Love's Redemption (Chris and Maddie)

Chapter 692

I was startled. "Jace, you..."

+25 BONUS

But before I could finish, he swiped the blood away with the back of his hand, turned, and walked off. My legs twitched, like they wanted to follow him, but nope, I stayed put. Maybe it was better this way. If he kept pushing himself like that, maybe he'd finally leave me alone.

Xander came, his eyes zeroing in on the bloodstain. "Who are you mad at me? I didn't mean anything-I just thought he was annoying you, so I stepped in."

I ignored him and shoved the clothes I was holding into his hands. "Just go, Xander."

He hesitated but eventually headed to change. When he came back, hits bag of dirty clothes was in one hand, and in the other? A wet wipe.

To my surprise, he crouched down by the door, wiping up the blood Jace left behind.

The second the door clicked shut behind Xander, I collapsed onto the couch.

I sat there for what felt like hours, my brain stuck in a loop of Jace coughing up blood on repeat. When I couldn't sit anymore, I flopped onto the couch and stayed there.

wouldn't stop. It felt like that blood

I just stared out the window for a while before dragging myself to

blood-on my face,

wipe and started cleaning it off, slow and careful,

to the office, my phone buzzed. It was

in my territory?" His tone

I could track him down, Cole beat me to it. Saved me the hassle, so I didn't bother sugarcoating anything. What's the deal? You

"Anyone messing with you on my turf is messing with me." He had a point. Even jerks know better than to disrespect the territory's boss. Someone coming after me here? Total power move. "Yeah, someone tried to kill me," I said bluntly. "You'd

wasn't holding my breath. Cole, though? His

me the

I snapped. I wasn't about to rehash the details

took down, too," he added, like

course, he knew. Cole always

men. If Cole went after

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