Page 6 of Jayce

My heart is starving, and the only cure is Shay’s heart.

Once other couples start moving to the dance floor for Benson Boone’s “Beautiful Things,” I move away from my cousins and Circe. I won’t take no for an answer from Shay.

I hold my hand out to the woman who controls how much air my lungs take in. “Don’t say no.” I’m not ashamed to beg.

Shay’s eyes meet mine. Her hesitation worries me. She’s about to refuse my hand. In a last-ditch effort, I add a wink to my plea.

She smiles before slipping her hand in mine.

My hand slides around her waist. I pull her close, but not too close. I don’t want to make her feel uncomfortable. A rush of warmth washes over me.

The words of the song portray exactly how I’m feeling with Shay in my arms for the first time. It’s a sense of completeness.

I wish the world would stop at this moment. If only for a minute or two, so that I might hold on to her a little longer.

Shay ignores the tap on her shoulder at first. I glance behind her, assuming I’d see Circe trying to worm her way into our bubble.

It’s Daphne, another of my regrets.

At this rate, if Shay accepts our destiny, I might have to find another labyrinth—one where I haven’t slept my way through most of the herd.

Daphne pushes harder against Shay’s shoulder.

Shay turns and sinks into my chest as I refuse to remove my arm holding onto her. My other arm takes advantage of the position I find myself in as it moves across her abs to pull her even tighter against me.

“For a people that believe in true love, you beotches sure are determined to snare a man your Fates clearly haven’t gifted you with.”

I bury my face in her strawberry blonde waves, stifling my laughter. Her scent seared itself into my senses the day we met, but I still draw her unique aroma deeper into my lungs.

“Jayce, are you really going to let this wannabe talk to me this way?”

Shay tries to squirm from my arms at the term wannabe. I pull her tighter. “The only wannabe here is you. You wannabe his mate, and you clearly aren’t.”

My mitéra notices the soon to be volatile situation, and steps in to defuse it. “Daphne dear, will you help me with the champagne for the toast?” Daphne reluctantly strolls away from us. Respect for our elders always wins.

My plan to spin Shay around and kiss her senselessly comes to a halt. “Let me go, Jayce,” she demands, pushing on my arms.

I drop my hands, powerless to fight her wishes. Without a glance back, she races out of the reception hall.

My heart aches to understand her reluctance. If only I knew how to ask her what she’s thinking. This human stuff confuses me.

Any other heifer I’d toss over my shoulder and carry her home to seal our mating as the Fates ordained.

Chapter 5

Shay

“Cill, I thought it was just you and me. Ride or die.” I whine when Anjal walks over to my car, holding my sister’s hand.

She shrugs. “He wants to see the eclipse too.”

I cross my arms, not caring if I’m rude or whiny. “Are you telling me I didn’t have to wake up at the crap crack of dawn to go see the sky turn dark in the middle of the day because you actually had someone else who wants to see this?”

Priscilla grabs my hands in hers. “We’ve always made these memories together. Even when one of us doesn’t care.”

I think back on the time she went with me to Mexico for the weekend, after she swore she’d never step foot across the border.

Even though I am looking around at the same darkness I’ll see when the moon passes in front of the sun. I don’t want her to make the memory without me.

---