A/N: I soooooo sorry about the super late update. I´m helping my parents move, celebrated 9 years with the husband (as a couple, not married) and have tons of other stuff to deal with.
Yeah, hope you like it… Oh, and thanks for all your amazing reviews. I never get tired of answering those =)
This story has been beta'd by cboo2501 and Worm in the Apple and pre-read by, Aliherondale333 and bethgreat97.
All recognizable characters are owned by Cassandra Clare and J.R Ward
The All-American Rejects - Dirty Little Secret
H.E.A.T - It's All About Tonight
Nelly ft. Tim McGraw – Over and over
Chapter 8
It´s not alright, but it´s okay
"Well, well. What do we have here?" the challenge in Qhuinn´s voice sent chills down Jace's spine causing him to freeze, his lips a mere inch from Clary´s.
He tried to justify the anger he felt for being cockblocked yet again by the giant, but couldn´t. He was the one moving in on someone else's girl, not the other way around. No matter how much it felt that way.
Clary turned her head, looking at Qhuinn over her shoulder. Without moving away from Jace she responded, "What are you doing home?" She shook her head in irritation. Then spying the big, red stain on his shirt she sighed and said, "Never mind, I can see why."
Qhuinn chuckled, but kept a watchful eye on Jace's hands which had fallen to his lap when she turned away from him. "I gotta change my shirt. Some bitch threw her wine at me when I didn´t wanna give 'er a 'private tour' of the bathrooms."
Jace's eyes jumped between the two of them. He couldn´t understand how the guy could be so casual when he just walked in on his girl with another guy.
They must have an open relationship.
At least that was the only conclusion he could come up with. The alternative, how wonderful it would be, seemed too unlikely.
"Waddaya say, nalla, wanna come help me get dressed?" he grinned at Clary and wiggled his eyebrows.
"No," she stifled a laugh and rolled her eyes. "Go and dress yourself like a big boy and get outta here."
Jace examined her expression carefully as Qhuinn left the living room. "You could go talk to him. Explain that nothing happened," he suggested, even though his whole being screamed at him to keep her there, with him.
"No," Clary pressed her lips gently against his. "I´m exactly where I want to be."
A small but genuine smile spread across his face for the first time in over a year as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her the way he´d been longing to.
"Keep your dick in your pants, Jace" Izzy chided, interrupting the moment. "It´s time for tequila."
She held up two bottles of Herradura while Magnus and Alec brought the limes and a knife. Simon carried in a tray of shot glasses and Kaelie held a salt shaker between the tips of her fingers as if she was afraid she would get infected by some strange bacteria.
"Your timing sucks Iz," Jace groaned, but grinned as Clary's giggle tickled his lips.
Simon handed out the glasses and placed the salt on the table as Magnus expertly cut the limes into perfect wedges. Izzy poured tequila into seven shot glasses and handed them one each.
"Shouldn´t we get Seb, Maia and Jordan?" Jace asked and wrapped his arm casually around Clary's pale shoulders, like the possessive bastard he was. He could probably learn to share her with Qhuinn, it wasn´t like he had a choice, but he wouldn´t let anyone else near her.
"No, the guys are in the game room with a bunch of other losers playing sKillerz," Izzy told him as she distributed the lime, "and I think Maia is in the backyard with some of Seb's cast offs."
"Should we toast to something?" Simon asked and reached for the salt.
Jace met Clary's emerald gaze and a small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. "How 'bout new beginnings?" she winked at him.
Simon proceeded to lick the skin between his thumb and pointer finger just as Qhuinn walked back into the room, buttoning up a clean black shirt. "That´s not how ya do it," he shook his head and grabbed the salt shaker from Simon's hand. "Lemme show ya. C'mere nalla," he curled his finger at her, "ya can be my lovely assistant."
"What are you going to do to me?" she looked wary, but did as he said.
Jace felt the cold from the loss of her body next to his. He watched as Qhuinn maneuvered Clary so that she stood with her back to him. She frowned slightly as he pushed her hair to the side, tilted her head and licked her neck, Jace didn´t realize he was clenching his fists until he felt his fingernails dig in to his palms. Then sprinkling the salt on her wet skin, Qhuinn licked it off of her.
"That´s how it´s done."
Jace wanted badly to put his fist through Qhuinn's grinning face, but he would probably end up breaking his hand before he ended up with a broken jaw.
I can do this. I can do this. He chanted to himself. He had to keep reminding himself that it wasn´t any different from any of the other girls that he had 'shared'. He wanted her, and he knew that she wanted him. They were all consenting adults. If her boyfriend didn´t have a problem with it, why should he?
He forced himself to watch as she shivered from Qhuinn's touch, while ignoring the pang in his chest.
"Don´t you have somewhere else to be?" Clary asked him with an embarrassed laugh.
"Runnin' me out of my own home, nalla? I´m hurt." He put his enormous hand over his heart. "But you´re right. Be good now and I´ll see ya later, ya know, if you´re still up when I get home." He winked, kissed her on the temple, and left.
"Your guardian is like totally cool about stuff," Kaelie giggled. "And that lick was like, soooo hot."
"Oh shut it, slut," Izzy snapped. "Okay, so, now we have two ways to lick the salt. Just pick one and let's do this."
Clary sat down next to Jace again, but there was more space between them than before. He grinded his teeth and downed the tequila, completely forgoing the usual routine. He wanted to ask her what the fuck her deal was. Had she grown a conscience all of a sudden? Her giant came home and saw them together and now she regretted kissing him again? But instead he sat quietly beside her and stewed in his jealousy.
Izzy wordlessly poured him another shot. "Okay, now if everybody could hold off for a sec, that´d be great," she gave him a pointed stare. "Does everyone agree to toast to new beginnings?"
How about fickle girls and infidelity?
Clary gave him a sideways glance, taking in his sneer, and slumped back in her seat. "I don´t care," she licked her wrist and sprinkled it with salt. "Just toast already."
"Oookay," Izzy shook her head exasperatedly. "Screw the damn toast. Let's just drink."
There was a lot of licking, drinking and sucking
"I guess you changed your mind, huh?" Clary whispered.
"About what?" Jace grunted.
"Wanting to be with me," she clarified. "It´s okay, I´m starting to get used to it," she stated melancholy. Then grabbing the bottle, she poured another shot.
"I didn´t change my mind," he snapped, pissed that she dared to put the blame on him. "You did, when you created this space between us," he scowled, indicating the inches that separated them since she sat back down.
"Oh," she chewed on her lip. "I just didn´t know…the others were back in the room and…"
Jace leaned closer and soothed the tiny teeth marks with his tongue. "I don´t care as long as you don´t." The slight hitch in her breath gave him the answer he needed. "Look, I´m not gonna be all over you in front of Qhuinn, but other than that I don´t have a problem with PDA."
Someone turned on the stereo as Seb flopped himself down beside Clary, nearly causing her to fall forward into Jace's lap. Jordan took a seat on the only empty chair and pulled Maia down with him.
"Where did everybody go?" Kaelie asked, surprising both Jace and Clary, since they hadn´t noticed that the only people left in the house were currently in the living room.
"I told them the cops where on the way," Magnus grinned. "It´s more fun with just friends anyway."
"Does that include Seb and Kaelie?" Izzy made a face. "They are not my friends. She´s just here to keep him occupied and Seb… he´s like herpes. Once you got him, he´s impossible to get rid of."
"You would know, wouldn´t you?" Seb sneered.
"I don´t have to take this," Kaelie whined and glared at Izzy.
"Let me show you the door then," Izzy flashed her a sickening sweet grin.
Kaelie pouted, but stayed where she was.
Jace took Clary's hand in his and laced their fingers together. He wanted more, much more, but he was happy with just being able to touch her without having to pretend it was by accident. His lips turned up in a half-smile when she sighed and leaned against him.
"Let's play a game," Magnus suggested. "How about 'Truth or Shot'?"
Clary frowned in that adorable way that let Jace know that she had no idea what Magnus was talking about. "It´s like truth or dare," he whispered, with his mouth to her ear. "But instead of doing a dare you do a shot when you don´t want to answer a question."
"Oh, okay," she grinned sheepishly. "What kind of questions? It´s not like we were kids and can ask if we like like someone. It has to be more…adult"
Izzy giggled. "I´m thinking less PG-13 more NC-17."
"Sounds fun," Clary eyed the almost empty bottle on the table, the other one was long gone. "We need more to drink, what else do we have?"
Jace smirked. "Planning on dodging many questions?"
She shrugged, feigning innocence, "You never know."
That made him curious. Was there something she didn´t want them or maybe just him, to know?
"What if you get a question you don´t have an answer to?" Seb asked.
"Waddaya mean?" Alec inquired.
"Well, like if I get a question about how I like to suck dick? I can´t answer that." He shuddered exaggeratedly.
Alec rolled his eyes. "I would´ve never thought to ask you that question, fuck face, but now…Of all the things you could pick as an explanation…? Makes you wonder…" he grinned with raised eyebrows.
"If you can´t answer, it counts as if you don´t want to, which means you drink," Izzy explained without much patience. She grabbed Clary's arm and pulled her from the couch and Jace's arms. "C'mon, let's go for an indoors booze run. You gotta show me where the guys keep the good stuff."
They giggled and left to look for more alcohol.
"I´m pretty sure she thinks he took his 'good stuff' with him when he left, if you know what I mean," Seb looked like he was going to raise his hand for a high five but thought better of it when he met Jace's icy glare. "So…you and Pepper, huh?" he asked instead.
Jace glanced in the direction that the girls had disappeared to. "Mm-hmm," he mumbled non-commitently. His thoughts lingered on the rooms he hadn´t seen yet, in particular, Clary's bedroom. Where was it? How did it look? Did she sleep there alone or did she share it with Qhuinn? Would he be allowed in there? Tonight, maybe?
"Just to be clear, it doesn´t mean that you´ve won. You´re only one step ahead." Seb grinned, but there was something menacing in his eyes.
"Give it rest. Why don´t you take Kaelie home? She´s always so…grateful," Jace laughed and wiggled his eyebrows.
"Yeah, you know all about that, don´t you?" Seb's eyes followed the same path as Jace's. "The big question is, does Pepper?"
Jace snickered. "How fucking desperate can you get? Go head, tell her. But what do you expect will happen? That she´s going to fall into your arms because you rescued her from big, bad Jace? Dream on, fucker."
He wanted Seb to leave. Not out of jealousy, it was obvious that Clary didn´t want him. But he couldn´t stand to have him near her any longer. That made Jace pause. Was he really one of those guys that dumped his friends when a girl came along?
Fuck no, he wasn´t. But he wasn´t about to let Seb take Clary away from him either.
Jace met Seb's glare head on and couldn´t mistake the challenge in his friend's eyes. He would have to keep her close to him when she wasn't with Qhuinn, just to make sure that Seb didn´t try anything.
Jace as a little smug. It´s a dirty job, but someone´s gotta do it.
Clary was drunk.
More than that, she was completely shit-faced.
It was almost three in the morning and they´d been playing Truth or Shot for over two hours. Her answers were full of humor and honesty, but when the questions came even slightly close to the topic of sex, she closed up like a clam and drank.
Seb had been quick to pick up on that and decided to take full advantage.
With the help of Izzy, Jace had switched Clary's shots to water, she didn´t seem to taste any difference.
"It´s my turn," Jace said, his focus a little off. He had come to find out that a drunk Clary, was a horny Clary. Her small hands was all over him, not that he was complaining. Right now her fingers were drawing patterns on the inside of his thigh as she nibbled on his earlobe. "Seb, how many girls in school have you struck out with?"
"Only one," Seb grinned at Izzy. "But it´s just a matter of time now. You know you want me."
"Pfft, don´t forget Clary," Jace snorted before his sister had a chance to explode and throw a bitch fit.
"Dude, I haven´t even tried yet. Trust me, she won´t be able to resist," he winked at her.
"Oh, gag," Clary slurred, then blushed a bright shade of crimson. "Bloody hell, did I just say that out loud?"
Everyone laughed, except Seb, who looked thunderous.
"You crack me up, Angel," Jace had fallen back to the old nickname, as if he had never called her anything else. "But what´s with the British cursing?"
"Qhuinn hate it when I curse," she explained with a giggle. "He´s like a little old lady, all old-fashioned and stuff. So we came to a compromise."
"It´s hilarious, really," Izzy agreed. "Especially since he curses like a sailor himself."
"I Knoooow," Clary jutted out her bottom lip in the cutest pout. "It´s a double standard."
Jace tightened his hold on her and pressed his lips to her's in a sweet kiss. He wasn't comfortable with the way Qhuinn seemed to control her. It felt like he wanted to change her into an entirely different person. Maybe Jace should talk to him about that.
Or maybe not.
Seb cleared his throat to get their attention. "So Pepper, when did you lose your virginity and to whom?"
"That´s two questions, shit for brains," Izzy hissed.
"Who the fuck cares anyway?" he glared at her. "It´s not like she´s gonna answer."
True to form Clary swallowed back the shot like a pro.
Why doesn´t she answer the questions? Was it someone other than Qhuinn? How many guys have she been with?
Jealousy and insecurity churned in his stomach.
"My turn," Clary giggled. "Maia, what is your favorite part of Jordan?"
Her speech was starting to become less slurred. The last forty minutes of drinking only water was obviously starting to sober her up.
"Well, I bet he thinks I´m going to say his dick…" Maia chuckled when Clary blushed "…but I have to go with his hands. His fingers in particular."
"I treat you right, don´t I baby?" Jordan murmured huskily.
Clary let out a shaky sigh and grinded against Jace's thigh, causing him to let a moan escape.
Fuck.
He pulled her up onto his lap and claimed her lips in a searing kiss, his tongue entering her mouth as he pushed her down on his dick, letting her feel what she did to him.
Seb punched his arm. "We´re still here, you bastard," his smirk faker than Aline Penhellow's boobs.
"I have to use the bathroom anyway," Clary whispered and slipped off his lap and stumbled off on unsteady legs.
"My turn," Jordan said to Jace's surprise, he hadn´t heard Maia ask anything. "Jace, how do you get all the hot girls?"
"Hey!" Maia glared at her boyfriend. "I´m not hot? Because he never 'got' me."
"Of course I didn´t mean you, baby," Jordan was quick to assure her. "Just the other…never mind…" he was smart to stop before he said something even more stupid. "Just answer the fucking question." He glared at Jace, as if it was his fault he fucked up.
Jace chuckled and peered in the direction of the bathroom before answering. He didn´t want Clary to hear him. "It´s really quiet easy," he grinned slyly. "You act like she´s the most important girl in the world, pretend to listen to every word she says, compliment her, and then top it off with three…little…words." He leant forward, lowered his voice, held up his left hand and counted off on his fingers. "Suck. My. Dick."
"You´re so full of shit," Seb snorted.
"He´s full of something alright," Clary's voice was barely above a whisper, but it resonated inside of Jace's head.
Fuck.
He somehow managed to remain relaxed on the couch and looked right at her through lowered lids. She sat down close to him, but didn´t snuggle up against him.
He got worried, and that made him defensive.
How dare she judge me? I´m not the one who´s seeing two guys at the same time.
Unfortunately, Seb easily perceived the tension between them. "That reminds me of the time Kaelie gave you a blow job in the backseat of your car."
After shooting off daggers at Kaelie, Clary turned her glare towards Seb. "Was that really necessary?"
"Yeah. Tell me how those things remind you of each other?" Izzy spat.
"You look hot when you´re angry, Iz," Seb grinned and winked at her.
"I´m sure you´re trying to look sexy with that wink," she looked down her nose at him. "But it only makes you look constipated."
They started throwing insults back and forward while Jace turned to Clary, his arms crossed over his chest. "I´m not apologizing."
"I didn´t expect you to," she stated calmly.
"If you want me, you have to take me as I am," He knew he sounded like a cocky ass, but she had to know what she was getting in to. "I can´t change the past and I won´t change who I am."
"I didn´t expect you to," she repeated and bit her lip. "The same goes for you though."
Don´t you think I know that?
Seb's roar brought them out from their private conversation, causing Clary to cling to Jace, staring at the other boy in horror.
"You better shut the fuck up, you fucking bitch. Because I´m about to forget that I don´t hit girls," as if to demonstrate what he was saying he stalked around the table towards her, his fist clenched in the air.
He didn´t get very far. Halfway there and Seb was hoisted in the air, hanging at least a foot above the floor by Qhuinn's beefy hand. "Can someone tell me what the fuck is going on here?"
Seb struggled to get free and tried to bend Qhuinn's fingers loose, but Qhuinn only tightened his grip. "Don´t make me snap yo neck, fucker."
"That bitch started it," Seb choked out.
"It don´t fuckin' matter asshole!" he punctuated every word with a hard shake. "You," shake, "don´t, shake, "ever," shake, "hurt," shake, "a, shake, "woman!"
Clary scrambled up from the couch and stumbled over to her boyfriend. "Let go of him, Qhuinn," she cried. "Please."
"Why? Are you defending him?" his face was red with anger and he all but growled out the words. "Do ya wanna have Iz end up in the fuckin' E.R, huh, like you did?"
What?
"No! Of course not!" Tears fell from her eyes and slid down her pale cheeks. "I don´t care about him, but I don´t want you to get in trouble. Please, Qhuinn," she sobbed. "For me."
Jace wanted do wrap her in his arms and comfort her. But it wasn´t him she needed now, not him she wanted. He watched stonily how Qhuinn handed Seb over to Blay, almost throwing him to the other guy like he was a ragdoll. Blay walked calmly to the front door and dropped Seb outside, like he was taking out the trash.
The huge redhead towered over Seb and spoke with a stone-cold voice. "If I ever hear you coming near one of these girls again I will let Qhuinn finish what he started," proving that even though he may act like a gentleman, he was not a pussy.
The loud bang from the slamming of the door echoed in the otherwise silent house.
Clary wrapped her slim arms around Qhuinn's waist and squeezed hard.
"Ah, nalla, ya sure know how to throw a party, don´t ya."
"It´s all your fault, you know," she gave him a mock glare, but a small smile played on her lips. "It was your idea."
Jace contemplated going after Seb, just so he could hit something.
"Hell, yeah, it was," Qhuinn looked almost proud. "I Didnae know ya had it in ya."
Fuck, I decided to keep the PDA to a minimum in front of him. Don´t I deserve the same courtesy?
Jace turned his back to the couple and focused on his sister.
To those who didn´t know Izzy it might seem as if the exchange with Seb hadn´t bothered her in the slightest, but he could see how shaken up she really was.
"Do you want to go home?" Simon asked softly.
Qhuinn raised his head and looked at them. "Ya can spend the night or let me or Blay take ya home, but ya ain´t drivin' by yoself," his voice was hard and had a 'and that's final' written all over it.
"I would love to stay here with you," Kaelie was trying to look seductive with fluttering eyelids, but was failing miserably.
How stupid can you be, hitting on a guy right in front of his girlfriend?
"He´s taken," Clary snapped and glared at the blonde. "What are you still doing here anyway? The reason you were allowed to stay just got kicked out of here. Take the hint and get lost."
Her possessiveness burned a hole in Jace's chest. He had to get out of there, he couldn´t take it anymore. "I´ll drive you home, Kaelie," he offered and searched his pocket for his car keys.
Clary took a step towards him, eyes wide, and her teeth pulling at her plum bottom lip. "Why?"
Jace felt close to exploding. Why? Because I can´t fucking stay here with the two of you any longer. I knew what I was getting myself into. But it´s fucking killing me.
"If he don´t wanna be here, ya can´t make 'im," Qhuinn glared at Jace. "Just let 'im go. Blay will make sure the guestrooms are ready for the others."
What the…? He´s pissed that I´m not staying?
Jordan got up on unsteady feet. "We drove'er 'ere," he mumbled and wrapped his arm around Maia. "We can take'er 'ome."
Qhuinn laughed out loud. "Punk, yo 'faced. Ya ain´t drivin' nobody nowhere. Yo cabbin' it tonight."
"Yeah," Izzy scowled. "And take the brainless blonde with you."
"No," Kaelie whined and moved closer to Jace, whom she approached the moment he offered to give her a ride. "I want to ride with Jace."
"He can go with ya in the cab, but he ain´t drivin' tonight either," Qhuinn declared.
Jace got angry at hearing Qhuinn decide what he could and could not do. "I´m not leaving without my car." He was firm about that.
"Then I guess yo ain´t leavin'. Ya can bunk where ya want," Qhuinn yawned. "I´m beat. Imma hit the hay. See ya t'morrow." He left them standing around in the living room, still undecided as to what each of them was going to do.
Blay had called a cab while they were talking and soon they waved goodbye to Maia, Jordan and a sulking Kaelie. Blay went to bed, and Izzy mumbled something about showing Magnus and Alec where they could sleep, leaving Jace and Clary alone.
Her movements were slightly twitchy as she walked up to the sound system and turned off the music. "Um…do you…um…do you…want to sleep in my room?" she worried her lip nervously and Jace wanted nothing more than to lick it and suck it into his own mouth.
"Won´t it be crowded?" he asked, instead of shouting Hell yeah like he wanted.
"I don´t share a room with Qhuinn," she whispered.
"What, he come over when he wants to fuck and then leaves right after? Classy guy," he felt angry for how she was treated. If it was him…
"Don´t Jace," Clary pleaded. She looked exhausted, her pale face taunt. "Just…don´t. If you don´t want to sleep in my room with me, just say so."
He nearly rushed over to her and cupped her beautiful face between his hands. "I want to. But…I don´t know if I can lie next to you and just sleep."
She got up on her tippy toes and ghosted her lips over his. "I was kinda hoping we could kiss some more," she whispered. "Think you´d be okay with that?"
He felt the urge to grind himself against her, to make her feel how hard his dick was and ask her to do something about it. But this was Clary, his Angel, and he just couldn´t just treat her like the other girls he´d been with. So instead he laced his fingers with hers and deepened the kiss. "With you I´m okay with everything."
Jace woke up early the next morning and just laid next to Clary for a few minutes, watching her sleep. He felt like he could spend hours watching her, but soon his bladder started screaming to be emptied. He didn´t want to wake her up since she looked so peaceful, so he opted for the guest bathroom next to the kitchen.
When he was done with the morning ritual, even founding a toothbrush still in the package, he wandered into the kitchen for something to drink before returning to bed…and Clary.
He almost turned around when he saw Qhuinn sitting at the table with a bowl in front of him, but decided Hey, fuck it. If he can share his girlfriend than he could damn well share some O.J.
"Mornin'," Qhuinn grunted and shoved a spoonful of…
"What the fuck are you eating?" Jace forgot about ignoring the man when he saw what was in the bowl.
"Hot-fudge sundae with bacon bits on top," Qhuinn grinned and practically inhaled the rest of the ice cream. "A breakfast for champions."
"Ugh, nasty," Jace made a face and strode to the cabinet in search of a glass, then continued to the fridge to see if there was any orange juice. Glancing over his shoulder he asked, "Do you mind?" He nodded to the fridge.
"He asks for my permission," Qhuinn chuckled. "Go ahead, help yoself. You already have, after all."
Jace stared at him with unease and scratched the back of his head, trying to come up with something to say.
Qhuinn's chuckled turned into outright laughter. "I´m just fuckin' with ya."
"Oh…" Jace still didn´t know what to say to that.
"Hungry?" Qhuinn pushed the empty bowl to the middle of the table. "I make a mean sammy."
Jace stared at him warily. How could he be so relaxed and friendly towards the guy who spent the night with his girl? The man had after all no idea of what happened between them. He took a few steps back to give room for Qhuinn's large body when he came up to the fridge and started rummaging through it.
"Sit," Qhuinn barked, his head hidden behind the fridge door. Jace did as he said.
Qhuinn started piling different breakfast meats, tomatoes, bread, cheese, butter and pickles in his arms. He returned to the table and place a carton of Sunny D in front of Jace.
"Er…thanks?" it came out as a question.
What´s going on in that huge head of his?
"Go ahead," Qhuinn said calmly as he threw together a sandwich and handed it to Jace. "Ya got somethin' on yo mind, just spill."
Jace took a deep breath and just blurted out what he´d been thinking about since last night. "How can you be okay with this? With me, staying in your girlfriends bed? She´s cheating on you in your own house and it doesn´t seem to bother you."
A small smile played in the corner of Qhuinn's mouth. "Ya met 'er," can ya deny 'er anythin' she wants?"
Jace had a feeling he should tread carefully through this conversation since there was no way for him to avoid it anymore. "And you think she wants me?"
Qhuinn merely shrugged. "Seems like it. But ya know girls; they change their minds all the time. I think it´s in their DNA or somethin'."
Ouch.
"But still…" Jace ran his fingers through his messy hair. "How…? It would kill me if it was me…"
"I know what yo sayin', kid, but tell me this, what´s the difference?" Qhuinn raised an eyebrow.
"But you love her," Jace was sure of that.
"Of course I do," Qhuinn's grin was close to sympathetic. "So do you."
Denial was at the tip of his tongue, but he never spoken out loud. Yes I do. He dug in to the sandwich to have a reason not to answer.
"Good deal," Qhuinn seemed to take his silence as confirmation. "Don´t sweat it, 'kay. She wants ya. Bad. Just enjoy it and don´t worry so much." Then he got all cryptic and looked at Jace with a secretive smile. "All will be revealed in time, kid."
What does that even mean?
"Stop calling me kid," he scowled after swallowing the last bite of the surprisingly delicious sandwich. "I´m the same age as Clary."
Qhuinn grinned mischievously. "Ya are, aren´t ya. But remember one thing. If ya hurt 'er, I´ll shove my fist down yo throat and rip out yo spine."
Gulp
"Like I said," Qhuinn continued as if he hadn´t just threatened Jace with severe bodily harm. "Don´t sweat it. We both want 'er to be happy, feel me? That´s one thing we have in common."
"Yeah," he couldn´t argue about that.
"C'mon, let's chill in the living room while we wait for sleepin' beauty, the evil steptwin and their lil' helpers to wake up," Qhuinn motioned for Jace to walk in front of him, giving him no other choice in the matter. He was bonding with the guy over their shared love for the big guy's girlfriend.
How the fuck did that happen?
"Put on some tunes, will ya," Qhuinn was the only one actually speaking, but didn´t seem to care. Jace wandered up to the enormous sound system which probably could have been used in Madison Square Garden. Pushing some buttons, he called up a mix of…gangsta rap. He cringed and quickly shifted to the high-def. radio, in a search for the metal station. As Dead by April's "Losing you" started to play through the hidden speakers, he took a deep breath and relaxed.
"Ya like that shit?" Qhuinn asked incredulously.
"Yeah."
"Well, that´s one thing we ain´t got in common."
Blay strode in to the room then, only dressed in a Hugh Heffner-type robe, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "What the fuck is that noise?"
Jace shrugged. "It´s music."
A look of disgust crossed Blay's features. "If you say so."
Jace shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Um…Maybe I should wake up Izzy and Alec…We should be going home…I bet our parents are wondering where we are."
Qhuinn chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Iz texted them last night. Yo Blay, I think I´m scaring the shit outta the kid."
Fuck yeah. "Nah…" he coughed. "…'S all good."
Qhuinn's booming laughter drowned out Red's "Damage". "Aww…Ain´t he precious?"
"Blay grinned. "Definitively."
Jace chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, you´re fucking with me, but it´s cool. Your house and all," he smirked to show them that he could deal. "But I´m gonna go and crawl into bed next to a smokin' hot redhead now."
Take that, he thought, more than a little smugly.
Qhuinn laughed incredibly loud, probably waking up the whole house. "Blay, remind me to ask nalla 'bout the size of his balls later. They must be huge."
His siblings and their better halves had been woken up by Qhuinn's laughter and after kissing Clary good morning for about a half hour, they left to go home.
He didn´t see Clary for the rest of the weekend, but they had talked on the phone a lot and made plans to meet in the parking lot before heading to class together Monday.
He was currently perched on the hood of his Impala, smiling as he watched her drive in through the school gates.
"You´re smiling," Alec noted.
"So what?" Jace huffed. "I´ve been known to do that from time to time."
"It´s been a while." Alec grinned widely. "It´s just nice to see you happy, that´s all."
Jace had to fight back the need to run up to her as she exited the car. Trying to look casual, he remained where he was, letting Clary come to him for a change.
She looked hot as hell, dressed in a short demin skirt and a green long-sleeved V-neck, her hair tumbling loosely around her shoulders. She walked infuriatingly slow towards the Impala and stopped right in front of him, so close that her naked knees almost touched his own jean clad legs.
"Hi," she smiled and blushed adorably. "Soooo….Qhuinn isn´t here…"
Jace smirked as he followed her train of thought. "I can see that. What should we do to celebrate this…freedom?"
"Oh, for the love of…Just kiss already," Izzy scoffed. "Stop being so juvenile."
"Shut up, Iz," Jace grunted before he took her advice and pressed his lips to Clary's.
Everything around them seemed to disappear as he deepened the kiss by gently slipping his tongue inside of her warm, wet mouth. He spun them around, lifted her up on the hood and stepped in between her legs. When the urge to breathe became too painful Jace started trailing open-mouthed kisses along her slender neck, all the while ignoring his sister who repeatedly cleared her throat and his brother who was doing an awkward coughing thing.
When he felt satisfied he rested his forehead against hers. "Good morning, Angel," he whispered hoarsely.
Clary giggled. "Yes, it´s a very good morning."
"You guys are disgusting," Izzy complained, but her smile spoke against her harsh words. "I was about to gouge my eyes out."
Jace merely rolled his eyes at her and laced his fingers with Clary's. "Ready for class, Angel?"
She squeezed his hand. "With you I´m always ready."
"Ugh," Clary groaned and banged her head against the desk.
Jace chuckled. "Careful or you´ll hurt your pretty little head and Qhuinn will kill me if you arrive home with a bump."
They were sitting in the desks next to each other in Spanish class. A few threatening glares from him and pleading looks from her convinced the guy who normally sat beside her to change his seat with Jace.
"He wouldn´t do that," she giggled quietly. "I´ll just tell him where it happened. He will totally understand."
"I don´t see what´s so hard about this?" Jace had always had a knack for languages; they seemed to come naturally to him. He´d chosen Spanish this year because of the way girls swoon when they heard him speak it.
"But I don´t get it. What am I going to do."
Instead of answering, Jace whispered, "Quiero saborear cada parte de su cuerpo (I want to taste every part of your body), Quiero oírte gemir cuando te toco (I want to hear you moan when I touch you), Quiero oírte gritar mi nombre mientras estoy dentro de ti (I want to hear you call out my name when I´m inside of you)."
He smiled smugly when he heard her breathing hitch and then pick up.
Her delicate hands clamped down on his thigh. "Stop. Please," she murmured huskily.
"Just one more," he begged and when she nodded he whispered, "Quiero pasar el resto de mi vida mirando a los ojos verdes (I want to spend the rest of my life looking into your green eyes)."
Like in any other school in the country, rumors spread like wild fire so that by lunch, everybody seemed to know that Jace and Clary were back together.
Jace was more than fine with their knowledge, especially when he saw the envy in the eyes of most of the guys when they stared at Clary's body. He staked his claim by wrapping his arms around her, pulling her close, and ghosting his lips across hers once, twice, and a third time, as they made their way towards the usual table, where their friends was already waiting for then.
"I haven´t seen the devil spawn today," Izzy said in a way of greeting when they took their seat opposite from hers. "Have you?"
Jace felt instantly bad. He hadn´t heard from Seb since he had gotten kicked out of Clary's house Friday night. When she moved away, Seb had been the only one to pull him out of his funk, giving him something else to think about besides the emptiness Clary had left behind. Seb's constant challenges had made Jace feel like his old self again, whereas his sibling's sympathy and 'hang in there's' had only made him feel worse.
There was no excuse for what Seb had been close to doing to Izzy Friday night, but he´d been drunk and she had provoked him as usual.
Not that that gave him the right to almost hit her.
Jace groaned inwardly as he tried to defend Seb's actions to himself. Seb seemed like he had lost all sense of control, and that worried Jace.
Still, Seb was his friend and he wasn´t about to turn his back on him. "No," he answered Izzy's question. "Clary and I have P.E with him last period though, I´m sure we´ll see him then."
"I bet you fifty bucks that he´s too much of a coward to show himself here after that psycho stunt he pulled," she grinned with satisfaction.
Jace stiffened, which Clary noticed. "Back off, Iz," she said softly. "He´s not my favorite person either, but he´s Jace's friend. He must have some redeeming qualities."
He must, mustn´t he.
"There´s nothing remotely good about that bastard," Izzy hissed. "He´s the anti-Christ."
Jace pinched the bridge of his nose, the start of a headache rearing its ugly head. "Just give it a fucking rest, okay Iz? I don´t bug you about you about the idiots you hang out with," he nodded at Simon.
"Hey," Simon snapped, spitting out pieces of the veggie burrito he had been eating.
"See," Jace grimaced in disgust.
Clary rubbed his back to calm him down. "There's nothing wrong with Si," she gave the boy in question a smile from across the table and turned to face Jace. "He´s sweet and a great friend."
"Right," Jace snorted. "He´s really adorkable."
"Fuck off, Jace," Izzy glared at him. "Sometimes I wonder why you´re even friends with Seb, then you say shit like that and I remember. You´re as bad as he is."
Jace didn´t bother watching as she stormed off with Simon following behind, although it was always something to behold. Jace's sister had perfected storming off into an art form.
"Wow," Magnus snickered. "You really know how to clear a room, or in this case, a table."
Jace ran his free hand, the one that weren´t wrapped possessively around Clary's slim waist, through his hair. "She's just so fucking annoying sometimes."
"Hey," Alec put his hand on Jace's shoulder. "I get it, he's your friend." He looked thoughtful. "Well, I don´t get that, but you know what I mean."
"I owe him a lot," Jace felt the need to explain. "He kept me sane after…" he abruptly stopped speaking, not wanting Clary to know how bad it had been for him.
A small furrow appeared between her brows, but she remained quiet.
"Oh, I know all about how he kept you sane," Magnus chuckled. "What he did was keep you well fucked and drunk. Let's call it what it was, shall we?"
Jace felt Clary fidget beside him and raised his chin stubbornly. He wasn´t about to apologize for something that he could do nothing to change. After all, while everything he had done was in the past. But her past was still very much in the present.
She sighed wistfully and pressed a quick kiss to his lips. "I have to get to class. I´ll see you in P.E." He watched the soft sway of her hips as she walked away from him.
"Soooo," Magnus leaned forward over the table with a curious glint in his cat-like eyes. "How's everything going with Clary?"
Jace pushed his untouched lunch tray to the side. He had lost his appetite. "It´s fine, as long as people stop dragging up my…distractions, every fucking chance they get," he scowled.
"Distractions? That´s one way to call them," Alec snickered.
Jace rubbed his thighs with agitation. "Why does everyone act like I cheated on her? I didn´t," he sneered. "I wouldn´t."
"We know that," Alec assured him. "It´s just so fucking funny to get you all riled up."
"You guys are just a couple of fucking comedians, aren´t you," Jace left the two of them and walked to his car, where he planned to hang out and listen to music until it was time for his next class.
He decided to call Seb as dug through his pocket for his keys. It took so long for Seb to answer that Jace almost gave up.
"Where the fuck are you?" he asked as he unlocked the door and slid down in the seat.
"I´m at home," Seb croaked.
"Man, you sound terrible," Jace observed. "What´s up?"
"It´s just a fucking cold," Seb sounded both annoyed and defensive at the same time.
"That sucks," Jace hesitated. "Hey, I was gonna talk to you about Clary…" He gritted his teeth before continuing. "I know you wanted her too…But like you said…We have a past. No hard feelings?"
"Remember what I also said? You may have won the first round, but the game is far from over," Seb replied and ended the call.
Jace sat on the bleachers in the gym with Clary on the row beneath him. She had rested her head against his knees and he was playing with her hair that was up in a high ponytail. A huge projector screen was on the wall in front of them, showing a video on the dangers of substance abuse in sports.
Bending at the waist so he could whisper in her ear he said, "You´re too far away, come up here."
She glanced over her shoulder and shook her head with a mischievous grin.
Jace glared at her playfully, scooped her up in his arms and slid down to her row. "Then I guess I´ll have to come to you."
Clary wiggled in his lap, trying to get comfortable, which only resulted in her ass grinding against his dick.
Fuck
"Sit still Angel," he groaned quietly. "You´re making it difficult for me to concentrate on the movie."
"Ssh," she chided him, but he could her the laughter in her tone. "I´m trying to watch this." She continued to move around some more and he grabbed her hips to keep her still.
"Aww, poor Jacey," she cooed. "Am I making it hard for you?"
"You little tease," he whispered softly. "Got any plans for later?" He hoped his voice didn´t reveal how much her answer mattered.
She snuggled closer, resting her head against his chest while playing with the hem of his tank. "I´m going to the gym directly after school, but other than that I´m free."
He pressed open mouthed kisses on her shoulders and neck, delighted when he felt her shiver. "Maybe I could come by later? We could work on our project for social studies and I might be able to help you with your Spanish."
"Does that mean I get to hear you speak it again?" she asked huskily.
"Por favor, no rompas mi corazón (Please don´t break my heart).
Qhuinn opened the door in just his boxers, and the satisfied smile on his face hit Jace like a punch in the gut. It had 'freshly fucked' written all over it.
He had to clear his throat several times before he was able to speak. "Is Clary…I´m supposed…homework…Clary asked me over…" he cringed at the way he spoke.
I sound like a fucking pussy
"She's sleepin'. Our work out wiped 'er out," Qhuinn grinned. "You´re free to try and wake 'er, but she was really out of it, so I dunno what good you'll do."
Jace backed away from the porch slowly, afraid that he would embarrass himself completely by throwing up on the big guy's feet or worse, starting to cry.
"Nah, I´m good," he swallowed against the bile rising in his throat. "I´ll just…see her tomorrow."
It took everything he had to walk to his car in a normal pace, start it, and drive off the property without gunning the engine. But as soon as he saw a pocket in the road he stopped and rested his head against the steering wheel.
I hate to say I told you so, his hateful inner voice snickered.
"Shut up", Jace snapped. Great, now I´m talking to myself. "I knew that she´s with him…I just…I thought…"
That she would stop fucking him now that you´re back in the picture?
Jace sighed deeply. "Yes!"
I guess now you know where you stand. The question is; can you deal with that?
Jace didn´t manage to fall asleep until dawn. His head kept churning with one question. Can you deal with that?
The answer was both easy and hard. No, he couldn´t and yes, he would have to. He wasn´t letting her go again, not if he could help it.
The lack of sleep caused him to oversleep, making him miss his two first classes with Clary that morning.
He had three texts from her
*Qhuinn said you came by. Why didn´t you wake me? ~C
*Why´re you not in school? Something wrong? ~C
*Where are you? Please call or text me back. ~C
He chuckled to himself and did as she asked.
*I overslept. Meet me under the tree at lunch ~J
He knew that he didn´t need to explain. He meant their tree.
Jace arrived at school ten minutes before lunch and headed straight for 'their' spot behind the grounds keeper's shed to wait for Clary.
The air was cooler today, with Fall just around the corner.
She showed up shortly after him, dressed in a pair of black boot-cut jeans that hugged her hips nicely and a dark green hoodie. She was flushed and out of breath from running. "Why didn´t you wake me up yesterday?" she asked, sucking her lip between her teeth and sat down next to him. None of them cared about the slightly wet grass.
Jace merely shrugged. "You probably needed the rest. Qhuinn told me about how wiped out you were from your 'work out'."
She shook her head with emphasis. "He told me that you might´ve gotten the wrong impression, but…"
He silenced her with a hard kiss. Not wanting to hear any excuses or explanations.
What was supposed to be a quick kiss changed the moment his lips connected with hers, causing heat to explode between them. Her hands fisted in his hair and he pulled her up in his lap, desperate to get as close as possible to each other. Their tongues tangled as they tasted every part of the other's mouth.
Jace slid his hands underneath her hoodie, tugging her shirt from her jeans and groaned into her mouth when he felt her naked skin against his fingertips.
Clary grinded against his dick and he want…no, need more.
A small part of his brain remembered that they were in a public place and could be caught at any moment.
We have to stop before it´s too late.
He ended the kiss and they stared into each other's eyes, gasping for breath.
"Jace…" she whispered, her voice thick with a desire that matched his own.
"Don´t," he pressed shaking fingers against her lips. "I knew what I was getting myself into. I just forgot for a moment," he pushed her hair behind her ear and smiled softly. "I´m fine. It took me by surprise, that´s all."
"But…" her eyes pleaded with him.
"Let's not talk about it anymore. I´m here, I´m yours. Why don´t we just leave it at that."
"Look at me," she murmured. He did as she asked and almost drowned in the green pools that were her eyes. "I´m yours, in every way there is. One day you´ll believe that. But for now I´ll just have to enjoy proving it to you."
As her lips locked on to his in another searing kiss, Jace had a feeling he would enjoy that too.
A/N: Well, waddaya think? I hope at least some of it was worth the wait. The next chapter will be up, either later this week or the beginning of next. So, what do you think of the way Seb has been acting? Have we seen the last of him? Let me know =)