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"I’ht" I don’t even believe the words that leave htseeing as how Mason is leaning in closer to her neck, I’ that" His words causepeople out of h politely

AUDREY -

My Auditing and Assurance class spent the day sitting in on one of Los Angeles’ top accounting firh their clients’ audits The day could not have dragged by at a slower pace Lane went to a different firot to know Olivia, one of my classmates, really well today

She’s the reason I’m here now I told her I needed to relieve some stress, when in actuality I just wanted to feel Jace can’t be the only person or thing that makesthrough thewhen spoken to The truth is I’ll always love Jace No matter how many times I think that maybe we’re better off without one another, there’s this part of o But I need to be able to breathe without him

Olivia convinced ht, button-up, sleeveless shirt I was hesitant about the party at first I never pictured irl to be pulled up onto a bar to dance and actually enjoy it I should have never let Mason and Garrett know that I’ve never tried alcohol because now I feel like I’ in it My sto sensation in ish, even though I feel like I’ with Olivia when Mason and Garrett decided to hop up and join us I shouldn’t have been surprised, since I’ve been batting away Mason’s advances all night Earlier, Max popped in and asked where Lane was, but I just responded with a shrug ofout his phone, I shouted, "Don’t you dare call Jace!"

So i through the crowd below Cole follows closely after him and I realize that Max is behind this somehow, because these two look like they are on ato do with rowls, "You have three seconds"

Surprisingly, Mason actually considers his words before deciding not to argue it and ju down Garrett passes me another drink from his bottle and I quickly s the foul taste Beer row on you, because I just don’t understand how everyone here see that if I were you," Cole calls up to Garrett

Meanwhile, Jace is still glaring at Mason "She’s NEVER had a drink before and this was your brilliant idea?" he hollers

"Seems fine to me," Mason slurs "Gotta start so later when she’s puking her guts out? Where did you plan on being then?"

"Hey, I would have had her upstairs and in ot to that point," Mason quips Jace was already h his sentence Mason didn’t even have a chance Jace o, but that obviously hasn’t affected his right hook The crunch of bone hitting bone is loud and I gasp at the sudden impact Mason’s body hits the floor, hard and fast

"Jace!" I yell, but before my brain can catch up, my feet lose their battle with balance I tilt away fro around me

"Shit!" Cole blurts out

My body falls into a set of waiting arms and I smile when I look up into my favorite pair of eyes No one can compete with them, not even Jaxon While Jaxon’s eyes are more ice and winter, Jace’s looka tropical island He’s my personal paradise

"Gotcha, babe," he whispers

"That was fun," I breathe out through

"Let’s not do it again, okay?" he srin instantly hardens into a look of murder "You want to join hie of the bar and shakes his head I squeezehe doesn’t plan on putting ain Better yet, don’t even look at her again You can relay that e to your buddy when he wakes up," Jace finishes He doesn’t put ates the croard the front door

"Well, Jaxon’s gonna kick my ass Thanks ," Cole calls over Jace’s shoulder

"Not even Jaxon could have stopped that fro"

When we reach the front porch, Cole squeezes his shoulder and sonna head back to ood!" I cry drunkenly, "You finally know!"

"How did you know?" Jace asks in ae," I reply, as if they should already understand this

"Uh, what bridge, pretty girl?" Cole questions

"The one she was gonna jump off of She was pretty freaked out when she found out," I say, closingon I don’t need the fan’s help

"She was going to juhts

"Not a real one," I whisper for dramatic effect "You know, it’s just a metamorphosis"

"I think she means a metaphor," Jace chuckles

I lean forward and speak withhis, "That’s what I said"

"Well, thanks for helping Quinn out," Cole says genuinely "You’re kind of cute when you’re drunk" He chuckles and kissesaway

"Jace, your car is on the lawn," I whisper, while looking around for who could have done this

"You are pretty dale out of his hold until my feet are planted firmly on the wooden porch I reach out for his hand and pull hi yet, but I’ll show him how damn adorable I can be

The side of the house is pitch black and thankfully deserted When I find a spot hidden by the bushes, I push Jace up against the brick wall He eyes et you horoans, as I slaainst his

"Shh" I whisper, "You don’t want so what?" he questions quietly