Alec’s the only one who doesn’t move to hug her. I can see the pain and anguish he’s struggling to keep hidden.
I focus back on Luc and Rory.
Luc must feel my eyes on him because he looks up. Despite the calmness he's portraying, I can see the panic in his eyes. In that moment, I beg him not to do something stupid. Because I don't know if we could deal with that right now.
Once Rory’s reassured Luc that she’s okay now, she moves in front of Alec. He meets her eyes and barely has any time to react when she puts her arms around him. The surprise is evident in his features. He quickly snaps out of it and leans down to hug her.
She whispers something and he nods, the darkness leaving his eyes when they flick up to mine.
Before she can say what I presume is an apology, I pull her into my arms. She reaches about halfway up my chest, her arms going around my waist.
My head drops and I exhale her sweet scent. She sighs and lays her head on my chest.
"I'm sorry," her voice breaks and I just shake my head.
"That's why you didn't leave? Because of–"
"No," Rory interrupts. "I mean…yes. Alec's right. But Jace…this isn't your fault. And it's not mine." She's quiet for a moment. "It's his. And if you blame yourself…then you're taking the blame off of him."
Fuck, she knows me too well.
She's prepared for me to argue with her, based on her tense body language. But I already screwed up once and I'll be damned if I do it again.
I cup her face. She tilts her head back to search my eyes. Those different coloured eyes haunted me for three years.Three yearsI've been robbed of being able to say these words.
"I love you crazy, Ro," I say softly.
Happiness glimmers in those perfectly made eyes.
Those cupid-bow lips become the sole focus of my attention when she returns our childhood saying.
"I love you wild, J."
. . .
Luc ~
My heart squeezes hearing Butterfly and my brother exchange 'I love you's.'
The words look more familiar to them than new but that makes sense because of their history. I'm sure exchanging those three words isn't new to them.
It's not that I'm jealous but…fuck yeah I'm jealous. Not that it was Jace but because it makes me want to hear those words said to me.
I've never wanted something as much as I need this. This family.
I don't want to ruin it by competing with my brothers over Rory but its honestly never felt like that. It just feels right, all of us together. And honestly, that's fucking terrifying.
Jace keeps Butterfly close as they talk to his parents, promising to visit soon. Seeing Jace with his parents even after all the shit he put them through…they still love him. They forgave him. Just like that.
I slink away quietly from the kitchen. The guys are all too focused on Rory to notice. The front door shuts softly. Fuck, it's cold out here. We might not be having breakfast inside after all.
Sitting down on the daybed on the verandah, I stretch out my leg. It doesn't hurt that much anymore. Although, I think I have a pretty high pain tolerance after all the shit my father's put me through.
These last few days, we've had a few waves but in the end...they've been damn near perfect. These last few weeks I've been with my family, myrealfamily without having to beat someone up or do a drug drop or suffer myself.
Honestly, I kinda miss the ass kicking. I only took out the baddest of bad guys and now I have so much pent up energy.
You know where that energy could go,a part of me nags in my ear.
