My fingers tightened against my robe.
Past sins were usually heavy ones—theft, anger, envy, deception. Sometimes even darker things. But Jace didn’t look weighed down by anything. If anything, he looked amused.
“I figure I should confess the things I did before coming here,” he said. “Since, you know… clean slate and all.”
I nodded at him, my chest tightening.
His smirk deepened. “Alright then.” He leaned in slightly. “Let’s see… I drank a lot. Too much, some nights.”
My eyebrows twitched upward before I could stop myself.
“Partied too hard,” he continued. “Bars, lounges, rooftops, anywhere with loud music. And I picked up guys more often than I can count.”
My heart skipped. Heat flared in my face so fast I nearly flinched.
Jace noticed.
Of course he did.
“And when I say picked up,” he added lightly, “I mean we went home together. Had sex. Casual. Fun. A few hours, maybe a night. Then we went our separate ways.”
My jaw parted in a small, silent gasp.
He tilted his head. “Too much?”
I shook my head quickly—too quickly.
He huffed a soft laugh. “Alright.”
My pulse was fluttering so hard I worried he could hear it.
“It wasn’t all sex,” he said, almost thoughtfully. “Sometimes it was dates. Sometimes just kissing. I like kissing.” His eyes gleamed, watching my reaction.
He wasteasingme.
Teasing.In confession.
I wanted to melt into the stone.
“And drinking,” Jace went on lazily. “God, I loved a good drink. Whiskey. Beer. Shots if the night was rough.” He rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I can’t say I regret all of it.”
My head spun. This wasn’t like any confession I’d ever received.
“Tell me, Elior,” he said, voice dropping a little. “Am I gonna get punished for that? Spanked? Locked in a room? Flogged? What’s the discipline for a guy who had a lot of sex and a lot of fun before finding the Light?”
I tried not to shrink, but I couldn’t help it—I was flustered and confused and very aware of him kneeling so close.
“I-I don’t know,” I said quietly, trying to keep my voice steady. “It depends. Father decides the discipline.”
Jace hummed thoughtfully. “Does he now?”
Another moment of silence.
Then he said, softer, “Talk to me, Elior.”
I blinked. “I… I really shouldn’t.”
“No one’s here,” he murmured. “It can be a secret. Just between us.”
