The rest of the night is spent in celebratory bliss. Jace and I dance, drink, and wrap ourselves in each other. To say Sophie and Kristy are disappointed in losing their date is an understatement but they don't stick around long. Luck is even more on our side as Derek seems to have disappeared too, and even though I spot Kellin a couple times, I don't bother focusing on the drama that lingers in the future.

I don't know how Jace and the guys will feel about the kid working with Derek, but I have a feeling they'll confront him when the time comes. But that time is not tonight. Right here, right now, all I want is to bathe in the happiness I haven't felt in so long. Tomorrow can wait.

Kwan and Mila head home after a while but an hour later, just as Jace and I decide to call it a night, my phone lights up with a text from Mila.

Mila: When are you coming home?

Alexis: Leaving the party now but I was gonna go back to Jace's. Everything okay?

Mila:....

Alexis: Mila?

Mila: You should come home.

What the hell is going on?

I worry my lip with my teeth as Jace wraps his arm around my shoulders. Our Uber is sitting in front of Brandy's house, waiting to give us a ride.

Mila: Lex?

Damnit.

Alexis: On my way.

Mila: Might wanna come alone.

Shit.

"Hey," Jace softly calls to me as we approach the Uber. "You alright, baby? You look...upset."

"Yeah...yeah. I'm fine." I nod, hating the feeling of doom that swirls in the pit of my stomach. "It was just Mila. She asked if I could head home. I guess she needs to talk."

His brows pull together. "It can't wait till tomorrow?"

I wish, but something tells me this is urgent. Even if Mila didn't say so.

Jace opens the door to the Uber, allowing me to slide in first. When he joins me and shuts the door, he quickly nuzzles his face into my neck, his warm breath sending chills down my spine.

"Come home with me, Alexis. I'm not done with you tonight," he rasps in my ear.

Oh, God. I want to so bad.

Already regretting the words, I shake my head. "I can't. She really needs me tonight."

With a deep sigh, Jace rests his forehead against the side of my face. "Alright. I can wait another night. Family's important."

My chest splits open for the millionth time tonight, so full of love and respect for this amazing man as well as the darker feeling that seems to be lurking just beneath the surface of my thoughts.

"Thank you," I grab his face with both hands and plant a firm kiss on his full lips. "I appreciate this. You're so good to me."

Too good.

A sexy smirk tips the corners of his mouth. "Don't thank me. I owe you after being such an asshole earlier."

That may be true, but I can't bring myself to say so. I don't want to end our night on a sour note and it's bad enough I have to head home early.

"So, where to?" The driver asks.

We give him my address and tell him to drop me off before heading to Jace's place. When he pulls up in front of my house just a few short minutes later, Jace pulls me in close and kisses me like he's trying to imprint himself on my skin.

"Call me tomorrow," he whispers against my lips. "I have a fight tomorrow night, but I wanna see you after. Think you could do that?"

Sinking my teeth into my lip, I shrug. "I'll try."

He kisses me again. "Please do, baby. Now that I got you back, I need to be close to you."

"Okay," I whisper and give him one final peck before slipping out of the car.

As I start walking up the sidewalk to my porch, Jace calls out, "I love you, Alexis Young!"

I turn back to see his window down and his tempting smile lighting up his face. It's a sight that could bring me to my knees if I'd let it.

"I love you too, Jace Hall!" I shout back, uncaring who hears me.

His boyish laugh fills the air, making butterflies swarm my stomach as the Uber drives away. Standing there watching the taillights disappear in the distance, I try to stay in the moment. I don't want to go inside and face the scary feeling that's flooded my system since Mila's text. But my peace is quickly broken when the front door opens, the hall light spilling across the porch.

"Lex?"

Looking up, I meet Mila's dark gaze.

"We got a problem," she says somberly.

Standing up straight, I take a deep breath to prepare for the bomb that's about to drop. I hurry the rest of the way inside, kicking off my shoes at the door while I feel Mila's eyes on me. When I'm done, she heads for the living room and I follow, finding Kwan already sitting in the armchair with an irritated scowl on his face.

"Sorry to call you home early," Kwan says gruffly.

Sitting down on the couch, I feel like I've been called into the principal's office. I cross my legs and fold my hands, trying to hide the nervous tremors that have hit since entering the room as I prepare for the worse.

"It's fine." I shrug, knowing damn well I'm not fooling either of them with my fake nonchalance. "So, hit me. What's going on?"

With a noticeable tick in his jaw, Kwan glances at Mila without lifting his head in her direction. He doesn't seem pissed at his twin, but definitely frustrated.

"Don't give me that look," Mila whisper shouts. "It was an accident. I'm already beating myself up about it enough as it is without you giving me that look too."

Kwan sighs and looks away but doesn't say anything back.

Turning to me, Mila anxiously plays with her hair. "So...I might've lost Kwan's phone with the video on it."

"What?" I nearly jump out of my seat.

No, no, no. This can't be happening.

My eyes double in size as they bounce between Kwan and Mila. "What do you mean?"

Kwan keeps his attention on the window, his face somber but Mila looks downright mortified. She fidgets with her hair more before perching on the arm of Kwan's chair, her big dark eyes pleading with me not to lose my shit.

"I'm so sorry, Lex. It's all my fault," she says, her words tumbling out in a rush. "I left my phone in the car because," she uses both hands to indicate her strappy dress. "No pockets. And then I wanted to call my boyfriend back home to wish him a happy New Year so, I borrowed Kwan's. But then I slipped it into my bra after..."

"Gross. My phone does not belong in your bra," Kwan grumbles.

Mila narrows her eyes at him, but I find myself hung up another part of her confession.

"You have a boyfriend?" I ask, getting sidetracked.

Pulling her glare away from her brother, she offers a small smile. "Yeah, Ryan. We've been on and off for a couple years and were off when I came down here but are back on again after talking this morning."

"Mila," Kwan calls, finally looking over at her. "The phone?"

"Oh, right." Her delicate features shift from the glow brought on by the mention of her boyfriend back to bone-deep remorse. "The phone...so, I slipped it into my bra and went to dance a little bit. Then Kwan was ready to leave, and we came here, and...and I don't know what happened to it. It wasn't on me when we got back, and I can't remember the last time I saw it before I joined the dance floor. I'm sorry, Lex."

Kwan clears his throat and shoots her a side-eye.

"I'm not apologizing to you. You have a million phones," she huffs, crossing her arms.

With a roll of his eyes, Kwan turns to face me. "I hadn't had a chance to upload the video to the cloud yet. Without the phone, we got no evidence of what Derek's up to."

My throat constricts with panic and my pulse pounds in my temples.

This can't be happening.

I told Jace I was done with Derek, but that video was my ticket out. What the hell do I do now? I can't go back on that. I can't risk losing Jace again.

Not after everything that's happened tonight.

No...no, I refuse to be Derek's puppet any longer.

"But what the hell do I do?" I think out loud, my voice just barely above a whisper.

Kwan sighs deeply as defeat fills the room. "I would say we could try again, but that could take a while. We don't know when he'll get another batch, but I honestly doubt it'll be any time soon. Not after the large amount he had tonight."

"And we leave in two days," Mila adds.

"Yeah, there's that too." Kwan nods.

"So, what then? I can't go back to being Derek's lap dog. I already made promises to Jace."

Kwan chews on his lip for a second before pinning me with a serious stare. "You gotta tell Jace what's going on."

I choke in surprise, unsure if I'm hearing him right.

"Excuse me?" I ask with a strained voice. "And what if Derek turns Jace in?"

Kwan shrugs. "I wish I had better news, Lex, and I wish I could help more. But my hands are tied with such little time. Maybe Jace has connections or a way to keep Derek from talking. But you won't know until you tell him. I mean...you were gonna tell him anyway after we got the video."

"Yeah, cause the video was my insurance policy." I suck in a deep breath and squeeze my eyes shut to collect myself.

I got to figure something out, and fast. I'm not giving Jace up again but telling him sounds insane without anything to use against Derek.

"Lexi," Mila whispers, making me open my eyes to meet her's. "Tell him."

Another couple deep breaths. In. Out. In. Out.

"Alright." I nod and look at the ground. "I'll tell him...eventually."

"Lex," Kwan calls.

"I will. Really." I nod again. "But I need to take a day or two to try and figure this out first. If I got nothing by the time you two leave, then I'll tell him."

When I look back up, the twins are locked in a stare-off. They don't say anything or even move really, like they're talking with each other in that weird twin telepathy thing that's mention on crazy TV shows. After a minute, they look away from each other to both look at me. It's a little unnerving the way they do it in unison.

"Okay," Kwan agrees. "Maybe tomorrow night we watch the tracker on his car and if he goes anywhere, we follow. See if we can find out anything else."

"But," Mila cuts in. "If we don't get anything tomorrow night, you gotta tell Jace everything. Deal?"

It's the best chance I have. The only chance really. It's my last shot before I'm forced to drag Jace into all of this.

"Deal." I nod.

"You gotta tell me your secret. Come on, man, spill."

I glance up at Wilder in the middle of cleaning my station. My last customer just left moments ago and I don't have any more appointments for the day which leaves me with busy work. After my station, I'll do Dolly's if Wilder will stop asking about last night that is.

With a shake of my head, I look back down at the machine in my hand. "There's nothing to tell."

"Bullshit." He scoffs. "Do you know how many dudes I've seen try to pull that stunt only for it to blow up in their fucking faces? Yet it worked for you like a charm. Why?"

I wish I knew.

Last night was a hail-fucking-Mary. I knew walking into that party with Kristy and Sophie the odds of my plan working were fifty-fifty. Hell, it could've backfired horribly, and I could've lost Lexi forever. But I had to do it.

With Lexi keeping me in the dark and constantly running back to Derek, I was stuck between a rock and a hard place. I needed to know she still cared. Better yet, I needed her to know she still cared.

It wasn't supposed to go as far as it did. Sophie and Kristy knew it wasn't real, but Sophie just had to kiss me to try and rub it in Lexi's face. I was shocked at first, but then I saw the look on Lexi's face and I just froze. It was a bad move and I'd be lying if I said I don't feel guilty about it. But it worked, and at least now I have all the time in the world to make it up to her...hopefully.

Wilder crosses the room and leans a hip against my table. "So...you gonna tell me your trick?"

"There's no trick." I huff. "I did a shitty thing 'cause I felt like I didn't have any other choice and it worked. That's not skill or a trick. It's pure dumb luck and the fact that Lexi still cares enough about me to not give me a giant middle finger and tell me to go fuck myself."

Wild sighs heavily and crosses his arms. "I don't know how you do it. The whole relationship thing. Seems like one giant shit storm after the last."

"It's all worth it for the right girl."

"And that's Lexi for you?" he quickly asks.

The second he says the words I get this feeling deep down. It's the same one I get when I see Lexi smile or when she touches me even in the simplest fucking way or when she says those three magic words. It's like a tightness in my chest that's both painful and satisfying at the same time. That steals my breath away while also giving me a reason to breathe.

How the hell do you explain that to someone?

"Yeah, Lexi's that for me." I nod.

I just hope I'm that for her.

Her texts today have been short and vague, slowly driving me crazy. I don't want to doubt her but I can't ignore the warning bells going off in my head. Everything was great last night until she got that text from Mila.

Maybe it's just a family issue that's got her tied up?

With a frustrated sigh, I cave. Putting down the tattoo gun I was cleaning, I snatch my phone off the table, and tap on our last conversation.

Jace: How's it going beautiful?

Alexis: Good.

Jace: I miss you.

Alexis: I miss you too.

I wait to see if she's gonna say anything else but just like our other conversation this morning, she lets it drop.

"Studmuffin, you got a walk-in waiting in the lobby. Looks young but he says he knows," Dolly says, popping her head in from behind the hall door. 

Tossing my phone on the table, I nod and yank my hands through my hair. "Alright."

Wild and I exchange a look before getting up to see who's here. Though the person looking over some of my designs on the lobby wall is the last person I would've guessed.

"Kwan?"

Lexi's future stepbrother turns around and nods my way. "Aye."

I don't mean to be an asshole, but as my eyebrows pull tightly together, I can't hold back the words that fall out of my mouth. "What're you doing here?"

Okay, so probably not the greatest welcome to someone who's gonna be family to my girl. But let's be real, Kwan and I haven't exactly been on great terms since first meeting. The kid is rough around the edges and not in just a tough childhood kind of way. There's darkness in him and even if he's on Lexi's side, it still makes me worried that he's gonna be so close to her.

Of course, he doesn't seem to my biggest fan either. Who knows, maybe he sees the same thing in me that I see in him.

"Yeah, kind of a last-minute idea," he says with a nod.

Can't be all that last minute. It would've taken some time to figure out where I work without asking Lexi, and I'm sure he didn't do that. She'd be here with him if he had.

Kwan crosses the room and I feel Wilder step up behind me, probably getting that same uneasy feeling about him that I do. That or, he's just being supportive. Either way, I tilt my head to study Kwan as he rolls up his right sleeve. It doesn't take long to notice the ink wrapped around his arm just below his elbow.

"I wanted to see if you had time to finish this for me today," Kwan says as he indicates to the design on his skin. "My guy back home is...unavailable for a while, and I overheard Lex say how good you are."

Chewing on the inside of my cheek, I try to think of a reason to say no and immediately feel like an asshole. It's not even that I don't like him, it's just...this feeling. Like he's hiding something big that could impact the girl I care about most.

But money is money, and as long he's willing to pay...

"I can pay," he speaks up like he can read my mind, but when I meet his gaze, I see something new...something that I haven't noticed the last couple times I've come face to face with him.

I can't place my finger on it but it seems sincere enough to lessen that darkness that radiates from his eyes. It's enough of a difference to have me second-guessing everything I think I know about him.

"Alright." I nod. "Come on back and we'll sketch out a design."

When I turn to head back, I catch the look on Wilder's face. He's studying the guy too but there's almost a look of understanding etched into his features.

Note to self, pick Wild's brain later to see what he thinks of Kwan.

The three of us make it to the back while Dolly hangs up front. I point to the extra chair at my station and grab my notebook. Kwan takes the seat and Wild props himself against the well. When I sit down next, Kwan outstretches his arm to show off the ink already drilled into his skin.

Just below his elbow, covering the top of his forearm is some kind of dragon. I'd say a Chinese dragon, but I know Lexi's mentioned before that the twins are half Korean so maybe it's a Korean dragon. Either way, the orange-scaled serpent-shaped beast is reared back, its antler-like horns pointed to the sky as he bites on a glass bottle. The shards of said bottle rain down across Kwan's skin towards his hand.

"Interesting piece," I compliment, turning his arm this way and that to take in all the details. There's more to it, a phrase tracing just below the belly of the dragon.

"Too fast to live, too young to die."

"What's it about?" I ask, looking up at him.

Kwan's eyes quickly dart away as he shrugs. "Just thought it was cool."

Sure.

I lean back in my seat and pick up my pencil. "So what'd you want to add to it?"

"I wanna bring the shards of glass down to the back of my hand and then across the tops of my knuckles I want the letters C, M, D, and K," he explains, trailing his left hand over his right knuckles. When he meets my curious look again, he adds, "My mom's initials. Choi Min Day-Kim."

I nod. "Sounds easy enough."

"Oh," he speaks up again, his eyebrows lifting as he remembers something. "This too, maybe weaved around the glass or something. Wherever you think works best. I'll trust your opinion there."

He slides me a folded-up piece of paper and I take it. But when I unfold it and silently read the words in my head, I get that dark feeling again. Only this time it's different. Still dark as hell but maybe even a little reasonable.

"A mistake made in blood for blood is never a mistake."

I side-eye him, looking for some clue or puzzle piece but he's not paying attention, just looking down at the ink on his arm.

"Okay, just give me a minute to sketch it out and we'll get going," I say, putting pencil to paper.

It doesn't take long to get everything together and pretty soon I've got Kwan in the tattoo chair as I begin the first part of the design, the extra glass shards. Kwan doesn't flinch or even so much as make a face once the gun is going. He looks like he could take a nap really, which is impressive. I've seen guys three times his size tear up once the needle touches them.

The room stays silent for the most part, besides Wilder trying to spark up a conversation every so often. But after a little while he gets bored and must realize me and Kwan aren't gonna attack each other so, he decides to leave with a promise to be back. Our fight tonight isn't till much later, so he's got plenty of time.

The second Wild is gone and it's just me and Kwan, Kwan clears his throat and nervously itches at the back of his neck.

"So, you and Lexi been...together for a while?"

I glance up at him before looking back down at the design I'm working on. "Yeah. We've known each other since we were kids."

"And you love her?"

"Yes," I drag out hesitantly, my face pinching with curiosity. "Why?" A thought suddenly hits me, and I stop what I'm doing to sit up straight and study him head-on. "You got a thing for her?"

Kwan's eyes shoot open wide. "What? No. No way in hell. She's about to be my sister."

I shrug. "Yeah, but you only just found that out."

"Doesn't matter," he shakes his head. "I've always looked at Lex like a sister. Nothing more."

My whole body relaxes, and I lean down again to get back to work. It's not that I think this kid would actually have a chance with her, but I don't need competition living under the same roof as her. Not after all this shit that's happened with Derek and me just getting her back.

"So, why you ask then?"

"Well...I only know what family love feels like. I've never been like...in love with someone before." He says nervously, almost tripping over his words.

It's a total contrast to how he's been so composed and in control the last times I've seen him. It almost...normalizes him on some level.

"But," he continues. "I imagine that when you love someone like that, you'd do anything for them. Right?"

I meet his stare again, surprised to see the slightest hint of desperation there. It's like he needs me to answer this correctly.

I nod. "Yeah, that's right. I'd do anything for Lexi."

Kwan looks away and nods a couple times. "That's good."

He goes silent for a while and I'm tempted to ask him more about why he's asked all of this when he clears his throat again.

"So...if Lexi had a problem that was over her head, you'd help her?"

"Without fucking hesitating," I answer confidently.

"Even if she didn't want the help?"

"Yes."

"Even if she was being blackmailed?"

My hand freezes as ice fills my veins.

Blackmailed?

Every muscle in my body stiffens as I sit back up and narrow my eyes at him. "She's being blackmailed?"

Derek.

"Would you help her?" Kwan asks again, his own dark gaze narrowing questioningly.

"If I knew what was going on, yeah. But she won't tell me anything." I suck in a deep breath and prepare to do something I don't like to do with people I don't know well and lay my cards on the table. "Look, I know something's going on with Lexi. I know it involves Derek and that he's got some kind of hold on her. I've asked her to let me help a million times, but she wouldn't listen to me. Though I got the feeling last night that whatever it was, has been handled."

Kwan's face drops. "It was...until we lost our leverage."

Clenching my teeth until I might chip a fucking tooth, I set my gun down and fold my hands beneath my chin, a move that'll hopefully help me keep my shit together. Everything inside of me is raging, cracking like a live wire.

This is why she's been distant today.

I can't let her pull away again. Not this time.

I pin Kwan with a glare that he easily holds. "If you know something, you need to tell me right fucking now. Brother or not, I won't hesitate to force the information out of you."

The kid actually fucking smirks at me, not much, but enough to show his amusement for damn sure. "No need to lose your temper, Jace. I wouldn't be here if I weren't prepared to tell you everything."

"So?" I ask impatiently, releasing my hands to run them through my hair in frustration.

All this time Lexi's been keeping some secret and now's my chance. I'd rather it be her telling me, but I'll take what I can fucking get.

Kwan looks down at the unfinished piece on his arm and narrows his eyes. "Maybe you should work on finishing this while I tell you, 'cause I got a feeling you're gonna wanna run out of here when I'm done."

A small unwanted growl rumbles in the back of my throat that only makes him chuckle a little.

I get what he's saying, and I've already finished the glass shards and the letters on his knuckles. Which just leaves the phrase he had on paper.

Shouldn't take long.

"Fine," I say through gritted teeth. "But start talking."

He tips his head in agreement and once I've got the gun going again, he begins. "I don't have all the details, but what I do know is that Derek's been forcing her to fake date him or some bullshit like that."

"Already figured that part. Tell me something I don't know."

He lets out a breath of laughter and nods. "Alright, well, he convinced her to agree to this ridiculous arrangement because he has a video...of you."

Son of a bitch!

It takes everything I have not to stop what I'm doing, the urge in my muscles to lock up is almost too much. But I push through, continuing to work. When Kwan realizes I'm not gonna get up and storm out right this second, he continues.

"She never told me what's on the tape. Only that it has you and your friends doing something that could get you all in a lot of trouble. Not even sure where Derek got it but I know he's been holding it over her head. He's threatened to turn it over to the cops and get all of you locked up unless she did what he wanted."

"Like be with him," I add.

"Yeah, like that." He scratches at the back of his neck again. "If it's any consolation, I don't think he forced her into doing anything than pretending for public eyes, and you. Mostly you."

I didn't realize how much I needed to hear that until now. I know I once accused Lexi of letting it go that far out of anger, but I didn't mean it. If anything, I was just afraid that Derek would take it in that direction, not so much that she would go along with it. I truly don't think she would. She'd chop the fuckers balls off first.

But I'll be damned I don't want to do that to him anyway. I have to grip my tattoo gun just right to keep my hands from shaking with the need to strangle Derek. And one way or another, I am getting my hands on him. That bitch ass is gonna pay for this. Using me...something I supposedly did to control her. It's un-fucking-forgivable.

I'm gonna kill him.

Trying to resist that dark inner voice, I shake my head.

What in the fuck could I have done—and on camera no less—that could get me sent away?

"You said you had leverage?" I manage to ask, my throat feeling scratchy and raw.

"Had' being the made word there." Kwan nods as a somber look takes over his face. "Once we found out what was going on, Mila and I started helping Lex dig up dirt on him. Something we could use against him that would set her free, and we had it. We tracked his car, followed him to the East Side where he met up with some bikers. Think Lexi called them Vipers?"

Shit.

"I know 'em."

"Well, they gave him a duffle filled with drugs, and last night we caught him on tape preparing them for distribution and handing them over to someone else. Should've been enough to throw his own deal in his face and threaten him jail time...but." He blows out a deep breath and lets his head fall back against the chair in defeat. "but then Mila lost my phone before I could back up the video. So now we got nothing."

"And you figured now was the time to bring me into the loop?" I scoff. "Should've done that fucking sooner."

Kwan throws his free hand in the air. "That's what we've been trying to tell Lex but she wouldn't listen to us. Even now she's refusing to tell you."

I trace out the final letter on Kwan's arm and wipe the excess away before almost slamming my gun on the table and glaring at him. "Then why are you here? Why go behind Lexi's back like this?"

He arches an eyebrow at me and sits up.

"Hey," I put my hands up. "I'm not complaining. I'm...I appreciate you coming to tell me all this. But why?"

His face pinches to one side as he sighs. "Because Lexi's family. She's gonna be my sister which means I need to look out for her the same way I do for Mila, and I've been trying to do that ever since we got here. But I leave tomorrow, and I can't go unless I know she's in good hands. If I didn't have my own shit to handle back home, I'd stay and see this through. But since I can't...I'm putting my trust in you, and that's not something I'm good at, not when I don't know the person well enough. No offense."

I shrug. "None taken. I feel the same way."

"So, you'll help after I'm gone?" he asks, letting his worry show on his face.

I don't know how this kid managed to do all of this. Sure, he's only a year younger but he still seems too young to be able to do everything he has so far. The fact that he has managed all this on his own earns some respect in my eyes. Not that I'll say that out loud 'cause I'm still suspicious as hell about how the fuck he pulled all this off in the first place.

I get to my feet. "I'll help now. I got a fight tonight but I can make a call and get someone to take my place.

"No."

"No?" I ask, tilting my head to the side with surprise. "Dude, I wasn't fucking asking. Now that I know what's going on, I'm gonna help."

"No," he repeats and stands up. "I told her we'd follow him tonight and if nothing pans out, she promised to come to you tomorrow. But in case she doesn't, then you go to her."

"I'll go to her now."

"Look, I get it," Kwan says with his voice raised, frustration washing over his features. "But let her try and do this without you. Just tonight. I get that you got your connections and the means to squash this shit but there's gonna be a time when you can't help her, and she'll have to fend for herself. She's not gonna know how to do that if you step in every time."

I throw my hands wide, just as irritated as him if not more so. "She's been trying to do this on her own this whole time. Hasn't that been long enough?"

Kwan looks unsure like he wants to deny I'm right but can't. "I get it. I'm just asking that you give her tonight."

"And what if something goes wrong tonight, something you can't handle?"

"I can handle a lot," he quickly replies almost looking insulted.

"But what if you can't?" I press again.

Throwing his head back, he blows out a deep breath toward the ceiling, his eyes dancing around like he's thinking things over. When he finally comes to a decision, he tips his chin down and meets my stare. "Then I'll call you."

"Is that a deal?" I ask forcefully and hold out my hand.

Kwan nods reluctantly. "Deal."

💘____________________________________💘

Happy update day, loves!

Dying to see what you all think of this chapter. I know there wasn't a lot of action but Jace finally knows what's going. Now we just gotta see if he can keep himself from acting on his anger!

So, what did you think of Mila losing the phone? Were you happy that Lexi wasn't willing to go back to being Derek's puppet? What did you think of Kwan telling Jace everything? Do you think it was right because he's just trying to look out for her or should he have kept his mouth shut? Do you think they'll be able to get info on Derek on their own or will Jace have to be called? And finally, on a smaller note, what did you think of Kwan's tattoos or Jace's view of him?

You can leave your thoughts in the comments and if you like what you read, please hit that star button! I look forward to hearing from all of you!

On another note, I have officially begun posting my new story "Fight For Me". Only the first chapter is out right now, and I don't have a set posting schedule since DME is my top priority, but I've been having fun with this one and hope you all could at least give it a chance. If you do, and like, please let me know. The feedback would be great!

As scheduled the teaser for chapter 19 should be posted on my Twitter or Instagram either Wednesday or Thursday, so keep a lookout for that.

Until next time, loves! 💜 xoxo