*Perrie's Pov*
The street was quiet as the car pulled up in front of our gate. Jade exited the car with express directions for me to remain inside. I waited, longing to be inside and behind the wrought iron fence that separated our private world from the public one forcefully encroaching upon us. When she finally opened my door and offered her hand, I was all too eager to take it.
"Lauren will get the bags," Jade said quietly, "and I'll be right behind you."
She'd been silent for much of the ride home and I didn't know if she was stewing over her furious exchange with her mother or trying to fit recent events together. All I knew was that we were home. Unlatching the gate, I stepped onto the paving stones that formed a welcoming path to my front door. Movement caught my eye and I startled, falling back against the latch. My fingers closed over it, instinct telling me to run, until a familiar face appeared in the darkness.
"What are you doing here?" I asked, still breathless from the scare.
"I came to speak to Jade. I imagine she's expecting me."
At that moment, Jade came through the gateway and froze. Her gaze grew icy as it locked on his face.
"Jonathan," She said coldly.
Slowly, a piece of the puzzle I'd been trying to fit together clicked into place, but the larger image was still obscured. I looked to Jade and back to Jonathan, trying to read the unspoken thoughts that played across both their faces.
"You shouldn't have come," Jade continued.
"I had to," Jonathan interrupted.
"I need to explain what happened—"
"Your presence here is all the explanation I require. Leave," Jade commanded. Jonathan shook his head and a growl rumbled through Jade.
I stepped back, cloaking myself in the shadows of the garden. I wanted to fade into the night so neither of them would recall my being here. Luckily they only saw each other. The air surrounding us thickened into a palpable tension. I could draw my hands through it, slice it open, and still not damage the heaviness of the atmosphere. It warned of violence and blood as much as the brutal hatred emanating from Jade's body. I took solace in the fact that Lauren was nearby. I would be no match for these two if, or rather when, this came to blows.
"It wasn't what you assume." Jonathan stepped closer, shoving his hands nervously in the pockets of his coat. "It was innocent."
"Nothing that happened that night was innocent," Jade yelled. Her words shattered through the night and echoed in the silence. A few houses down, a porch light flickered on.
But I didn't move to quiet them. What was passing between them was unstoppable. They were somewhere else entirely, caught in a web of the past that only confrontation would free them from. I could only watch the fallout.
"Leigh anne wanted it. It wasn't much. Just enough to loosen her up." Jonathan's voice rose, desperate to be heard. He shook his head. "I should have said no."
"And Karl?" Jade snarled. "Did he want it, too?"
"I swear to god I didn't give any to Karl. If he took some, it wasn't mine." Jonathan rambled on, only making himself sound guiltier. He was single handedly signing his own death certificate.
The picture grew clearer until I could see all the pieces the dozens of mistakes fitting together to form a tragic story. There had been drugs that night, but it hadn't been Jade providing them. I'd known that, but I hadn't understood how Karl had taken them. Now I knew. Jonathan had made a mistake, and it had cost an innocent guy his life.
"Did you know?" Jade closed the space between them and grabbed Jonathan's collar. "When we left that night, did you know that Karl had taken something?"
A wave of shame washed over Jonathan's features. "I suspected."
Jade shoved him to the ground and lorded over him, hands curling into fists. The fury rolled off of her and my own terror rose into my chest, making it hard to breathe. I had no clue how far Jade could take things or how much her blood called for revenge. I'd never been frightened of her before, but now she terrified me. Stepping from the shadows, I placed my body between them.
"You don't—"
Jade's sharp look silenced me. "This doesn't concern you, Perrie."
"Everything you do, everything you feel and endure concerns me," I said softly. "Don't chase the past, Jade. Let it go."
"Letting go is for mistakes. This wasn't a mistake, it was cold-blooded and cowardly." She pushed me away, crouching down so that her face was inches from Jonathan. "There is a time for forgiveness. This is not that time."
Jade gripped Jonathan's collar, dragging him to his feet. Jade released him only long enough to strike the first blow to his stomach. It caught Jonathan hard and he sucked at air he couldn't capture. But his response was immediate, his own fist flying to crack across Jade's left cheek. I fell back as they struggled, torn between crying for help and running. Jonathan was no match for Jade. Her hands closed over Jonathan's neck, who fought back, clawing at Jade, desperate for air. Jonathan's face clouded as his fingers slackened, dropping to Jade's chest.
"Enough!" The cry ripped through me, and I threw myself against Jade. It wasn't much of a fight, but it was enough to make her lose grip.
Jonathan stumbled back. Gasping and sputtering, he collapsed to his knees.
"Not like this," I pleaded with Jade. "He isn't worth it."
"My brother was worth it," She growled. "But you're right. This piece of shit isn't." She rounded on Jonathan.
"Get the fuck out. I never want to see your face again."
I clutched Jade, restraining her the best I could while whispering soothingly to her. It had no effect. Her body remained rigid and on edge even as Jonathan got to his feet and staggered to the gate.
Jonathan paused and turned to face Jade, his knuckles white as he gripped the latch. "For what it's worth, I'm sorry."
Jade didn't look at him, but her response sent a chill racing down my spine. "It's worth very little."
Some things could be forgiven. Some mistakes left in the past. This could never be forgotten. It would never be forgiven. Jonathan seemed to sense this, his eyes closing briefly, before he left the gate swinging behind him.
I entwined my arm around Jade's, encouraging her toward the door, but she didn't move. She wrenched away, picked up the bags that lay scattered across the path and walked inside. I let the silence of the night envelop me, finding cold comfort in the contours of branches and the outlines of houses. Nothing felt real, as though the world had been erased down to the barest sketch, leaving me to exist in the shades of murky gray it cast.
This wasn't something I could fix. Jonathan's mistake couldn't simply be shrugged off. It had shattered too many lives and its revelation had only reopened the wounds Jade carried within herself. I could only love her through it, leading the way through the darkness that had been cast over us once more.
Lauren came to the gate, drawing a surprised gasp from my lips. "Where were you? She almost...she almost..."
My emotions overwhelmed me and I fought hard against the tears threatening to spill over. How many times could I cry tonight? Things weren't a mess. This went above that. Jade's mother wouldn't stop until she'd forced Jade and me apart. With each passing second, the world cast more judgement upon her. How long before she cracked? How long before the past broke our love again?
"I protect Jade," Lauren said. She took my arm gently and guided me toward the house. "But she will always fight her own battles."
"How do I get her to stop?" I asked, my voice barely a whisper. "How do I show her she doesn't have to fight anymore?"
Lauren smiled sadly. "You already know the answer to that, Perrie. You've been healing her since the day she met you but wounds like these take time to mend."
"We're running out of time." It ached to say it, to acknowledge that it was hard. As each buried secret came to light, it became more difficult. It was harder to find my way through the ghostly haze of mistakes that clouded our love.
"Love doesn't run on clocks," She said. Lauren patted my hand, opening the door and waiting for me to step through. I watched her leave, contemplating her words. Since I'd fallen for Jade, I'd been obsessed with the deadline that seemed to accompany our relationship. It had felt like a ticking bomb running on a timer I couldn't see. Maybe Lauren was right, though my love for Jade couldn't be wiped away by past mistakes. It hadn't faltered when confronted with threats or lies or gossip. The only person that could let her slip away was me.
And I wasn't about to let that happen.
Jade's frame filled the doorway and I looked to her, finding strength in that knowledge. I went to her but just as I'd almost reached her, she pulled away.
"I can't. I'm sorry. I can't."
Her words fell across me like a blow and I caught myself against the wall. I couldn't allow her to pull away, not now. Not when she needed me.
"Then let me," I said softly. "Let me protect you tonight."
"No one can protect me from this," Jade said harshly. Her hands closed over the jacket she'd left strewn across the stair's railing. She whipped it around her, shrugging into it and headed for the door. Deep inside me I found the strength to step between her and the door.
"Don't chase ghosts. Stay here. Stay with me."
"I want to but there's no point in pretending any longer Perrie. We both knew this day would come."
"Only if we let it," I whispered, but my words were lost to the darkness that consumed her. It had taken hold, preventing her from finding the light that would guide her back to me.
"I promised to protect you." Jade's eyes flashed as she spoke and a familiar dread grew tendrils in my belly.
"I will always do so. You are the air I breathe Perrie. The one good and true thing in my life. I understand now what protecting you means."
I understood, too. Her words tugged at the fragile scars that held my heart together and I felt it fracture and splinter along the fault lines I thought had healed. I had thought once that the pain of losing her would make me stronger. But this pain echoed though me, shredding me to the bone. With each breath I took, my chest contracted until I couldn't find the air I sought.
"No." I forced the word past my lips.
Jade found me. Her hand caught the back of my neck and brought my lips to her's. It was a gentle kiss, the usual hunger absent and yet more passionate for the bittersweet sorrow it tasted of. My lips parted in welcome, calling her to me as she searched for an answer without knowing the question. I answered with love. It washed over me and found her. A low hum built between us but before I could mold my body to her's, she broke away from me.
I didn't try to stop her when she opened the door. Jade looked back at me, her eyes dull and distant.
"Come back to me," I commanded her.
"I'll try. I promise I'll try." And then she was gone.
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In early hours of the morning I woke to Jade propping herself against the headboard and reached for me. Her eyes had calmed, but the desire for connection was palpable between us.
When Jade finally spoke, her words numbed me. "This isn't going to be easy."
"It never has been," I said cautiously.
"My mother has asked me to attend meetings out of country."
My blood ran cold. Jade was being sent away again, coerced into exile for a crime she didn't commit. The distance didn't terrify me nearly as much as the possibility that she would return to me broken, that we'd be forced to once again pick up the pieces.
"How long?" I asked, focusing on the details so I wouldn't have to cope with the reality.
"Days. Weeks. I don't know," She admitted.
I traced the lines of her face, committing them to memory, already feeling the gaping weight of separation. It was worse not knowing how long we would be kept apart, which made this time more precious. Love doesn't run on clocks, I reminded myself. It was easier to believe that while we were together. But right now she didn't need my fear, she needed my faith. Entwined together, I had no doubt that we could overcome this, too.
Jade stared into my eyes and I met her gaze, unflinching. There were a million things we needed to say to one another before this trial began. A million decisions that needed to be made. But I couldn't find the words, so she found the only answer we needed.
"I love you, Perrie."
"I love you, Jade."
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My eyes landed on the calendar pinned to the wall above my desk. Two weeks. There were letters from her punctuated by long bouts of silence. The only constant was a single red rose delivered to work each morning with a two word note penned by the florist.
For Monday.
For Tuesday.
For Wednesday.
I tried to shrug off this morning's missing rose. I told myself the florist was sick.
I took to following the news of her travels to fill in the gaps. The one contact I could count on was the pictures that appeared in the daily papers and online. But even as Jade continued her exile, the rumours swirled around her. Leigh Anne wouldn't be silenced. She sought out anyone who would listen and plenty of people were eager to lend her an ear. Today found her plastered on the homepage of the London Guardian, calling for the inquest Jade's family was desperate to avoid. I knew the truth about what happened that evening but I also knew it would be impossible to prove Jade's innocence if it came to an investigation. Jonathan hadn't come forward yet with his version of events. It seemed unlikely he ever would.
I tapped my keyboard, vanquishing Leigh Anne's face from my screen. I couldn't blame her for making a mistake that night. I'd made plenty of my own. But I could blame her for trying to ruin Jade now.
I dialled his number absently, not realising who I was calling until it was too late to chicken out.
"Perrie!," Luke answered brightly. "You're alive."
"I've been busy with work." A child could see past my lie but Luke was too much the gentleman to call me on it.
"I miss you."
Luke's confession caught me off guard and I realised that I missed him, too. Not simply because he was a tangible connection to the piece of me that was absent but because I needed a friend. I'd fallen too easily into my old habits, trying to work through the time I was forced to spend without Jade.
"Me, too. Have you heard anything?" I forced the question across my tongue, feeling a slight twinge of guilt for asking. I didn't want Luke to think he was only a source of information.
"Leigh Anne refuses to speak to any member of the Royal family," Luke sighed. His frustration with the situation mirrored my own.
So, she preferred to spread her toxic version of events to the media instead of facing those she was accusing. It hurt that I had to find this out from someone other than Jade.
"Are you okay? I could meet you for lunch." Luke broke the silence that had overtaken the call.
"No, I'm fine, but let's get together this weekend. I could use the company," I admitted.
"I'll clear my schedule. We can watch sappy movies and drink too much alcohol." I smiled, It was the mark of a true friend that despite his current happiness, he was willing to drown my sorrows with me. "It's a date."
"Perrie," he said, his voice filling with concern, "if you need me, I'm here. Anytime. Any place."
"I know," I whispered. It was hard to stay strong when someone else recognised my weakness, but giving in now would only mean the queen had succeeded in breaking my resolve.
I hung up the phone and stared at the wall. I'd stayed out of things as Jade had wished, allowing her to handle the private matters that threatened to destroy our relationship. That had to end. Right now.
Standing, I made my way to Eliza's office. She glanced up from her desk and her eyes narrowed in concern as she waved me inside. I took a seat, squirming anxiously.
"You okay?," Eliza asked.
"I want to take a long lunch."
Eliza paused, obviously confused by my request.
"Of course," She agreed slowly. "You don't have to ask. I'm fairly certain you've worked through enough lunch hours to earn a week long lunch break if you wanted."
"I know," I said quickly, "but I might not come back."
"Ever?" Her blue eyes looked at me with concern.
I relaxed a little and shook my head. "Today. There's someone I need to see, and I'm not sure it's going to be easy."
"Take the time you need." Eliza leaned forward in her chair. "I don't want to pry. I know you have a lot going on right now, but you know what you're doing, right?"
I nodded, knowing it was a lie. I had no idea what I was doing. This was about instinct.
"I'll see you this afternoon then." Eliza settled back to her work.
As I left the studio, I made the phone call. Jesy picked up on the first ring.
"I need some backup," I told her before she had a chance to say hello.
"Tell me where to meet you."
I rattled off the address I'd found online. She didn't ask any questions.
I had friends and it was time I stopped avoiding them. Strength alone wasn't going to see me through this, but I knew they could.
-------------------------------------------
I arrived at our location, after giving the temporary bodyguard Jade had left the slip. Jesy had obviously taken the concept of backup to the nth degree.
She was dressed in black leggings and an oversized black sweater with her hair knotted tightly at the back of her neck.
"You look like you're about to commit espionage," I said with a laugh.
"Hmph." She eyed me over a pair of wide rimmed black sunglasses. "First you call and ask for backup, then you send me to a random address. I came prepared for anything."
"Then let's go, James Bond." But before I could take a step toward the door, she caught my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.
"What's up, Pez? Why am I here?" she asked.
No matter my answer, I knew she was one hundred percent on my side. There was no reason to keep it from her any longer. "So you can stop me if I try to kill her."
"Who?" Jesy yelped.
"Leigh Anne," I answered, my eyes darting to the door.
"Do you think that's a good idea? One paparazzi shot and you're going to be on every news feed in the country."
My lips twisted into a rueful smile. "That's what I'm counting on."
"Oh you're evil, I like it." Jesy smirked.
I knocked on the door. Jesy flanked me, putting on her best tough girl act, which was surprisingly effective. I may not have always made good choices in who I date, but my taste in best friends was unerring. No one answered and my resolve faltered. I hadn't come all this way to not get this done. My fist banged against the door. It cracked open and two familiar eyes peeked out at me, rounding into circles when they saw the cause of the disturbance.
"We need to talk." I pushed open the door before she could slam it shut in my face.
"How did you find me?" Leigh Anne asked, shock flitting across her face.
"I have my sources." I didn't tell her that it didn't take a genius to know she'd have gone to the closest relative she had in the London area. The girl lived to be plastered across tabloid covers. She should know that her private life was anything but. If she didn't know, she did now.
Leigh Anne crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes darting nervously to Jesy. I definitely owed my best friend a drink later. "I have nothing to say to you."
"That's fine. I'm not interested in what you have to say. I came here to explain how this is going to work."
Her eyes narrowed to slits. "If you think I'm interested in making a deal with you now—"
"The time for deals has passed. I don't operate like they do." Planting my hands on my hips, I glared at her.
"Starting right now, you have no connection to Jade or her family. You will not go near them. You will not talk about them. You will not sell their stories to the tabloids."
"And why am I going to do that? You're nothing to them. I don't have to listen to you," Leigh Anne hissed.
"Because I'm pretty sure that the press would love to find out your precious father is fucking the queen just to get you into the royal family," I spat back. Jesy's cool composure slipped at this and she slid her sunglasses off, her mouth hanging open in surprise.
The colour drained from her skin. "You wouldn't Perrie."
I'd found her edge, now I only had to fray it.
"Try. Me." I annunciated each word clearly, not wanting either of them to go over her vapid head.
"Did you know I have a really good friend of mine that works at the biggest media empire in the whole of England?."
"This is blackmail." Leigh Anne hissed.
"I know. I got the idea from you," I pointed out.
"Get out," Leigh Anne shrieked. She flew to the door and threw it open.
"Not until we have an understanding that you will leave this family alone. Your relationship with them died with Karl," I said coldly.
Leigh Anne fumed as Jesy and I sauntered past her and out the door.
"You'll never be one of them," she called after me.
I showed her exactly how much I cared about that with a casual flip of my middle finger.
As soon as we were around the corner, Jesy bombarded me. "What the hell was that? Is it true? And what the hell have you done with my best friend?"
"It's true," I said with a shrug. "She should have seen it coming."
"Seen what coming?"
"Me," I murmured fiercely. "She should have known that I protect what belongs to me."
---------------------------------------------
We grabbed a bite on the way back to the office after I discovered that revenge made a girl hungry.
Confronting Leigh Anne had reaffirmed my faith that I was strong enough to see both myself and Jade through this mess. If she'd taken my threat seriously, she'd fade from the media spotlight along with the demands for an inquest into Karl's death. Now I just needed Jade to come home.
When I finally returned to work, Maggie's head popped into my office. "Your phone has been ringing off the hook."
"I'm sorry." I checked my desk for messages, but found none.
"As soon as anyone answers, they hang up," she informed me. "Someone only wants to talk to you."
Maggie's voice grew faint as panic roared through my blood, drowning out everything but fear. Zayn knew where I worked. He'd been here before. With the chaos surrounding Jade, I'd chosen to avoid any further news about my ex-boyfriend's upcoming trial. If he'd been released, I would have been informed. As long as he was behind bars, I was safe. But I couldn't ignore the chill Maggie's information produced. I had no proof that Zayn had called her before, just a gut instinct that the mysterious calls I'd received this summer were from him. I hadn't known to be scared then, I knew better than to not be now.
My desk phone rang and Maggie tilted her head toward it before disappearing back to her own work. I reached for it, fingers fumbling as I lifted the receiver.
"Hello?"
"Perrie." The voice on the other end sent warmth flooding through me. It turned to fire in my veins.
"God, Jade." I exhaled with relief, but the sensation was short-lived. "Have you been calling me this afternoon?"
"Yes," She confirmed.
"Normal people would have left a message instead of hanging up on whoever answered." Why was I lecturing her? Who cared if she hung up on every person in my building? Hearing her had closed some of the distance between us.
"I'm hardly your average girl," She said.
"Never said you were, Jade."
I relaxed into my chair, relishing the banter almost as much as the sound of her voice.
"Lauren will pick you up after work."
I sat up straight and clutched the phone. Lauren had gone with Jade. If Lauren was picking me up...
"She'll be there at half past five," She continued when I didn't respond.
"You're home?" I whispered the question, afraid to hope that it could be true.
"Yes," She answered.
"Will I see you?"
"Yes. There are matters to...discuss. I apologise I can't talk right now." Jade said something in a muffled voice and I realised she'd covered the speaker.
I chose to believe that the distance echoing in her voice was the result of distraction. She was travelling. There would be people around her. But I couldn't quite sell that story to myself. Still it was too painful to consider the alternative.
"I'll be waiting," I said, but she had already hung up.
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Leaving London proper in the evening was always a gamble. My heart sank when I exited the studio to discover cars packed in tight rows down the street. The sleek black Rolls Royce edged through the standstill traffic and roared to the curb. I rushed to slide into the back seat, not waiting for Lauren to get out and open the door. How I'd made it through the last few hours of work without going crazy, I would never know. I didn't want to stay in limbo a second longer. As soon as I shut the door, Lauren steered us swiftly into an opening in the traffic jam.
I left the privacy glass down, preferring not to be alone right now. Not much of a talker, Lauren's silent presence was better than nothing. But I couldn't escape the onslaught of what if's swirling through my mind. My thoughts jumbled together, making it impossible to seize on one and fully think it through. Instead, I was trapped with flashes of memory and half cooked theories. I'd gone into survival mode, not allowing myself to reach a logical hypothesis on what was about to happen. Instinct told me to protect myself, to brace for the worst, even as confusion churned in my stomach. I'd gone into my separation with Jade clinging to the faith that we would come out on the other side together. I'd held to that belief for as long as possible. Some days it was easier than others. Today wasn't one of those days. I was certain of one thing.
I loved her.
More than I had yesterday or the day before that. Less than I would tomorrow. My love for Jade had only grown during our time apart, and it was stronger than my doubt. If Jade was lost, I would find her. If she was broken, I would fix her. We would fix each other. There was no alternative. There never was with love. Giving up just wasn't an option. Not anymore. Not without giving up on her. I saw Jade for who she was. I loved her for the person she wanted to be. I was all in.
Lauren glanced over her shoulder. "I'm going to cut through city and see if I can avoid the traffic."
"Okay." After a while of a drive Instead of cutting through city, the car banked left to cross the bridge. I leaned forward, peering over the driver's seat. "This really is the long way home."
"Jade asked me to make a stop," Lauren said, offering no further information. It was one thing to not be talkative, it was another thing altogether to be cryptic.
Outside the window, the River blurred along with the swarms of tourists taking photos along the famous Westminster Bridge. The speed of the car wiped away their expressions as we passed, making the external world appear as muddled as I felt inside. Ahead of us a number of cars had stopped, taking up both sides of the bridge. We slowed as we approached before Lauren finally braked entirely. I scooted to the left side of the seat and rolled down my window, trying to get a glimpse of why we were suddenly stuck. There were no emergency crews or medics nearby, only clusters of excited tourists and security guards.
Private security guards.
I'd just processed that information when Lauren unbuckled her seat belt and exited the vehicle.
She opened the back door and helped me out of the car. I searched the crowd for signs of Jade, but she was nowhere to be seen.
Turning to Lauren, I raised an eyebrow. "Why am I here?"
Her answering smile caught me off guard. Lauren motioned toward the stone steps that led to the attractions that lined the river's southern bank. My gaze followed the gesture, surprised to see that the sea of tourists had parted into neat lines on either side of the stairs. Strangers snapped photos as I approached and I fumbled for the railing. My apprehension turned to confusion when I spotted two familiar faces watching me from the landing that led to the next flight of stairs.
Luke beamed at me, standing hand in hand with Edward. I focused on reaching them, knowing they had answers. But when I stepped in front of them, Luke produced a single rose from behind his back.
"For today," he said softly.
My eyes smarted. I didn't quite understand what was happening yet even though my heart raced in my chest, trying to explain what I couldn't grasp. Jade hadn't forgotten to send a rose. She'd known she was coming home and arranged this...this...That was what I couldn't process. What was this?
I looked to Edward, hoping for another clue. His mouth twitched as he glanced quickly at Luke before revealing another crimson rose. "For tomorrow."
Tears broke free and trickled down my cheeks. I accepted the flowers and a crushing hug from each of them. Every few steps another person would step forward and offer me a rose.
"For Thursday!" A woman exclaimed, thrusting a rose into my hand.
"For Friday."
For October. For November. For Christmas morning. It was hard to wipe away the tears clinging to my lashes with an arm full of roses, but I continued, laughing and crying. My nose began to run. No doubt it was red. I probably looked a fright and I couldn't care less. Nearly tripping on the last step of the second flight of stairs, I shifted the roses in my arms to free a hand. There was no way I was ruining this moment by falling and breaking my neck. Someone lifted the roses from my arms and I whipped around to find Jesy behind me. I didn't need a mirror to see what my tear stained face looked like, because Jesy was crying as hard as I was. I folded my arms around her, love flooding through me. When we finally broke apart, she handed me a tissue. I dabbed and blotted until she gave me a firm nod of approval.
"You knew about this when you met me this afternoon," I accused.
She smiled smugly and shrugged her shoulders. "Everyone knows to call me for backup."
"Will you hold those for me?" I asked. Something told me there were more roses coming my way.
"Always," she promised. "I'm always here for you."
Her reminder only made me cry harder. Jesy playfully shoved me toward the final flight of steps.
"Jade's waiting for you."
I continued, surprised to see my parents mid-way down the steps. They handed me a rose together.
"For the hard times," my mother whispered.
In that moment, I didn't care about my father's betrayal or how my mother had handled it. No matter what happened, they'd be there for me. In their own twisted way, of course.
Caitlin smiled up at me from the next step, offering me another lovely stem. "For past mistakes."
I didn't recognise any of the people who lined the path that led along the riverbank. They were strangers, but they all held roses, guiding me toward my future. Lights twinkled in the trees, casting a dreamy glow as dusk faded to moonlight. A few handed me their roses as I passed, others simply cast them to the ground to line my path with beauty. A little girl broke free from her mother and toddled over to me. She held a rose up to me, and I crouched down to accept it.
"this for you," she said with a sweet baby lisp.
I tucked her pigtail over her shoulder and I gave her a hug.
For love.
All of this for love.
Straightening back up, I noted that the London Eye had stopped spinning. The towering ferris wheel ran constantly during tourist hours, but now it was still. I zeroed in on it, barely processing the rest of the well wishers or the flashes of camera phones. At the ramp where a line of passengers should be, I found a man in a dark suit. He inclined his head and I spotted the earpiece he wore. Unhooking the rope that barred the VIP entrance to the popular attraction, he stepped aside. I climbed the stairs slowly, my pulse pounding so quickly that I trembled.
At the base of the wheel, a single passenger capsule waited with Jade inside. Looking closer, I gasped. It was the exact suit she'd worn the day we met, Our eyes met and her mouth curved into a loving smile that sent heat rushing to my cheeks.
"Quite the gesture, Jade," I called as I approached her.
"I have one more rose for you," She said, but she didn't move to give it to me. Instead she waited for me to enter the passenger capsule. Behind me the door slid shut and I startled, pivoting around to discover the glass pod had begun to move, slowly rotating toward the stars. For a second I lost myself to the stunning view of night time London glittering against the mirrored backdrop of the Thames. When I turned back to Jade, she was no longer standing. I clapped a hand over my mouth. Her palm cupped the blossom of a rose and nestled in the velvet petals was a ring.
"For always," Jade promised. "Marry me, Perrie."
My emotions warred within me, overwhelming me. I wanted to slip the ring on my finger. I wanted to run away. I wanted to cry and kiss her and say yes. I wanted to slap some sense into her.
"I...I..." I didn't know which side would win out.
"I suspected as much. You're always overthinking things, Perrie." Jade got to her feet and took my hand. "When will you learn to do as I tell you?"
"I'd say I've been an excellent student regarding that in the bedroom." I sucked in a breath and searched for strength. I'd come here, prepared to fight for her but I wasn't ready for this. "But not so much outside of it."
"That's exactly why we're here," Jade confessed. "I have you trapped for the next thirty minutes."
"We're in a glass capsule," I reminded her.
"It would be too easy to seduce you." She drew me against her and I shuddered at the pleasure of touching her again. My reaction didn't go unnoticed. Jade cocked an eyebrow as if to say see what I mean?
"So what is your plan?" I asked. My heart fluttered as my eyes darted between her perfect face and the ring she still held in offering.
"To convince you to become my wife." Jade slanted her head and captured my lips. It wasn't the hungry, barely restrained kiss we usually shared. This one was gentle and filled with unspoken promises. When she drew back, I resisted the urge to drag her mouth back to mine. She might not be trying to seduce me into a yes, but if I didn't get control over my body, that was exactly what would happen.
She took a step away, giving our bodies enough space to allow us to focus. Jade placed the flower and ring into her jacket pocket. Then crooked her finger, tempting me closer.
Regardless of what decision I made, it had been far too long since she'd held me. I went to her arms without question. She spun me around, so that I looked out over London. Enfolding me in her arms, she whispered into my ear.
"All of this. Yours."
A stranger might have confused her softly spoken words, thinking that she was tempting me. But I heard the brittle edge in her voice. It wasn't a temptation, it was a warning. Choosing Jade meant choosing duty over freedom. Marrying her meant giving up the life I'd planned on for one of inconceivable responsibility. If I became her wife, every moment of my life would be scrutinized and dissected from the clothes I wore to the events I attended. I'd had a taste of that life. The vultures had descended prematurely to pick me apart and I couldn't claim to bear no scars.
"It's selfish of me to ask you this," Jade continued. "I have few choices in life. Duty binds me to this country and I know I'm asking you to bind yourself, too. But there is one choice I can make. I can choose you and I will choose you above all else for the rest of my life."
I stared out over the water as the wheel reached its apex and began its descent down. Choices were one thing I had an abundance of. I could choose my career. My friends. I could choose to get on a plane and start over. I could choose anyone I wished.
And I knew my decision was already made.
I chose Jade, even at the expense of all else.
"Yes," I murmured.
Jade stilled, her arms tightening around my waist.
"Yes," I said more loudly. This time there was no doubting my answer. Jade released my waist and stepped between me and the capsule's curved glass. She drew the ring from her pocket and slipped it over my trembling finger. Certainty washed over me as its weight settled against my skin. It belonged there. It always had. Jade kissed the hand that now wore her ring.
"Yes, yes, yes." The answer tumbled from me, each acceptance more certain than the last.
Jade scooped me off my feet and swung me around. "I'd never experienced joy until the first time I kissed you."
"Then kiss me again," I breathed. She set me on the rail that ran the perimeter of the capsule, wedging herself between my legs, which wrapped possessively around her. Jade tipped my chin up and kissed me deeply. Her hand settled on the back of my neck, cradling my head tenderly.
Jade's movements were slow with adoration.
She broke this kiss, nuzzling her nose against my cheek. "You have no idea how difficult it is to not take you on the spot."
"People in glass capsules should probably keep their pants on." I grinned widely at her.
"Then I hope you don't have plans this evening," She said.
"I have plans every night for the rest of my life," I whispered. Her response was swift and urgent. Fingers tangled in my hair, tugging it to give her better access to my mouth. My hands clenched her as I pressed myself against her. The hunger between us grew greater as we held our bodies in check.
"Show's not over," Jade murmured against my lips. She set me on my feet, and I realised the wheel had nearly completed its rotation. We were back where we started, and yet, we were only just beginning. A giggle bubbled through me and I caught Jade's hand as the spinning stopped.
"Show?" I repeated breathlessly.
"I've been forced to share you with the world since the day I met you," She said, bringing my hand up to her lips as the capsule's door opened to dozens of camera flashes.
"This was one moment I wanted to share. I wanted everyone to know that Perrie Edwards chose me."
"I'll always choose you." I couldn't imagine anyone taking her place. In that moment, there was only Jade, but I couldn't help winking at her. "What if I'd said no?"
"I knew you wouldn't." Her shoulders straightened and she winked back. How did she make cockiness so damn sexy? She led me off the London Eye and toward the throng of people awaiting us. Lifting my left hand for everyone to see, She shouted,
"She said yes!"
The crowd erupted in cheers, but I hardly noticed as Jade kissed me again, sealing our promise as the world looked on.
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Hey guys!
Well Perrie and Jade are engaged! So Yay!
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I hope you's are all doing well.
See you next update