Tattoos: COMPLETED ✔

Chapter 68

I reach the elevator right before it slides shut and manage to throw my arm in between the closing doors causing them to open back up. Jace is typing away on his phone when I enter; his eyes flare when he glances up and sees me.

He doesn't say a word when I say his name, and I sigh in frustration. "Jace, what is this about? Talk to me," I plead; his face remains impassive as he looks straight ahead.

I watch the numbers on the elevator go down one by one as we get closer and closer to the first floor; I'm running out of time. Seeing no other choice, I reach out and press the emergency stop button; the elevator comes to a shuttering halt. 

"What do you think you're doing?" Jace asks, speaking up for the first time since I came out of the bathroom and he stormed away. I move in front of the button when he reaches for it, effectively blocking it with my body; his narrows his eyes.

"We're not leaving this elevator until you talk to me," I say, crossing my hands over my chest, telling him that I'm not budging.

He laughs without humor. "You want to talk? Let's talk, Jasmine. We could stay in here to talk, go back to our place, or even better, how about we go to your other apartment? I'm sure Asher would love a visit from me."

My body freezes.

"Jace, I'm so sorry, I can explain-" I start to ramble, tripping over my own words, but Jace interrupts me.

Running a hand through his hair, he asks in a deadly calm voice, "Have you even told him you moved out?"

I don't answer; I can't answer, I don't want to see his reaction.

"Answer me!" he demands.

I can't look at him as I shake my head. He takes several menacing steps toward me, and I have no choice but to move backwards until my back hits the wall.

He grabs my chin roughly and tilts my head up, forcing me to look at him.

"So you didn't even think about how I would feel when I found out that you're still paying fucking rent at your old place with Asher when you're supposed to be living with me? Do you know how fucked up that is-?"

I push his hand away and try to ignore the sting of that last sentence. "Of course I thought about how you would feel, but-"

"But you did it anyway because you don't care."

I step forward and cup his cheek with my hand. "I care. I care a lot about you, Jace."

He turns his face to the side causing my hand to fall. "You sure don't act like it," he says softly.

Ouch.

"That was harsh," I say, still incredulous that he talks to me like this when he's angry. I know I screwed up- no, I fucked up, but it still doesn't give him the right to say things like that.

He doesn't seem fazed by what I said, in fact, I think I made him angrier. "Is it because you still compare me to Tobias?" What the hell is he talking about? "Or do you just not trust me?"

"Neither! Did you ever stop to think that I didn't do what I did because of you, but I was doing it for me?" After all I've been through, I need something to fall back on if we don't work; it can't be like last time when I had no friends or even a place to live. I can't start over again.

I want to tell him all of this, but the words get stuck in my throat.

He opens his mouth to say something, but then snaps it shut; we're back to the silence treatment I see.

The silence is tense, but I'm not going to be the one to break it this time. After a few more seconds, he finally speaks. "I want you to tell Asher you moved out and that this will be the last month you're paying rent."

"Fine, whatever. I'll tell him."

"Tonight."

I nod reluctantly. "Tonight," I agree.

He reaches for the button, but I stop him. "You should know something."

"What?"

I sigh. "Tobias texted me again."

"He what?" Jace roars. "I thought you blocked the prick's number?"

"I did. He must of texted me on a different number," I explain.

He runs a hand through his hair. "What did he say?"

"That he wants to talk."

Jace shakes his head. "Let me see it," he demands, holding out his hand for my phone.

"Jace..."

"I said let me see it," he says again, slower this time.

I sigh and dig out my phone from my back pocket and hand it to him. I watch him go from angry to seeing red in a matter of seconds.

"Fuck," he yells. I grab his wrist.

"Where are you going?" I ask.

"Out," he snaps.

He reaches for the "emergency stop" button, and this time I let him hit it.
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"You're what?" Asher asks as I break the news to him.

"I'm sorry, Asher, but I moved in with Jace. I know you need money, and I can help you find a roommate if you want, but-"

"It's fine," he says, cutting me off.

I feel extremely guilty as I leave my old place, but what could I have done? It would only add to the problem with Jace if I tried to help Asher out, and no matter how guilty I feel about leaving Asher with only two weeks to find a new roommate, I can't afford to mess up with Jace anymore than I already have. Our relationship is on thin ice right now, one wrong step and it's going to crumble beneath our feet.

When I arrive home, I'm not surprised to find that Jace isn't here; he said he was going out, whatever "out" means. I head upstairs and crawl into bed still fully clothed and send Jace a few texts apologizing again and I tell him that I told Asher; ten minutes go by and he still hasn't responded.

Sighing, I close my eyes. It's eight thirty when I laid down, but I don't fall asleep until almost midnight, even then I'm tossing and turning throughout the whole night, praying that Jace doesn't do anything stupid.
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