The Blackmail Bride

Epilogue (3)

Hello everyone, you're probably confused about the number of epilogues but I'm just winging it too. So here we are. As always, grateful that you read TBB and HMR. Love you all.

Pillowtalk

"But you remember we made a promise before, right?"

I stared at him. And I just knew what promise we were talking about.

Jace never gave me a chance to respond, "You promised I didn't have to take it by force."

The exact flow of that conversation that I had somewhat forgotten in the last three years flooded the forefront of my thoughts.

"So, you're saying you didn't fail?" I asked in an oddly strangled voice.

The man wearing that arrogant expression nodded once, "And I am back. Didn't you trust me not to fail?"

The pounding of my heart was very loud in my ears, but my voice had calmed, "So, you made sure my trust wasn't wasted on you?"

The roguish grin he wore twitched for a second before he said, "Why don't you take a shower in our bath. I'll shower in the guest bedroom. I'll be back soon."

Jace opened the door he locked and walked out. Just like that.

My legs felt like jelly but somewhat, my mind was obeying his words and I found myself inside our en-suite bath staring at the enormous mirror over the sink.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I could see how big my eyes were. But my normally pale skin was oddly flushed. My breathing was an odd pattern and I forced myself to catch my breath.

He didn't mean...

I shook my head.

Well, I mean...

Jace was back. Whatever joy I felt hugging him downstairs was now a forgotten emotion and there was a return of the dread that I had been feeling for the last two weeks before he came back.

No... I'll just take a shower and come back out. I won't overthink it. But as I stepped into the shower stall, I was finding myself blankly standing under the hot streams of water with my thoughts. All before I decided it was enough and I changed into a T-shirt dress that reached my ankles. Wrapping myself in towels, I proceeded to dry my hair.

But I must have taken very long. Because when I stepped out, Jace was already back in the room—topless and the pajama bottoms hanging low on his hips. He was vigorously rubbing a towel into his water-darkened bronze hair.

I was right with my earlier observation. The torso and arm muscles in full view were much fuller than the last time I'd seen it in person. The time he was done and away had been kind to at least his physique. When I looked to his face, he had caught me staring.

I stared a bit more.

"I see it won't be hard for you to do your part of the bargain."

He was teasing me, I realized. But I couldn't smile.

"Hey Jace."

"Hm?"

"I don't think I want a child right now."

There was dead silence that made me uncomfortable as Jace's expression darkened—

And I scrambled to explain, "I mean, does it have to be now now?"

Jace tossed the towel he was using for hair to the side.

"What do you mean?" He narrowed his eyes, "Explain it to me clearly."