The Fallen Ones (Holloway University #1)

33. Jace

Chapter 33

Jace

C aleb told us how his night with Lily went when we saw him again last night at his place. He seemed content for the most part, but definitely not so much when he mentioned her going out with Brandon on Friday.

Damien had practically launched himself out of his seat to storm Brandon’s place, but I’d managed to talk some sense into him with Caleb barring the door so he couldn’t get out.

We’d decided I’d talk to Brandon and try to steer him away from her since I could play the part of the ex-boyfriend trying to win her back. Bro code and all that shit.

We’d agreed we were going to keep pursuing her after Caleb told us she wanted us and wanted our names.

I was more than willing to just go to her and take my mask off, but Damien insisted we play the long game to hook her better.

I was more than willing to do that too since I was really enjoying what we had going on.

Which was why I was standing around, willing myself to not plant my fist in the center of Brandon’s face.

“Listen, I get she was your girl, man, but I’m not going to back down. I want her, and I’ll have her. She seems pretty into it too. Honestly, I don’t know why you couldn’t close the deal with her. She seems like a sure thing.” Brandon smirked at me as we stood talking in the campus courtyard.

“I’m asking you to fuck off, Rogers. I want to work shit out with her and I can’t when your piss ass is trying to steal her.”

“Steal her?” He let out a laugh. “She’d have to actually be yours to steel her. The way I see it, she’s more mine that yours. Besides, based on what she told me, she’s not interested in ever going back to you. Do with that information what you will. I’ll be sure to text you after I break her pussy in. Bet she’s tight as fuck?—”

He didn’t get to finish his sentence. My intrusive thoughts won, and I sent my fist flying. It landed with a crack in the center of his face, knocking him backward, blood spurting out.

He swayed for all of a second before diving forward and crashing into me, fists flying. It was game on. I punched and hit him anywhere I could until we were torn apart. Dylan had Brandon and Damien’s voice was in my ear.

“Real shit way to negotiate,” he chuckled softly. “I could have done a better job.”

I jerked out of his hold and glared at Brandon.

“Stay away from her,” I snarled at him.

He scoffed and gave me a sour look before I turned and stormed off, Damien following me into a nearby bathroom.

“You good?” Damien asked as he leaned against a wall and lit up a joint.

“Do I fucking look good?” I glared at him through the mirror as he blew out a ring of smoke and let out a soft laugh.

“I’m the volatile one. You’re the planner. Caleb is the collected one. Usually. So what the fuck was that?”

“He pissed me off,” I grumbled, washing my bloody knuckles off beneath the spray of water.

“What did he say?”

“He said he’s not going to stop with Lily. That he’s going to close the deal and fuck her.” The words were acid on my tongue. I hated Brandon with the fire of a million suns. His old man was a piece of shit too. Everyone in our world knew they were snakes, yet we somehow managed to entertain their bullshit. People said it was because they had secrets on others and to avoid those secrets getting out, they tolerated the family.

I wasn’t good with that shit.

Brandon Rogers needed to fucking die. He was a waste of space and a complete fucking idiot. He’d only hurt Lily if he sank his claws into her. If she thought a relationship with me was rough, he’d be smacking her around before their one year mark.

I wasn’t sure how I was going to convince her otherwise.

“She’s going to know you fought with him,” Damien said as I rolled over thought after thought through my head.

I stopped washing my hands and looked at him through the mirror again.

“She’ll know,” he repeated. “What will you tell her? That it’s true? You were fighting him to keep him away from her? You know how she is. She’ll be pissed. Hell, she’ll probably try even harder if it means she defying you.”

“I know.” I went back to washing my hands. “But what’s done is done. I think I broke his nose.”

“No worries. He can afford a new one.” He let out a laugh and pulled his phone out. My pocket buzzed with a group message he must have sent. I pulled my phone out and saw I was right and he was letting Caleb know the situation.

Caleb sent back several curse words, letting me know what he thought but saying he hoped I did break his nose.

At least he wasn’t terribly pissed off. I knew the Brandon thing was bothering him though. It was bothering Damien too, clearly. It was fucking our shit up.

“Plan?” Damien asked, looking over at me as he put his phone away.

“Make her want the Fallen Ones even more. It’s all we can do at this point. I’ll try to talk to her, but I can’t guarantee shit,” I said.

Damien nodded. “Seems like a solid plan.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Nice hit though. Fucking stellar. I was really hoping you’d have broken his neck though. The only reasons I stopped you were because you don’t need your fighting getting out and ruining shit for your career before it happens and messing things up with Lily.”

“You’re looking out for me?” I studied him, both confused and intrigued by his words.

He nodded. “Guess I am. Brother.”

I let out a soft huff of laughter. “It wasn’t my fault, you know. What happened with our parents.”

The small smile he wore slipped off his face.

“It ruined my fucking life, Jace. It ruined Lily’s life. Her mom died.”

“I know,” I said weakly. “But it wasn’t my fault. I never wanted any of that. I was hurt too. My life was ruined right along with yours and hers.”

He stared me down for a moment before he nodded stiffly. “She’s my whole world, Jace. I love her. I always have. Losing my family did something to me. To all of us. But I’m not going to back down now. I want her back, and I’ll do whatever I have to in order to get her.”

“Me too,” I murmured.

He gave me a curt nod. “She deserves to know the truth on all things. Us. Our families. All of it.”

“I know.”

“When it comes time, we tell her,” he continued. “We have to.”

“OK,” I agreed, hating it but knowing he was right.

He seemed satisfied with my answer because he walked toward the door after finishing his joint.

“Hey, Jace?” he called out as he pulled the door open and looked back at me.

“Yeah?”

“I really was her first kiss.” And with those words he walked out, leaving me to stare after him.

I let out a soft laugh.

Of-fucking-course he was.