Roommates... with my Ex Boyfriend (Roommates Series: Book #1)

Chapter 16

"Do you think Baron will like it?" Jess asks me as she examines how a red cocktail dress looks on her through the store's mirror.

"He will," I reassure her.

This morning, Jace organized a meeting in the afternoon with Baron, Adrian, Adam. He had asked me if I could not be home until dinner, and keep Jess distracted, so she wouldn't be there either. I didn't ask why he wanted us out, I mean, Jess is one of his 'people', but I didn't want to risk getting yelled at by him... again.

Jess had asked me a few questions about it, but the best answer that I could give her was, I don't know. She dropped the subject a few minutes later, and said that we would go get lunch, but first, she needed to get a dress for the date she was going to go on with Baron tonight. I don't know what Jace is slightly skeptical of, Baron is a good guy. He's good for his sister --- more than Colten, at least. Plus, who is he to judge? We did go on a few dates, but I heard more of 'I know that I said I could go, but something came up' than him showing up.

Why would Jess think that him controlling me were the worst parts in our relationship? Him not showing up to dates, some that he planned, was the worst. Those were the times where I questioned my love for him. Looking back at those lonely nights, I hate myself for not leaving him earlier. Fortunately, as the years went by, he matured, well, a little, and the number of lonely nights decreased. It was during the time where we both knew that I was one of his enemies' targets. That's why he spent so much more time with me, and snuck into my bedroom late at night whenever I could.

The nights where he would sneak into my bedroom are my favourite memories. He was different; he was sweet, gentle, caring, and protective. He was the boyfriend of my dreams.

Jess waves her hand in front of my face, snapping my attention, and eyes to her concern filled eyes. "Are you alright? You were staring into space."

I nod. "Yeah, I was thinking about something."

She laughs as she walks back into his changing room. "You don't say. Was it about how good I look in the dress?"

I shake my head, a grin appearing on my face. "No, but you do look good in it."

"Was it about Jace?" My silence answers her question. "I don't know why the two of you aren't together."

The reason we aren't is because of me, it's because I don't want us to be. I'm afraid that something even worse than the last time will occur. One touch, one romantic moment, one day filled with happiness between us will make me an immediate target. They might even attack if I bare his child, and make sure that I survive, leaving both of us with the burden. Finn could also kill both of us, that would completely kill Jace on the inside.

That's something that confuses me. Doesn't Jace know that if get back together, there's a high chance that I'd be killed? Even him admitting his feelings is dangerous. I would wait until Finn, and the rest of his men are killed, but who knows how many enemies Jace has? There's a chance that neither of us could make it to the age of thirty. Which makes me question, am I worth it to him? In his mind, am I worth the deaths, and dangers?

"He's a good guy," Jess adds after a while as she walks out of the changing room. We head to the front to pay for her dress, but during that time, she says only the best things about her brother. She tries to change my mind, but she fails.

I begin to think that she's given up when we sit down at our table with our food, but, unfortunately, she continues, and at some parts of her speech, I'm not sure if those are her words, or Jace's.

I lean toward her, and she stops talking. "How much did Jace pay you to do this?"

She sighs. She knows that she's been caught. "Double Baron's salary for the month."