39.

Jace had been in the middle of a brisk walk toward Alina’s building when he spotted a familiar figure kneeling on the pavement, her frame trembling.

His heart lurched.

"Alina?" His voice was sharp, urgent.

She didn’t react at first. Her fingers curled into the ground, her head bowed, shoulders shaking with uneven breaths. Panic flared in his chest as he rushed forward, skidding to a stop beside her.

"What the hell happened?" he demanded, crouching and gripping her shoulders. "Are you hurt?"

Alina barely lifted her head, but when she did, the raw emotion in her mismatched eyes sent a wave of fury through him. She looked… shattered. Her cheeks were streaked with tears, her lips pressed into a thin line as if holding back a storm.

Jace’s hands tightened on her shoulders. "Talk to me, Alina. Who did this to you?" His voice was softer now, but no less urgent.

She exhaled shakily, wiping at her face with the sleeve of her coat. "He's gone," she whispered.

Jace’s frown deepened. "Who?"

She swallowed, her throat bobbing. "Caelan."

Jace stilled. His grip on her relaxed, his mind reeling.

Caelan?

The billionaire? The guy who was far too enigmatic for Jace’s liking?

The name sent irritation crawling up his spine. He had been wary of Caelan from the beginning. The way he looked at Alina, the way his presence unsettled her—it had never sat right with him.

And now, here she was. Kneeling on the ground, breathless, tears in her eyes, whispering his name like he had just ripped something vital from her.

Jace clenched his jaw. "What did he do?"

Alina shook her head. "I don’t know. I don’t—" Her voice broke, frustration flashing in her gaze. "He took something from me, Jace. He tried to make me forget, but I remember."

Jace stiffened. "Forget?"

Her fingers trembled as they gripped his sleeves. "Something happened last night. I don’t remember how I got home. But I do remember him. His voice. His touch. His—" She exhaled sharply, shaking her head. "He didn’t want me to remember."

Jace’s blood ran cold.

Alina was no liar. She wasn’t dramatic or prone to delusions. If she was saying this, then something had happened. And if Caelan was involved…

Jace clenched his fists. "Come on." His voice was firm, unyielding. "Let’s get you inside."

She hesitated, looking back toward the street as if hoping Caelan's car would reappear. But it didn’t.

With a resigned breath, she let Jace help her up.

Her knees wobbled, and he cursed under his breath, slipping an arm around her waist. "Damn it, Alina, you're freezing. Were you just sitting out here barefoot?"

She barely registered his concern, her gaze distant.

Jace sighed and guided her back inside, his mind racing.

Something was wrong.

And if Caelan thought he could just walk away from this without answering for it, he was dead wrong.

Jace kept a firm arm around Alina as he led her inside, his jaw tight with frustration. She was shivering, her bare feet ice-cold against the tile floors of the lobby. He didn’t say anything as he hit the button for the elevator, his eyes flicking down to her pale face.

When the doors slid open, he guided her inside, watching as she leaned against the wall, her breaths still uneven.

"You’re scaring me, Alina," he admitted, pressing the button for her floor.

She let out a quiet, shaky breath. "I’m scared too."

His stomach twisted.

The elevator ride was silent, tension thick between them. He wanted to demand answers, to do something, but he knew pushing her now wouldn’t help. She was shaken. Exhausted. Whatever had happened with Caelan had left her rattled in a way he’d never seen before.

When they finally reached her apartment, Jace guided her inside and shut the door behind them.

"Sit," he ordered, nodding toward the couch.

Alina hesitated for a moment before finally sinking down onto the cushions, curling her legs beneath her. She looked small, lost.

Jace scrubbed a hand down his face, exhaling. He needed to get her warm, get some food in her, and then figure out what the hell had happened.

"Stay put," he muttered, walking toward the kitchen.

The fridge wasn’t exactly stocked, but he found some eggs, bread, and a half-empty carton of milk. Good enough. He grabbed a pan and got to work, cracking eggs into a bowl, whisking them with a little salt and pepper.

As he moved around the kitchen, the sound of the whisk against the bowl and the sizzle of butter in the pan filled the quiet space. It was grounding. Normal.

He glanced over his shoulder.

Alina sat where he had left her, staring at the floor, her fingers twisting in the hem of her sweater.

Jace frowned, flipping the eggs. "Talk to me, Lina."

She inhaled sharply, as if she had forgotten he was there. Slowly, she lifted her gaze to meet his.

"Something's wrong with me, Jace," she whispered.

His chest tightened. "Bullshit."

"I’m serious." She pressed a hand to her temple, shaking her head. "I was supposed to forget, but I didn’t. He made me forget, but I remember—"

Jace turned off the burner and set the spatula down with a little more force than necessary.

"Start from the beginning," he said, voice firm but gentle. "What do you mean he made you forget?"

Alina hesitated, then slowly, carefully, she told him. About Caelan. About the night before. About the strange pull of his voice, the way she had felt compelled to obey.

Jace listened, his fingers tightening around the counter’s edge.

When she finished, the room was silent except for the ticking of the kitchen clock.

Jace exhaled sharply. "Okay." He turned back to the stove, plating the eggs and some toast. "Eat first. Then we figure this out."

Alina opened her mouth to protest, but he shot her a look. "Not negotiable, Lina. You’re exhausted. Food first."

She sighed but didn’t argue.

Jace brought the plate over, setting it in front of her before grabbing a fork and placing it in her hand. He sat down beside her, watching as she hesitated before taking a small bite.

"Good girl," he muttered, relief settling in his chest.

For now, he wouldn’t push. Wouldn’t demand answers.

But as Alina slowly ate, her eyes still shadowed with uncertainty, Jace made a silent vow.

Caelan had some explaining to do.

And Jace wasn’t about to let this go.