When he finally pulled back, we were both breathing hard, foreheads pressed together.
"Damn you, Ace," I whispered, voice shaking.
His thumb brushed over my cheek. "I'm not letting you go again, Brit."
I let out a broken laugh, blinking back tears. "You never really had me."
His lips curved in a sad, soft smile. "Not yet."
Inside, the music swelled, laughter drifting out onto the terrace. But out here, in the dark, it was just us - broken, tangled, raw.
I wanted to push him away.
I wanted to fall into him.
And maybe, for the first time in my life, I didn't know which was the bigger mistake.
He kissed me again, slower this time, his hands trembling slightly as they framed my face.
When we finally parted, I pressed my forehead against his chest, eyes squeezed shut. "You can't just walk back in like this," I whispered. "You don't get to decide when."
"I know," he murmured into my hair. "But I'm here now. And I'm not leaving."
For a long moment, we stood there, tangled up in the past, in everything we were too afraid to say.
Finally, I stepped back, drawing in a shaky breath. "I need to get back inside."
Ace caught my hand, lifting it to his lips. "I'll be waiting."
I stared at him, heart in my throat, before turning and slipping back into the party.
But even surrounded by laughter and champagne and flashing cameras, all I could feel was the burn of his kiss, and the terrifying, aching truth that maybe - just maybe - I didn't want him to let me go.
Chapter 31
Brittany
I stood by the tall window of Jasper’s Monticedo mansion, fingers wrapped around a glass of champagne, staring blankly at the dark hills that rolled beyond the glass. The jewelry launch had been a success. My designs had shimmered under the chandelier lights, draped around the necks and wrists of LA’s most adored celebrities, influencers snapping photos, and Corinne standing proudly by my side all evening.
But none of that mattered now.
Because my heart was still beating like a war drum in my chest from what happened hours ago—Ace. God, Ace.
I could still feel his hands on my arms, his voice rough in my ear, the taste of his kiss still lingering on my lips like the most dangerous poison. I hated him. I hated that I wanted him.
A soft knock pulled me from my spiral.
“Brit?” Corinne’s voice floated in.
I turned, pushing a shaky hand through my hair. “Hey.”
She stepped in, her bare feet padding over the marble. Her golden gown shimmered in the moonlight as she moved closer, a soft, knowing smile on her face.
“Everyone’s gone. Jasper’s upstairs with the kids. You okay?” she asked softly.
I exhaled, the tension in my shoulders releasing a fraction. “Yeah. Just… decompressing.”
Her eyes softened. “You know, you don’t have to do it all alone. I saw him tonight, Brit. The way Ace looked at you. The way you looked at him when you thought no one was watching.”
