My whole body feels like it's on fire but the blood slowly pumping through my veins is cold as ice. Every time my heart feels like it's going to race with rage and the threat of losing control, I stop to take a couple deep breaths, fighting to hold myself together. It's been a struggle ever since Kwan left the shop after dropping a bomb in my lap.

Derek's been using me to keep his hold on Lexi.

I could kill him. My hands flex and shake with the need to grab his scrawny fucking neck and squeeze until all the life leaves his eyes.

But I made a deal. I'll let Lexi and the twins do what they want tonight, and tomorrow, I'm taking over. It's a damn good thing I'm fighting at Monte's tonight. It'll be the best way to release all this pent-up frustration and anger.

The fights have been underway for over an hour now, the entire place charged with excitement and the taste for blood. The crowd cheers on their favorite fighters, the sound of flesh pounding flesh barely reaching above the static noise. But it all feels so far away.

Even as I lean against the second-floor railing and watch Wilder take down his opponent in the ring below, I don't feel like I'm really here. It's all a blur of color and sounds too far away for me to grasp. Like I'm sinking underwater and struggling to figure which way is up. The weight of the pressure is crushing mentally.

With another deep breath, I bend over and rest my head against the cool metal of the railing. I squeeze my eyes shut and try to focus on my breathing and the thump of my pulse, hoping it'll center me somehow, bring me back to the here and now. But my concentration is cut off with the vibration of my phone in my pocket. I'm not fully in gear yet, my hands still untapped, so I pull it out and check the screen.

Unknown: We need to meet, now.

Sighing, I shake my head and roll my eyes.

I don't have time for this shit.

I'm halfway through typing out those exact words when another message comes through.

Unknown: Stop rolling your eyes. This is important.

What the fuck?

I shoot up, my back stiff as a rod as I hold my head high and search the area with narrowed eyes. My pulse is speeding up again but for a different reason entirely now, but nothing looks out of the ordinary. The guys on the second level are all Monte's men or fighters, no one out of place.

Grabbing the railing with both hands, I look over at the crowd below. It's a mixed group of gamblers, thrill-seekers, security, and horny chicks that get off on watching guys beat the shit out of each other. But I can't discern anyone from the next and none of them seem to be looking up here.

Instinctually, I step towards the stairs, prepared to head down for a closer look when my phone goes off again.

Unknown: Gone now. You won't find me unless you come to me.

Do I even have a fucking choice?

Whoever the hell this is, is here, now. They could come at me whenever they want, and I won't even know what they look like. How can I watch out for myself if I don't know the face of the threat?

For him to show up here must mean he's at his breaking point. He's tired of waiting and this is his way to get what he wants. Letting me know he can see me, and I can't see him...he's trying to scare me. I don't scare easily, but I damn sure don't like the situation. Not when this fucker has the upper hand.

"Hey, man. You okay?"

I look up—not even realizing I was spaced out staring at my phone—and meet Wilder's pale blue gaze. He must've won his fight if he's back up here, the only sign he was fighting is the sweat dripping off his face and the small cut above his eyebrow. Blood trickles down to his concerned stare but he doesn't bother to wipe it away as he watches me.

"Yeah." I nod, my voice sounding monotone and far away. "Yeah. I'm good."

Wilder's eyes narrow. "Okay...if you say so. I'm gonna go shower real quick. You gonna be out here when I'm done?"

I look back down at my phone and chew the inside of my cheek. Not sure how many seconds pass before Wilds speaking up again.

"Jace."

My head pops back up. "Yeah. I'll be here. I still got my fight to go."

But my fight's been scheduled last, so I have time.

Should I really be considering this?

"Okay." Wilder nods, watching me like a skittish animal. "I'll be back in ten...Don't go anywhere."

I tip my head in acknowledgment and then watch as he slowly backs away. Once his back is turned and he's walking through the locker room door, I pull up the messages on my phone.

Jace: Where?

Unknown: Good boy.

I grit my teeth, my grip tightening on the phone in my hands.

Jace: Tell me where or you can go fuck yourself.

Unknown: The basement. There's a door on the first floor by the back entrance.

Jace: Be there in five, and you better not pull some shady shit.

Unknown: I just want to talk.

I pop into the locker room fast as hell, hearing the showers in the attached room running and grab my shirt and shoes from my locker. With them slipped on, I rush back out and head down the stairs, waving off the security as I pass.

It doesn't take long to push through the crowd and reach the back entrance. Beside it is another door that—if I didn't know better—I'd just assume was a closet or some shit. Pushing it open, I can barely make out the cement stairs descending into darkness. I turn on the flashlight function of my phone to light my way as I head down, shutting the door behind me. With each step I take, I can hear my thumping heart in my ears.

I'm not scared, but the adrenaline of everything is getting the best of me. Not to mention the already burning anger for Derek that still hasn't left my thoughts. For a second, I consider maybe Unknown is him, trying to lure me to my doom, but Derek's not that crafty. Besides, if he wanted to come at me, he would've done that from the start instead of going after Lexi.

No, this is someone else.

Once I reach the bottom of the stairs, I use my phone to look around but it's useless. I can only see a foot or two in front of my face, the pitch-black space eating up any extra light that tries to aid me. With no other choice but to keep walking, I do just that. My steps echo in the cavernous pit along with the slow dripping of water. I'm almost positive Monte's never touched this part of the warehouse. He'd have no need to, but whoever led me here must know their way around. No one would plan something like this out without having their bases covered and knowing the area so they can keep control of the situation. No, they must've been here before.

This is stupid. I know better yet here I am, stepping into a possible trap, or worse. My mysterious pen pal was right, curiosity will always get the best of me. And wouldn't that be just a fitting way to go?

You'd have no one to blame but yourself.

I'm tempted to turn and leave but stubbornly, I keep going. I don't know how far into the dingy cellar I walk, but eventually, I can feel the presence of another. Someone watching me from the shadows. I freeze in place, the hair on the back of my neck standing on end.

Standing still as a statue, the only sound heard now is my breathing and that annoying dripping somewhere in the distance. But I can feel them watching me, bidding their time. Or maybe they're just dragging this out to be dramatic. Assholes who feed off control like this are always over the top, but I'm not waiting all night for them to make a move.

"Well, I'm here." I throw my arms wide. "Show yourself!"

A deep chuckle answers from the inky darkness and I slowly spin around, trying to cover all my sides. But when a small lantern comes on three yards away, I freeze once again, only this time, my insides chill too. Everything inside me turns cold right down to the damn bone marrow.

The smallest hint of a smirk pulls at a wide face with sharp features, a five o-clock shadow neatly trimmed covering the lower half. With hair a shade darker than mine and eyes that mirror my own, I'm at a loss for words. The man standing before me is a stranger with a familiar face, one I haven't seen in eleven years.

"Jace," he says quietly but still with an air of authority. "Thank you for meeting with me."

The ice in my bones thaws quickly, melted by the inferno raging inside me. With balled fists and a sneer on my face, I take a healthy step back.

"You gotta be fucking kidding me."

"Not even a 'hello?" His brows raise in a mix of amusement and curiosity.

My lip curls back as I try to keep from shaking. "Hey, Jacob."

Whatever amusement was on his face instantly drops, replace by creases of fake guilt—because it has to be fake. Jacob Hall has only ever been a selfish fucker. Whatever game he's playing at here, I won't fall for it.

I can't.

"So, it's 'Jacob' now? Not Dad?" My sperm donor asks like he's actually hurt by that.

The heated scoff that leaves my mouth is unavoidable.

He can't be serious.

Taking another step back, I shake my head. "You stopped being a dad a long fucking time ago, so whatever the hell this is, get one with it. I don't have all fucking night, Jacob."

He flinches at the sound of his name but looks down at the ground as he nods. "You're right. I deserve that."

"You deserve a lot more than that."

"You're probably right there, too."

My control is slipping, my hands beginning to shake no matter how deep I dig my dull nails into my palm or squeeze my phone with enough force to snap it in half.

He doesn't have the right to be here, and he sure as fuck doesn't have the right to stand there acting like he feels bad for what he's done. That's not how this works. You don't walk out on people—on family—and just come back like nothing happened. Especially the way he's done it; screwing with my head, texting me like some stranger, insisting he can help me.

He can't help me. He never could.

"Tell me what you want," I spit through clenched teeth.

He lifts his head, his dark blue eyes meeting mine. "Exactly what I told you in the messages. I want to help you. I know you got a lot on your plate and the guardians can't help you, not like I can."

Something inside shatters, like broken glass raining down and slicing through every nerve in my body. Before I can think of what I'm doing, I drop my phone on the damp cement and charge at the fraud in front of me. He's a little bigger than me and see's the instant I lose it, but he doesn't attempt to stop me. Simply preparing for impact, he allows me to grab the collar of his shirt and shove him against the jagged stone wall, using his arms to soften his landing.

"Don't you dare fucking talk about them! You have no fucking right!" I shout in his face with my fist cocked back. "The Guardians were there for me. They showed me what a family is. They raised me. Not you. Them!"

He nods, holding my gaze without a drop of fear. "You're right. I failed you as a dad, and they picked up the pieces. They did what I couldn't...Robert did what I couldn't. But I'm also willing to bet that he lied to you...that they all did."

A low growl climbs up my throat as my grip tightens on his collar, bunching up the fabric until it becomes a noose in my hands, my knuckles baring down on his trachea.

"And I don't blame them," he adds, though unlike most guys in this position, he appears calm as hell. His breathing is heavier, struggling to get past the barrier I've created, but he doesn't panic as he says between breaths, "You were too young...to know the truth...but let me...explain."

I don't know what makes me listen; his words, the steely calm look in his eyes, or the confidence in his voice, but reluctantly, I loosen my hold on his shirt. My ready fist falls to my side, but I don't completely let him go either. I may be giving him a chance to talk—lord knows why—but I'm not dumb enough to trust him. Shared blood doesn't make him any less of a threat.

"What's there to explain? I was there. I watched you turn your back on us and walk out. What more could there be?" I ask, fighting to level my voice and regain composure.

His mouth tips in the smallest smile as he sucks in a deep breath. Able to speak clearer, he nods. "What is it you think you know?"

"That you were fucking your boss's secretary and got tired of playing the family man, so you left."

"Is that what you heard yourself or is that what you've been told?" His gaze narrows questioningly.

My teeth grind against each other again. "I heard you for myself that you were done with us. You gonna tell me that was a lie too?"

His lips thin. "I won't because you heard right. I did say that...but I wasn't talking about you, son."

"Don't!"

"I wasn't talking about you," he repeats slower. "And like it or not, you are my son. Nothing will change that."

He takes my shaking hand still holding onto his collar and pulls it off...and I let him. My anger is rolling like a storm but more than that, my head is spinning with his words. I don't want to believe him. I shouldn't. But the way he says it is hard to ignore. He's so confident in sure in what he's saying that it's hard to ignore.

Needing space, I take several steps away, growling out my frustration as I yank my hands through my hair.

"I was never sleeping with another woman though," he continues, stepping closer but still keeping his distance. "Believe it or not, your mother was the love of my life."

But how? Where did I hear that from? Neither Mom nor Uncle Rob would tell me why he left, but someone told me about the secretary. Another guardian? Someone else?

Did I imagine it?

No, I definitely didn't make that shit up. Someone told me, I just can't remember who.

"Why then? Why leave?"

His next step sounds closer, but I can't look at him. "Because of your uncle. He didn't give me a choice."

"Don't fucking lie!" I shout, spinning to face him, surprised to find him so close.

"I'm not lying," he shakes his head solemnly. "Robert found out about...my job, and he made me leave. He told me to make it convincing so you and your mother wouldn't come looking for me." He places a hand on my shoulder as he holds my gaze. "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do, and I've done some pretty messed up things in my life."

"You did construction," I say quietly.

"No. I told your mother I did construction because telling her the truth was harder and could've put her and you in danger."

I shake my head. "People can't hide stuff like that. She would've found out you lied. Mom's smart."

"She is." He nods. "Which is why Robert made me leave. Once he found out, he knew it was only a matter of time before she did too. He wanted me gone before that happened."

I'm a statue, unmoving, unfeeling, rooted to the ground. All I can do is mindlessly take in everything he says but I can't process it, not when there's this relentless itch in the back of my head that says there's only more to come. Worse to come that I need to be ready for.

Trying to shut everything down inside me, I ask, "What did he find out? What was your job?"

His lips pinch as he takes a step back, his hand falling from my shoulder. "I don't really have a name for it because my job consists of multiple facets. I dabble in security, some private investigating, and sometimes...when my boss needs it, I take care of certain...problems."

"Stop beating around the fucking bush and just say it," I numbly demand.

A dark look gleams in his eyes, one I'm not ready for no matter how much I prepare for the next bomb to drop. "I get rid of those who become a problem for my boss. Make them disappear."

"You kill 'em."

Something in my chest drops down to the pit of my stomach, but I fight the urge to acknowledge it. No matter how much my insides twist, I have to ignore it.

"Yes," he nods. "When I have to."

"Is that why you're here? Have I become a problem, Jacob?"

This time when his mouth tips, he doesn't hold back. A wide smile takes over his face as he laughs and shakes his head. "No...God, no. Well..." he pauses, his laughter sobering just a little. "At least not for him anyway. Which means the trouble you've caused is not my concern."

I release a sigh of relief, but not for me, for him. Absentee father or not, I'd hate to fuck him up if he even tried to come at me. Okay, maybe I wouldn't hate it. The bastard certainly deserves it. But I have more questions, and I can't get those if I beat the shit out of him.

"What am I missing here?" My brows pull tight together as I look at him for more answers. "Who's your boss? Who the fuck do you think I'm causing trouble for? What is it you know 'cause clearly you think you know everything?"

"That's not important right now."

"Bullshit it's not," I fire back. "What good are you if you can't tell me what I need to know?"

He raises a brow, amused once again before he reaches into his pocket and pulls something out. Clearing the distance between us, he holds out his hand and opens it up to show a phone.

"What's that?" I ask, my eyes bouncing from the phone to his face.

"Something your girlfriend's been looking for."

Kwan's phone...the video.

After everything that's gone on today, my conversation with Kwan earlier feels like months ago. But that has to be what this is.

Without thinking, I go to grab the phone from his hand, but he quickly closes it again and steps back.

"What the fuck?" I snarl. "Thought you wanted to help?"

He nods. "I do, but I also don't want this to be the last time I see you."

"You fucking bargaining with me now?"

He shrugs.

"That's not how this works. You got any idea what's on that phone?" I ask, stepping towards him.

He steps back. "I do. Gotta say I'm surprised that little shit at your school got one up on you."

"He won't have it for long," I clarify.

"I'm sure he won't. But to guarantee you'll see me again; I think I'll hold onto this for a little while."

My forced numbness is quickly fading. It's one thing to fuck me, but this involves Lexi. Just thinking about him knowing anything about her makes me want to rip his throat out. My hands tingle with the need to act.

"You're a real piece of shit, Jacob."

"Never said I wasn't." He shakes his head. "And I will give this back to you...eventually. I'm sure you can think of other ways to free Alexis from the hold of some dumbass kid."

"Don't you dare say her name!"

He tips his head to the side and narrows his gaze. "You love her."

It's not a question but that doesn't make me feel any better.

I stab a finger in his direction. "You don't need to worry about her. Don't even think about her."

"I'm no threat to her, Jace."

"A hired killer?" I bark out a laugh. "I highly fucking doubt that. You're a threat to everyone."

"Not to you, and that's not my main job. Those are just rare situations." He says sincerely before sighing and running his hand through his hair. "Look, Jace, I just want to help you."

"How? By holding onto important evidence? Evidence that can free my girl?"

"Trust me when I say that you will find another way to handle him for right now, and when the time is right, I'll give the phone back."

I'm getting tired of this. He keeps going around in circles. Telling me what he wants to but holding onto everything else, including that phone. Shit, he might not even know anything of importance to me and this could all be a waste of time.

As angry as I am, all that rage is starting to lower to a simmer. I have shit to do and standing here is getting me nowhere.

"I don't have time for this." I turn and start to walk away but I don't get far before he's calling out to me.

"Jace," his voice bounces off the decrepit walls. "I can help you find your friend's killer."

I stop in my tracks despite a voice in my head telling me to keep going.

"I can be an asset, an ally...I can hand you the shooter on a silver platter. You'll be able to avenge his death. And if you can't handle the kid at school, I can help you there too. I'll give you the phone back. All I ask is for some time with my son. Give me a couple nights a week and I'll make good on my word. Let me get to know the man I see in front of me. The one I missed out on raising...I'll tell you everything you want to know; answer every question you have. Just give me that."

That voice in my head is screaming louder than ever, telling me to go now while I still can. There's something off here, I can feel it in my bones...but...would it really be such a bad thing? Sure Jacob is shady as fuck and probably has more blood on his hands than I can imagine but...I known Guardians that have killed. They aren't proud of it and they only did it cause they thought that had to but still.

Even I almost took a life.

When Paxton and the Vipers raided the barn and killed Motto, I put that shard to Pax's throat. I was so close to doing it. One move and his blood would've been on me.

So, am I really that different from Jacob?

Biting my tongue till my mouth fills with the taste of copper, I slowly turn around. Every muscle in my body is stiff as a board and my stomach's twisting but with a deep breath, I force the words past my lips. "For how long?"

His mouth quirks to the side but his eyes widen in surprise.

"You can wipe the look. How long till I get something out of this arrangement?" I demand, forcing my voice to be steadier despite the shaking in my limbs.

"Give me two weeks and I'll bring you the shooter. Give me another two and I'll hand over the phone."

"What if I don't need the phone by then?"

He tilts his head back and forth, thinking that over for a small second. "Then I'll tell you who I work for, and who knows, maybe by then you'll actually enjoy getting to know your dear old dad."

I should say no, but I also know that the fact I even stopped to hear him out means I already made up my mind. It might be dumb and reckless, but...I don't feel like I have much of a choice. Caleb deserves vengeance, and if I have Derek handled before the second set of weeks, I'll walk away. It should be easy; walking away from someone who walked away from me.

As if seeing the answer on my face, he smirks. It's the same smirk I've seen on my own face countless times before. "Monday night work for you and we go from there?"

My phone vibrates on the ground, rattling against the uneven pavement and drawing my attention. Looking away from Jacob, I walk over and pick it up, noticing Kwan's name pop up with a text.

When did I put his number in my phone?

Shaking my head at the sneaky bastard despite him not being here, I take a much-needed breather and open the text.

Kwan: Tonight was a bust. We got nothing. No need for backup.

Jace: Thanks for letting me know.

Kwan: I leave tomorrow at noon. You wanna take care of Lex, be there so you two can talk once I'm gone.

Jace: Gladly.

Shoving the phone back in my pocket, I take a deep breath and settle my racing heart.

At least that's one less thing to worry about tonight.

Facing Jacob again, I'm surprised to find my earlier agitation has subsided...some. He watches me patiently, and when I'm finally ready to speak, I take a step toward the exit.

"I'll see you on Monday, Jacob."

"Where at?" he asks as I walk away.

"I'll text you."

💘____________________________________💘

Hey, loves, happy update day!

I think this chapter was slightly shorter than some of the others but it felt right ending it there and hopefully you all enjoyed it.

So, let me know what you think. 

Do you think Jace should've taken Wilder with him? Should he have gone to the basement at all? Were you surprised to discover who's been texting him? Do you believe Jacob's story? Do you think he actually wants to help Jace? Any ideas on who his boss is? And finally, do you think Jace is doing the right thing by agreeing to these meetings? 

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!

As scheduled the teaser for chapter 20 should be posted on my Twitter or Instagram either Wednesday or Thursday, so keep a lookout for that.

Until next time, loves! 💜 xoxo