Chapter 37
After work, Jace went home with his thoughts running in circles, refusing to give him peace. Every step he took up the narrow stairwell to his apartment felt heavier than the last, like he was dragging the weight of the entire day behind him. He tossed his bag down by the side of the bed, kicked his shoes off, and sat for a moment in the silence of his apartment. But silence wasn’t really silence...not tonight at least. His mind was too loud...too restless.
Dinner.
The word itself kept echoing in his head.
The thought knotted in his stomach. He wasn’t sure if it was dread, guilt, or a twisted curiosity gnawing at him. Maybe.... it was all three.
He ran a hand through his hair and leaned back on the bed frame, staring at the ceiling. Should he cancel? He could make up something, send a quick message.
For a brief second, Jace entertained the thought...imagining how relieved he’d feel to stay in, to avoid any questions aiden might have about last night.
But then reality hit. Canceling would make work tomorrow unbearable. Awkward glances in the hallways, the sting of guilt eating away at him. He sat forward, elbows on his knees, and let out a shaky breath. No, canceling wasn’t an option. He’d only make it worse. He had to face this. He had to go through with it.
His gaze drifted across the small living room to the old clock that hung crooked on the wall, its ticking louder than usual—as if mocking him. The hands had moved too quickly. He blinked, realizing how much time had already slipped away. Less than forty minutes until eight.
Forty minutes until he’d have to sit across from Aiden,and pretend he wasn’t unraveling inside.
He rubbed his face with both hands, muttering under his breath, “Just do it jace....you can get through tonight.”
With a determined exhale, Jace stood from his bed. The clock continued to tick on, merciless. He had less than forty minutes to get ready. Too late to back out now.
\~~~
By the time Jace left his apartment, the sun had already dipped low, painting the sky with streaks of orange.
He finally reached the restaurant aiden chose. It wasn’t flashy like the ones Elias usually dragged him to. It was warm, almost cosy, the kind of place where laughter carried easily, and the lighting softened every sharp edge.
His heart pounded faster with every step, but when he spotted Aiden waiting near the entrance, smiling softly at the sight of him, some of that nervousness melted into something else.
Warmth. Safety. Aiden always looked like someone you could lean on without fear of falling.
“Hey,” Aiden greeted, his tone casual, though his eyes lingered on Jace a second too long. “You look… good.”
“Thanks,” Jace muttered, trying not to fidget. He forced a smile. “You too.”
They stepped inside together, the faint clatter of cutlery and the murmur of conversations wrapping around them. The hostess led them to a small table tucked near the back. Jace was grateful for the privacy, though it also meant he couldn’t escape Aiden’s steady gaze.
They ordered quickly, something light, and then silence stretched between them, thick and unspoken. Aiden leaned back and began tapping his fingers against the table, studying Jace like he was waiting for something.
Finally, he leaned forward. “So… you and the boss.”
Jace stiffened,the words slammed into him harder than expected. His fork clinking against the plate he hadn’t touched. “What about it?”
Aiden tilted his head. “I didn’t know. Honestly, no one did. You seem to keep your personal life locked tighter than a vault. But then...well, the other night in the hospital…”
Heat crept up Jace’s neck. “Aiden…”
“I’m not judging.” His voice was soft, disarming. “But hearing you… with him...it did something to me.”
Jace’s breath caught. His eyes snapped up to Aiden’s, searching for mockery, for any sign this was just another one of his teasing games. But there was nothing.
“I like you, Jace.” The confession fell between them, simple but heavy, altering the air itself. “I’ve liked you since the beginning, when I first met you, but I told myself to stay away. I know you aren't free now....and I don’t want to be that guy. But that night… hearing how much he wanted you...it made me realize I couldn’t keep this to myself anymore.”
Jace froze. His pulse roared in his ears.
Aiden leaned back slightly, giving him space, though his eyes never wavered. “I know it’s wrong. I know you’re with him, and I’m not asking you to betray that. I just… I couldn’t hold it in anymore. I had....I just had to tell you.”
The weight of his words crashed into Jace like a wave. He sat frozen, caught between the sharp ache of guilt and the terrifying warmth blooming in his chest.
He should say something. Anything. But what? That Elias wasn’t really his, not in the way Aiden or even Elias himself thought? That everything between him and Elias was born from a plan, a manipulation so that he can get more access to the cranes secrets and give his parents justice that he promised them?.....that he promised noah?
Yet, despite the chaos consuming his life, Jace couldn’t even deny that he enjoyed sex with Elias.
His throat worked, but no words came.
Aiden smiled faintly, though it didn’t reach his eyes. “You don’t have to say anything. You don’t even have to decide right now. I can wait. I just needed you to know.”
Jace’s chest tightened painfully.
Safe. That was what Aiden felt like. Steady, warm, a lifeline in the chaos of his double life. The few moments he had spent with Aiden, he didn’t have to pretend. He didn’t have to fight. But Aiden was a friend. He wasn't supposed to be more than that, never the one to stir such feelings within jace.
He forced himself to breathe, eyes dropping to the table, as if avoiding Aiden’s gaze could lessen the weight of his confession.
But before Jace could respond, a sharp voice cut through the air.
“Jace.”
His head snapped up, heart stuttering violently.
Elias stood just a few feet away, dark eyes blazing, jaw tight with something that looked dangerously close to fury.
“What are you doing here?”