Ruin Me (#2 in the Brotherhood series)

Chapter 52

Rayna

As I sit on one of the lawn chairs in the garden I hear footsteps approach me.

"Do you mind if we sit with you?" Jace asks.

I nod.

Zylan reaches out for me and I gladly place him in my lap. Despite the mental battles I face on a daily basis, he always seems to make them disappear while he's with me.

"She made a statement saying she wants to give me full custody so she can leave without any strings attached."

I try not to react the way I actually want to, but it's not surprising. After I nearly killed her a few days ago she made called a meeting with Zade and said he has no purpose. I'm not sure if she expected someone to feel bad for her, but she claims that there is nothing left for her here.

I mean I don't blame her; she's able to see her son, but she's locked in a room forever. That's not a life.

"What did you say to that?" I ask

Jace's face becomes stone cold. "Zade called me about an hour ago and said that the maids found her unresponsive. By the time I got over there, they declared her dead." He shrugs, "she drank a combination of bleach and shattered glass. According to her autopsy the glass pieces were so spread out that even if they tried to wake her up earlier, she'd still end up with the same fate."

I stare down at Zylan as the news processes in my mind. He's completely oblivious to bad news as he watches cocomelon on his iPad.

His mother and i's relationship ended on bad terms but I know what it's like to be motherless. I spared her life because I thought about how it would affect Zylan. I guess it was not important for her to live to see her son grow.

Empathy courses through my veins as I hold Zylan a little tighter than I did before.

"Jace..."

"No.... Don't do that."

I've been around long enough to know that the Missu men do not like talking about their pain. They prefer to hide and lick their wounds until everything is better, but it's not healthy.

"Jace, it's okay to be sad. You loved her."

He shakes his head, "I don't love her!" He says with anger lacing through.

"Cut the crap Jace you did love her! Before Essy died I saw the way you would sneak glances at her. It was evident in the way you both would argue. You're angry at her for what she did, we all are. But you did love her."

Tears well in his eyes, but as soon as they stream down his face, his demeanor changes, and the Jace I once knew is completely gone.

"That's what I get for falling in love."

I shake my head, "Jace, no. It's okay to...."

"IT'S NOT!" He yells causing Zylan to jump in fright.

I start to sooth him as he begins crying.

Jace rubs circles on his temples in frustration as Zylan begins to calm down.

"Jace...." I say softly, " don't allow her to have this power over you. You have a son and one day you will meet the love of your life. One day you'll realize that all this pain is gonna be nothing compared to what you feel with that person"

His jaw ticks as he shakes his head, "no. I'm never falling in love again. The only people I will care about is my son and family. That's it!"

I sigh in disappointment, "Jace...."