My dear little broccolis💚💚💚

💚 Give Me The Daddy, I'll Give You The Sugar 💚

"The best investment I ever made, was when I lost fifty million dollars and met the love of my life as a result of that."

‼️Rated M - {Out Of Characters/All Human/Alternate Universe}‼️

‼️Romance/Angst/Drama/Lemons‼️

‼️Clace/The Waylands/OGs/Magnus Bane/‼️

💚 READ & REVIEW, DON'T BE A SILENT READER 💚

💚So, a couple of songs are going to be mentioned in this chapter, and I highly recommend you listening to them, or checking them out to put you in the mood.

I'm Still Standing - Eton John

In The Air Tonight - Phil Collins

Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson

Hips Don't Lie - Shakira ft Wyclef Jean

You Can Leave Your Hat On - Joe Cocker

Hey Sexy Lady - Shaggy

Make Love In This Club - Usher ft Young Jeezy

Chapter 10: Colonel (7,1K)

💚A colonel is a dessert made of lemon (or lime) sorbet and vodka. So you have your sweet (sorbet) and your alcohol (vodka) for this chapter. You need to know this so it doesn't seem strange somewhere in the chapter. You also need to keep in mind the structure of this title, and what happens in this chapter for further chapter(s) down the line ...

When Clary's birthday came on the fourth of July, she celebrated it with Magnus and Karl in Vegas. They have been hiking most of the day, coming back in the afternoon to start drinking and partying. She wasn't really sure how it happened, but now, she was on a karaoke podium, singing an Elton John with all her heart and making sure that she would choreograph every move of I'm Still Standing.

The place was packed, but she had expected it, given the fact that her birthday was on Independence Day. It was, in fact, the first time that she was really celebrating it. When she was young, the one time she was with a family for her birthday, Independence Day outshone her, and when she had been with Henry, they always fought the day before her birthday, so she was in no mood to celebrate on the day.

But now that she had a best friend, she had every intention of making the best out of her day. And Karl was more than Magnus's boyfriend to her, he was also her friend. So, they had hiked in the morning, though Karl made a point on telling her that he would not be present for her next birthday if she intended on torturing him like that again.

Unlike Magnus and her, he was barely active during the day, working in a bank and all, and he had been the one slowing them down. Though he stopped his complaints when he saw the view. It was probably what Clary had liked the most. The breathtaking view. The realisation that she was just that one tiny human witnessing the passage of time. The sensation of being insignificant and yet special for seeing this special gift of Nature.

Though they took a lot of pictures, there had been a part of her that had been demoted to not take any, and simply keep this special moment locked in her memory. But in the end, she still captured forever the moment, though she was aware that the pictures would never reflect how she felt inside.

When she finished singing, a few people clapped, with a few whistles going her away, and she hopped her way back to her table with her friends who were amongst the ones who were whistling. She took a sip from her glass of wine, brightly smiling and Magnus leaned down so he could whisper in her ear,

"That song should have been dedicated to a certain asshole."

She nodded in agreement and cheered as Karl got up to sing a Phil Collins song. Her smile never faded away, even as she recalled the night she had told Magnus about Henry and how she had ended their relationship.

"So, Karl pointed out something the other day, and that got me curious. You're not a virgin, are you?"

"Haha. Have you met me? Nope!" She burst in laughter, still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Karl thought she was a virgin. She had had her suspicions for a while, but having Magnus confirm them was something else.

"How can Karl think I'm a virgin, though? You and I always talk about sex."

"Well, he says you always get uncomfortable when we talk about Jace, so he assumed," Magnus explained, shrugging as he took a bite from his burger.

Clary and he had gone to her burger van, though Clary didn't take him on top of the Rockefeller building, liking the idea of keeping this place for Jace and her. In fact, Jace had surprised her one day in February and took her there, not missing the opportunity to complain that the experience was not complete since there were no muffins for dessert.

"I don't get uncomfortable when I talk about Jace."

"Actually, you do. Even if it's just with me, every time it starts being personal, you freeze and bring that stupid contract in the mix."

"Because there is nothing personal between Jace and I. I told you before, Magnus, we are just in business. And Jace does not mix business with pleasure."

"And I told you before, there is something more. I mean, the guy is always in New York, now. And he insists you stay in his hotel with him. A loving relationship doesn't necessarily mean it needs sex."

Clary rolled her eyes, feeling that the romantic side of Magnus was, once again, making him forget who they were talking about. Jace only cared because of how it made him look. Sure, they were friends, but there were no feelings involved, both Jace and she were really well aware of that.

"Don't roll your eyes. I mean, the guy literally wanted to kiss you when he was drunk. And I doubt he would have stopped there if he had had the opportunity."

"That's a stupid argument. Jace never made it a secret that he would have liked to get me in his bed. I never should have told you about that. You're making a big deal out of nothing."

Magnus shrugged, sure of his point, just like Clary was sure of hers. Jace and she were too different to ever even contemplate the idea of being together. Their life goals were different, and even their approach to life was different. Jace had a family that he was dismissing, which Clary couldn't understand. No matter what, if you had a loving family, you shouldn't distance yourself from it. And yet, Jace thought his company was more important than his family, or anything else, to be fair.

"I think you're hiding being the contract because it's convenient for you."

"I'm not. I just know what Jace expects of me."

"So, if he tells you he wants to stop the contract and starts a real relationship with you, what would you do?"

"That won't happen."

"But what if? Let's say it's someone else, and not Jace with all his 'flaws'?"

She thought about it, chewing her last bite with extra care as her eyes got lost in space. She never thought of getting a boyfriend because she was focussed on her studies, and before Jace, she had been working around the clock. But now ... Now that she was about to get a job with Valentine, she realised that she was scared of trying to find someone else again. She didn't trust her judgement anymore, and she was scared to fall yet again in another toxic relationship that would make her miserable.

"I don't know, Magnus. I don't think I would. I ... loving relationships don't agree with me."

Magnus looked at her with interest, picking on his fries before he assumed,

"So there is a stupid ex, ruining it for everyone else."

"No. I don't care about Henry, anymore!"

"What happened? Why is Henry no longer in the picture?"

She frowned, refusing to look up and look at her friend. For a long time, she considered shutting down the conversation and talk about something else, but Magnus had always been open to her. He told her about his past relationships and heartbreaks, about his struggles to accept his sexuality, his doubts and fears concerning the one he was starting with Karl. So it would be only fair if she did the same. She couldn't call him her best friend if she didn't share with him her life.

"Well, Henry isn't that bad of a person. I just think he's not that good of a boyfriend. We met when I was waitressing in a little cafe for a couple of months and, I don't know, there was something about him. He is charming when he wants, and I think I fell for that.

It started ... weirdly. We went out with friends, and we were teasing one another. I don't really remember what we were talking about, but I remember asking what he would do about it, and him kissing me in response. Not that I minded because I was really hoping he would do just that.

Then he rage quitted the cafe, I don't even know what about, I was off that day. And for a whole month, I didn't hear from him. He had lost his phone you see. When he contacted me again, he took me out and stuff, and it was amazing. I mean, he wasn't my first serious relationship, but he made me feel like we could have a future together.

Henry wants kids, and so do I. And he likes to talk about important things such as politics, climate change, and all those things people usually try to stay away from. And, he has a way with words.

So, even if I didn't always agree with him, I stayed with him. Even if I felt lonely more and more often when I was with him and his friends, I stayed. Even if I knew I would have been the first one to tell my friend to get out of that kind of relationship, I stayed.

For a whole year, he did not work, relying on benefits and myself. I didn't care, even if he didn't do any efforts to find a job. And ... I don't know how to explain how things went down. I think it was gradually. Any idea I had was never called stupid, but he always made a point of proving me that it was. And ...

I don't know, Magnus. I was just stupid. When we moved in together, he was yet again looking for a job, though he didn't really. And I had a new very demanding job. So I wasn't home a lot, but it was my fault for working too much. That's why he started smoking weed again, even though he had always promised me that he would tell me beforehand if he felt like he wanted to smoke again. And he went back on Tinder, because I wasn't home a lot, even though I was always the one initiating anything physical, and even though I found myself crying more than once after we've had sex. I don't know, the way he would touch me made me feel ... sad, unappealing, insignificant.

All in all, I ended things and he didn't even fight for it."

She kept her eyes in front of her, not liking how remembering all those things about Henry made her feel weak all over again. She thought she was passed that, that Henry couldn't affect her anymore, but just talking about him had brought her to that dark place she had been.

She was angry at herself because she should have seen the signs earlier and left at the first red flag, but she stayed, because of her own stupidity and foolishness.

"You're not stupid," Magnus finally said, making Clary blink as she turned her head to him, surprised that he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"What?"

"You're not stupid. You're just human. It's always easier to see the red flags when you're outside of a relationship than when you're in. You shouldn't blame yourself, but praise yourself that you're finally out of it."

She smiled as he took her hand in his, squeezing it to show his support.

"That being said, I think you shouldn't alienate people because of how he had treated you. Not everyone is a narcissistic asshole. I'm not talking about Jace necessarily, but people in general. Don't let him turn you into someone bitter. Life has ups and downs. You shouldn't refuse a new love relationship because of the fear of being trapped again in a similar situation. I'll be here to pull you up, this time. Always."

Clary opening up about Henry had made her relationship with Magnus stronger. Not that it wasn't strong, to begin with, but it had changed something that made them closer than before. And though Karl had made a comment or two about this change that he noticed, he did not feel threatened by it. On the contrary, he would now call them siblings of fortune, which Clary was far from complaining about. She had always wanted a big brother or a little sister, and now, she had one of them.

For a couple of hours, they remained at the karaoke, each going twice on the podium, and Clary showed her best move when she sand Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal, accompanying her singing with all of Michael's famous moves, earning a lot of cheers when she moonwalked in heels, and when she partially performed the anti-gravity lean.

When she got back to their table after this song, she ordered another glass of wine, but Magnus stopped the waiter and whispered something in his ear that made her frown with suspicion.

"So, you're a big MJ fan?" Karl asked to distract her, though it was obvious that he was impressed by her singing. Clary beamed at him.

"I'm the biggest fan there is! I know all of his songs, all of his moves. I'm his secret daughter, actually."

Magnus and Karl laughed, before looking behind her. She turned and saw the waiter carrying a huge bowl containing sorbet which was mounted by twenty-five candles. She brightly smiled to her friend, realising as the waiter put the bowl on the table that it was a colonel, and she blew her candles without taking the time to make a wish.

It was the first time she was actually blowing candles for her birthday, and as she did so, she promised herself that, no matter what, she would always blow candles for her birthdays to come. Even when she would be ninety-five with no teeth, she would still blow her birthday candles.

"What did you wish for?" Magnus asked as the three of them dug in the lime sorbet deep enough to get a bit of vodka on their spoon as well.

"Nothing. All I want is here with me."

"Not even a surprise visit from Jace?"

She shrugged, shaking her head and appreciating the cold refreshment that still gave her the buzz of the alcohol. She knew that Jace was in Vegas at the moment, but he was here on business and didn't ask for her. So she wasn't going to bother him.

Besides, Jace didn't know when was her birthday. He knew it was around this period, but she never told him when exactly, because she had the feeling that he wouldn't care much. He never told her about his own birthday, so she assumed that Jace was one of those people who didn't care much for birthdays in the first place.

Once they finished the colonel, which Clary had appreciated more than she would have appreciated a cake, given the hot weather of Vegas in July, Magnus proposed that they sang a song together. She gladly accepted, and the two of them got on the podium shortly after 10 pm.

Clary had let Magnus chose the song and that's how she found herself impersonating Shakira as she would dance and sing about how her hips did not lie. It was only in the middle of the song that she felt a pair of eyes more insistent than the others and saw Jace sitting next to Karl, his ever so present smirk plastered on his face as he would film her performance on his phone.

She didn't let his presence throw her off, though she wasn't sure if it was the alcohol talking or just her brain. She finished the song with Magnus, and the two of them joined Karl and Jace. As soon as she was next to him, Jace wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her temple, murmuring in her ear,

"Your hips clearly do not lie."

She giggled rolling her eyes and put a tiny bit of distance between them as she asked, "What are you doing here? I thought you were working."

"You can't celebrate your birthday without your boyfriend, Clary. What kind of rubbish is that?" Magnus interfered and she understood that he was the one responsible for Jace's presence.

She narrowed her eyes at the culprit but did nothing to move from Jace's arms, though she could feel Karl's attentive eyes on her. This was the first time Karl was seeing her with Jace, and she was sure that the fact that they did not kiss just confirmed his theory that she was a virgin.

"How is work?"

He smirked, his eyebrow up as he retorted, "I thought we had this unspoken rule, now. Birthdays together mean no talking about work or studies."

She smiled, unaware that Jace would consider this an unspoken rule between the two of them, but liking that he thought about it, and for a moment, she let herself fall into the gold of his eyes. She only broke eye contact, when she felt her stomach flutter with butterflies.

So she looked down, putting a reasonable distance between them, and clearing her throat as she got out of his arms, doing her best to avoid looking at Magnus for she knew he would read into it more than he should. She was just glad to have yet another friend with whom she could celebrate her birthday, nothing else.

She spotted a couple of girls from the next table whispering to one another as they pointed at Jace and her. But before she could say anything about it, realising that Jace being here meant that people were bound to gossip about her, him and Magnus, Magnus brought the issue on the table,

"I didn't think people would be so ... receptive to your presence. I thought they'd be too drunk to notice."

"People are never too drunk when it comes to smelling a scoop. But I don't mind. It's one way to shut down those rumours about the two of you."

Clary glanced at Karl, and the two of them rolled their eyes. She had to admit that she was relieved that Karl never felt threatened by the articles printed about Magnus and herself. She wouldn't have bear being the reason for disagreements between Magnus and his boyfriend. usually, when Karl saw a picture or a video about the two of them, he would send it to Clary, usually putting laughing emoticons as a caption.

"Well, we were about to go clubbing. You're obviously coming with us, aren't you?" Magnus said, not giving Jace much of a choice as he walked out, hand in hand with his boyfriend.

Jace and Clary followed, though a few steps behind, and because she could tell that Jace never had any intentions of going clubbing, she let him know,

"You don't have to come if you'd rather rest in your hotel room."

"Aren't you the one who said I need to find balance in my life?"

She brightly smiled, taking his hand in her in an instinctive move. Jace quickly let go of her hand, so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders, taking the other hand in his as they kept on walking, following Magnus and Karl who were still a few steps ahead of them.

For a minute or two, they were silent, before Jace admitted, "I don't have a birthday present for you."

"I wasn't expecting any. Especially not from you. I already told you, you give me too many gifts as it is."

"No. I wanted to give you something personal this time. Just like you gave me something magical for my birthday. I was planning on a guitar, but you already got yourself one."

"Well, I bought with the money you give me, so ... Thank you for the early birthday present," She beamed, though this did not ease Jace's frown. He shook his head,

"It's not the same. I just wish I knew you enough to know what would make you as happy as you made me when I jumped off that plane."

"Well, you already did. You could be back at your hotel working, and yet, you're here with me. A present doesn't have to be bought to be appreciated. Sometimes, just the gesture is enough, no matter how ridiculous it sounds to 50MILs such as yourself."

"50MIL?"

She giggled, realising that alcohol had just made her call Jace that little nickname she had always kept for herself.

"Well, we did meet when you were crying about those fifty million dollars that you lost. That was a really bad first impression."

He stopped them now that the club was in view, and turned her so they would face and he could cup her face. His eyes went several times to her lips which were painted with a bold red lipstick. He gently traced her lips with his thumb, barely caressing them before he let her know,

"My first impression had very little to do with the loss. Though the number fifty came to my mind, I doubt you would have approved how I would have applied it."

Though he didn't say it, it was very obvious that his thoughts when they met were going along the line of fucking her fifty ways until the next week. She did her best not to blush, though, given the amount of alcohol she had already had, she couldn't tell for sure, and she smirked, leaning to his ear,

"Maybe you should have been bold. I told you already, a lady in the streets ..."

His hand flattened on her smaller back, his pinkie snaking its way beneath her shirt so he could touch her skin. "I'm not so sure about that, anymore. This outfit, though deeply appreciated, seems to be a clever mix between lady and freak."

His eyes ravaged her attire, and all she did was a smirk, taking his hand to go in the club. She was dressed with a certain class compared to most of the women in Vegas, but given the jealous side of Jace Wayland, she had expected the remarks on her shorts. They were mid-thighs and golden, the material giving the impression that there were waves on her ass and thighs. Her top was a simple black top, only complimented by a golden necklace that Jace had gifted to her. Even her shoes were simple black pumps, with a tiny hole to let her front toes breath a bit in the hot Vegas.

Once in the club, Clary looked around, searching for Magnus and Karl since they had gone in the club before them, but there were too many people to find them. So she and Jace went to the bar, where Jace ordered a strong cocktail and she a cosmopolitan. The bartender, who was wearing a fashionable gangster hat, said something to Jace, who smirked like a caveman before he gave Clary her cocktail and left to tend other people.

"What did he tell you?" She asked with suspicion, looking at the cosmopolitan as if it was a bomb. Jace leaned, making both their bodies touch and said in her ear,

"That I'm a lucky bastard. Which I already knew."

She rolled her eyes, but leant in his touch, letting the music take over her body as she swayed her hips from left to right, in rhythm with the beat. But when Jace remained immobile, she opened her eyes and shook her head, putting a bit more distance between them.

"You're not going to dance, are you?"

"No. I think I like it better when I watch you dance."

"Well, I need to use the loo, anyway. Can you watch my drink?"

She waited for him to nod, before battling her way to the bathroom where the cue was as long as she had expected. Whilst waiting for a free stall, she took her phone out and saw several missed texts.

Dear Lord, I got so busy that I almost missed your birthday! Hope you're enjoying Vegas, don't gamble your life away, and if you see Elvis, kiss him for me. He was my childhood crush, after all. Dorothea

What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. Enjoy your trip to Sin City and make your birthday memorable. We want a lot of pictures and stories when we'll see you next Wednesday. Mary & Ann

If I recall properly, it is your birthday today. Since my husband always forgets all those dates, I am sending you this text hoping that many good things will happen to those new years coming to you. Jocelyn & Valentine

We're in the club? Did you end up seeing clear and taking him to your room? Magnus

Clary smiled to all those birthday wishes that she had never gotten before, and replied on all of them with big thank yous. When it came to Magnus though, she rolled her eyes, and let him know,

Cueing for the loo and trying to decide if I should kiss you or kill you. Clary

I vote for option number one, personally. Why do you want to kiss me? Magnus

Jace is here. Clary

Well, yeah. That's the point of a birthday surprise. Why would you want to kill me for that? Magnus

I'm drunk. Clary

I've seen you worse than that. And I really don't think Jace would risk a lawsuit taking advantage of drunken you. Clary

What if I want to be taken advantage of? Clary

Haha, you ARE drunk. Admitting the contract is stupid? Magnus

No. I'm just. Clary

Drunk. Clary

Horny. Clary

It's not a good combination when he's around. Clary

I think it's a PERFECT condition to have him around. Stop thinking so much, and live a little. Magnus

Clary shook her head and went to the stall that had just been liberated. Magnus clearly didn't understand that if she were to take Jace in her bed, the contract would end, and she would lose her friend. She would not be able to contact him anymore.

Once her bladder relieved, she fought her way back to the bar, but on her way, she spotted the DJ. So she went to him, and asked for a favour, playing the birthday card and batting her lashes as much as she could. He agreed, and she went back to the bar, grinning like the Cheshire Cat. Jace wanted to see her dance, he was just about to.

When she touched his arm, he turned and she saw a different drink than the one he had ordered when she was with him. He frowned slightly, and asked,

"Did you dig your own latrines?"

"Didn't you ever hear of the infamous cue in front of the ladies' bathroom?"

He shook his head and gave her back her drink, which she finished in three long sips. She was impatiently waiting for her song, and when the first notes of Joe Cocker's You Can Leave Your Hat On she squealed like a schoolgirl and hoisted herself on top of the counter.

Jace looked at her with big round eyes, shocked by her move, but all she did was grin, as the DJ dedicated the song to "that special birthday girl with an incredible smile". She smiled at Jace, walking backwards on the counter at the rhythm of the cadence and as some men whistled as she passed them, and she sang with Joe Cocker,

Baby take off your coat

Real slow

And take off your shoes

I'll take off your shoes

She took off her shoes and threw them for him to catch, which he did, his eyes still on her, but his face not showing a single emotion.

Baby take off your dress

She had to repress a giggle as Jace's eyes got even wider when she reached for her clothing. She lifted the bottom of her top, just enough to show a tiny bit of her stomach as she bit her lower lip.

Yes yes yes

You can leave your hat on

You can leave your hat on

You can leave your hat on

She danced to the bartender and took his hat, putting it on her head and making her messy bunny sag a little so the hat could fit on the top of her head. She made her hands reach for the stars when she finished fitting the hat on her head, just in time for the triumphant trumpet of the final repeat.

Go on over there

Turn on the light

She danced back so she could stand in front of Jace who was still looking at her with no emotions on his face, though his jaw was clearly clenched and his golden orbs were shining with a hint of lust; and she giggled when the spotlight was turned to her, to go in accord with the music.

No all the lights

Come over here

Stand on this chair

That's right

Raise your arms up into the air

Now shake 'em

She did as the music instructed her, shaking her hips to the cadence as well before she twirled on herself as Joe Cocker and herself repeated the same line over and over again.

You give me a reason to liv

You give me a reason to live

You give me a reason to live

You give me a reason to live

On the last note, she did a split that made many people wolf-whistle to her and claps, and finally, Jace's mask cracked, and a small smirk appeared on his face. She manoeuvred her legs so she could stand again, and moved her hips to the chorus.

Sweet darling

You can leave your hat on

You can leave your hat on

Feeling

You can leave your hat on

You can leave your hat on

You can leave your hat on

You can leave your hat on

She sat on the counter, in front of Jace so her legs would be on each side of him, and she rested her arms on his shoulders as she rolled her head, singing the rest of the song, and grinning when Jace brought his hand to her waist

Suspicious minds keep talkin'

Try'n' to tear us apart

They don't believe

In this love of mine

They don't know I love you

They don't know what love is

She got up, her hand on the hat.

They don't know what love is

She rolled her hips, still with her head down and the hat covering half of her face.

They don't know what love is

She twirled on herself, with her hand still on the hat.

I know what love is

She froze, taking the hat off and offering it to the stars as she winked at Jace.

Sweet darling

You can leave your hat on

She put back the hat on her head and moved her hips until the DJ moved to another song.

You can leave your hat on

Feeling

You can leave your hat on

You can leave your hat on

When the song was over, she sat back on the counter in front of Jace, a lot of people around them still whistling at her. She was a bit out of breath, but she was proudly smiling, ignoring the comments that people were making around them as Jace slipped the shoes back on her feet, his hands slowly caressing her legs p when he was done.

"Are you trying to give me a stroke?"

"I thought you wanted to see me dance?"

"Well, not anymore. I think I'll just dance with you and keep all your secret moves to myself," He said, removing the hat from her head and giving it back to the bartender as he told him,

"As you said, I'm a lucky bastard."

The bartender agreed, giving Clary another cosmopolitan on the house, though it did not go unnoticed that Jace didn't necessarily appreciate the friendly gesture. She got off the counter, and said in his ear,

"You should stop being so jealous. I didn't dance for him, and that should be enough."

"I just don't like to share."

"There is nothing to share, to begin with."

She sipped on her drink as Jace pondered her words, looking at her and probably evaluating the level of her drunkenness. His eyes went to her hair which was a bit more dishevelled than when she had started dancing and he caressed her cheek before stating the truth,

"I think you're drunk."

"And yet, I'm not as drunk as you were that night with your brother. I didn't ask to kiss you, yet"

He smirked. "Oh, believe me. If you ask to kiss me, I won't be as well behaved as you were. I will not hesitate."

Her smile flattened, and she busied herself finishing her drink as she thought of his assurance. The reason she always put a sort of physical distance between them was because she knew that, if they were to ever breach the contract, they would no longer see one another. And she wasn't ready for it.

She knew it would happen, whether they would just part ways, or they would breach the contract, there would come a time their relationship would end, and ... she didn't want it. She liked having Jace in her life. She liked caring for him, and she liked how he cared for her in his own special way.

And just as she thought of that, she realised that, if she wasn't any more careful, she could fall in love with Jace Wayland. He was far from being the perfect boyfriend, and even less the man of her dream, given his positions on family, but still, he made her feel something, and she was clever enough to know that this something could turn into love, over time.

She couldn't think like that. Especially when Jace was so cavalier about the idea of breaking the contract, and the consequences of such an act. She had already been in a relationship where she gave more love than she would ever receive, and Jace had been clear and repetitive about it. His first, second and third priority was his company.

This realisation sobered her a bit, but she refused to let it sombre her mood. It was her birthday after all, and the night was still young. She moved to the centre of the dance-floor, followed by Jace who placed himself behind her so they could dance on Sean Paul's voice.

The next couple of hours were mostly filled with drinking and dancing, Clary knowing most of the lyrics of the songs, even the rap part, which surprised Jace. Though he didn't let that fact deter him from dancing with her, especially when the song was a particularly sexy one and Clary would grind against him.

When Hey Sexy Lady finished and was replaced by yet another song, Jace kept Clary against him, his hand on her bare stomach beneath her top, and she felt once again her stomach flutter as the presence of a certain part of Jace made itself known against her ass. The music had changed, but none of them was moving, until Jace finally stepped back, clearing his throat and saying loudly enough to be heard over the beat,

"I'm going to use the loo. I'll be right back."

She smiled, swallowing with difficulty and trying to spot Magnus and Karl as she lazily moved to the beat. They had seen each other a few time since they had been in the club, but the couples stayed in their own bubbles. But now, she felt that she should go back to the hotel. She was one drink away from jumping Jace, and she didn't want to wake up with regrets.

A pair of hands rested on her hips, trying to grind against her, but she immediately knew it was neither Jace or Magnus. So she stepped away from them, turning to find a dark-haired guy, looking at her with lust. She took yet another step back, putting more distance between them, and shouted led enough so he could hear her, loud and clear,

"I'm not interested."

"Well, I am. Especially after seeing you shake your booty like that on the bar," He said, trying to close the distance between them.

"I said, I'm not interested. In case you didn't notice, I am with someone."

"And the idiot left. I wouldn't leave without giving you a good time, darling."

"I don't care. I am not—"

"How many times does she have to tell you no, until you get it, asshole?" Karl's voice echoed behind her, and all the tension she was feeling a moment earlier dissipated. The guy looked at Karl, seeing the obvious that, despite being tall, Karl was just an office guy.

Clary opened her mouth to shoo the guy off, once again when Jace appeared, looking at Clary and the protective hand Karl was resting on her shoulder, and then at the guy who had tried to dance with her.

"Are you having a problem, here, Clary?" He asked, though his eyes were solely on the dark-haired man, all his muscles tensed.

Clary quickly moved to him, slipping her hand in his and kissing his jaw as the guy mumbled something inaudible and walked away, feeling that she was not worth the fight. She heard Karl say something about leaving her to Jace and finding Magnus at the bar, but she kept her eyes on Jace who was still glaring where the other guy was, a few feet away.

Once again, she kissed his cheek, hoping he would relax, and called out his name.

"Jace ..."

"I think I'd better go. Or I'll end up doing something I'll regret," He said through gritted teeth.

"Please, stay. For my birthday," She whispered, sure that he wouldn't hear her with all the noise and the music around them. Finally, he looked down, meeting her eyes and his hand took hers.

"You didn't," He pointed out, reminding her of when he had been drunk and asked her to stay, she had refused him.

"I didn't leave to go beat up a guy." She had expected him to crack up a smile, but when he didn't, she recalled Alec telling her that Jace used to brawl a lot over his girlfriends when he was young.

She wrapped her arms around her neck, keeping her eyes in his as she forced him to move to the rhythm of Usher telling them how he wanted to Make Love in This Club. Several times, his eyes flickered to her lips, and her reason told her to step out of his arms and stop this nonsense, but she didn't. She felt too good where she was.

So good, that, when he leant an inch closer, she did the same, closing her eyes and welcoming his lips on hers. There was nothing shy about their kiss, it was passionate, savage and almost animalistic. She pressed his body against hers, a low growl coming from his throat when she nibbled his lower lip, and his right hand went to her hair, grabbing it firmly whilst his other hand went for her ass.

She lost her breath to him, forgetting where they were, how to act, who she was. All that mattered in that precise moment was Jace Wayland and keeping his lips locked with hers. She opened her mouth, moaning when his tongue slipped inside her as the hand on her ass squeezed it a bit.

She couldn't tell how long they kissed, all she knew was when they broke apart, the song was over, and she was out of breath. It was only when she opened her eyes that she realised what happened, but the alcohol in her made her think that she didn't care much. That was probably why she took Jace's hand and walked him outside the club before she hailed a cab back to the Bellagio where her room was for the few days she was there.

They didn't share a word, though they kept their hands locked, and once they were in front of her room, she found herself hesitating. Jace didn't say a word, neither trying to encourage or discourage her and just looking at her with those eyes that could make her melt.

And that was the only red flag she needed. She couldn't melt for Jace. That kiss was just an anomaly, not something to be repeated. So she cleared her throat, retaking possession of her hand as she said,

"Thank you for seeing me to my room. That was really ... gentleman of you."

He smirked, his eyes being anything but those of a gentleman and he asked, "Can I get a teensy little favour?"

She looked at him with confusion, wondering what he could want for when all her mind was focused on was that kiss they had shared a little while ago.

"I want to see you with your hair down, before going to sleep."

She shook her head, muttering 'caveman', under her breath, and she released the elastic from her hair so it would cascade on her shoulders and back. Jace looked at her face, taking a single lock between his fingers and playing with it, before deeply inhaling through his nose, as if he had just taken a decision, and leaning, kissing her on the cheek as he told her,

"Good night, Clary. I hope your dreams will be as sweet as mines will."

He straightened up and turned to leave, but her hand involuntarily stopped him, acting on its own accord. He turned his head, his eyebrow up, and she said,

"Goodnight, Jace."

She reached to kiss his cheek, though her kiss was closer to his lips than his kiss had been. So close, in fact, that an inch more to the left and she would have been kissing his lips. She didn't step back, staying that close to him, and when he opened his mouth to say something, probably something sensible that would stop her from making a fool out of herself, she attacked his lips.

Despite his surprise, he immediately reacted, and tackled her against the door of her room, making her feel how much he wanted her, and she tugged on his hair, loving how silky and dense it was. He made her jump in his arms, and without her really knowing how she had managed to unlock the door, he walked them inside her room, his lips never breaking away from hers.

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💚Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed💚

So ...They finally kissed ... I mean, we were waiting for this, weren't we. And I might be kind of evil, for putting this sort of cliffhanger here, But I have been very very good lately ... You know how much I like cliffhangers ...

💚 I'm always curious about your favourite part, and what you think will happen next, so let me know.

💚 We know a bit more about Henry, what do you think about him?

💚 What do you think of Clary's inner thoughts about Jace and her relationship to him, and the contract?

💚And Jace? I'm always curious because we don't have his POV yet.

💚 What do you think of the kiss? Problems, or awakening? Remember this is a short story ...

💚 Cassandra Clare owns the names of the characters from the Mortal Instruments franchise, everything else is mine.

Love, Mina💚💚💚