Chapter 124: 124 ~ Mira
It felt like it was my fault.
I heard about what happened due to the chaos that ensued within the estate when the news reached. It was frantic.
It was probably going to be on the news tomorrow. I watched the video sent to me anonymously in horror. It showed when the vehicle burst into flames.
It had Massimo written all of it.
The trepidation, fear and guilt that had been eating me up all week increased in that moment.
I stood at the entrance waiting for Jace. I knew I had been pushing him away irrationally but this was the perfect time to be there for him.
I had been out here in the cold for a few minutes, folding my arms around myself when his car pulled in.
Everyone wore long faces. It was a dark night in the Romano estate.
Jace stepped out of the car and my heart ached even more.
His dim eyes lit up as soon as the fell on me.
He picked up something from the vehicle. It was a flower bouquet.
Climbing up the steps that led to the door, his eyes stayed on mine. Everyone else disappeared in that moment.
I just wanted to melt like butter under the heat of his stare.
"Hey," I whispered to him, emotion clogging my throat.
Without a word, he swept me into his arms. I felt the weight of his annoyance as well as his relief to be back here in the arms of his love.
I basked in his warmth, feeling his tense muscles relax just a bit.
"These are for you." He said when we pulled apart, handing me the bouquet.
"Thank you." I said, tenderly touching his face, scanning it for any injuries. He looked fine on the outside. But I could tell he was bruised on the inside.
Jace may be a ruthless don but I knew he didn’t like to lose his men. He saw them as more than his guards. They were family.
"It’s cold. Let’s get you inside." He rasped out.
He had just experienced something so traumatizing yet he was worried about me being cold. This man was something else.
We went into the house in silence as I clutched the flowers to my chest.
He was a few steps ahead of me as he walked to his room.
I sat in the bedroom and waited for him as he showered. I was going to sleep in my designated room, I just wanted to care for him and be sure he was alright before going to sleep. It was the least I could do at this time.
That was when I spotted the note tucked between the petals.
’I don’t know how to love right. But I do know how to love you. And I’m not done yet’ - J.
I couldn’t help the smile the crept up my face as I read it. My cheeks warmed up. Jace could be really sweet sometimes.
Just then, he came out of the bathroom. I was unable to wipe the smile on my face before he saw it.
"This is a really sweet note." I said before he could ask why I was smiling.
"Glad you liked it." He said curtly.
There was immediate tension that filled the space. He was brooding and most probably plotting a retaliation.
"Massimo did this because of me," I blurted out before I could stop myself.
He didn’t act surprised.
"Why? Because he wants to make you his?" He fumed.
I swallowed nervously. "No. It’s a lot more than that."
The guilt showed on my face. I searched for that document yet again and it wasn’t here. I was counting on us returning to LA soon so I could search for it there. I told Massimo when he sent yet another text but he obviously didn’t care so he went ahead to do this to scare me. I was relieved he didn’t follow through with hurting my brother but what would I have done if he hurt Jace?
"No." Jace voice cut through my spiralling thoughts. I saw the realization in his eyes.
My heart beat rapidly in my chest. This was not how I wanted this night to go.
"Jace, I can explain." I said as tears stung at my eyes.
He nodded slowly, as his eyes hardened. "I get it now. That was why you came back all of a sudden."
"I-"
He cut me off. "Isn’t it?"
"Yes but-"
He raised an index finger, shutting me up with that simple gesture.
"All this time I thought we were getting somewhere, you only came around so easily because he sent you here to betray my trust? To betray the love I have for you?"
He paced the room in furious strides. His tone was accusatory.
"Tell me Mira, when you said he tried to kill you, was it part of your ploy so you could get closer and steal that document?" He pinned me with his hard gaze.
My chest hurt.
I shook my head immediately as I got up and tried to approach him. "No, I promise you it wasn’t."
"How am I supposed to believe that?!"
I flinched as his voice thundered.
"So every of those little moments we had were all lies? Every time I fucked you, you were faking the moans, the screams and orgasms? The divorce threat was all part of your plan to reel me in huh?"
His fingers curled around my throat and he lifted me off the ground. I tried to grab anything around me as I choked.
"Jace please," I coughed. I missed his shoulders by my fingertips.
His eyes darkened as he threw me on the bed. I tried to get away from him but he pinned me down.
"Jace, please don’t do anything you’d regret."
"I have no regrets, Mira. The only thing I regret was thinking that you actually loved me but you were playing me all this time."
"I promise, I wasn’t! I love you!!!" I screamed frantically when he dragged my legs towards him.
"Okay." He said in a dangerously calm tone.
"Okay?" I whispered fearfully. This was worse than him yelling at me.
I searched his eyes and gulped at how neutral they were. I was scared for my life at this point.
"I believe you." He spoke after a long moment of silence.
"You do?"
I sat up as his face hovered over mine. He didn’t say anything but kissed me roughly instead.
This kiss felt different. It was hard, rough and angry. But because everything about him turned me on, I was soaking wet already.
He pushed my underwear aside and slipped his fingers into me, pumping so fast I couldn’t even let out moans. I was panting for air instead.
Jace’s face was set in a frown. It wasn’t like he smiled whenever we fucked but there was cold rage emanating from him.
"Jacs, I’m sorry. Please forgive me." I begged him in between moans.
He only grunted in response.
I had really messed up.
"Get on all fours."
I did as I was told. I was barely prepared for how he rammed into me from behind.
He put all his anger in every thrust. My face was soaked with tears as he fucked every part of me till I lost my voice from screaming.
I shattered in no time but he didn’t stop. It was one orgasm after the other until he finally released everything inside me.
That was when I realized that he wasn’t wearing a condom.
I laid there, limp from so many orgasms.
Jace didn’t say anything. He simply got on his feet, entered the closet, dressed up and made to leave the room.
"Jace?"
"You can tell Massimo that document is no longer in my possession."
I felt a chill run up my spine as he said that.
"Good night, Mira." He stated coldly.
"But, where are you-"
The words hung in my throat when he slammed the door behind him before I could finish asking the question.
I sat up as a fresh set of tears poured down my cheeks.
~
Jace wasn’t speaking to me. It didn’t matter what I did to get through to him.
He was always cooped up in his office. And when I did see his face, he always had a bored expression. He barely spoke to me.
I thought of telling Donna Carmela to help me speak to him. But how would I be able to explain that I wanted to betray her son? She would never take my side.
I knew she noticed the tension between us at breakfast and dinner but chose to not speak about it. She probably thought it was one of the usual couple squabbles.
It had been days and we were finally returning to LA.
I was relieved but scared at the same time.
I considered returning to Lisbon. Or even going to a different country entirely to be away from all this drama. But I was in too deep.
It didn’t seem like there was any turning back at this point.
I stared at Jace as we rode to the airport. His jaw was clenched and he looked straight ahead, not sparing me a glance.
I opened my mouth to speak to him but the words hung in my throat.
The flight was no different. I took naps to distract myself from the tension.
I guess this was our new normal.