𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐀𝐑𝐌𝐒 (ON HOLD UNTIL 'COLD' IS FINISHED)

chapter 7

I wake up to the sound of a knock on my door. "Come in" I groan loud enough for them to hear.

"Hey sweetheart, I just wanted to let you know that dinner is ready. Be down soon before it gets cold." She smiles, closing the door. I rub my eyes, go to the toilet and quickly make my way downstairs.

It's been so long since I've had a proper meal. I'm starving. It smells so amazing that I could cry with joy. I find my way over to the dining room, where caiden, damon and mystery man is sat.

I take a seat next to the mystery man, reaching for my knife and fork to start eating. The others had already started so I'm not going to eat. I take my first bite of lasagne and hum slightly.

I look up to see so much tension between the men at this table. I don't like it, they look like they are going to kill eachother.

"Jace you know we had to" Damon gritted through his teeth. So that's his name. Jace.

I stare at them silently putting some more food in my mouth.
Jace's hands are in fists with his knife and fork still in his hands.
Hes glaring at both the boys opposite him.

"And if your dumbass wasn't so busy fangirling over miss perfect over here.." caidens hands gesture to me.

"Then you wouldn't be getting in the way of our job!" He finishes.

Jaces hands slam against the dinner table, causing me to flinch and push my chair out so I'm farther away from him. He looks scary now. Terrifying. His eyes are dark and hooded. His veins are bulging out of his hands from clenching his cutlery so hard.

"ENOUGH!" He yells standing up. He hasn't even agnoliged the fact that I'm here. Its like they are the only people in the room.

Both boys stand up crossing their arms with a glare on their faces.

"From what I remember, I'm the oldest and dad handed the gun to me! To me!" He yells at them.

I have no idea what 'handing the gun' is but it doesn't sound good.

Just as caiden is about to speak, jace cuts him off.

"I'm your boss. I order you, not the other way around! Now when I tell you, no one touches her. I fucking mean it! She won't be harmed and if I see as much as a scratch on her fucking body. You. Are. Dead."

The boys stand in silence.

They're fighting over me. Me.

I- jace is protecting me? But why?
We don't even know eachother.

His face is red raw, he looks so angry. Damon and caiden both sigh and leave the table. Not only that but I hear the front door slam so I'm guessing they have gone to cool off some steam.

They left me here with Jace all alone. How bad could it be? Being alone. In a room. Eating dinner. With a phsyco. Scary. Good looking. Mafia leader.

"I - um I'm just gonna go upstairs to my room." I mumble standing up from the table. Just as I'm about to leave. I hear his deep voice once again. Calmer now that his brothers have left.

"No. Stay." I look at him with confusion, he looks up at me, his eyes soften. I sit back down on the chair and slowly start to eat, waiting for him to break the silence.

Jace starts to eat too. "Eden I know you don't know me but I want to help you. You're under my protection." He says looking into my eyes, searching for something.

The truth is. I don't know what to say. No one has ever wanted to protect me. Ever. Its just weird.

"I've also met you before." He starts.

"You have?" I ask in confusion, apart from the coffee shop, I don't remember him.

"We bumped into eachother one night, you had two bottles of vodka in your arms, you ran off after I asked if you were okay."

Oh no, he's going to find out. "I um, brought it for my friends party" I lie, every time I lie I look down at my lap. I physically can't look someone in the eye and lie to them. I hear Jace's chair glide across the floor, his rough fingers grab onto my chin.

I flinch looking up at him, he didn't grab me aggressively though, he was really gentle. "I know you're lying to me love." he says looking deeply into my eyes. "I um-"  he cuts me off .. "I know what your dad is like, I know he hits you. He will not touch you again, I swear it."

I look into his eyes and for a moment, I see concern in his eyes.

Why does he care?