Page 44 of Jace's Mate
“It won’t work,” he said.
She exhaled sharply as the elevator climbed.Her heart thudded in her ears.When the doors finally opened, she darted out—only to halt mid-step.
This wasn’t the office.
She stood in a sleek, spacious loft.Chrome and black leather accented the modern space.A kitchen so clean it looked untouched.One corner of the loft held an oversized bed—far too large for one man.
But the windows stole her breath.
Three full walls of glass framed the city like a painting.To the left, the harbor glittered in the distance.To the right, suburbs sprawled toward the horizon.And in front of her, the heartbeat of Baltimore glowed—its modest skyline, the Orioles’ stadium, the huge aquarium, the steady pulse of city life.
“This is… amazing,” she whispered, stepping up to the windows, her fingers brushing the glass as if she could absorb the view through her skin.“I didn’t know something like this existed.”
Behind her, she heard the clink of glass.“Would you like some wine?”Jace asked.He was already in the kitchen, pulling down a bottle and two glasses like he’d expected her to say yes.
She didn’t answer.Couldn’t, not yet.The city stretched out before her like a living map.Lights flickered on as the sun dipped below the skyline, and for a moment, she forgot to breathe.
But the warmth of the wineglass in her hand brought her back.He’d brought it to her without a word.
She turned, meeting his gaze.Her fingers tightened around the stem of the glass.“I should go,” she murmured.“You’ve got responsibilities.The boys downstairs probably need your attention more than I do.”
Jace didn’t move.“They’re with pack members.Safe.Fed.I’ll take them running tomorrow—burn off some of that wild energy.”He nodded toward the sofa and took a seat, his long frame sinking into the cushions with ease.“Come.Sit.Before we were interrupted, you were about to tell me about your life.”
Anikka took a slow sip of wine, letting the flavor roll across her tongue as she gathered her thoughts.He watched her, patient but intense.Always intense.
She lowered her glass.“Why don’t you go first?”
He lifted a brow, his mouth curving slightly.“What do you want to know?”
She matched his look.“Everything.But let’s start simple.Favorite color.Favorite food.What your company does.Why your living space looks like a showroom for an expensive furniture catalog.”
That earned her a low laugh, and the sound of it sent a shiver down her spine.
He leaned back, glass in hand, and she imagined what it might feel like to rest against that solid chest, his warmth wrapping around her like a blanket she didn’t know she’d been missing.
As if reading her thoughts—again—he held out his arms.“Do it.”
She blinked.“Do what?”
“Curl up on my lap.”His voice was velvet and steel, coaxing and commanding at once.“Eventually, you’re going to learn to follow your instincts, Anikka.Why not start now?”
Her heart thundered.
Shewantedto.She wanted it so badly she could taste it.
But she didn’t move.“I just met you,” she said, more to herself than to him.“I don’t even know you.”
As soon as the words left her mouth, his expression shifted.He didn’t frown.He didn’t argue.He simply let his arms fall, and the glint in his eyes faded, shuttered behind that calm, unreadable mask he wore so easily.
He took a sip of wine.“I love blueberry cobbler,” he said, casually circling back to their conversation.“My company handles global shipping.I personally own fifty ships under contract, but we contract out more.Cargo in and out of every continent.We started shipping and trucking across the country when I took over the pack.”
He looked around the loft.“As for this place…” He glanced at her, smirking slightly.“You called it ‘stark.’Fair.I guess I’m not here much.”
She studied him, her curiosity outweighing her wariness.“How many hours does your company take up?”
Jace tilted his head.“I don’t know.Never counted.”A pause.“Maybe all of them.”
“Is it hard to manage the pack and your company at the same time?”she asked.“That seems like a crushing amount of responsibility.”
