Winner Takes All

Chapter Twenty Five ✘ Magic Word

"Now you're holding this against me, like I knew you would."
We're Good — Dua Lipa

Jace disappears under the water just as a collected gasp comes from the people around us, and I can hear Kai and Ty hooting with laughter somewhere behind me.

A smirk pulls on my mouth when Jace resurfaces. If looks could kill, I'd be at the Earth's core right now, because Jace is glaring at me like he wants me to combust on the spot.

"You little demon." He snarls, swimming to the edge, right where I'm standing.

I crouch down to his level, flicking a strand of wet hair on his forehead. "You asked me to make you shut up. And I did. We're even."

Jace looks up at me, the blue light of the pool making his sharp cheekbones stand out against the night. "I don't think so."

In a flash, he lunges up, grabbing my waist and pulling me into the water.

My mouth clamps shut just as I go under, Jace's hands still firmly wrapped around my waist as the two of us sink to the bottom of the pool. Thrashing away from him, I thrust myself away from his body and swim to the surface, gasping as I inhale a lungful of air. My clothes are weighing me down, my wings soggy and feeling like rocks on my back.

Everyone around the pool watches in amusement as Jace surfaces right next to me. Burning with rage, I reach over and push his head back down into the water. He doesn't panic like I expect, disappearing deeper into the water before emerging right behind me, his tattooed hands grabbing my waist and pulling me against his chest again.

My spine tingles at the feel of his wet torso pressed against my back, all my thoughts narrowing down to his arms around me.

"Trying to drown me, Rivers?" Jace mumbles in my ear, and I can nearly hear the smirk in his voice. "You can't get rid of me that easy."

With a frustrated groan, I push his arms off me and swim over to the edge of the pool, hoisting myself up. My wet hair sticks to my shoulders, my boots are filled to the brim with water, sloshing with every movement I make.

Jace pulls himself up, shaking his chestnut hair like a dog, eyeing me. "Come with me."

"Fuck you, Parker." I snap as Faith approaches me, easing my wet and heavy wings off my back. "I'm not going anywhere with you."

"If you want to dry off and not catch a fucking cold, yes you are. My bathroom is the only one in the house with a dryer." Jace rolls his eyes. "If not, suit yourself."

I glance sideways at Ty, who nods in confirmation.

"We have games coming up, J." Faith whispers, rubbing my back gently, something she always does to soothe and calm me down since we were kids. "Don't get sick."

Drawing in a breath, and cursing under my breath, I put my anger aside as I follow after Jace through the glass sliding doors that lead to the second floor of the penthouse, where the boys' bedrooms are settled in the four corners.

Bristling at the fact that I'm about to step into Jace Parker's bedroom, I begrudgingly walk in when Jace opens the door at the farthest corner. He flicks the lights on, and I have to hold in my awe. Similar to the living room, two of the four walls in the bedroom are made of glass, overlooking the city.