All Good Things (22 page)

Be warned, there is nothing I will not do to keep you from the fate I myself have witnessed. You are different from the others who have walked in his past. Unlike them, you have a future and if I do not succeed in saving you, the woman you believe yourself to be will cease to exist.

With love,

Your Savior

My hands shook as I stared at the words. I'd never been one for fear. I didn't watch scary movies and, I certainly, didn't read scary stalker books. There was no rush in feeling the violation of fear. The letter had me spooked. I was going through my day trying to recall seeing anyone watching me from afar, but there was nothing in my mind. There was no image that evoked a feeling of discomfort. I glanced over my shoulder and was thankful I decided to close my curtains before reading the letter. The idea of someone, so mentally unstable, watching the fear form in my eyes in response to their letter was too much for me to fathom.

I shook the thought from my mind and straightened from my perched position over the island. I folded the letter and placed it back into the envelope. I moved cautiously to the hall, flicked on the light and sighed in relief as the golden hue of light flooded the space. I moved quickly through the hall to my bedroom where I tucked the letter in my desk drawer next to the previous letter I'd received.

I thought about telling Jace, but there was no way he would know who was writing to me. It was more than likely some crazy female who had read the article published in the gossip magazine, and was jealous. She probably just wanted to make me feel threatened so I would, ultimately, avoid Jace. She wanted a threat eliminated and I was not going to be so easily frightened.

In the back of my mind, I knew it was more than just a jealous female...but I was not ready to admit that yet. I also didn't want to worry Jace. He was already paranoid, but I was starting to wonder if his paranoia was valid. I moved quickly to my closet in search of something comfortable to change into. I decided on a little white tank top and a pair of light pink boyfriend shorts. I slid from the dress and stepped into my shorts, pulling the shirt over my head.

A bang sounded against the door of my condo and my heart thrashed nervously in my chest. How the hell had someone gotten past the buzzer? What if it was the writer of the letters coming to make good on their threat? No...threat was not the right word. The letter had been composed with a threatening feel, but, in reality, there were no threat...just warnings.

I slammed the desk drawer closed and ran through the hall. I paused in the kitchen, debated on picking up a knife, but I decided I was not going to live my life in fear. I walked past the kitchen with all the sharp knives and paused by the door. I peeked through the peephole and my breath caught in my throat.

I swung open the door. "Jace?"

"Olivia," he grinned almost sheepishly as he handed me a cup from Starbucks. "I was told you wanted white hot chocolate."

I glared. Gabe, the traitor! If I didn't want to pull him into a tight bear hug for sending me Jace, I might have plotted revenge. I said, "I could have made that here."

"I want to be the reason you feel relaxed." He spoke gruffly. "It's only fitting I calm you down considering I'm the one who worked you up."

I shifted my weight from foot to foot. How was I supposed to keep my emotions in check when he was doing things like this? Damn! I reached out to accept the hot chocolate. "Thank you."

"Of course." His eyes stared intensely into mine. "Are you going to invite me in?"

My heart fluttered and I held the door open for him. He took a step inside and I watched as he kicked off his shoes. He pulled the door from my grasp, and closed it, before locking it. He really was attentive and for someone who didn't want a bodyguard, he was paranoid. I wonder if he had also been receiving threatening letters...or, if Jace was just this way all the time. It was obvious his obsessive need to control, everything and everyone around him, stemmed from a deep-rooted distrust of undefined variables. I frowned. Was I an undefined variable in his life? Did he not trust me? Was that why he was here? Was he checking up on me?

I cocked my head to the side as I watched him walk slowly into my living space. His shoulders were tense and his eyes were all-seeing. I wondered what he was thinking. Did he draw a conclusion on my personality as I had done when I'd walked into his penthouse?

"It's not as bad as I thought it would be." He admitted as he scanned the condo. I didn't know whether to be offended or relieved. Had he thought I lived in a complete dump because I didn't have a doorman? The condo was still very aesthetically pleasing; maybe not so much as his penthouse, but it was my home and I loved it.

"Thank you." I chuckled. I shook my head incredulously. Any living space would appear shabby in comparison to Jace's pristine penthouse, but I appreciated his odd attempt at politeness. "How did you get in?"

His eyes glittered. "You wouldn't have to ask that question if you had a doorman."

I pursed my lips and my shoulders tensed. "Jace," I warned.

He grinned. "Take a sip of that hot chocolate, baby. I want to see you come undone."

I frowned. Was he being serious? Jeez, he was like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Sometimes he was so difficult to read, but tonight I decided to beat him at his own games.

"It comes in second to you." I flirted, and his eyes glittered. It was not a lie. Giving myself over to Jace was the best feeling in the world. It fulfilled me completely. Was it irrational...hell, yes! But, would I stop...oh no!

Jace turned away from me and I watched as he brought a long, steady breath into his body before releasing. "You do not like the dark?" He inquired.

I stiffened. "I just like a high power bill." I joked.

He turned to face me again. His blue eyes were filled with concern. "Is there something I should be aware of, Olivia?"

I froze, momentarily, before bringing the hot chocolate to my lips. "Nope." I took a long sip as Jace studied me. Finally, he nodded. In a few long strides, he was standing in front of me.

"You promised you would tell me if something happened to make you feel unsafe." His eyes searched my reaction, but I held myself together, remarkably well, considering the penetrating blue eyes that were, for all intents and purposes, glued on me. Why on earth hadn't I thought to turn off some of the lights before answering the door? Oh right...because no other human being was as observant as Jace.

"I'm fine, Jace." I said. "I just didn't want to be alone tonight and Trisha is still out with Trey."

Jace nodded stiffly. "Well, in that case, I'm not leaving."

"You're not?" I squeaked. I did not see Jace Rush, of all people, sleeping in my queen sized bed with the three-hundred and fifty thread count sheets. He was an Egyptian cotton and silk kind of man.

"No, Olivia," Jace purred. "I am not leaving."

"Okay."

He cocked his head. "You're not going to fight me on this?"

"No."

"Why?" His eyes glittered and he held his breath as he waited for my whispered response.

"I want you to stay." I admitted.

Not a moment after I spoke the words, his lips were on mine. They were hard and hot. There was emotion I couldn't begin to understand in his kiss, and in response, I gave him my all. He demanded my all. His lips moved with an urgency that made me want to fall into him and lose myself completely in his entity. It was euphoric.

I pulled away from the kiss to set my empty cup on the countertop. I weaved my fingers through Jace's and tugged on his hand, leading him to the hall that would take us to my bedroom. Tonight, I just wanted to be with him like two normal people who were more to each other than just a warm body. Tonight, I wanted to envelope myself in his scent. I wanted him to consume me completely so I might forget everything negative in my life. The letters, the contract, the knowing that nagged relentlessly at my mind I would one day be forced to stand alone and empty as Jace turned his back and walked away. Tonight, I wanted to feel loved by this man. I knew in the deepest recesses of my mind and heart it would be nothing more than an illusion...but a beautifully, crafted illusion, it would be.

I turned around so Jace would not catch sight of the sudden pain that flared in my heart at the fact I feared loosing him. I let a sway fall into my hips as I led him toward my bedroom. I could feel his eyes on me, enveloping my body in heat as I moved closer to my destination. I couldn't wait to have him inside of me. The thought of him filling me, yet again today, made my stomach muscles clench with a need that could not be denied. I didn't know what it was about Jace...or even how he had found a way to sneak under my skin, but he had. He was like a drug I could not resist, and after first taste, I was irrefutably hooked. His essence swam though my veins, fueling a desire for more of him. I was an addict to his touch. It was time I admit it to myself...it was already too late to avoid the inescapable pain I had tried so hard to keep myself from.

I turned into my bedroom. The light was on already and Jace stepped into the room. His eyes immediately locked on my bed. A look of horror crossed his face before a firm scowl took its place.

"What is that, Olivia?" Jace asked. He was still looking at my bed. Was it really that bad? It was smaller than Jace's bed, but it was still comfortable.

"Um," I shifted. "My bed?"

"No," Jace growled. "The fur ball on your pillow. What is that?"

I laughed. He was joking about Moo-moo. "That's Moo-moo." I said proudly.

Jace shook his head as though he could somehow will away the image of my little kitten. "Moo-moo?"

I frowned. He was not joking. He really didn't understand. "It's a kitten, Jace."

"I know what it is, but why is in here? And on your pillow for God's sakes?" Jace growled.

Was it so abhorrent I have a kitten on my pillow? Did people in this city not have animals? "Moo-moo lives here."

Jace threw a look at me that said he thought I was crazy. "Are you even allowed to have cats in here?"

I shrugged. "I don't know and I don't care. Moo-moo goes where I go. End of story." I dropped Jace's hand and moved to the bed. "Did you never have a kitten while you were a kid?"

He shook his head. "No."

I frowned at the clipped tone he'd used with me as I scooped the kitten up into my hands. I held him to my chest and walked back to where Jace stood at the door. He was clearly uncomfortable with the little purring ball of fur, but I didn't care. I held him out to Jace. "Here, hold him."

"No."

"Jace," I growled. "Will you grow up?"

He glared at me, but held his hands out for the kitten. "I don't like it." Moo-moo struggled immediately in his grip and Jace bent to set him on the floor, watching as he scampered down the hall. I laughed.

"He doesn't like you either." I giggled. "But, don't worry. I like you both, so you will just have to get used to each other."

Jace stared at me with amusement in his eyes. "I didn't peg you for a cat lady."

"He needed a home and I have plenty of love to give."

His eyes shimmered. "Do you?"

My breath hitched and I marveled again at how quickly a typical mundane situation could turn to one so intense.

"I do, Jace."

Chapter 15

She had a cat.

I couldn't help but stare at her as though she had lost her mind. In the back of my mind, I remembered Trisha talking about the fur ball, but I had completely forgotten.

Would I ever cease to be surprised by her? Everything she did was a shock to my system. There was no explanation for the way I was feeling at the moment, but I knew it was dangerous. I should take her to the bed, tie her hands behind her back and fuck her. Hard. I should imagine the thrill I would attain by flogging her pretty ass, marring her perfect skin red...but, I couldn't. The only thing I wanted to do was burry myself inside of her. I wanted to run my nose along the line of her jaw, down her neck and across her collarbone. I wanted her scent to calm my nerves and her body to heal my demons.

I was not worthy of her, but, as selfish as I was, I couldn't ignore the pulsating need that plagued at my mind and body to possess her. My fucking entity craved her. She was the light that would undoubtedly singe the dark surrounding my soul, but I couldn't turn away. I was weak. I was far too pathetic to rise above my desires and do what I knew would be noble. I should walk away from her so she might live her life with someone who could give her everything I could not, but even as I had the thought, I felt my body take a step closer. And that one step was my undoing, because it was not a moment later that I closed the distance between us. I slid my hand around her neck so I was cupping the back of her head before I twined my fingers in her hair. I pulled gently, but authoritatively, at her hair, forcing her head to tilt back.

She looked up at me with wide brown eyes that were the color of spun gold...or honey. I didn't know. All I knew was they were the eyes of a fucking angel. From the first moment I caught a glimpse of those big, warm eyes, she'd had me hooked.

"Kiss me Jace." She begged. As if I could deny her...

I brought my lips down to hers; kissing her gently as she weaved her hands around my neck. I gripped her hip possessively as she rose up on her tiptoes, pushing herself into the kiss. She took the lead and I let her. Her lips crushed against mine. I swept my tongue over the curve of her bottom lip and she moaned. I swallowed her sound, needing more. I trailed slow, gentle circles against her spine as I dropped my hand from her neck to the hem of her shirt. I slid my hand beneath the fabric, spreading my fingers and pressing my palm onto the soft skin of her back. She melted against me, sighing sweetly. It was as though my touch was her catalyst. The thought sent a burning through my body. I wanted to be the one to affect her, always. That thought, in itself, was terrifying. I would rather face the crumbling of my company than this...whatever this was. I knew it couldn't be love. Hell, I hoped it was not love. I had accepted years ago, love was something I would never possess.