🔥🔥🔥This is a fire alarm chapter! Who's ready for something hot and heavy?😏😉😘

I'm a confused wreck by the time Jace ushers me inside. The guys follow close behind us until we reach the kitchen. Talking to some blonde guy, Josie spots us and takes one look at my crying face before flying into mother mode.

"Calm down, baby. It's gonna be alright," Jace repeats as he picks me up by the hips and sets me on the counter next to the sink.

Josie bomb-dives in to take a stand next to Jace. She rips off sheets of paper towels and dampens them before handing them over.

"What happened?" She worries her bottom lip and soothingly rubs my arm before glaring at Jace. "What did you do?"

Jace jerks back with surprise and throws his hands up in front of him. "I didn't do anything. Damn, Jo."

"N-Not, Jace," I manage to sputter while wiping my eyes. "A-Ava...Caleb."

Just saying their names forces another flood of tears to build up.

How could things go so wrong? Two of the most important people to me left with broken hearts, and it's my fault. I can't reciprocate Caleb's feelings. I can't force myself to feel something I don't. And as an indirect result of that, I've caused Ava's pain too. Holding Caleb's attention from her, even unintentionally, is on me.

It's dumb logic and I know it but that doesn't stop the demons in my mind from pointing all the blame on me.

Josie turns a questioning look on Jace, clearly getting the picture that words are not my strong suit right now.

Jace sighs, his eyes reflecting a small glimpse of the pain I feel inside, though I'm sure it's for different reasons. "We caught Ava and Caleb together and shit got messy. Ava want's Caleb, Caleb wants Lexi." A tick forms in his jaw with that last statement but he visibly banishes the anger brewing in his veins.

"Oh." Jo's mouth forms the O-shape and her eyes grow as big as saucers. "And...?"

She looks at me and I know instantly what she's asking.

Drawing In a deep breath, I attempt to steady the sobs building in my chest. "I-I don't feel the s-same."

Saying it out loud, again, is both freeing and painful.

The smallest glimpse of approval flashes in Josie's eyes before it disappears and she's back to being the worried hen. "So...they left?"

"Yeah." I nod until I'm hit with a sudden realization. "Oh my god! They've been drinking. They shouldn't be driving."

I push at Jace's chest so I can jump down but he doesn't budge.

"And what are you gonna do? Chase them down?" Jace captures my face between his hands. "Baby, you've been drinking too. We all have."

"I haven't."

We all turn to the blonde Josie was talking to earlier. I hadn't noticed him much before but standing beside us with his arm raised in the air, he's got our full attention. With sun-bleached locks, the guy stands almost as tall as Jace but slimmer. I wouldn't call him scrawny but the way he carries himself seems slightly off, awkward like he's still growing into his body. Which would make sense considering how young he looks. The kid has to be a freshman at the most, his features just starting to sharpen and mature.

Lowering his arm, the kid's pale blue eyes bounce between us, his face a stone-cold expression of detachment. "I haven't been drinking. Not yet anyway. I just got here."

Jace tips his head to the side and narrows his eyes at him. "How...what..." Jace pauses before turning to Wilder behind him. "Why's your protege here?"

Wilder shrugs. "Fuck if I know, but the kids got good timing."

"Everyone at school was invited," the kid answers, seemingly unfazed by being the topic of discussion. "But if you need someone to go check on your friends, I don't mind making the run. It's the least I can do for Wild's help with training me."

"Do you even have a license?" I blurt out quizzically.

A crooked grin breaks the otherwise emotionless look on his face while a hint of danger flashes in his eyes. "Does it really matter? I got a better chance at not crashing than the rest of you."

My head jerks to Jace. "I don't like it. He could get in trouble." I look at the kid and offer an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry...." Shit, what's his name?

"Kellen, but you can call me Kell," the kid answers my unspoken question with a grin.

"Okay, Kell," I nod. "I'm sorry, I just can't let you risk it on my behalf."

"It won't be." Kell shrugs. "I gotta go grab some of my stash anyway. The shit people are smoking around here is weak as hell, I can smell it. So, if I'm already cruising, a couple unplanned stops won't be a big deal." He covers his heart with his hand. "Promise, baby girl."

Baby girl?

Jace narrows his eyes on Kell, and I have to hold back a surprised laugh. The kid's a charmer, I'll give him that, but clearly too young. The idea of Jace getting jealous over that is enough to cheer me up, a little.

Noticing the daggers he's receiving, Kell simply smirks at Jace. "Relax, bro. I know she's taken."

I snort at that one. It's unavoidable.

Taking a steadying breath, Jace schools his face into the definition of cool and nods. "If you're already driving then yes, please, check and make sure those two got home safe. They don't live far from here. I'll give you the addresses."

Jace and Kell step away for a moment so Jace can write down Caleb and Ava's addresses. Josie continues to rub my arm, silently comforting me even as my face dries. My heart is still broken for my friends, but my worry over their well being has outweighed that long enough for me to calm down. Even now, as the pain I've caused creeps back into my thoughts, I manage to keep a lid on the waterworks. It may be my party and I can cry all I want, but I don't want to. It's not just my party and Jace doesn't deserve to spend his night consoling me.

Confident I've got my shit together, I jump down from the counter and walk over to Jace as Kell heads off.

Jace wraps an arm around my shoulder. "Let's try and have some fun. Kellen will text me when he knows something."

I nod and allow Jace to get us a couple bottles of water, no longer in the mood to drink. Huddled against his side, we enjoy each other's company while watching Wilder and Travis play another round of beer pong. Eventually, Travis loses and walks off with a tantrum. Wilder begs Jace to play again, even promising to take it easy on him. Jace looks down at me with an unsure expression.

"Go for it." I nod.

He smirks and kisses the top of my head before getting up to join the game. Halfway through, his phone goes off in his pocket. Jace holds up a finger to pause Wilder mid-throw and checks his messages, his eyes immediately finding mine.

"They're fine. They both made it home, safe, and sound."

I breathe a sigh of relief. I've been dreaming of falling into my bed upstairs but couldn't bring myself to do it before hearing from Kell. Now that I know, I can sleep easily.

"I'm gonna go upstairs. I'm getting a little tired," I tell Jace, patting him on the back as I pass by. "You stay down here and have fun though. Seriously."

Not bothering to let him object, I duck into the crowd and drag myself to my room. I'm a little surprised to find it empty, especially considering how we left it wide open in the middle of everything.

Leaving the lights off, I shut the door behind me and slip my heels off, feeling the bumping sound system coming through the floor with my bare feet. I walk across the room to throw my heels in the closet when the door opens again. Jace steps in, closing it behind him and easily finding me in the dark.

"You didn't really think that was gonna work, did you?" he deeply chuckles.

I shrug. "It was worth a shot."

I toss my heels and sit on the edge of my bed. Jace wastes no time in joining, taking a seat next to me.

"You feeling better?" He asks, the streetlights outside highlighting the concern in his eyes.

"Yeah. As good as I can be right now."

Nodding his head, Jace looks down at the floor. "If it makes you feel better, I think Caleb's more pissed at me than you."

"It doesn't...sorry." I worry my bottom lip and shrug.

I've been dying to know what happened between Caleb and Jace, but after tonight, I think I know.

Me.

But that doesn't stop me from looking for confirmation.

"So, all this time..." my voice trails off but I'm determined to get it out. Trying again, I draw in a deep breath. "You and Caleb stopped being friends because of me, right?"

Jace's head jerks, his eyes wide as he looks at me. But I can see it, swimming in those deep blue pools, I'm right.

My stomach drops along with my head.

"Lex, it's more to it than that," Jace softly assures.

"Like what?" I scoff, drowning in guilt as I stare at the floor.

Jace takes a few minutes, the only sounds in the room are his deep calculated breaths and the distant pumping of music from downstairs. I try not to read too much into it. It's bad enough that I'm screwing up the relationships with my own friends, but the thought of ruining someone else's is a hard pill to swallow.

Caleb and Jace were like brothers, at least that's how it always seemed. There was always a competitive nature between the two of them but it never went further than stupid dares or seeing who could beat who in any number of games. Now, it seems that same rivalry has followed them even after their friendship ended, and the weight of that rests on my shoulders.

With a sharp inhale, Jace shifts and turns to face me. "I can't tell you when Caleb started seeing you as more than a friend. So he could've been first, or I could've been. I don't know. All I know is that, that first night I slept in your bed years ago and woke up to your smiling face, I fell hard."

He takes my hand in his, rubbing circles against my skin with his thumb. The small touch sends goosebumps up my arm but it's the look in his eyes that's making it hard to breathe. Jace stole my breath away at the age of fourteen. Now, at eighteen, it's like he's reaching into my chest and stealing my heart too.

"When I realized how Caleb felt about you, I tried to push my feelings down." The corner's of Jace's mouth tip down in shame. "I didn't want to hurt him, and I sure as hell didn't think I was good enough for you. But hiding how I felt was harder than I thought, and Caleb figured it out quickly. So, he confronted me about it. We argued for a while and went a few days without talking until Caleb came up with the brilliant idea that we squashed things by promising not to go after you. Neither of us. No matter what. And I agreed. Then..." Jace bites his tongue, his eyes softening as they gaze at me with so much emotion, freezing me with his intensity. "Then the bonfire happened."

Understanding washes over me with a mix of hot and cold feelings.

Every new year, F.H.S. hosts a bonfire to celebrate. It was our Freshman year and our first time getting to go. Months had passed since Jace and I shared my bed, and my feelings for him changed. So, that night, I slipped on my big girl panties and vowed to tell him how I felt.

It was one of the best nights of my life, but I never realized the ramifications of my actions.

Placing my other hand on Jace's, I shake my head. "But that wasn't your fault. I came to you. It was my idea for us to talk. It was me who kissed you."

"Doesn't matter. Not to Caleb. He thought I should've turned you down and kept my fucking promise. And maybe if I was in his shoes, I would've felt the same way." Jace's face pinches together, pain lacing his features. "But I couldn't do it. The idea of pushing you away felt like I was ripping off my own arm and I couldn't do that. Not for him. Not after you kissed me. For the first time in my life, I wasn't pissed at the world."

Sliding his hands away from mine, he wraps his arms around me and pulls me closer. He holds my head to his chest, filling my ears with the sound of his racing heart.

"Alexis," his breathy voice whispers my name like a prayer. "You chased away my demons. You made me feel like more than just the kid whose dad walked out, who was pissed at everything and everyone, and was always getting into trouble. I was a goner after that, baby, and if I had to do it again knowing what would come of mine and Caleb's friendship, I do it in a heartbeat. No questions asked."

I suck in a sharp breath, desperately trying to fill my stinging lungs, because once again Jace has stolen my ability to breathe. Our first kiss at the bonfire meant so much to both of us, but I never truly got just how much it meant to him.

Tilting my head back and looking up into those night blue eyes, I can't just see the severity of his words, I can feel them deep in my chest. Allowing myself to get sucked in by the thick emotions filling the small space between us, I place my hand on his chest and slide it up his neck until I cup the side of his face.

"I'm a goner too," I softly confess. "And if I had to do our first kiss over again, I wouldn't change a thing either."

Watching his eyes fill with a deep warmth, I seize both the moment and his mouth.

Jace's strong corded arms tighten around me, washing away all my pain and guilt. When our tongues meet, it's like slow motion fireworks explode in my mind. There's no rush, no frantic movements. We come together, merging as close as possible while we take our time.

Tilting my head back further, Jace's careful mouth shows me the gravity of his feelings. He holds my face between shaky hands, keeping the kiss slow, proving himself. He fights with his self-control, a deep groan vibrating from inside as his bruising fingers grip my jaw.

It's overwhelming, every tender stroke injecting a fresh wave of raw affection into my veins. Jace once said I was the sweetest drug he's ever had. Feeling jolts of electricity from my head down to the tips of my toes, I'm convinced he had it wrong. Jace is my drug, my poison, my cure, my undoing, and rebirth. I could kiss him every day for the rest of my life and it still wouldn't be enough. I'm always going to want another hit.

Letting those feelings consume me, I lay back and drag him down with me.

The second my back meets the mattress, Jace's composure snaps. He props himself up, deepening our kiss as his hands glide over my dress covered figure. But it's not enough for either of us. I want to feel his skin on mine. Right now.

I sit up and Jace leans out of the way.

"Zipper." I pant, pointing to my back.

Jace quickly catches on and unzips the back of my dress before helping me slip it off. When I lay back down in just my nude lace panties and matching bra, his eyes rake over my body with open hunger.

"Damn, baby." He bites his lip.

Unable to go a second longer without feeling him, I grab Jace and pull him back to me, smashing our mouths together. Welded together again, we become a bundle of frayed control and pure desire.

I unbutton the top of his shirt and yank it over his head while his hand cups my breast. His fingers tease me, pinching my nipples and sending a string of pleasure to my core. I whimper at his touch, arching my back, needing more.

Jace grins against my mouth. "You're fucking eager tonight, baby."

"Don't tease." I moan through clenched teeth.

He places a kiss below my ear and whispers, "Where's the fun in that?"

Jace can bare his heart all night long, but when it comes to this, to playing my body like a fiddle, he has no shame. He'll torture me until I'm a mess of wanton noises and begging for more.

Not this time.

I bite his bottom lip in punishment and catch him off guard. Using his brief moment of shock, I push him off me and switch our positions so I'm straddling his waist. With deep breaths, I unbutton his jeans and yank both them and his boxers down until my prize is freed. Jace's hard cock springs free, slapping against his stomach and making my mouth go dry.

As if hypnotized, my eyes zero in on the straining beast in front of me. I wrap my hands around it, making Jace hiss with my touch as I marvel at the sheer size of what he's working with.

I've only ever been with him and Derek. But back then, Jace was still a growing guy - obviously - and Derek was on the normal end, according to what Ava said after I gave her details. Now, Jace is working with more, a lot more. Long and thick, his dick pulsates in my hand.

Licking my lips, I look up and meet Jace's carnal gaze. His mouth hangs open, taking in the sight and feel of me as his chest rises and falls with rapid breaths.

Filled with shameless empowerment, I slowly move my hand, pumping him once.

Jace throws his head back with a growl. "Holy Fuck."

With a devilish smile on my lips, I jerk him off slowly at first. Jace tips his chin down, watching me with a feral fascination as his hands land on my waist. When he thrusts his hips up, silently begging for more with his lip trapped between his teeth, I jump off of him and climb out of bed.

Jace props himself up on his elbows. "What's wrong, baby?"

I grab a bottle of lotion off my dresser and smirk over my shoulder. "Nothing."

When I return and take my place on top of him again, I squirt some lotion in my hands and grip his throbbing length with both of them. I speed up, pumping him faster, grasping him tighter.

"Ah, fuck, baby. J-Just like that." Jace chokes.

I click my tongue at him. "Lost for words? You don't have trouble saying the dirty things you're thinking any other time."

His heated eyes narrow at me and I clench him with my hands.

"Fucking temptress," he growls before sitting up and kissing me.

I continue working him, stroking his dick with feverish movements, trapped between our bodies. My arms are going to be sore tomorrow but I couldn't care less. The hungry sounds falling from his lips and onto mine are rewording enough.

"You say I'm the dirty one?" Jace wraps my hair around his fist and jerks my head to the side. He licks his way from the base of my throat to my ear, making my thighs quake as I moan. "Look at you, fucking my cock with your hands. You're as dirty as me, baby, and you fucking love it. You love the wicked things I say and the way I turn you on. We're both slaves to each other. Not just me." He bites down on my pulse point and I gasp as liquid heat pools between my legs. "Now make me come, sweetheart so I can throw you on your back and feast on that tight pussy."

I swear I'm going to lose it just from his words alone, but I know he's close. His dick strains harder, stiffening in my hands like he's going to explode. His body shakes like a livewire, snapping against my body and spurring me on. I move as fast as I can, my hands are nothing but a blur between us. When he tenses, just on the edge of that blissful precipice, I tighten my fists and tug on his bottom lip with my teeth.

It does the trick.

"Alexis...fucking hell!" Jace shouts, head thrown back as his cock jerks in my grip and he comes. The ropes of white-hot passion coat the two of us, our stomachs, my hands.

Stilling my movements, I try to commit the feeling of each final tremor in his body, how his muscles ripple with every spasm, to memory. There's no way I want to ever forget this moment.

Resting his forehead against mine, a heart-melting smile tips Jace's mouth. "Goddamn, baby. You have no idea how bad I needed that." He kisses my forehead, the tip of my nose, and finally my lips before leaning back to look me in the eyes. "You're so fucking special to me, Alexis. You got no clue what I'd do for you. So fucking perfect."

After everything we've just done, now is the time my body flushes pink as I bite back a smile.

Jace cups my chin and tugs my bottom lip from my teeth with his thumb. "Don't hide that beautiful smile, baby. You're amazing, Alexis, beyond words. Own that shit. Be proud of it."

I nod and he gives me a quick peck on the lips before getting up. Walking through the dark with complete confidence in his naked body, Jace heads into the attached bathroom. He comes back out seconds later, already cleaned off, with a towel in his hand.

"Lay back, baby," he instructs and nods his head towards the pillows.

Shrugging, I reach out for the towel. "Hand it to me. I got it."

Jace tugs the towel away and holds it behind his back. Narrowing his eyes, his voice deepens to that gravelly timber that makes my toes curl. "Just do it, Alexis."

Yes, sir.

I scurry to the top of the bed and lay down, my eyes growing wide as he crouches next to me. My eyes soak up the sight of him in all his muscular and tattooed glory while he cleans off my stomach and hands. When Jace is satisfied with his work, he tosses the towel on the floor and crawls up my body.

"Now it's your turn, baby." He kisses me but doesn't linger, quickly trailing down to my neck.

"M-My turn?"

Jace's heated gaze looks up at me as he continues to kiss down to my breasts. "Yeah. You told me you've never been ate out. That's a fucking problem. You deserve better than that, baby. Something I should've done for you a long fucking time ago. So, I'm gonna fix it."

I don't get why Jace feels like he has to make up for this. We were young and only went all the way once before the big split. Neither one of us knew what we were doing. But I'm not gonna complain now. Jace has clearly honed his skills, and I'm willing to take whatever he has to offer.

Mesmerized by everything he's doing, I watch as Jace kisses the tops of my breasts as he reaches under me. I arch my back without thinking, and before I know it he has my bra removed and thrown across the room.

Jace leans back on his heels, looking down at me in wonder. "How the fuck did I get so lucky?"

I don't have a chance to answer before he dips forward and latches onto a hard nipple, teasing me with the give and take of light pressure to sucking on it.

"Oh god," I throw my head back.

He chuckles lightly, biting my tender peak before soothing the sting with a lap of his tongue. I moan louder, threading my hands in his hair, guiding him to the other nipple. He gladly gives it attention, sucking and biting, sending electrifying pulses straight to the very bottom of my belly.

Finally letting go, his mouth moves again, nipping the skin just below my breasts. With each kiss his mouth goes further down, sending chills throughout my body until he reaches the top of my panty line. He runs his tongue along my skin, just above the lace material.

I whimper and wiggle beneath him. "Jace, please."

Pure need wraps around my body, shocking every nerve in my body. All I want is to feel his hands, his mouth, his dick, driving me to the brink and back.

Jace returns his mouth to mine as I run my nails down his bare back. His eyes are clouded with lust, looking at me like a starved man who hasn't eaten in years.

"What do you want, baby?" he huskily asks, grabbing my hair and pulling my head to the side, leaving my neck vulnerable for him to mark.

His glorious mouth sucking on my neck makes it hard for me to do much more than whimper.

I feel Jace smile against my skin. "That's not gonna cut it, sweetheart. I need to hear you say it." He nips my ear, releasing more wanton murmurs from my mouth. "I've dreamt of you for years, Alexis. Haunted by the memories of your voice and that one night I discovered the highest high." He cups my soaked flesh through the thin material. "I wanna taste you, baby. But I'm not gonna do it 'til you tell me what you want."

"Please!" I beg, desperately finding my voice. "Please, Jace, I can't wait anymore."

"Then what do you want, baby?" he runs his hands just under my panty line. "You want my fingers, my mouth, or my cock? Which one do you want to make you scream?"

"All of it," I gasp, his dirty words making me wetter by the second. "All of you."

"Mmm." He licks his lips, grinning darkly. "I wanna believe you baby, but we both know you're not ready for all of me. Not yet. But I'll give you my mouth tonight. I'll eat that pussy like it's my last meal and make you come on my tongue. How's that sound?"

His words send me ablaze and panting for more. "Yes. Please, baby. Yes."

He smirks and pushes my panties to the side, sinking a finger inside me. My hips buck, begging for more.

"So fucking needy," Jace raps through clenched teeth, the jump in his jaw showing his internal struggle for control.

He's has turned on as me, and knowing that makes every pump of his finger more pleasurable. When he adds a second finger, I cry out again, and a feral look flashes in his dark blue eyes. He moves down my body, his fingers never missing a beat, until he's positioned between my legs. Withdrawing from my body, he hooks my panties and rips them away in the blink of an eye. I yelp with excitement and shock and draw my knees up.

Placing a hand on both my legs, Jace tsks at me. "Uh, uh. No hiding."

"I-I wasn't," I try to deny.

"I wanna see all of you, Alexis. It's been too long." He pulls my legs apart slowly, the grin on his face falling as his mouth hangs open. Looking down at me, at all of me, he licks his lips. "So fucking perfect."

Dipping his head between my thighs, Jace trails kisses from my pantieless panty line until he reaches the top of my aching flesh. He pauses and meets my gaze with a fierce severity. "Don't take your eyes off me. I want you to watch, baby."

With those final words, he dives down, his tongue taking a lavish lick at my core.

"Oh, fuck!" I shout, unprepared for the chaotic sensations zapping through me.

That's it, he's going to kill me. Jace's mouth is a deadly weapon in more ways than one and I don't think I'll survive.

He pulls away and inhales my scent. "God, that's good." A low strangled grunt comes from his chest. "So fucking intoxicating."

Dropping down, his tongue twirls around my clit, hitting the most sensitive spot before plunging deep. He laps at me like an animal as a guttural sound leaves him and reverberates through me. I fight to keep my eyes on him, eyes fluttering with every electric jolt to my most sweetest spot.

Watching Jace between my thighs is like watching him in his element; confident but at a loss for control, surrendering himself to what he desires most. Hearing and seeing how much he's enjoying me makes everything he's doing so much better. He can devour me whole and I'll go with a smile on my face.

Jace reaches under me and grabs my ass with both hands before bringing me closer to his mouth as his tongue continues its assault.

"Jace." I moan louder and grab a fist full of his hair.

Holding onto him with one hand, I shamelessly thrust my hips up, rocking into his mouth, wanting more. He gives me exactly what I want as he slips two fingers in, sucking on my clit, bringing me closer to the brink. His tongue flicks over my bundle of nerves, relentlessly lapping at me.

"Ah, yes! I'm so fucking close, baby. Please!"

Jace growls against my core and adds a third finger to the party. He pumps harder, faster while furiously twirling and flicking his tongue. I can feel the electrifying shocks of pleasure hit the pit of my stomach as my muscles start to tighten.

"That's it, baby," Jace hums encouragement. "Come for me. Let me taste that sweet release."

My breathing falters as an overdrive of emotion and sensations melt together and steal the air from my lungs.

It's too much.

I fight to draw in air while pressure builds deep inside me. When it feels like my insides can't possibly twist any tighter, Jace hits the right spot and growls, "Come, Alexis!"

My body seizes, and I explode. Falling apart at the seams, my inner bindings unravel and shake through me like an earthquake. Wave after wave of intense pleasure cracks through me with each flick of Jace's tongue.

"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." I moan rapidly, my thighs trembling around Jace's head as he slows his attack. "Oh, God. Jace."

He keeps at it, lapping at my orgasm, draining me. When the last tremor leaves me, I fall flat against the mattress, sated and exhausted. Every bit of my energy is gone, and I couldn't be happier. But even worn out, my mind bounces with giddiness as Jace leans back.

Climbing out of the bed, he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand and smirks. "Guess I should get that towel again."

I'm barely coherent as he cleans his face before doing the same to my tender flesh. When he's done, Jace slides into the bed next to me and draws me to his chest. Hearing his heart beating, a satisfied sigh leaves my lips, and my eyes slowly close.

Jace runs his hand through my hair with one hand while his other is secured around my waist. He kisses the top of my head, and the last thing I hear before falling asleep is him whispering, "You're mine, Lex. Perfectly mine."

My body jolts awake at the sound of a loud boom. Before I can open my eyes, Jace is jumping out of the bed and running toward the window. I hastily wrap the sheets around my bare body and walk over to gaze at what has him standing tense and stiff.

"Oh, my god." My mouth hangs open at the scene on the street.

"Stay here," Jace orders and grabs his pants off the floor. "I'm not fucking kidding, Lexi, stay put."

"B-But..." I point at the window, my eyes returning to the inferno below. "Marcel's jeep!"

The once sleek vehicle sits along the curb in front of my house, completely engulfed in flames.

Jace's jaw ticks but before he can say anything, my bedroom door flies open with Josie and Kade. Kade lightly shoves her towards my bed and barks, "Stay here!"

Jo looks horrified but she still attempts to argue. "Kade..."

"No!" Kade shouts, causing her to jump.

His face instantly falls with regret. Shooting a fleeting look at the door, he takes a deep breath and kneels in front of her, holding her face between his hands.

"Please, Josette. Stay here." Kade begs, his voice filled with pain.

Jo bites her tongue and nods before kissing him. Once they're apart, Kade rushes down the stairs, his voice trailing behind him. "Come on, Jace!"

Jace's gaze meets mine, filled with cold resolve. In a few strides, he closes the distance between us and slams his lips to mine. The kiss is short-lived but charged with so much meaning. When he pulls away, he follows after his cousin, slamming the door behind him, and leaving me praying to whoever's listening to keep them all safe.

 💋____________________________________💋

So how was that for a fire alarm chapter? 

Seriously though, what did you lovelies think? Too much? Not enough? Did anything feel out of place(I keep feeling like I need to relook this chapter over a few more times)? Are you relieved that Ava and Caleb are okay? What about Jace's confession about his promise to Caleb? And why in the hell is Marcel's Jeep on fire?

Let me know what you think in the comments and if you like what you read, please hit that star button!

As usual, the teaser for chapter 33 will be posted on my Instagram and Twitter in a day or two. Keep an eye out for it!

P.S. I'll be going through previous chapters soon to rename Lexi's school from Northeast High to New Freeport High. So if you notice the name change in new chapters, that's what's going on. 😘