Half Truths

Introductions

  The quiet whoosh of the heat flowing through the vents was the only sound in the room. Jace stayed, still squatting, near the far sink, his eyes locked on Maia. She cocked her head to the side, confusion evident on her face.

"You don't seem surprised to see me," she said.

"I'm not." Jace shrugged. "I really hope you don't quit your day job. You're not very good at this whole secret stalker business."

Maia grinned. Though Jace could tell it was more out of annoyance than humor. "Yes, well, I was good enough to get this far."

"You only got this far because I allowed you to."

The smile fell from her face. "How did you know?"

Now it was Jace's turn to smirk. "Your sweatshirt."

She raised a brow in question.

"The one with the fraternity crest. The wolf. You should probably wear different clothes in public than you do while out on your stalking duties. You never know who might be watching, or better yet, recording."

"I'll keep that in mind for next time," she said impatiently, her foot tapping the hard tile. "Stand up."

"Really? You want me to stand? Don't you enjoy having me kneeling before you, all vulnerable and helpless?"

Maia laughed. "You're anything but helpless in any position, Agent. I know enough about you to know that. I just want you farther away from that gun strapped to your calf." She nodded toward his leg. "Now, stand up. Just keep your hands in front of you."

Jace rose slowly, his palms up and facing outward. Alec's voice crackled in his ear.

"I'm sending backup."

Jace bumped his lapel once with his arm in the signal for "no". He could handle this, no problem.

"Don't be reckless, Jace. Wait for backup."

He ignored Alec's warnings in his ear. "You're pretty brave, confronting me by yourself. Either that or extremely stupid."

She glared. "I'm not afraid of you."

The barely discernible trembling of her hand revealed her lie. He nodded toward it. "Your body says otherwise. It seems to be smarter than you."

"Shut up!" Maia's hand shook more around the gun. She tried to stop it, but scarcely managed. She was getting flustered. Good. That was exactly how Jace wanted her.

"I don't get one thing," he said. "Why pretend to be friends with Clary? Was that really necessary to achieve your goal?"

"I don't know, Jace. Was it necessary to sleep with her to achieve yours?" Jace felt his entire body stiffen at the question, but tried his hardest not to let her see. She cocked her head to the side and smiled. "Because that would make you . . . what? A whore?" Maia pretended to think about her question. She removed one hand from the gun and reached up to tap her chin in mock concentration. "Why, yes. I believe it does make you a whore, Agent Herondale." Maia took a few steps further into the bathroom, the door clicking shut behind her. "How does that feel Jace? To know you're getting paid for sleeping with her. How will it make Clary feel when she finds that out?"

Jace fought against the anger swelling inside him. It would not help him if she saw how her words cut him. "I guess you and I are not so different then, are we, Maia?"

"I suppose," she answered. "With one major exception."

"Of course. I'm the good guy, and you're the bad guy."