Page 73 of Embers of Torment

But I couldn't get her out of my mind.

Chapter 22

Della

After making one final adjustment to a new promotional campaign I was assigned, I saved the file on our department's shared drive and shut off my computer. I had planned to walk to a popular Thai restaurant down the street for lunch and needed to get going before Adam bugged me to eat with him. He'd done it almost daily for the last few weeks, even though I'd insisted just as often I wasn't interested. And I doubted today would be any different.

It was no secret Adam hoped I'd give Jace a chance to explain his childhood actions. But I refused to do so, and lunching in the plaza made me too accessible. I spent years hating the asshat who bullied me, wishing him every conceivable illness, plight, and misfortune on the planet. No amount of retribution would ever be enough. I wanted him to hurt and beg for mercy while I gloated and gave him none.

And as ultimately cruel as the world could be, that boy turned out to be Jace—the man I'd given my heart.

Angry at the turn of events, I snatched my purse from my bottom drawer and slammed it shut.

"Ahem. What did your desk do to you?" Adam chuckled from my doorway.

Great! Just great. I didn't leave soon enough.Now more annoyed than before, I stood and shoved my chair against my file cabinet. "Nothing. So what's up?"

"I wanted to see if you'd go to lunch with us."

"Us?"

"Sofie and me. You haven't joined us in weeks. It's obvious you're hungry. You have that look in your eye, and it always makes you grumpy."

"Who says I'm freaking grumpy?" I barked.

"Uhh, the tone of your voice is a clear indicator. Not to mention the way you're beating up your furniture."

"For your information, I'm peachy. No, I take that back. I'm super duper peachy. I'll see you later." I slung my purse strap over my shoulder and stepped toward the door. I expected Adam to move out of my way, but he didn't budge.

"Where are you going?" Adam said, his bottom lip pushed forward in a perfect pout.

"To lunch."

"But—"

"You two weren't leaving without me, were you?" Sofie said, walking up behind Adam.

"Uhh, no. Della's bailing on us. Again."

"Why? We're not friends anymore?" Sofie narrowed her gaze, almost daring me to answer in the affirmative while she helped Adam block my exit.

"Frigging monkey muffins! You want to know why?" I asked, ready to throw my purse at them. "It's because Adam is a pest and won't back off. He keeps pushing me to accompany him tothe plaza, hoping I'll run into Jace. Adam's determined to make me talk to him, and I don't freaking want to."

"Hold on." Sofie put her hand out, her expression none too happy. "Adam's motives have nothing to do with me. I'm simply asking you to lunch like I've done for years. Do I now have to have a specific reason?"

"No, of course not. But you're not entirely innocent. I overheard you telling Reid you thought I should listen to what Jace had to say. That puts you in the boat with Adam, although he's worse with his pushiness of late. Plus, he frigging can't stand it when people don't get along. It drives him nuts."

"It does not," Adam sulked. "I happen to want peace and harmony. There's nothing wrong with that."

"Yes, there is because it doesn't always exist. Conflict is everywhere. It's inevitable. The world isn't perfect. It's full of asshats, and Jace happens to be one of them. It's my prerogative whether I talk to him or not. So stop trying to force the issue."

"Well, I, for one, am not forcing anything. Besides, it shouldn't be a problem this afternoon. Adam wasn't planning on meeting Jace for lunch, so it should be just the three of us." Sofie arched a brow at Adam. "Isn't that what you told me?"

Adam vigorously nodded. "Uhh, yeah. That's what Jace said. He had an appointment or something like that."

"You're sure?" I scrutinized Adam's body language and facial expression to see if he was pulling a fast one. Adam rarely lied, but when he did, it was easy to spot since he tended to get super nervous and refused to make eye contact.

"Yes," Adam affirmed as he squared his jaw and met my gaze.

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