For Richer, For Poorer （To Have or To Hold, Book Two）

CHAPTER 2

　　At the click of the door closing behind him, I turned back to a burdened Jace, who stood silently, looking off into the far distance. Approaching him, I stood in front of him and ducked my head down to meet his eyeline.

　　“Are you going to tell me what that was about?” I wondered, watching a slurry of mixed emotion flood his green eyes.

　　Jace sighed, clicking back into the present moment and locking irises with me. “I’m sorry you had to be witness to that.”

　　“I’m still not sure what I was witness to. How did he get in here?”

　　He sighed and shook his head, turning away from me and sitting down on the sofa. “Who knows? He has his ‘ways’.”

　　“I gathered that. Should I be worried about him coming back here?”

　　“No,” he replied, sighing. “I actually don’t think he knew anyone was living here.”

　　“Has he lived in this apartment before?”

　　“Yes, years ago. I let him live here for a while, before…”

　　“Before what?”

　　Jace stood up, straightening up the t-shirt he was wearing. “It’s a conversation for another time. Are you okay?” he asked, placing his hands on the sides of my arms.

　　“Yeah, I’m fine. A little shaken, I suppose, but I’ll live.” I lightly chuckled, trying to make some light of this strange situation I had been faced with this morning.

　　“Good, I’m glad you’re okay, and I’m glad you called. I hope you’ll always call me if you need help.”

　　Scanning over his beautiful face, I wasn’t sure whether I was the one who needed help, or whether he did. His strength seemed to have been depleted, and even though I knew I never would be able to, I wanted to get to the bottom of what was wrong.

　　“Thank you for coming to my aid.” I paused, with a memory of last night sweeping through my mind. “Jace, when you brought me home, you were looking about the apartment. Did you know he was going to turn up here?”

　　“I didn’t know whether he would, but I had my suspicions. I’m sorry, Becca, I should’ve taken you back to mine last night. I shouldn’t have let you stay here.” He paused, letting out a deep breath and looking agitated. “I shouldn’t have done half of the things I have with you! I should’ve known better!”

　　“Hey,” I soothed, placing my hand on his shoulder and feeling the heat radiate from him, “I’m not sure what parts you’re talking about, or whether to be mildly offended,” I chuckled, “but stop beating yourself up over something that you never knew would happen. Look, I’m fine.” I smiled, reaching my arms out to the side of me, then becoming acutely aware that I was still in a towel and bathrobe.

　　He smiled. “You still look beautiful.”

　　Why did his words always manage to turn me into putty?

　　“I hardly look great in this fabulous ensemble.” I blushed, ducking my head down and securing the belt on my bathrobe.

　　“Let me take you to dinner tonight. We can talk then,” he almost ordered, moving closer to me.

　　“Jace… I don’t think that’s such a good idea…”

　　“Why not?”

　　“Because you’ve practically ignored me for the past couple of weeks.” I lightly smiled. “I can’t work you out. One minute you want to know me, and the next you don’t. You seem to berate yourself for every little action you take with me, and let’s put it this way… I’m tired of being emotionally battered by men. I need peace. I need security. I also need to feel that the person I’m anywhere near, actually wants to be with me.”

　　His face softened in an almost guilty way, and he reached out, brushing his fingers down my cheek.

　　“Please, have dinner with me tonight? We can talk more then, and can you trust in the fact that I don’t mean or want to hurt you?”

　　Locking eyes with him, I thought back before the past couple of weeks, and remarkably, he was the person that I did trust and feel safe with. I wasn’t sure how that worked, with the toing and froing that he ebbed upon me, but he had looked after me so well in circumstances in which he really didn’t have to. He’d also spent a lot of money on me, and call me an i***t, but maybe giving him a chance over dinner would be me going some way in repaying that kindness.

　　“Okay.” I sighed. “Dinner tonight sounds great.”

　　“Good.” He smiled. “I’ll pick you up at seven.”

　　With that, he walked toward the front door, opening it up and giving me one last glance over. At the sound of the door closing behind him, I flopped down on the edge of the sofa and wondered what the heck had just happened.

　　Luckily my hangover had upped and left with both of the men who had intruded upon my morning, but my head whirled with a mixed bag of the adrenaline that was wearing off, and the memory of what had just occurred.

　　While feeling comforted by the fact that Jace had come to my rescue, I took a look about me and wondered how the hell Drew had managed to get in here. From what I could see, no windows had been broken, no doors had been jimmied, and I did wonder how safe this apartment was. Did the other tenants in the building have this problem? Then again, the reputation for this area far proceeded what my morning had consisted of, so obviously not.

　　Feeling an edge of uneasiness, the drapes that I had once kept open to let the sunlight in, I closed over whilst I got ready. I never thought I was overlooked in this apartment, but now it felt like a pair of eyes were watching me. How was I ever to relax in here again?

　　When dressed, I decided to phone my sister, Kelly. I didn’t want to worry my mum and dad, so keeping them out of this scenario, I resorted to phoning the other closest person in my life. I’d only been out with her the night before, and I never would’ve dreamt that my morning would’ve turned out like it had.

　　“What do mean, you’ve had a strange man in your apartment?” Kelly queried, with the hint of concern behind her tone.

　　“I’m not sure if you’d class it as a strange man, as such, because he turned out to be Jace’s brother.”

　　“Your boss, Jace? The one who gave us all a lift home last night?” she asked, as I could hear my nephew call out for milk in the background. “Just a second, sweetheart!” she called back to him.

　　“Yes, that Jace. Apparently his brother, Drew, used to live here, and he’d gotten in last night. I presume he still had a key, because I don’t know how he got into the apartment.”

　　“And did his brother do anything to you? I swear to god, Becs…”

　　“He didn’t do anything. Granted, I’m not his number one fan, but he didn’t touch me.”

　　“Good, he better not have!” She sighed, and I could hear her pouring liquid into a cup. “Listen, if you don’t feel safe in that place, then you’re always welcome to come and stay with me. Have you told mum and dad?”

　　“No, and I don’t want to tell them. They’ll worry, and that’s the last thing I want to make them feel. It’s only been this morning… up until now, everything has been great.”

　　“Yeah, but all’s it takes is one morning. It’s like people who have been burgled… they’re fine until that one night, and then they don’t ever feel totally safe after the event.”

　　“I get what you mean, but I was hardly burgled. I’m probably being stupid. It was his brother, and Jace came around and sorted it out, and…”

　　“He came around to the apartment?” she queried.

　　“Yeah, he was the first person I thought of phoning, and I’m glad I didn’t phone the police. Jace said to me that if I ever needed anything, to phone him.”

　　“It sounds like he was waiting for something to happen,” she huffed.

　　“Maybe so, because he told me himself that he had an inkling that Drew was going to turn up here. As I say, he lived here ages ago, and he probably thought the place was empty.”

　　“Even so, it does sound a bit fishy. Listen, if you still feel uneasy, then the offer to come and stay with me still stands. Okay?”

　　“Thanks, Kel. But as I say, I’m sure everything will be fine now. Jace said he’d handle it, and we’re going out to dinner tonight. I’m sure all will become clear.”

　　“You’re going out to dinner with him?!” she gasped.

　　“Yeah, just so we can talk.”

　　“Oh, Becs, what did I say last night about being careful?”

　　“I know, I know. I will heed your words of advice.” I chuckled.

　　“Good, I hope you will. Anyway, let me know how everything goes, and I’m only a phone call away.”

　　“Thanks, sis. I just needed to tell someone about what had happened. There’s never a dull moment.” I laughed. “Anyway, what are you up to today?”

　　Moving on from the subject which still had me feeling jittery, it was nice to talk about normal things with my sister. I desperately needed a distraction, as I still felt like a pair of eyes were on me, and I realised that I had to stop being so ridiculous.

　　In a sense, I couldn’t wait to go out to dinner with Jace tonight, even to leave the apartment. It was really kind for Kelly to put the offer out there to stay with her, but I was hoping it wouldn’t come to that. I didn’t want to burden her, but after my morning, the moral support was a welcomed relief.

　　As my mind drifted over to Jace, I wondered what he had said to Drew, and whether or not he had successfully managed to keep him at bay. His brother was the only person that I’d ever seen wrap Jace around his little finger in a second, and I prayed that dominant exterior that took no s**t, was still around when he was having words with his brother about staying away from me and my home.

　　I’d find out tonight at dinner, and hopefully, it would all have been sorted out.

　　*****