was I thinking? How could I do this to him? He loved me, and I ran away in the middle of the night like a fucking child.
I've never known love, and to have it from Jace, it was overwhelming.
"Why, Pem?" he breathed out.
I couldn't handle his broken voice, my eyes landed on the dirt ground, tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to wipe them away. My shoulders shrugged because I couldn't say anything. I knew that if I opened my mouth, I'd just crumble to the ground. I gasped out as my breath caught, I was having trouble taking in air, my shoulders shook violently.
His strong arms pulled me closer, "shh..." his lips lightly touched the sensitive skin of my neck. His strong arms wrapped around me to my back and held me tight.
"It's okay, it's okay, Vance explained why you are worried. That's why I'm going to go with you, the two of us, I'll move with you."
What? No!
I shook my head, "No Jace! Don't say that!"
"I can't lose you, Pem, and I'm not going to make the same mistakes as I made all those years ago," his deep voice held such devotion.
"No, I mean, you don't have to leave, I'm staying," and I was, I was going to wait until I had everything taken care of, but seeing Jace like this, the look in his eyes, the realization that he'd be willing to give everything up for me, made me understand that I couldn't stay away. There was no way I could, even if I tried.
His eyes immediately brightened, "You are? Really?" He chuckled, then turned serious, "you're not lying just to appease me and then turn around and run away again, right Pem? Because I will find you and drag you back!"
My lips lifted as I started to giggle, "I'm serious, Jace. I promise, I'm done running," I wrapped my hands around his neck and pulled him in close, my lips brushed over his before he pushed in and sucked my bottom lip into his mouth, we moaned as our tongues touched. My hips pushed into his, rubbing our lengths together.
"Fuck, Pem, I'm already hard for you," Jace chuckled into my mouth.
I swiped my tongue over his lips and then sucked them into my mouth.
"Mmmm, me too," I moaned out.
"Jace, Pem...is that you?" I heard Fox call out from a little ways behind us.
We turned our gaze in his direction, never pulling apart. He was followed by everyone else, they were carrying baskets and blankets in their arms.
"Whats going on here," Ezra asked from behind Fox, one perfectly shaped brow raised.
"I found him here," Jace beamed at me and then turned to the guys in front of us, "he fucking stayed!"
— — — —
I explained what happened after I left and why I made the decision I made at the time. They basically told me that although it was admiral, it was idiotic. I completely agreed with them. I promised that from now on, I would be forthcoming with what I was doing if it affected them.
They explained that they were were only on the mountain because they wanted to go on our date, they knew I wanted them to, so they were going to oblige even if I wasn't with them.
My heart swelled that they still wanted to make me happy, even though I wasn't with them.
I can't believe how stupid I was.
As we all sat around, eating our food and chatting. I teared up again. So many emotions overcame me. Milo leaned in and asked if I was okay. I smiled at him and nodded, he smiled back and then leaned in and kissed my cheek sweetly.
"Thanks, Milo," I smiled at him.
"For what?" he asked.
"For being the caring guy you are, it's sweet."
He smiled, "Thanks Pem, you're really caring too."
"Thank you," I whispered as my smile widened.
"Oh yeah, and don't ever run off again, we can't lose you and Jace," he pouted.
I nodded my head, "I promise I won't."
"Okay, good," he wrapped his small arms around me as he squeezed hard.
They've been nothing but kind to me from the very minute I stepped foot on The Centre's property. I silently promised, to them, to me, I won't keep anything from them again.