Try Me

Chapter 16

I was finally allowed to get back to working in the bar, and make good on my challenge to Jacey about being able to wear his shirt easily while working. I wore black skinny jeans, knee high heeled leather boots, and his shirt. I had a black muscle shirt under it. The shirt hung off one shoulder and I had the extra material gathered in the back and tied with a rubber band then tucked it up under the shirt. The shirt was a simple white one. I curled my hair and then went down for my shift. He looked at me a little slack jawed. I smirked, "So challenge won?" He chuckled softly as he pulled me towards him, "Yes you won." I smiled, "So what's my prize?" He lowered his head to give me a kiss but someone scoffing interrupted us. "A Bestia and a Vir? Has the Solaris tribe truly stooped so low?"

We looked and saw a woman who was a Bestia Dragon but it was clear she wasn't from the Solaris tribe. "Choose your words wisely Amaranda," Jacey growled softly, giving her a cold glare. We've gotten shit for being together from many and we've just brushed it off, but it's as if a switch has been flipped with him since my attack. "I've never seen you express such anger Jacey," she said as she looked him over. It wasn't a lustful look, but one of studying. "To earn my keep, I'm assisting in the bar tonight, your mother's request." Jacey growled softly, but gave no protest.

After that we began working. Throughout my shift, I got my tips, but I also got notes from Bestia patrons who wanted to ensure I knew their opinion of me. I have been getting these notes since I first started here and I tend to just toss them at the end of every shift. I stopped bothering to read them after the first note I got. Unfortunately for the Bestia Jackal who gave me my last one, a not so happy Jacey took it. He read it and seemed rather pissed.

Oh boy, I thought. This was not going to be pretty. Thankfully Ethan stepped in and took the note. "I've got this Jacey. Go cool off." Jacey walked away with a glare and soft growl at the Jackal. He had taken my hand and we went outside. We walked a little ways from the bar to keep humans from hearing us. "What's changed with you? What happened to just brushing this shit off," I asked him. "I almost lost you because of this stupid feud between sides," he growled. "We banned the feud from our Temple, after what happened when we had to take lives because of it. I never actually hated the feud until it almost killed you." The pain and anger in his voice made my heart clench. "How do you not hold any grudges towards this feud?" "My dad would often tell us, that this feud is fueled by hate and anger. When more of us hate, the feud will just keep going and it's an endless cycle," I told him. "How many of these notes have you been getting," he asked me next. "Since I started working in the bar. I only read the first one I got then after that I've been throwing them away," I answered.

"Why didn't you say anything before hand," he asked with a growl. "What are you going to do? Keep every writing utensil from them," I asked him. "I understand you're mad-" "And I can't figure out how you're not!" "I am mad, at those responsible. I can't hold that anger towards everyone who takes part in this feud. Holding that hatred and anger in your heart is going to keep you from being happy," I told him. "One day we will have kids. Do you want to teach them this hate? It will only create another branch in this feud and I refuse to have us be the reason that branch exists."

"I can't just let this shit go and brush it off like you can," he told me. "And why is that," I asked him. "Because I love you!"

His confession hung in the air between us. I wasn't expecting it. I felt my cheeks warm and a smile tug at the corner of my lips. He cupped my cheeks between his hands. "I love you Willow. That's why I can't let it go." His hands were like ice against me. "I love you too Jacey," I said to him. "We're going to be dealing with the feud for a very long time because we are together. We have to learn when we do and don't brush things off."

He took a deep breath then let it out, his shoulders relaxing, "You're right." He then went to kiss me, but a snow ball hit his arm. "Get back to work!" Mistigan yelled. "You can play tonsil hockey later." Jacey rolled his eyes and we went back inside to finish out our shift.

After close I finished before Jacey did. "I'm gonna go take a shower while you finish up," I said before giving his cheek a kiss and began walking away. "Hey Willow," he said and I turned to face him. "Yes handsome?" He had this cute smile, "I love you, beautiful." My face felt like it was on fire as I smiled brightly, "I love you too handsome." I then left the bar and went to the cave.

Jacey's POV

"What am I missing here," Terroce asked as he looked at me once Willow left the bar. "Are you completely blind," Shade asked him. "Because even I could see it." "He wouldn't know even if it bit him on the ass," Ethan said. "Did you not see their reactions?" Ethan gestured to the guests in the bar that were helping close. They weren't too happy over mine and Willow's exchange. "It's their way of saying fuck the feud." "And because they actually love each other," Shade threw in as I went to take out the trash.

I went back in and saw all my siblings basically waiting for me, all with smiles. "What," I asked them confused. "Sagaria," Addy declared. Sagaria was our tribe's version of a bachelor or bachelorette party. I shook my head as I began to walk out, "Nope. Not happening." They began to follow me. "Come on Jacey," Ethan said. I began to run back to the cave. I was suddenly tackled, Ethan and Mistigan having used their belts to bound my wrists and ankles before Terroce and Leroy grabbed me.

"What is going on," Willow asked from the cave entrance. "Sagaria," Ebony said with a smile. Willow nodded, a soft smile on her lips. "Sorry handsome. Tradition is tradition." I was gonna protest but Shade stuffed his balled up glove in my mouth. Times like this I hated having too many siblings. "We'll bring him back in one piece," Percilia promised as my brothers began to carry me off. This was probably going to be the worse night of my life. I prayed I'm not able to remember it the next morning.