I had two different versions of the last chapter and when I posted it seems they both were... posted? The point being, people got different endings. If you want to see the final ending please reload the book or delete and reload. Sorry for the confusion.
Trust me, you'll want to read it ;)
J A Y
I ran home. The café had been closed, meaning I had the whole afternoon to get ready for tonight's event. Apparently Soren was picking me up at 7 o'clock sharp. A smile wouldn't leave my lips. I was being a princess for just one night.
Pulling open the front door my smile faded automatically, every inch of the house context was splayed out in the floor. My footsteps slow I walked through the hallway, peering around for any sign of movement.
Passing the fireplace I grabbed the poker, only noticing that the TV was gone. My phone pressed to my ear, I called the police: "Um—I'm Jay Whiley. I'm reporting a robbery."
"Okay, is there else there with you? How old are you?" The man's voice was extremely calm, I turned and walked into the kitchen, every cupboard was open.
"No, just me. I'm seventeen," the floorboards creaked behind me and I spun around to see nothing, "I... I don't think I'm the only one in the house."
"Is there any way you can get out of the house? We have police coming to your location." He was still so calm as my heart thumped in my ears.
"They—they were looking for something." My eyes traced my cupboards wear all my clothes were pulled out, I licked my dry lips.
"Could you climb out a window?" The officer stated again as a crease formed between my eyebrows, my wardrobe was closed, "Hello? Jay?"
"I--" I pulled the cupboard door open to find two dark eyes staring back at me. Screaming incredibly loud, I lifted the poker and slammed it across the mans head who fell against the wall with the force.
"Are you oka--" I dropped the phone as ran for the house exit, I could hear footsteps that weren't my own.
Launching myself through the open house door, I flew over the front steps and unto the snowy pavement. My hands tore from the gravel, as I rolled in the snow. A sickening throbbing in my head I stumbled to my feet, forcing my way out of our little gate.
Standing disoriented in the middle of the road, I watched the blue and red lights speeding towards me.
S O R E N
The police women passed me a bag stating, "She hid it well."
I thanked her and stood next to Jay who was sitting on the curve, a shock blanket covering her shoulders.
Sitting down next to her, I watched Jay's father talk to a police, running a hand through his short hair. They didn't catch the robber, he'd fled as soon as Jay had discovered him.
"Ain't this shit." I huffed, looking down at Jay who smiled weakly as a response, "You don't have to come tonight if you aren't feeling well enough."
She sighed before stretching, "I did not carry books on my head for a week for nothing."
Grinning, I helped her to her feet. Sebastián hugged his daughter stating how she won't be left alone at home again. To my surprise she'd already told her dad about tonight's event, and to my astonishment I found out he'd said yes.
After multiple arguments between the both if she was fine or not, Jay took the bag containing her dress. A family chauffeur took us both back to my home.
"I should've seen this coming." I huffed, leaning against my hand, elbow resting against the windowsill.
"Excuse m--"
"You've been seen with me all over town. Remember the night we met, not the school outing, when I was... high?" She nodded slowly, "That man who got ahold of the bike, he knew me. The scars, people know me. They know I have money and now they know, well, they'll think you're my girlfriend."
Her brow creased in confusion so I continued, "And what do boyfriends give to their girlfriends? Gifts, expensive gifts in my case." Running a hand through my hair, "That, or he was waiting for you. Going to hold you hostage until we paid them money."
"M-maybe you're just overthinking--" I glared at her with fierce eyes causing her to stop.
"I can't let them do what they did to me to you." Sighing, I looked out the window, away from her concerned face.
Feeling Jay's hand on mine I added, "Enjoy tonight. Think about it later, after tonight."
-
I walked down the stairs, fixing my shirt collar. Following the laughter of Jay I walked into the living room. Looking up from my watch my throat went dry, my joints stiffened.
Jay was laughing at Colin who had obviously made some joke. Robin stood next to Jay, his hands in his pockets as he chuckled softly. Of course, I didn't notice them in the room.
"The real alpha is here," Colin grinned, turning to me, he's hands stuffed in his pocket. If I wasn't so focused on Jay I may have picked up the sadness in his eyes.
Jay's eyes met mine and she smiled, red lipstick crafted to perfection. The beautiful red dress gripped hips gracefully, sliding over her curves like water, a long silk trail following behind her as she seemed to float towards me.
"Nice—hey—hi," I stumbled, seeing Colin nudge Robin out of the corner of my eye, "You look... Good."
"Good?" She scoffed, "I better look better than good--"she air quoted the word good, "because I could not run if I tried, I differently can not eat due to the tightness around my torso. Have you ever worn a corset?" I opened my mouth to respond but she continued, "Yeah, didn't think so. Point being, it's hell."
"You look stunning?" I tried, my facial expression blunt not knowing whether I'd said the right compliment.
She grinned her eyes shinning with playfulness, "Why thank you. You look handsome and I see you're still going with the messy hair look?"
Her put her arm through mine as I guided her to the black BMW outside the house.
"You have no idea how much I have tried to tame this mess." The butler opened the door, Jay slipped inside the car and I followed after her, "I didn't tell you but well, they'll want a few photos before we go inside."
Her eyes widened, "How do you forget something like that? I am so bad in front of the cam--"
"Stop panicking," I grinned and put a finger between the crease in her brow, "You'll be fine. Stop stressing, you're getting crinkles."
She scowled at me, the car trip last about forty minutes. The whole time Jay was panicking as she practiced the questions that I asked her, performing as one of the guest. It wasn't until I'd asked her the same question five times that we had to stop, it was driving me crazy how much she was freaking out.
The car slowed to holt and i took her hand, "What's the worse that could happen?"
She gulped nervously as I climbed out of the car first, the camera's flashing faster than I was blinking. Turning, I took the hand of Jay who stepped out with such grace, pride struck my chest.
We walked her arm laced in mine up the marbles steps into the massive venue, situated just outside the city in the green country. The security guard nodded, knowing exactly who I was.
We were at the head of marble stairs which you had to walk down to meet the bottom floor which concluded to be a massive dance floor, food sprinkled around the edges of the room.
"Oh god," Jay whispered as we descended down the stairs, she picked up the front of her dress to see her shoes as she took each step slowly.
I laughed softly, staying by her side as we descended down the stairs, ready to catch her if she fell. It wasn't until we were at the bottom of the stairs that her sigh of relief filled my ears.
"Your dad," she whispered as we walked through the crowd, "he's staring at us."
I nodded in social respect to women who smiled at me before saying in a hushed voice back, "Not just him. Everyone is."
My mother smiled when I finally looked at her. She pulled me into a hug, her white dress brushing against my black suit. My father smiled at me and I nodded, doing it for the image only, of course.
"I did not know my dear, that you had a girlfriend." She smiled at Jay who looked at me for a split second nervously.
She returned my mother's smile holding out her hand, "Jay Whiley, pleasure to meet you."
Fiona McKinin looked at me than back to Jay before taking her hand, "A beautiful couple, both of you."
I nodded, glancing at my father who was looking at Jay with a intense look.
Say one fucking bad thing about her and I swear—
"Jay, I am sorry but I feel like we have met before," Fiona looked at Jay with a forced smile, searching her memory.
Jay choked a laughed, "I doubt so."
A man tapped my mother on the shoulder gently and spoke in a hush voice before taking her hand and leading her to the dance floor.
Colin trotted up to Jay and bowed slightly, giving her a playful grin, "May I have this dance, Ma'am?"
My father took two glasses off a champagne tray a young boy was serving to the guests. He handed me one as we watched the couple dance gracefully.
"I thought it was traditionally for the Mr. and Mrs. McKinin to have the first dance? Seems someone else has taken your spot," I sipped at the drink, grinning in trumpet into the glass.
Albert's teeth ground together as he watched mom dance. He took a slip of his champagne calmly, "Never thought my boys would share a girl."
My gaze drifted over to Jay who was smiled up at Colin. They dance with ease as he looked down at her, their faces dangerously close.
"They're just talking." I shrugged, more guest filling through the doors like bees into a hive.
"Right." He grunted softly as he walked past, "Open your fucking eyes, son."
Albert then proceeded to smile graciously at a Chinese man who I recognized as a strong sharer of one of dad's more successful businesses.
My gaze turned back to Jay was in the process of bowing, Colin kissed her hand before walking away.
I had never listened to Albert, why start now?
She walked towards me, I took her hand. Jay's smile never ceased to amaze me, it was one you unconsciously returned.
"Shall we dance?" I lead her into the middle of the dance floor even though she hadn't answered yet.
She laughed before covering her mouth by how loud the cackle had been, "I still can't believe, Soren McKinin, boxer and badass, dances."
My right hand curled around her left, my left hand holding her upper waist. Doe brown eyes found mine as she placed her delicate hand on my shoulder.
In seconds the next song played,
Wise men say,
only fools rush in,
but I can't help falling
in love with you.
I don't believe it was possible to stare into your partner's eyes and not bump into anyone else. Though, either everyone got out of the way or there was miracle, but my eyes never left her big brown ones.
Take my hand,
take my whole life too,
for I can't help falling
in love with you.
I analysed every inch of her face. The way her cheekbones melted into the structure of her soft jawline. Soft freckles scattered across her nose, eyelashes that just kisses her skin. By the time my eyes had trailed to her lips we'd stopped dancing, simply swaying to the music. I analysed her lips with my own, soft and forever comforting.
Her nose against the side of mine, our foreheads pressed gently against each other, I laughed softly.
"What?" She breathed through a smile, the song coming to an end.
"I--," shaking my head silently I whispered, "I realised that we live for about 100 years, or well we should. The purpose being... To have the ability to ask yourself, 'Did I make someone else's life better?'"
We pulled apart and I stood in the middle of the floor and smiled in happiness, "And Jay, you've made my life a thousand times better."
-
"For I can't help falling in love with you"
*sings through tears,
watching Jay and Soren dance*
*All HTPSM fans swaying in sync with phone torches, crying on the shoulders on fellow
"Joren" shippers*