Dark Paradise

15

Anabella

When I wake up, my mouth feels sore, and my mind flashes back to the events of yesterday. The intensity of it all plays in my memory, leaving me with a mix of confusion and lingering emotion as I try to piece together what happened and how I feel about it.

I open my jaw, trying to stretch it a little bit and alleviate some of the soreness.

"Good morning, Angel," Jace's groggy voice says, reaching out to gently touch my arm as he slowly wakes up beside me. His voice is warm and low, carrying a hint of sleepiness that contrasts with the events of the previous day.

"Good morning. I have to go—I have work today," I say, slipping out of bed and stretching slightly to shake off the remnants of sleep.

"I'll take you home," Jace says, slipping out of bed and grabbing his keys from the nightstand.

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I slip into my shower, letting the water wash away the sins of last night. I feel a mix of dirtiness and thrill, as if the shower is not just cleansing my body but also trying to reconcile the excitement and intensity of the previous evening with my need for normalcy.

I step out of the shower and walk over to my clothes, grabbing my usual work outfit. Just as I'm about to get dressed, Desire storms into my room, her expression a mix of frustration and concern.

"What's wrong?" I ask her while putting on a bra, and putting on my panties. "My parents don't like Travis." She sighs lying down on my bed.

"Who care? If you like him then that's all that should matter, Des." I say, jumping in my blue jeans, trying to get them past my thighs.

"Yeah, I know, but it just makes things so awkward. Every time I bring him up, they either change the subject or give me this look like I'm making a huge mistake," Desire says, staring up at the ceiling.

"Well, you know your parents. They can be stubborn. But they'll come around once they see how happy you are with him," I reply, finally managing to zip up my jeans.

Des shrugs, sitting up. "I hope you're right."

Before I can respond, the door flies open. "Desire! Let's talk, please," Travis says, stepping into the room without hesitation, Jace looming right behind him like a shadow. "Have you ever heard of knocking?" I snap, instinctively grabbing the nearest shirt to cover my chest.

Travis mouth falls open in shock, his gaze momentarily fixating on me, wide-eyes and speechless. After a heartbeat, he snaps his attention back to Desire, who is doubled over with laughter, tears glistening in her eyes. Jace shifts uncomfortably, almost as if he was trying to control his anger.

"I'm so sorry, Bella." He says, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips, as if he's both apologizing and teasing me at the same time.

Desire is practically in tears from laughing, clutching her stomach. "You should've seen your face!" she manages to get out between laughs.

Jace, however, doesn't find it funny. His jaw is clenched as he glares at Travis. "For your sake, I hope you'll forget what saw." He warns, his voice low and filled with tension.

Desire hops off my bed, still chuckling, and playfully drags Travis out the room, disappearing into her own room.

I sigh, pulling my shirt on. "What are you doing here?" I ask turning my attention towards him now.

Jace steps further into my room, his movements deliberate as he locks the door behind him. He turns to me, standing a few inches in front of me. "Travis called me to bring him over here." Jace says, his tone steady as he looks at me. "He wants to talk to Desire."