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As the night at the Chateau wound down, the group of friends began to disperse to their respective sleeping arrangements. JJ and Lacy, per usual, made their way to the guest bedroom, a cozy haven where they could retreat into each other's arms and leave the world behind. Away from the secret smirks and raised eyebrows of their friends.
Lacy slipped into the bathroom to change, her mind still buzzing with the warmth of the evening but also burdened by the weight of a secret she dared not reveal. A secret that involved the boy she cared about most's worst enemy. With practiced ease, she pulled her hair up into a ponytail, the faint marks on her neck hidden beneath the strands.
Meanwhile, JJ lounged shirtless on the bed, leaning on his elbows, his attention divided between his phone and the anticipation of Lacy's return. His head was filled with the mix of a mild buzz and his last hit from his dab pen. When she finally emerged from the bathroom, he grinned over his shoulder at her, "Hey there Lacy Grace," but, before a witty remark could leave his lips, his smile faltered, replaced by a look of confusion and then growing anger as his eyes fixated on the mark on her neck.
"What the hell is that?" His voice was sharp, the jealousy bubbling beneath the surface, though he tried to mask it with anger. He couldn't help the surge of possessiveness that coursed through him, the thought of someone else laying hands on Lacy igniting a fierce protectiveness within him.
Lacy froze as Jj jumped up from the bed to make his way towards her, her heart sinking as she realized her mistake. She had hoped to conceal the evidence of Rafe's actions, knowing full well the hurricane it would unleash if JJ discovered the truth. A hurricane that could do worse damage than Agatha. But now, faced with his accusing gaze, she struggled to find the words to explain.
"What are you talking about?" Her tone was defensive, a shield against the storm brewing in JJ's eyes. She knew she had to tread carefully, to deflect his suspicions without revealing the truth. Her arms delicately crossed over her chest.
JJ's jaw clenched, his fists tightening at his sides as he fought to control the surge of emotions threatening to overwhelm him. His hand lightly touched her neck, grazing over the mark.
"Don't play games with me, Lacy. I want to know who did that to you." his voice low and sharp, with a finger pointed to her neck.
Lacy's heart ached at the pain in JJ's eyes, the depth of his anger a stark reminder of the depth of his feelings for her. But she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth, couldn't bear the thought of the consequences it would unleash.
"It's nothing, JJ. Just a stupid mistake," she lied, her voice trembling slightly as she forced herself to meet his gaze. "It doesn't matter anyways."
But JJ wasn't satisfied with her evasive answer, his frustration boiling over as he struggled to make sense of the situation. "A mistake? What kind of mistake leaves a mark like that?" he pressed, his voice rising with each word. "Seems like it lasted long enough to not be a mistake."
