Okay guys so another short update. I wrote this chapter a long time ago and I hope you like it. Two POVs ... don't say I never spoil you guys.

This week has been so hectic with work I'm sitting here in the early hours of the morning putting this up.

Jace POV

I've already showered and changed and I can hear Clary pottering about in her room. I know she's avoiding me just like I've been avoiding her. We're both pretending that what happened hasn't affected us in the slightest but our relationship has changed. And it's definitely for the worse.

I had without a doubt been looking to hurt her when I had turned up at dinner with Aline. I had managed to run into Aline of all people when I was looking for a distraction to make me forget about Clary. And of course when she told me her cousin was taking his girlfriend out for dinner I couldn't resist putting the idea in her head that we should join them. It had been fun to watch Clary squirm but in turn it had been sickening watching her and Sebastian all over each other.

I couldn't help but think I had somehow messed up. Especially when I saw her tear streaked face the morning after. I told myself it was Sebastian she was crying over so I kept my distance but there was a small bit of doubt at the back of my mind.

And every time I was away from her I would resolve to talk to her about it and apologise but as soon as I was in her presence my blood would boil and all reason would go out of the window. She was as cold as ice and that irked me more than anything else. I had never seen Clary behave like this. Did she not feel a thing for me? Was she angry at me? Was she disappointed with me? I just couldn't tell anymore and I had given up trying to work her out. But despite that I lay in bed almost every night trying to make sense of it all. And I just couldn't.

So that was it. If nothing else I could hurt her just as much she had hurt me. If she wanted to act like an emotionless creature I would do my best to annoy her. Any emotion was better than nothing.

I had been staying with my cousin Will just to get away from everything and working from his apartment but he finally kicked me out today and told me he wasn't having any more of it. Either I tell him what was wrong or I had to leave. So of course I left.

So that leads me to where I am now. Standing in the kitchen sipping at my coffee and she just breezes in like I'm not even there. She is in a short summer dress, too short. She never used to dress like this before she was dating that ass not on a day to day basis anyway. It's like she's trying to piss me off. I stare at her bare legs and I imagine myself running my hands over them. Her fiery red hair is pinned up leaving the nape of her neck and shoulders bare. I remember kissing every inch of her skin and right now everything about her makes me want to touch her. So I don't resist. Anything to get a reaction out of her.

Clary POV

I am pouring myself a cup of coffee when I feel a hand slip under my dress and cup my behind. I almost drop it in shock. I whirl around and Jace is looking down at me smirking. His hand dips under my skirt again and I push it away and he laughs. He actually laughs.

"Get your hands off me." I say trying to sound angry but my voice comes out weak and feeble.

His hand darts under my dress again and he holds my wrists in a makeshift restraint with his other hand as he strokes my thighs.

"You must want me to touch you or you wouldn't be dressed like such a fucking tease." He says darkly.

"Don't touch me." I growl as his hand travels to my inner thigh rubbing at the sensitive skin there and I gasp involuntarily as my lower abdomen clenches. I rip my hands out of his grasp and shove him hard but he barely moves.

"Put some clothes on Clarissa or so help me God." He says abruptly. The dark look in his eyes makes my stomach drop and I can't tell if I want to kiss him or slap him. So I do the latter.

My hand rears back and slaps him hard. He doesn't looked shocked by it, I'm pretty sure he could have stopped me if he wanted to. He touches his cheek and rubs at it with a confused look but he won't look at me.

"Or what?" I hiss at him and he turns his gaze on me. I suck in a breath when I see the dark look in his eyes. I'm so sure he's going to hit me right back.

"Don't tempt me …" he says and I'm not sure what he means. He shakes his head and the look in gone replaced by something mocking, "Is this how he likes you? With everything on display?"

"Screw you Jace." I growl at him feeling myself colour. Little does he know that I'm dressed like this to make him realise what he's missing out on.

"Don't fucking tempt me." He says again darkly and my mouth falls open but he has already turned on his heel and stalked out. Did he mean what I thought he meant? I am rooted to the spot. My phone rings breaking me out of my reverie and of course I know who it is.

"Are you free for lunch babe?" he asks as soon as I shakily pick up the phone.

"Sure why not?" I say back my voice shaky.

"Babe are you okay?" he asks and I can hear a voice in the background.

"I'm fine, Seb." I say softly, "how are you?"

"I'm actually with Aline, she was wondering if Jace was with you, she said we could all have lunch together." Seb says happily.

"He is, I'm think he has plans." Clary says lying through her teeth.

"I'm sure Aline can convince him, she has her ways." Seb says cheerily.

And in that moment I wonder if the universe is conspiring against me.

Update will probably take a while now as I only have the skeleton for the rest of the chapters so they need to be written. They will also need editing and some extra chapters added in too. Sigh. I have my work cut out.

I have been taking your feedback on how to move the middle of the story forward and definitely had a hit of inspiration last week so thanks for everyone who made an input or reviewed or pm'ed me. Its all appreciated.

Going to try and update something else tonight if I can ...

I have started work on yet another upcoming story and I am just getting my head around the plot so right now I've concentrating on new stories rather than old.

Update for those of you who are interested Flashback 'sequel' will hopefully be up by Christmas if I can any of these current stories written up and ready to post by then.

Much love x