All Good Things Absolved (12 page)

"I'm showing you that you're it for me." I whispered as I crawled into his lap. We were facing one another. My legs were spread over his and he instantly wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me to him. "How much do you love me?"

He cocked his head to the side. "What kind of question is that?"

"A question I need you to answer." I held his eyes with my own. This was a serious conversation. I needed to make him see he deserved me. And, if there was someone who was unworthy in this relationship - it was me.

"I love you more than my own life." He whispered hoarsely. "There is nothing I wouldn't give for you. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you."

"Am I carrying your child?"

He frowned. "You fucking better be."

I smirked at his sudden male power. It was raw. It was real. "Of course I am. But are you going to be a father to this child? Are you going to be a dad? Am I carrying
your
child?"

He gasped. "You are. I will be a dad to this baby."

"Will you put us before everything and everyone else?" I whispered.

"I will." He rubbed my back. "Always."

"Will you encourage the dreams of our child and never ever push your own dreams onto our child?"

He nodded passionately and if I looked closely, really closely, I could have sworn I could see a small tear. "I can't wait to support our child's dreams."

"I love you, Jace Rush." I whispered the words. I wasn't sure if it was my sensitive pregnant hormones or just the extent of my feelings for him, but I was full-out crying.

Jace pulled me tight to his chest and I held onto him as though he was the only lifeline I had left in this big old world. When he shifted to his knees before propelling himself into standing position, I still didn't let go. I couldn't let go of him. I nuzzled my face into the crevice between his neck and shoulder and just breathed him in as he took the stairs two at a time.

Jace made it to the bedroom and I felt him trying to put me down. I held on tighter and he chuckled. "I don't want to let go." I protested. And, it was the truth. The thought of letting Jace go right now was too much. It pained me.

"I love hearing that, Angel." I could hear his grin. I loved that grin. "But, I want you naked and next to me all night. No barriers, remember?"

I nodded. "No barriers." I whispered as I let him slide me down his long, lean body.

When I was standing on my own and facing him, he immediately went to work undressing me. There was no lust in his eyes - only love. This would be a night I knew I would spend wrapped in his arms, sharing dreams and comforts. This would be a night of progress as many of our nights since his proposal have been. I loved these nights. I loved the nights where he ravished me too - nothing beat those nights. But the gentle calm that surged between us in the rare nights where we lay together without sex were also nights I cherished. I cherished every night with Jace. I knew I forever would. If I lost him now, I would always believe I had more love with Jace than most have in a lifetime. I was confident in that belief. Because the love I had with Jace was not a love I ever imagined could thrive in this self-centered world we lived in.

Jace stripped off his clothing and I watched as each hard muscle rippled beneath golden skin. His blue eyes were warm as they watched me watch him. When he was down to only skin, he reached out to pull me against his body, wrapping his arms around my waist. We were two lovers bound by the love in our hearts and the desire in our souls, wrapped in only skin. There were no barriers between us. It was just us. And, we were wrapped in love.

***

"You're wearing a dress?" Jace's brows furrowed when he caught sight of me and I laughed.

"I am." I inhaled deeply, my stomach instantly rumbling at the scent of the cheesy omelet Jace was concocting. When we'd woken this morning, he promised me breakfast - and boy was he ever delivering. It smelled and looked amazing. My mouth was watering.

Jace tore my attention from the food in the pan. "It's October."

"And this is a maxi dress. It's warm." I smiled as I rounded the counter to get a closer peek at the omelet. "I'll wear a jacket. Don't worry it hasn't even snowed yet."

"Don't tell me not to worry about you." He slid the omelet onto a plate. "It can't be helped."

I carried the plate to the island bar-stool and sat. "I'm sure it can't."

He sighed as he joined me. "You'll wear a jacket?"

"I told you I would." I beamed as I shoveled the food into my mouth and moaned. It was good. My man knew how to cook. "This is delicious."

"I'm glad you like it." He spoke quietly and I peeked through long lashes at him. He was watching me carefully.

"What are you looking at?" Mt breath felt heavy and short. It was a reaction that simply couldn't be helped while he was looking at me with those shimmering blue eyes.

"I'm looking at my fiancée." His words were a whisper. "And I'm wondering what I did to get this lucky."

A blush stained my cheeks. "You're a smooth talker."

"And you're beautiful when you blush."

I leaned over to kiss his cheek. "I love you."

I felt Jace shift and I knew he was seconds away from encasing me in his arms. Without thinking, I made a quick escape, somehow snatching my plate in the process. I could feel Jace glaring at me from where he remained seated at the island as I rounded the counter to the sink.

"I'm beginning to regret making you an appointment to spend the day away from me." He grumbled.

"You'll survive." I smirked.

Jace watched me rinse my plate before stacking it in the dishwasher. The feel of his cobalt eyes on my skin, taking in my every movement made me feel warm and cherished. Little did he know, that although I was excited to spend the day with Trisha, I would miss him terribly. If I didn't need a full body pampering like I knew I was going to get by going to the spa, I would have canceled and stayed home with Jace. But I had to go. Trisha and I had some serious girl talk we needed to give some attention to and Jace was right in accusing me of being stressed. I was. With the life changing months I'd already lived through to the ones ahead, I was more than stressed. My freaking nerves weren't only singed. They were fried. They were charcoal black.

"You'll go straight to meet Gabe?"

I frowned as I pulled myself from thought. "Pardon?"

"When you leave here you'll go down to the lobby where Gabe will be waiting to pick you and Trisha up?"

I shook my head. "I'm stopping by Trisha's apartment and we'll go down together."

Jace sat tensely and I knew he was pondering the idea. "I'll walk you both down."

"Jace," I sighed heavily as I leaned against the counter. The lip of the granite bit into my palms. "I can handle an elevator on my own."

He nodded tensely. "I know."

"You're not coming with me." I stated adamantly. "I'm not living my life that way."

"Olivia,"

"No Jace." I shook my head. I was moments away from losing my calm control. Was that a sign of pregnancy too? - Heightened emotions that could be set off like a firework at the drop of a hat? "You're not walking me to Trisha 's apartment. It's in the same freaking building!"

I was vibrating. But hell - this constant macho protection thing he had going on was going to be the death of me. Never mind the stalker.

Jace stared at me for a long moment as I heaved in deep breaths before blowing them out. I looked mad. I knew I looked mad. There wasn't a doubt in my mind. I was freaking livid.

"You'll keep your phone with you?"

I sighed. He was relenting. "I always keep my phone with me."

"You'll answer when I call?"

"Are you planning on calling?" I raised a brow. I was hoping to intimidate him but the action was futile. He didn't even flinch.

"I might be." He cocked his head to the side. "Are you going to answer?"

"Yes." I breathed the word. "I'll answer. I'll always answer."

Chapter 11

I stepped from the elevator onto Trisha's floor and turned left toward her suite. The more I thought about our spa day the more excited I became. We really needed this. We hadn't had a spa day in forever - since I lived with my parents kind of forever. My mother was a pusher for spa days. For some reason my going to the spa gave her hope that I would one day become the daughter she'd always wanted - one who was every ounce as superficial as her.

I shook the mood crushing thought from my mind as I paused at Trisha's apartment door. My heart lurched. It was cracked open as though she'd forgotten to close it all the way but that wasn't like her. She was a stickler for locks. I held my breath and listened at the crack of the door but her apartment was silent. With a shaky hand I pushed out at the door despite the chills that claimed my body. There was no sign of a forced entry. Maybe she was expecting me and didn't want me to have to knock. When it came down to Trisha, there was no telling what she would do or where her mind was straying. The thought gave me blind comfort.

The door creaked as it opened slowly and I peeked into her clean living space. There was nothing to suggest she was here, but I knew without a doubt I was not alone. I felt as though I was being preyed on and even though I knew it was silly, I couldn't seem to shake the thought or feeling. It was uncanny. I was terribly uncomfortable.

"Trisha?" I called out into the living room before glancing at the kitchen. The layout of her condo was remarkably similar to Jace's penthouse suite. The only difference was it was smaller in size and there weren't any stairs leading up to massive bedrooms.

"Trisha?" I called out again and jumped as the door I'd left open slammed closed behind me. My bones rattled.

I whirled around and felt my guard rise instantly. The one person I hoped I would never see again stood only a few short feet away from me. He wore a malicious grin I'd seen many times before and just like every other time I felt goosebumps litter my flesh.

"Hello Olivia," He cocked his head. "You don't look too impressed to see me."

"Bryce." My voice shook and I scolded myself. The last thing I wanted him to see was my fear. I hated him. I really did. All those years I stood at his side had been a constant struggle. He'd hated me and he never let me believe anything less. We'd been together to appease our fathers. Nothing more. I knew it and I knew he knew it. "I can't say I'm happy to see you."

His confident grin slipped before filling with potent scorn. He still didn't like me - that much was obvious. "And why is that?"

"Cut the bullshit, Bryce." I snapped. "Why are you here?"

"Why do you think I'm here, Liv?"

"I really don't know so why don't you tell me." My fear was slowly but surely subsiding to anger. Potent anger. I'd left all the bullshit behind when I'd left Toronto and now - once I was finally deliriously happy it was resurfacing. Why? And was it a coincidence that both my brother and Bryce were in New York at the same time? Were they here together?

"I'm here to bring you home with me. I'm here to take back what's mine."

I scoffed. He couldn't be serious -
was he serious?
Slowly, I raised my hands and stepped backward into the living room. "I'm not going anywhere with you, Bryce."

"You are. You just don't know it yet." He sneered the words as he took a step closer to me. My heart beat so hard and erratically I felt as though it was about to pop from my chest. My palms were sweaty and I felt slightly nauseous. "You're mine, Liv. You've always been mine. What you think you have with Jace was always supposed to be with me. I fucking waited for you."

Confusion filled me to the brim. What the hell was he talking about? "Bryce, you hated me. You resented me. Don't tell me you wanted more from me. You couldn't stand to be around me." I didn't bother mentioning the fact that the feeling was mutual. I didn't see a favorable end result by letting my mouth run.

He laughed, shaking his head as the sound toppled from his lips. "I never hated you." His eyes pierced my skin as they swept over my body. "I fucking loathed you."

"Why?" The word was a whisper from shaky lips I couldn't control. His eyes were so hard and angry I wanted to tell him I was sorry...but I didn't know what for. I didn't know what I did to elicit these putrid emotions from him. And, if he loathed me so deeply, hated me so strongly, why in the world was he hell bent on making me his? Why was he here?

"Think, Olivia." He pointed to his temple with a violent hand and clenched his teeth. "You never fucking use your head!"

I'd heard this accusation before. He'd always thought I was stupid so this wasn't a surprise. What was a surprise was that he was so bent on bringing me back with him - when he obviously still hated me so much.

"I don't know what to think, Bryce." I kept my voice low and calm. "I don't know why you're here when you can't even stand the sight of me. And why are you in Trisha's house?"

He laughed. "I was going to wait for her to return and force her to call you here for me, but this worked out so much better don't you think?"

My blood felt cold. "How did you get inside?"

He shrugged. "I'm good at picking locks. There was always shit my father was hiding from me and I had to figure out a way to find it. Picking locks came in handy."

I nodded as though it made sense. He was scaring me and I didn't know what to do. There were things about Bryce I recognized - like the contempt in his eyes and the anger in his words. But what I didn't recognize was his sudden possessiveness over me. While I'd dated Bryce, he couldn't have cared about what I did or thought so long as I never embarrassed him or made him feel inferior in front of his father.

With a shaky breath, I spoke. "Why did you want me here, Bryce?"

"I told you already." Angry eyes found mine. "I'm bringing you home with me."

"Why?" My voice shook - but this time it was annoyance fringing the edges rather than fear.

"Because you're mine. You. Were. Always. Mine."

We were going around in circles and I was starting to feel dizzy. I didn't want to have to ask the same question again, but I hadn't gotten an explanation. I needed an explanation. "You admitted to disliking me, Bryce. I'm sorry but I don't understand."