Dark Hearts

by Micalea Smeltzer

  Jace’s arm drops from around me and he grabs my other hand as Thea pulls us through the house and to the kitchen. Xander’s sitting on one of the bar stools, dressed in black jeans, with a black t-shirt tucked into them, boots, and his black hair slicked back. He’s even shaved for the occasion. I can’t even recall a time where I’ve not seen Xander with some sort of scruff on his cheeks.

  Cade stands beside him dressed in jeans, with a white button down shirt with a vest over that sports a gold and maroon crest and tie, with a long black cloak completing the ensemble. I realize belatedly that he’s dressed as a Harry Potter character—the wand in his hand helps.

  Across the island, pouring a drink, is Rae dressed as a cute scarecrow with jeans, a plaid shirt, a straw hat, and her face painted to complete the look.

  “None of them are in real costumes,” Jace defends.

  “Yeah, but I like them more than I like you,” Thea jests, releasing her hold on me. “Guess what I just learned,” she says to our group. There are a few other people milling about in the kitchen, someone dressed as Batman, another as Wonder Woman, and I even spot someone dressed as Marty McFly from Back to the Future so props to them for being creative. “Guess,” she says again when they all just look at her.

  Xander wraps his arm around her waist and pulls her close to him. “That nobody loves Halloween as much as you?”

  She smiles at him. “That might be true—but no.”

  “Just tell us,” Rae says, leaning against the counter with a bottle of water clutched in her hand. “I hate guessing games. Nobody ever gets it right.”

  Thea pouts slightly. “You guys ruin all my fun.” She shakes her head. “Anyway, I learned that our very own, self-proclaimed, single-for-life friends are dating. Each other—in case you didn’t get my implication.”

  Cade chokes on his drink and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Dude, I … I’m shocked.”

  “When did this happen?” Rae asks, her lips downturned. I can tell from her posture that she’s slightly hurt by this news. I don’t think she’s upset that Jace and I are together, but more that I didn’t tell her. I’ve never been all that good at talking to people, that’s why it’s always surprised me that it’s so effortless with Jace.

  “Not long,” I mumble. I figure an ambiguous answer is the best route.

  “So, yeah,” Jace says, looking at me with a smile. “That’s that.” Pointing at each of our friends he adds, “Don’t make this a big fucking deal, okay?”

  “There goes my plans for a party,” Thea jokes. “Whatever will I do?”

  “Come on.” Jace takes my hand and tugs me from the kitchen. “Let’s get away from these freaks.”

  “We love you too,” Xander chortles, lifting his beer in the air as we leave.

  Once out of earshot of our friends, Jace leans down to my ear. “That went better than I thought but I wanted to get out of there before they asked us to all hold hands and sing Kumbaya.”

  I laugh. “That still might happen, you know.”

  “I hope you’re ready to run then.”

  We enter the living room, which seems to be the main gathering place. Several people sit on the couch while others stand and chat. A few people even use the clear middle space for dancing.

  Jace guides me to a corner area and positions me so my back is to his front. I smile even though he can’t see—but this, this is nice. I never thought I’d feel content in a relationship again, but with the Jace the fear of heartbreak barely even registers, because this feels so right.

  “Hey, Nova!” a male voice calls over to me.

  I look around and my eyes land on a guy dressed as Green Arrow. “Joel! Hey!”

  “Joel,” Jace growls, and I elbow him in the gut.

  “Be nice,” I hiss.

  Joel makes his way over to us from the foyer.

  “I thought you were working,” Jace says, and I elbow him again. “Hey, quit that,” he whispers in my ear.

  “Then be nice,” I reiterate.

  “It was a question,” he mumbles innocently.

  “I ended up being off,” Joel explains. “So, I wanted to swing by if I could. I love costume parties.”

  “Hmm, interesting,” Jace comments.

  “Cut it out,” I hiss, ready to elbow him again.

  “Anyway,” Joel clears his throat, “I just wanted to say hi. I’m going to go get a drink. I … um … take it you two let your friends know you’re together?” He points to us where we stand cozily together.

  I smile up at Jace. “Yeah, they know now,” I tell him.

  Joel nods. “Good. That’s good.”

  He turns and leaves, and I swear I hear Jace growl.

  “What?” I look up at him and find that his lip is curled in a snarl.

  “He still wants to fuck you, and it’s pissing me off.”

  I laugh and step out of his embrace so I can face him. “He does not,” I argue.

  “He does.” Jace nods. “I can tell. He needs to stop.”

  I place my palm on his hard chest, feeling the planes of his muscle through the thin cotton. I lean up and brush my lips softly over his before I murmur, “I guess it’s a good thing you’re the only guy I want to see me naked.”

  “Better be.” He places his hands on my waist, his fingers grazing my butt.

  I stretch up on my tiptoes and kiss him. He kisses me back with fervor and I know he’s purposely trying to take it to X-rated levels so I quickly pull away and shake my head.

  “Nice try,” I say.

  He grins like a little kid who’s gotten caught with their hand stuck in the cookie jar.

  The music changes and I tug on his hand. “Dance with me.”

  “How is it we always end up dancing?” He chuckles.

  “I think we just like to move together, even if we have to do it with our clothes on.”

  He laughs and my stomach flutters with happiness at the sound. He used to rarely smile or laugh, and now he does it often. It makes me feel slightly victorious.

  Xander and Thea have come into the living room and dance a few feet away where Thea steals glances in our direction. I do my best to not let her stare get to me.

  Jace skims his hands up my sides, grazing his fingers beneath the curve of my breasts, and I shiver. He knows how to get to me faster than anyone else ever has. It’s like he has a direct line to my vagina.

  The song playing is hot and sultry. The kind of song that makes you want to strip off your clothes and have sweaty, mind-blowing sex. It doesn’t help that the guy I’m dancing with is sex on a stick.

  He rubs his hands down my body and squeezes my butt. Lowering his head, he murmurs, “If you keep looking at me like that I’m going to have to fuck you.”

  “Is that a promise?” I breathe, looking at him through hooded eyes.

  His eyes flash a stormy green and he takes my hand, guiding me from the room.

  He leads me through the house and to the back laundry room. He shuts and locks the door behind us.

  I move a few steps back and he stalks forward, closing the distance like a predator cornering its prey. I’m sure the prey doesn’t normally want to get caught, but I can’t help but love getting tangled in his web.

  My heart thunders in my chest, and in the back of my mind I worry about what I’m thinking about doing in my friends’ house, but when it comes to Jace there’s no such thing as common sense.

  His fingers tangle in my hair and I gasp as he draws my head back. He closes his mouth over mine, his tongue plunging inside. I claw at his shirt, wild with need and desire. His hands roam from my back down to my butt, where he pulls me against him so I can feel his hardness.

  He releases my hair, and I stumble back from the sudden release of pressure.

  His face paint is now streaked with red from my lips, and I love seeing it—love seeing the chaos that is us represented so fully.

  I pull in a ragged breath, watching him. His shoulders are hunched and he stares at m
e.

  Waiting.

  I move.

  He moves.

  We crash together, a tangle of limbs and teeth. We tear at each other’s clothes, not able to undress the other fast enough. This wildness feels so natural that it’s hard to believe that I’ve only ever experienced it with Jace. I feel like he’s shown me my true colors. Passion bleeds red behind my eyes as he picks me up and pushes my back into the wall.

  I cry out as he pushes into me. I should probably care about someone hearing, but I don’t. All that exists is him and me and this.

  I breathe out heavily, unable to catch my breath.

  He takes my hands and pins them above my head, fucking me with a reckless abandon.

  He kisses me deeply, stealing my breath and maybe a little bit of my soul in the process.

  He bites my bottom lip, and I moan. He chuckles at the sound and releases my lip with a pop. Holding my hands in one of his he uses his free one to grip my chin, angling my head so I’m looking right at him.

  “You love this, don’t you?” he growls. “You love it when I fuck you.”

  “Yes,” I pant, clinging to his shoulders.

  “Say it,” he commands. “I want to hear you say it.”

  “I love it,” I breathe, fighting to look away.

  He seals his lips over mine and then murmurs, “Good girl.” He releases me and my chin stings as blood flows back to the places where his fingers marked me. He leans his forehead against mine and looks down. “Watch us,” he whispers, and my eyes flow down to where we’re joined. The sight of his hard cock moving in and out of me sends another flood of desire through my body. “Nobody can fuck you like I can.” He brushes his lips against my ear. “Remember that.”

  He lets go of my hands, and I sag against him. His fingers dig into my ass as he holds my weight. He fucks me desperately, like he’s afraid I’m about to disappear.

  It feels too soon, but I’m coming. The peak hits and I cry out. He slams his lips to mine, our teeth crashing painfully together as he silences my cries. His tongue tangles with mine and I tug on his hair.

  He comes a moment later, groaning into my neck with his fingers gripping my hips.

  His body sags against mine as my legs fall to the ground.

  Before Jace I’d never been fucked against a wall.

  Now it’s happened twice. I’m convinced it’s my favorite place to have sex now.

  We each struggle to gain control of our breathing, for the moment content to cling to each other as we come down from our high.

  Several minutes pass before we find the energy to right our clothes. His makeup is ruined, a combination of sweat and frantic kisses, and I’m sure mine hasn’t fared better. There’s nothing I can do to try to salvage it.

  Jace opens the door and we sneak out, back into the party.

  More people have arrived and the hallway is thick with guests. We can barely push our way through. We pass Joel, making out with a girl dressed as Princess Peach. I smack Jace’s arm and force him to look.

  He chuckles and slings his arm around my shoulders.

  “Good, maybe the prick will get a girlfriend so he’ll stop staring at you.”

  I shake my head, not about to argue with him again about Joel liking me. We round the corner into the family room and find that chaos has erupted.

  Thea dances on the coffee table singing “You’re the One That I Want” to Xander, who stands with his arms crossed over his chest and a horrified expression on his face. She crooks a finger, urging him forward to sing with her. He shakes his head, trying not to laugh. Unfazed, Thea shrugs her shoulders and continues to sing and dance. Several other people sing along with her.

  “She’s crazy,” Jace says in my ear. “But I kinda like her. Don’t tell her I said that, though.”

  I laugh. “Don’t want anyone to know you have feelings?”

  He grins, his eyes lighting. “I gotta keep my street cred.”

  “I’m going to go get a drink,” I tell him, heading for the kitchen.

  “I want one too,” he says, following.

  I grab a beer out of the cooler on the counter and hand it to Jace, then grab another one for myself.

  Jace clinks his bottle to mine.

  “What are we cheersing to?” I ask.

  He tugs his bottom lip between his teeth, thinking. “Possibilities,” he finally answers.

  I nod, smiling. I like that answer. “To possibilities,” I echo.

  Jace

  “Balls. I think we need balls.”

  “What did you say?” I look up from the glass I’m drying.

  “Balls,” Eli repeats. “I think we should hang balls from the ceiling for Christmas.”

  “You mean ornaments?” I ask, placing the glass back where it belongs.

  “Oh,” Eli says with a small gasp. “That’s right. I forgot that’s what those are called.”

  I sigh. There’s never a dull day when you work for Eli.

  “Shouldn’t we be more concerned with Thanksgiving decorations if you’re planning to decorate?” I ask, beginning to mix a drink for a customer.

  Eli rests his elbows on the bar. His dark hair is speckled with glitter. I don’t think I’ll ever understand his obsession with glitter. The shit gets everywhere and won’t go away.

  Eli waves a hand dismissively at my words. “Nobody cares about Thanksgiving. It’s Halloween and Christmas and that’s it. Nothing else matters.”

  I laugh. “Speak for yourself. I think a lot of people like other holidays.”

  “Then they’re stupid.”

  I shake my head. Eli has no filter. It’s one reason I like him as a boss.

  “Move, Jacen,” Matilda snaps, bumping me as she passes.

  If she was a guy, I swear I would’ve hit her by now.

  “Matilda,” Eli scolds, but that’s as far as it goes.

  I give the customer their drink and return to Eli. “So, who’s going to hang these ornaments from the ceiling?” I ask.

  “You, of course.”

  I sigh. I should’ve known.

  “Hey,” Nova greets breathlessly, dropping onto one of the stools.

  “Hey,” Eli says.

  “She was talking to me,” I tease, and wink at her.

  “Why?” Eli wrinkles his nose. “I’m cuter.”

  “I need your help,” Nova says to me, ignoring Eli’s comment.

  “With what?” I lean my elbows on the bar.

  “I need to take your picture.”

  I groan. “No.”

  “Please?” she pouts. “It’s for school. I have a project and I have the perfect idea, but I need your help for it.”

  I tug on my hair. “I’m not getting out of this, am I?”

  She shakes her head. “Nope.”

  “Out of the way, Jacen.” Matilda bumps me again as she passes.

  Nova snorts. “I know you hate your full name, but adding the en to your name still isn’t that great of an insult.”

  “Don’t say that where she can hear or she might have to get creative.”

  She laughs. “She doesn’t have the brains to be creative.”

  “Be nice, kids,” Eli warns.

  “Sorry, Dad,” I joke.

  “I am far too young and fabulous to be your dad.” Eli flips his head to the side with a flourish.

  “Are you hungry?” I ask Nova.

  “Um, yeah. I want a burger.”

  “Coming right up,” I tell her, and spin around to enter her order into the system.

  Eli hops off his bar stool. “I’m going to be in my office. Try not to kill Matilda while I’m gone.”

  “No promises,” I call after him.

  I get Nova a glass of water without her asking.

  I tend to the other people at the bar. The place is packed, and it’s not even our busy time.

  I’m curious as to what Nova needs me to do to help with her project.

  Something tells me I don’t want to know.

  Nova�
�s burger is ready about fifteen minutes later and I bring the plate to her.

  “I have to eat and run,” she says. “I have to get over to the record store.”

  My brows furrow. “I thought they were closed by this time.”

  She nods. “Normally, yes. They’re doing some kind of special promotion thing—trying to get people to buy records and sign up for guitar lessons. It’s like a party of sorts. Food. Drinks. You get the idea. I said I’d come in and help keep the place organized.”

  I nod. “Ah, I see.”

  She bites into her burger. “Oh, man, that’s good. I was starving. I skipped lunch.”

  I look at the time. “It’s six-o-clock. You have to eat,” I scold.

  “Didn’t have time.” She shrugs.

  I shake my head. I don’t have time to stand and chat but I let her know with my eyes that I’m going to make sure she eats every bit of food on her plate.

  She salutes me mockingly, and I try not to laugh.

  She was starving because it isn’t long until her plate is clean.

  “Thank you,” she says, laying some cash on the bar. I growl. I hate it when she pays. I always take care of her bill. “I’ll see you later.” She dashes away before I can give the money back. I take it and shove it in my pocket. I’ll figure out a way to get it back to her later.

  I know she knows that I never cash her checks for rent. She never asks why, and I never comment on it. She keeps writing them, and I keep taking them only to rip them up and throw them in the trash.

  I hate my dad, but I don’t hate the money he gives me.

  Every month like clockwork he deposits ten-thousand dollars into my account. I never spend that much, so I have a ton saved up. I know Nova doesn’t have a lot so taking rent money from her isn’t necessary. I’d rather her have money for other things.

  Sometimes I get pissed at myself for accepting the money from my dad, but then I remember all the shit he put me through as a kid, and I think I fucking deserve that money.

  He’s used me my whole life, I might as well use him too, right?

  ***

  The apartment is dark when I get home, and I half-expect to find Nova asleep, but instead she sits in the middle of my bed with her legs crossed in the tiniest pair of black underwear and a loose white top that falls over one shoulder. I can see her nipples through the thin cotton, and I’m instantly hard.