Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
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.
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. 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, his attention divided between his phone and the anticipation of Lacy's return. 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, 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. 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.
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 this to you," he demands, his voice low and dangerous.
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 lies, her voice trembling slightly as she forced herself to meet his gaze. "It doesn't matter."
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 presses, his voice rising with each word.
The commotion drew the attention of the rest of the group, who had been lounging in the living room, their curiosity piqued by the heated exchange unfolding in the bedroom. They entered cautiously, their eyes widening in shock as they took in the scene before them.
John B's brow furrowed in concern, his gaze flickering between JJ and Lacy as he tried to piece together what had happened. "What's going on?" he asks, his voice filled with uncertainty.
Pope and Kie exchanged worried glances, the tension in the room palpable as they waited for an explanation. Only Kie remained unfazed, her eyes narrowed with suspicion as she studied Lacy's flushed cheeks and JJ's clenched fists.
JJ's anger flared, his control slipping as he struggled to contain the turmoil raging within him. "Someone marked her, Kie. Someone left their damn mark on her neck," he spat, his voice laced with bitterness and betrayal. "And you haven't been bringing any guys around us, huh? So you've been sneaking around?"
Kie's eyes widened in realization, her gaze flickering to Lacy's neck before returning to JJ's troubled expression. She knew the truth, had witnessed the encounter between Rafe and Lacy earlier that evening, but she dared not reveal it now, not with the tension threatening to boil over.
Pope stepped forward placing a hand on JJ's chest, his voice calm but firm as he tried to diffuse the situation. "Look, JJ, maybe we should talk about this outside," he suggests, his eyes pleading for reason.
But JJ was beyond reason, his mind clouded by jealousy and hurt as he struggled to make sense of the betrayal before him. "No, Pope. I want answers, and I want to know who the hell did that. Now." he insists, his voice trembling with emotion.
Lacy's heart ached at the pain in JJ's eyes, the depth of his anguish a stark reminder of the bond they shared. But she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth, couldn't bear the thought of the consequences it would unleash.
"I...I can't," she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper as she turned away, unable to meet JJ's gaze any longer. "I can't tell you."
And with those words, JJ's eyes darkened, the weight of unspoken truths threatening to tear them apart. As the tension in the room reached its breaking point, Kie spoke up, "JJ, she can get with anyone she wants. What the hell is your deal?"
JJ shook his head vehemently, his anger fueling his words. "My deal is that we don't lie to each other. And all the guys on the island are dickheads, so the fact that one of them thought they could leave that on her is fucked up," he declares, his hand gesturing to the mark on Lacy's neck, a stark reminder of the betrayal that had unfolded.
John B, frustrated by the tension escalating between his best friends, finally intervened. "C'mon, man. You get with a new girl every night, leave her alone," he urged, stepping partially in front of Lacy in a protective gesture, distancing JJ even more.
"At least I don't go around flaunting it," JJ retortes without a second thought, his words laced with bitterness and hurt. But Lacy had reached her breaking point, her sadness morphing into a fiery anger at JJ's accusations. The lingering idea of being able to hear the sounds of the other girl he pleasured, right after he had almost kissed her in the kitchen, made her feel used, betrayed, and now utterly pissed.
Pushing past John B, she confronted JJ head-on, her eyes blazing with defiance. "Are you kidding me right now?" she exclaimes, her voice rising with each word. "How about that fucking phone call, huh? What would you call that?"
JJ stumbled back, taken aback by Lacy's sudden outburst. "Phone call? What the hell are you talking about, Lacy?" he demanded, confusion clouding his features.
Her gaze pierced through him, daring him to deny the truth. "Let me fill you in then, Maybank," she spat, her anger simmering just beneath the surface. "Remember your birthday, and how wonderful our time in the kitchen was? Well, you know what was even more wonderful than that? Answering my phone to hear you mid-fucking another girl. I'm glad she likes it harder," she hissed, her words dripping with venom.
The room fell into stunned silence, the weight of Lacy's revelation hanging heavy in the air. After a moment, JJ's face froze in shock, the realization of his mistakes sinking in.
Seeing JJ's face freeze was all she needed, "That's what I thought." And as she turns to storm out the door she glances back one last time, "Oh and by the way, it was Rafe." Her words linger in the air like a dagger, cutting through the tension and leaving a palpable sense of betrayal in their wake. Her feet carry her out of the room, out of the Chateau, and out of JJ's vicinity.
