Chapter 3: Almost Caught

I woke up tangled in sheets that smelled like him.

My legs ached. My lips were swollen. My body was humming, still soaked in the memory of what Jace had done to me just hours ago.

But his side of the bed was empty.

Panic rose for a second—until the door creaked open and he slipped back in, shirtless, with messy hair and that smug, post-sex smirk he wore far too well.

“I brought coffee,” he whispered, holding up two mugs.

“You snuck downstairs like that?” I hissed, sitting up and hugging the sheets to my chest.

“Relax. Mom’s already gone to yoga. Dad’s out for a run. We’ve got time.”

Time.

I didn’t know if that was comforting or dangerous.

Jace placed the mugs on my nightstand, then leaned down to kiss me. His lips were soft, warm, lazy—like he wasn’t in a rush to leave my bed again.

“You look wrecked,” he said, fingers tracing my jaw. “I like it.”

I shoved him gently. “You’re trouble.”

He leaned in, his voice low and smug. “You love it.”

Before I could answer, we heard it—footsteps downstairs.

I froze.

Jace’s smirk vanished instantly.

“That’s not yoga or a run,” I whispered.

His eyes went wide. “Shit.”

We scrambled.

I threw on a hoodie and shorts, barely managing to fix my hair. Jace dove into my closet and yanked on the hoodie he left last week. We tried to act normal, like we hadn’t just had the filthiest night of our lives under this roof.

Then came the knock.

“Sweetheart? You awake?” my mom’s voice called.

I opened the door, forcing a sleepy smile.

“Yeah, I just got up.”

Her eyes shifted—first to me, then over my shoulder. “Jace? What are you doing in here?”

I blinked. He looked equally frozen.

Then he laughed—smooth, casual, sinfully confident.

“I brought her coffee. Thought I’d be nice for once.”

Mom raised an eyebrow.

I jumped in. “Yeah, he knew I stayed up late studying. Was just being sweet.”

She hesitated.

For a moment, I swore she was looking too closely. Reading the way I held my hoodie too tight. The way Jace’s hair was a mess and mine was worse.

Then she smiled. “Well, that’s thoughtful. Breakfast’s downstairs if you want any.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

As soon as she left, I shut the door and turned to Jace.

“We almost got caught.”

“Yeah,” he said, stepping close, eyes dark again. “It was kinda hot.”

I shoved him again, laughing, even though my heart was still racing.

“We need rules,” I said.

He raised an eyebrow. “Rules?”

“Yeah. No sneaking into my room after midnight. No touching when people are home. No leaving marks.”

He smirked. “You liked the marks.”

I ignored that.

“This can’t be a thing, Jace.”

He stepped closer, brushing hair from my face.

“Too late,” he murmured. “It already is.”

Then he kissed me—soft and slow, like he was claiming me all over again.

And I let him.

Because rules or not, I was already his.

---

Later That Day…

We pretended nothing happened.

At breakfast, we sat across from each other like innocent step-siblings. My mom chatted about her yoga instructor. My stepdad made lame dad jokes. Jace passed me the butter like he hadn’t passed me an orgasm six hours ago.

But every brush of his fingers against mine lit a fire.

And the way he watched me—like I was naked and moaning all over again—made it impossible to breathe.

I stood to grab juice from the fridge.

And that’s when she walked in.

Avery.

His ex.

Tall. Blonde. Perfect.

Waltzing into our kitchen like she still belonged here.

“Hey,” she said brightly. “Mr. and Mrs. Monroe! Just stopped by to drop off Jace’s hoodie.”

Jace froze.

I nearly dropped the juice.

Avery turned to him with a smile. “You left it in my car last week. Figured I’d save you the trip.”

She placed the hoodie on the counter and gave him a slow once-over.

“You look good,” she said. “Sleep okay?”

Jace smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. “Thanks. Yeah, I’m good.”

I clenched the juice carton like I wanted to squeeze it to death.

Because I knew that hoodie. It wasn’t one he’d left in her car. It was the one he pulled out of my closet this morning.

She was marking territory that didn’t belong to her anymore.

My jaw clenched. My blood boiled.

I didn’t say a word.

But Jace saw it in my eyes.

Later, after Avery was gone and the kitchen was empty, he found me on the patio, arms crossed, staring out at the pool.

“Don’t,” I said.

“She’s just petty,” he said. “She knows I moved on.”

“Does she know it’s with me?”

He stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous. “No one knows. Yet.”

I turned to him, anger simmering beneath my skin.

“Do *you* know, Jace? Do you know what we’re doing?”

He didn’t answer.

He didn’t have to.

He just pulled me in by the waist and kissed me like the truth didn’t matter.

And I kissed him back like it was the only thing keeping me alive.

Because it was.