Page 13 of The Pact

She hangs off him, kissing his throat and staring at him like a lost puppy that just found its owner. And Jace is that owner. She throws her head back and laughs…until her eyes meet mine and she freezes. Jace notices the shift and sits up straighter in the armchair.

“Mila, what the fuck?” Jace growls out. I plaster on a fake smile as I move into the room. Gotta fake it to make it.

“Hey, guys. Long time, no see. Guess Jace forgot my invite.”

Hunter moves the girl off his lap, and she squeaks. He starts to stand, but Jace makes a throaty sound, and Hunter’s shoulders drop as he sits while watching me.

“Holy shit, Mila. You’re really back.” His eyes roam up my legs and settles on my mouth. His tongue dips out, and he wets his lower lip, nodding slowly to himself.

“I’m back. I don't know what Jace told you, but I’m here to stay.”

Roman watches me out of the corner of his eye. The hand holding his beer is now fisted tightly. I’m a little worried he’ll smash it and end up with glass embedded in his hand.

“Hell yeah, Mila,” Hunter responds, looking genuinely happy to see me.

Roman doesn’t speak. He just turns to Jace. Like, when did Jace become the one they turn to? What happened while I was gone?

“You need to leave, Mila. You weren't invited, and you never will be. We don't want you here,” Jace says in an almost bored tone.

I watch as Britney practically humps him like a bitch marking her territory. She’s not a lost puppy, like I first thought. She’s a bitch in heat. “Yeah, you have to leave. Jace is my boyfriend.”

My brows raise at that. “Really? You're dating Britney?” The words are out of my mouth before I can even think.

That’s truly the biggest surprise so far. Jace—the boy who couldn't stand Britney to the point he would fake being sick just to get her to go away—is now dating her?

Jace doesn’t answer. He just wraps his arm around Britney and pulls her closer. She beams over at me, like she won a prize and I lost. But I wasn't playing a game. She doesn’t have to worry about losing her precious Jace. She can have him. If this is his reaction to my return, then they deserve each other.

“Don't act all surprised. I knew when we were picked as partners on the school field trips that Jace and I were meant to be.” Britney puffs up her chest and looks down her nose at me as if waiting for me to challenge her.

I blink. Is she for real? “You were picked because he’s a Montero, and you're a Montlake. It wasn't some magical matchmaking scheme by the teachers. It was alphabetical order.”

God, what a dumbass.

“No, it wasn't,” she huffs out, plastering herself against Jace.

I see his eye twitch…just a little. He doesn’t like this, me being in his space. He wants me to leave, but at the same time, he wants me to witness this. To make me upset? Jealous? I have no idea what his goal is, but I love it even more because it isn’t working, and that’s annoying him.

“If that's the case, Britney—” I turn to the other guys. The girl is back on Hunter’s lap, eyeing me, and Roman still won’t face me. “Hunter and Roman should be madly in love right now and…”

Someone behind me laughs, and I spin to see Emerson moving farther into the room. He grins, knowing where this is going.

“I guess I'm supposed to marry Emerson here,” I conclude.

Jace stands, and Britney almost topples off him, catching and righting herself at the last moment. He points to the door behind me. “Get the fuck out, Mila.”

Britney sticks her chest out. “Yeah, you weren't invited. And it's true that Jace and I are meant to be. He used to hold my hand. No one made him, but he did it. You just can't handle I’m with him, Mila. But you left, and he was fair game. Jace is mine. Forever.”

I bite my lower lip to stop from laughing. The look on Jace’s face at the word forever is priceless. Nevertheless, he growls at me, like I’m the one pledging my eternal love.

He made his bed. Not me. I throw my hands up. If we were gonna do this…then let's do this.

“Britney, Jace held your hand because you cried for your mom every field trip without fail, and you wouldn't walk, you would stand there and cry. He held it to keep you moving so the rest of us could enjoy ourselves. You made every school outing a nightmare with your sobbing, and Jace told everyone that you smelled and called you Stink-ney. If you were ever wondering where that nickname came from, you have been kissing that very mouth.”

Britney screams and lunges for me, but Jace manages to grab her before she can get me. His face reddens as he glares daggers at me. Probably because he’s guilty. He gave her the nickname in second grade, and he very well knows it. Everyone called her that up until I left.

She’s spouting off a bunch of words my way as Jace tries to calm her down. Emerson moves in closer, his body pressing up against mine as he whispers into my ear, “Hey, Mila…you wanna go for a walk?”

I know what he means by that, but I’m not here to hook up with someone. That wasn't the plan.

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