Page 17 of The Fallen Ones

Jace. Caleb. Damien.

My ex. My best friend. My former stepbrother.

I breathed out, trying to gather my thoughts.

Jace was everything all the girls wanted, me included. But damn my fear of becoming my mother. For better or worse, Jace was stuck in my head like a catchy tune on repeat. It was the way in which he looked at me. Like he knew me better than I knew myself. The way he touched me like I was delicate like a bomb and if jostled too much, I might explode. He was patient with me during our time together. He’d push, but he’d never take it further than what I was willing to give. Until this last time. I’d let him go further than ever, and it seemed to have broken him. Broken me. Hell, broken us.

Now, there was no us. Just me staring at him from across the commons as two of the cheerleaders hung off him.

“Girl, you gotta let him go,” Olivia said as she stopped and took a seat across from me at the table. “It’s not doing anything but hurting you.”

“I know.” Despite her words, I couldn’t look away from the train wreck in front of me. As if sensing me, Jace’s green eyes locked on mine, his stare cold and unfeeling. I swallowed hard beneath his gaze, unable to break the spell he had me under.

“You know, Caleb is pretty hot. I don’t know why you aren’t all over that. I’d have put him beneath me so long ago,” Olivia continued.

I tore my gaze away from Jace and looked to her. “I…I think we almost kissed a few nights ago,” I admitted, remembering how close we’d been on the couch in my living room.

Olivia’s brows shot up on her forehead. “Are you serious?”

I nodded.

“Spill. What happened?”

“Nothing,” I admitted with a shrug. “It didn’t get that far. You called.”

“God, I’m a clam dam? Why didn’t you just ignore my call and kiss him?”

“I don’t know. He’s my best friend. I don’t want to ruin that. He’s all I really have.” Plus, it would be weird.”

“You have me,” she pointed out with an eye roll. “I’m your friend too.”

“I know.” I gave her a smile. “It’s just, Caleb and I?—”

“You don’t need to explain it. I get it. I was just giving you shit. Seriously, though. Why torture yourself? Talk to Caleb. Maybe he feels the same way. I mean, if he’s leaning in and nearly kissing you?—”

“I don’t know that it was like that,” I interrupted. “I only think it may have been. He was acting weird all night anyway.”

She sighed and shook her head. “Doesn’t matter. It’s worth finding out. Imagine how pissed Jace would be if you started hooking up with Caleb? Oh my god. OrDamien Fletcher.Theyhateeach other! Hell, fuck both Caleb and Damien. God, what I wouldn’t give to be the cheese in that cock meat sandwich.”

I snorted at her crass words. She grinned back and gave me an unapologetic shrug.

“Think about it, Lily. Like, seriously envision it. Close your eyes.”

I did as she said, only to humor her. Of course, the humor was gone the moment my mind’s eye popped Damien and Caleb onto center stage, both of them with their cocks in hand, cooing sexy as hell words to me.

Caleb would praise me.

Damien would degrade me.

And I would love every moment of it as they touched my body. Chills raced over my skin as Jace appeared on the scene, watching what they were doing to my body. More thrills scattered through me in sharp waves.

Jace would join in. Controlling. Domineering. If Jace was the thrill through my body, then Damien would be the chill racing up my spine, and Caleb the moan I’d let slip past my lips.

“See? That’s a good vision, isn’t it?” Olivia’s laugh cut through my dirty thoughts. My face heated as I opened my eyes and gave her a sheepish look.

“It actually is.”

“Then go get it,” she said with another laugh.

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