Clary's POV
"Panera Bread?" Jace asked suddenly. I redirected my gaze from out the side window to him. We had been driving in silence for about 20 minutes now. I really wasn't ready to talk about what happened in the house and it appeared he wasn't either.
"Yeah. I love Panera Bread." Jace glanced at me sideways and smiled.
"I know you're there half the time when you talk to Alec." I furrowed my eyebrows.
"So you are a creepy stalker?" I asked semi-sarcastically.
"No, but Alec and I share a room, and it's hard not to hear some of his conversations." He shrugged.
"God when he talks to Magnus…Well that just gives me nightmares…Glitter everywhere." He laughed. I half smiled and returned my gaze out the window and a few silent minutes later we were pulling into Panera Bread. We went inside and ordered.
"I got it. Take it off my tab." I joked as I handed the cashier my credit card. Jace elbowed me lightly.
"I would have treated you know." I glanced in his direction, but my eyes met a pair of dark eyes across the room. I tensed. I saw the smile cross his mouth before I could turn back to the cashier. Crap. He saw me. The cashier handed me my card and the receipt. A few moments later we had two coffees and a sandwich in front of us. I hooked my arm with Jace's and somewhat pulled him towards the door.
"This is different." Jace mumbled sarcastically. I glared up at him and he looked down at me suspiciously. I held his arm tighter and pushed the door open with my side as I heard that seductive Spanish accent.
"Clary?" I tried to keep walking, but Jace paused as soon as we were outside.
"Is there another man?" Jace jested. I scowled, dropped his arm and continued towards his car, the door was locked. Dammit. I put my coffee on the roof of the car and crossed my arms against the passenger window, head against my hands. Maybe he wouldn't see me.
"Clary!" I felt the hand grab my arm and spin me around at the same time as I heard his voice. I closed my eyes for a long moment as he spun me. Shit. I looked up at those dark familiar deceitful eyes. I noticed Jace in my peripheral vision slowly sauntering up with his arms crossed and a quizzical expression on his face. God help me. He looked the same, though it had only been like four weeks since I had seen him last, so I shouldn't be that surprised. He was 22 and reasonably attractive, about six inches shorter than Jace, thin-boned, caramel colored skin, a head full of black curls spilling over his forehead. He had on black cargo shorts and a white button up t-shirt, which he wore untucked, with the top several bottoms undone. He had on a gold chain with a cross.
"What the hell do you want?" I shot back and looked down to where he was still holding my arm. He took a step back holding my arm up into the air and looked up and down my body. I felt an uncomfortable chill pass over me.
"Dios mio. You look sexy." He met my eyes again and winked with a smile. Jace stood behind him for a second with one eyebrow raised and put his hands up as a silent question, sandwich in one, coffee in the other.
"Jace honey. This is Raphael." I smiled sweetly at Jace, I prayed he would play along. He gave me a quick skeptical look before smiling at me just as Raphael half turned to look at him, and dropped my arm. Jace stepped around and kissed my check before placing his sandwich on the car roof and putting his arm around my shoulder. I blushed.
"Jace. I remember you. You were two years behind me in school, but still your reputation was well known."
"Yeah. What can I say?" Jace boasted. Raphael and Jace seemed to have begun some sort or stare down.
"How exactly do you two know each other?" Jace glanced back and forth between me and Raphael. Raphael looked over at me unnervingly.
"We have a history." He said suggestively and winked. I felt sick.
"Hmm. Must not have been too memorable, she never mentioned you." Jace responded with a heated look.
"I know he's not your boyfriend Clary. This little thing you're doing here is just a show."
"Nope. You're wrong. We're dating, and it's really serious." I tried to sound convincing, but I'm sure I was trying too hard..
"You're a terrible liar." Raphael was shaking his head.
"You know what? It's none of your business what my relationship is with Jace. What the hell are you doing here anyway? Long ways from home aren't you?"
"Coincidence. Call it fate." He smiled a disturbing smile.
"Yeah. I doubt that."
"I just happened to be here today, but a little bird told me they saw you in the area."
"Jordan?" I whispered in disbelief. He took a sharp breath and looked baffled before he quickly composed himself.
"Jordan? No. Jacob was at Pandemonium last night. Said he thought he saw you dancing and drinking quite a bit too. It didn't sound like you when Jacob told me, the way you were dressed, the way you were drunk, but I have a few days off, figured I'd come out. Well low and behold here you are."
"So what you're here to police my actions? Leave me alone Raphael." I spat.
"I haven't seen you around for what, four weeks. I've been concerned and I missed you." His voice was overly charming.
"Four weeks? Really? Well time flies when you're having fun." I spat.
"You never return my calls…you moved and didn't even tell me. Who does that?" Raphael looked like he was trying to fake a concerned look.
"Maybe I was too subtle; I don't want to see you." I replied sharply.
"Where do you live now?" He sounded calculating.
"None of your damn business. If I wanted you to know, I would have told you when I moved." I was starting to loose my cool.
"You know I could find out Clary." He sounded almost threatening, but I knew he would have already found out if he really wanted to.
"That would be rather unethical don't you think?" I asked sarcastically.
"I know and that's why I haven't. I don't know why you're so upset. I'm just worried about you Clary. I care about you." He sounded so condescending. I was getting pissed.
"Care about me? Ha. You don't give a shit about me. I'm sure the ethics of it all, is really what kept you from trying to find me. How's Lily Raphael?" I asked bitterly.
"The girl from my acting class? I don't know. That class ended." He sounded bored.
"You were sleeping with her Raphael and probably half the other bimbos in that class." I snapped.
"We never said we were exclusive. I'm a man Clary, I have needs. I wanted a more serious relationship and you didn't. I was respecting your wishes not pressuring you." He was trying to sound so suave.
"Respecting my wishes? Do you really think I wished you to sleep with a whole bunch of skanks?" I knew I was getting more upset then necessary. I really didn't care about Raphael, but some part of me was getting really annoyed. How come I always ended up with guys like this? Sebastian, Raphael, God Jace. Were there no good guys left? Maybe I should have just dated Simon when I had the chance; at least he wouldn't have turned around and slept with every girl that batted their fake eyelashes at him. Did I have a big target on my back that said naive girl?
"Clary, those girls meant nothing to me and it is over." I just wanted to slap him in the face.
"Yeah. Right."
"Have dinner with me?" Raphael's voice was sickening sweet.
"Nope." I said abruptly.
"Come on Clary. I just want to talk to you. I worry about you." He sounded so phony.
"There is nothing to worry about, I'm fine." My voice was full of sarcasm.
"Where are you staying? Are you in town, out by the lake?" His voice was making my skin crawl.
"That's none of your business." I spat.
"You're staying with someone though right. I'd hate to think of you all alone." Raphael took my hand in both of his.
"Don't" I screeched as I pulled my hand away and leaned hard into Jace. He tightened his grip on me.
"Leave her alone man. It's time for you to go." Jace had been quiet during much of mine and Raphael's exchange, but his face was stern.
"Where exactly do you fit in here?" Raphael turned his gaze to Jace. I was panicking and praying he wouldn't leave me out to dry.
"That's really none of your damn business; and you wore out your welcome a long time ago. You need to leave." Jace's voice sounded harsh.
"Sweetheart I know your little friend is trying to be helpful, but I think it's time for you to tell him to stop the charade. I miss you. I just want to spend some time with you." I cringed. I was angry and upset about so many things right now. Raphael just pushed me too far.
"Sweetheart? You're an asshole and a player Raphael. You think you could convince me that you're concerned…That you care…That you miss me…That you just want to spend some time with me...I'm not as naive as I once was. Maybe your sweet syrupy, make me want to vomit, voice works with some girls, but not with me. Not any more. Why the hell do all you players show up on my door step? Do I have a sign on my forehead? How come every time I turn around lately somebody's trying to get into my pants? I doubt you ever cared for one second about me. You put me on the back burner and waited for me to get turned on, quite literally. This isn't a charade. You think we had some damn history? Well this is my future than." I cocked my head quickly towards Jace.
"Yeah I doubt that Clary. You two don't even seem to have any chemistry." I let out a laugh. Raphael had just given me a great idea. He was a player, but not a fighter. Not like Sebastian. Raphael would never stand up to Jace. I knew I would regret it later, but right now it sounded like a great idea, and I had a pretty good feeling Jace would play along.
"Chemistry? What are you a girl? What guy says that? You wouldn't know real feelings if they hit you in the face. You have to have a heart to feel and you don't have one." I spat flabbergasted. I felt Jace laugh beside me. I spun around and threw my arms around Jace's neck and mouthed kiss me. He smiled a devilish smirk and put his coffee on the car roof as he pulled me roughly into his body with the other arm. He brought his lips to mine intensely and I let out a small squeak of surprise. He put a hand against my back and the other against my neck and deepened the kiss, parting my lips with his. This wasn't a sweet peck, Jace was taking full advantage of the situation and he wasn't being too gentle. What a player, showing off to the other player that he won.
God, my body reacted involuntarily to his touch though, my heart beat chaotically, my eyes closed automatically, and my fingers grabbed for his soft hair holding his face close. His tongue caressed mine and I melted into his body. His hands ran through my hair and felt like fire against my back; that satin camisole felt like it wasn't even there. His hands rushed over my bare shoulders and across my exposed back sending pulses of exhilaration through my whole body. Jace was having a little too much fun, one hand came to the back of head holding my face firmly to his and the other struck my ass hard. I yelped and jumped opening my eyes. His eyes were half laden and his face looked very wicked, but I didn't pull away, I wasn't sure I could if I wanted to, but I didn't. It was very surreal looking into his eyes for those few seconds while he was kissing me. His eyes looked so golden in the sunlight. His hands returned to my back and ran up and down my body passionately and my eyes quickly fell shut again. Eventually, Jace's hands paused against my lower back for a long moment, and he closed his mouth for the last time. His lips lingered for a few seconds longer before he pulled his face away and dropped his arms from my back. A small part of my brain started to work. I started to focus. Oh no. This was a bad idea. I couldn't figure out how I was going to tell him the hallway meant nothing and this meant nothing. How the hell was I going to convince him it meant nothing, if I didn't believe it meant nothing? He had a sinful smirk.
"I knew you'd be begging me in no time to kiss you again. No chemistry my ass." He shook his head slightly. Is he gone? I mouthed as I took a step back.
"Left some time ago actually." Jace was still smirking.
Wack I smacked my hand across his face with force. He threw his hand to his check and looked shocked.
"What the hell Clary? You asked me to kiss you." I glared at him and put my hands on my hips.
"Having a little too much fun weren't you? My ass is probably bright red right now." I snapped.
"Want me to check for you?" Jace grinned. I scowled.
"Oh come on you liked it." Jace smirked. I held up my hand like I was threatening to hit him again.
"Yeah. Right back at ya." I stomped around Jace, got in the car and slammed the door.
