He sighs and his lips touch my forehead. I close my eyes, savoring the moment.
He gives me one more look before turning and walking down the hall to his room.
I close my door, leaning against it for a brief moment before climbing into bed. I'm asleep the second my head hits the pillow.
. . .
Jace ~
I gave up resisting my internal desire to not leave Rory hours ago. Instead, I’m sitting against her closed bedroom door, aimlessly scrolling through social media.
Several times I open my messages, hovering over the text I drafted to my parents before deciding against it.
The choice I made didn’t just condemn Rory to three years of torture but it wreaked my relationship with my parents. We’re better now but after everything I put them through, there’s still a level of distrust.
I don’t blame them. I deserve it.
I didn’t know how to tell Rory. My brothers won’t say anything but she’s perspective. She always has been.
It’s one of the things I love about her.
Sighing, I turn my phone off.
What are the odds that we’d make our way back to each other?
I spent the night observing Rory with my friends. She comfortable with them. It sounds like it’s been a rough few days but an outsider would believe they’ve been together for years.
I’m not stupid enough to believe she’s waited for me all this time. I’m sure they has been others but now that we’re here, we back together, I’m not letting her go. I think this time, though, it’s going to look a little different to what we had in mind.
I must drift off because I’m woken a little while later by Luc. He reminds me that I’m no good to Rory not on my A game and that Alec has the place locked down like Fort Knox.
I drag my ass to bed. Before I go, I stop just to check on her. Cracking the door slightly, I peek in.
I squint before my eyes widen. Shock and disbelief fills me. Quietly, I close the door again.
You know, that actually doesn’t surprise me.
Yeah. This time’s going to be different.
Chapter 9 ~
Maverick ~
A pencil hitting the ground has me waking for the third goddamn time. Whenever my brother nods off, the pencil meets the hardwood, waking us both. I am so fucking done.
I rip Mason's notebook from his hands.
"Hey," he growls, snatching it back.
"Get up," I tell him. "We're going to sleep with Rory."
"What?" He grunts, looking at me like I'm a lunatic.
"You're not tired for the first time since Mum died. You actually slept last night with Rory. Let's go." I don't give him any room to argue.
He scrambles to follow me as I stomp down the hall. I slowly open her door and walk in.
Her blinds are open, letting the moonlight in, giving me a clear view of her.
