Just The Right Black

Chapter 15

"What are you doing here?"
Ariana stared at Jace pissed and curious as to why he showed up.

Or better yet, why he followed her because there was no way that he just happened to show up there.

"I could ask you the same thing." Jace still held onto her wrist.

"No. You don't get to ask me that." She said, "I can go anywhere whenever I want to. The question is why did you follow me."

"I didn't want you to put yourself in danger."

Ariana's brows creased at that. He confused her.
"Hold on a minute. I don't need you to follow me around, I can take care of myself perfectly fine." She snatched her hand from his, "And I've said it once and I'll say it again, I'm the bodyguard here, not you."

Jace balanced on his other leg and sighed.
"I can't help it," He said, "It just feels natural to worry about you."

Jace looked at her in a way no one had looked at her in a long time. Like she mattered and he wanted to take care of her. His gaze dropped to her lip which had split.
"Let's get you out of here."

Ariana turned around and was about to hop on her bike when Jace held her hand again. She turned her head to look at him wondering what the matter was again.

"No Ari, we're taking the car. I'll call Marvis to get your bike."

Ariana looked at him for a moment wanting so much to argue with him on that but the tiny part that wanted so badly to be taken care of won.

Just this once.
She told herself.

Ariana nodded and walked past him heading towards his car and Jace followed behind, opening the passenger's door for her to get in which made her pause for a second before she got in.

While Jace drove, Ariana clenched her jaw to push away the urge to look at him and well after the feeling passed and she thought that was it, she turned her head and looked at his side profile. Jace felt her gaze on him, so he glanced at her and she turned her gaze away from him making him smile.

"How bad does it hurt?" He asked her,

Ariana looked at him,
"What?"

"Your jaw."

"It's numb." Ariana looked away,

"That bad uh."

"All thanks to you."

"Yea, sorry about that." He was sorry it had happened but then smiled when he thought about it for a second. "So, I distracted you."

"Enough to get myself punched in the face." Ariana said accusingly.

"If it's worth anything, you put him on his ass." He glanced at her, "You were pretty damned good out there."

Ariana glanced at him with a smile that he caught before he turned back to look at the road.
"Can I ask you something?"

"Go for it."

"Why were you discharged?"

"Uhm..." Ariana looked at her fingers, "Medical issue."

"You got injured?" He glanced at her with worry in his eyes.

"Not exactly." Ariana said, "It was mental. I wasn't deemed fit anymore."

Ariana swallowed the lump in her throat.
"What about you?"

"Honourably discharged after my sixth tour." He said,

"And you never thought of reenlisting?"

"Was thinking about it but then my dad..." He went silent and she knew the rest from there,