15. A Warning To Not Mess With Unexplained Feelings

Jace

"You asked for me?" The agitation resonating from Jace's voice was clear, though from the look Marc cast him, he didn't seem to feel threatened by his tone. Jace's hands had tightened into two large fists, his knuckles strained white as the skin tightened.

"Sit down, Son." Marc's tone droned slowly, as he continued to scribble across the paperwork laid out on his desk. He didn't bother casting a glance to Jace.

Jace's teeth ground together, bone against bone, as he forced himself to exhale. The lack of respect his father was showing had him on edge. If it had been anyone else, Jace would have quickly and precisely put them in their place. A dark smile twisted his lips at the thought. In the world he was raised in, respect was given to those who had earned it and his father had clearly lost it all over the past years. Jace was still agitated over the situation that had played out in the dining room last night and the fact that he couldn't do jack-shit about it had him fuming.

Jace's muscles remained tensed as he rolled his shoulders back, hoping to relieve some of the stiffness that his back had acquired. From the expression Marc was desperately trying to cover on his face, Jace knew he was testing him. He wanted him to lose it and Jace was determined to do exactly the opposite. He had been raised to keep his composure and not show any emotion, even in the most trying of situations. Straightening his rigid shoulders before stepping further into Marc's office, he moved calmly to the armchair seated before Marc's desk. "What did you need?"

Jace had been forced to leave the luscious body, which had been sprawled over his own the entirety of last night to come meet this man; to say he was discontented with that fact would have been an understatement. Detaching Savannah's comfortable body from his was something that he did not take pleasure in. He nearly groaned at the tightening of pants at such a thought and quickly forced himself to cool it. He couldn't explain what the girl was doing to his head and his body and he surely didn't want to focus on it either.

"I want to talk about that girl." Marc clicked his pen a few times, his eyes glued to the reports spread across the majority of his desk. His tone was distant, though Jace knew he was anything but. Having been raised by the man, Jace knew all his secrets. He looked composed, but he was most-definitely not.

Jace forced his posture to relax, not wanting to elude his father into believing that he was protective of Savannah. Weakness was something his father always picked out on and his attention would immediately be drawn to anything he considered it. The thought of what his father wanted to do to Savannah, had a feeling curling through Jace's stomach that he wasn't ready to admit to yet.

"I'm not fucking surprised." Jace finally ground out, his words saturated with sarcasm. Jace splayed his hands out across the top of his thighs, arching an eyebrow at the man in front of him. "What about her?" His words were kept short, clipped, though he could feel his defenses kick up. A flood of protectiveness soured through Jace and he suddenly wished he had her right by his side.

Marc dropped his pen, his interest transferring away from the paperwork spread out in front of him. He leaned back in his armchair, his leather-clad feet making an appearance as he dropped them onto the surface of his desk. He crossed his arms, placing his hands behind his head as he made himself comfortable. "I suppose I don't understand your reasons for keeping her." He chuckled, tilting his head as a cruel smile spread across his lips.

Resisting the urge to reach for the gun tucked into his waistband, Jace stretched my legs out, acting relaxed when in reality he was anything but. His face remained stoic, not giving away anything. Drumming his fingers against his thigh, Jace let out a patient sigh. "What can't you understand about it?."

Marc's face dropped, a tinge of anger appearing on the edges of his face. Frustration and annoyance were beginning to crack the wall he had shoved up. "Don't be smart with me. You broke the rules. She was a witness, she knows too much and yet you haven't killed her."

Yet again resisting the urge to cause bodily harm to the man situated in from of him, Jace cocked an eyebrow. He wanted nothing more to show his father exactly what he could do if he crossed him the wrong way. "You think that she'll break code and go to someone?" Jace chuckled darkly, feeling ferocity begin to brew in his chest. "You think she would be able to do that?"

Jace had no doubts that Savannah had the willpower and bravery to tell someone the information he had gathered; he could see it every time he stared into her stubborn eyes. She feared them, that much was clear, though he also knew that wouldn't stop her from trying to escape. That's what differentiated her from all the others they had encountered - she didn't give up, even after knowing that it was nearly impossible to escape, she merely modified her plan and continued adding to it.

Though, he also knew Savannah would never make the choice to go to the authorities or the public. He could see it in how she playfully bantered with the guys and in the way her lips eagerly responded every time he kissed her. He knew that she didn't know that right now either, but he could tell she would protect them if she had to.

Marc pursed his lips, his eyes calculatingly watching him. "I think she would if she has the chance. I think you don't want to believe that because you, Son, have developed feelings for the bitch. I just think you aren't ready to admit it to yourself." The laugh that he forced out echoed around the large room. "You wouldn't be able to kill her, that was just a cover story to try to keep me from the truth."

Jace's hand twitched and he forced another deep breath, not liking how he had seemed to hit the mark directly. "Or fucking perhaps, I just don't believe in killing innocent people. But if it comes to it, I would be able to rid us of her." Jace spat out, his eyes narrowing stormily in Marc's direction. Jace's torso remained tensed. He had ordered both Layton and Max to remain outside of the door, guns drawn and ready to protect their boss if threatened. "We know not to get attached."

"You're keeping things from me, Jace. And I don't like it." The older man whisked his feet off the surface of his desk, his elbows taking their place as he leaned in his direction. "I don't like it at all. We're family, are we not? We protect each other and that's why I'm doing this." A smile that Jace didn't trust twisted the corners of his mouth.

"You don't run things anymore. You lost that when you fucked up all those years ago. We don't want any repeats of your mistakes," Jace sneered, chuckling darkly. He leaned over, resting his thick forearms on the tops of his knees. "If I decide to keep her, I decide to. You don't get to make that decision."

"You underestimate me." His father retorted, a deep red flushing his face as his anger rolled in. He didn't like the amount of control Jace seemed to have. His face had twisted into an ugly grimance. "And I did what I had to do. Don't fucking talk about that." Marc hissed, his words increasing in volume.

"You just don't want to be reminded that you messed up." Jace shook my head once, leaning back, wanting nothing more than to return to his bed and have Savannah curled into his side, even if she believed it was just so he could keep her nightmares away. Forcing the distracting image out of his head, he levelled his gaze on his father. "You just don't want anyone to remember that you sold out one of your own men. You still have men under your control. I just have more. We also know that you'll try anything and that you're irrational with your decisions. That's where you and I are different. That's why no one underestimates you.." Jace drawled out, a snide smirk curling the corners of his lips.

"If I decide you can't do your job, I will kill her." Marc finalized, his eyes stormy as he glared back at his son. "I don't care about whatever you want. It will happen."

Unexplained black rage flooded through Jace at the thought. His mind instantly snapped to the thought of Savannah's wide eyes staring innocently at him and the way they would quickly fill with exasperation whenever he did something that displeased her. The thought of her face never scrunched up in displeasure again had Jace shooting forward, rising from his chair. "You won't touch her. She's under my protection and if you do try something that will be a direct violation of code."

"What you did was a direct violation of code!" Marc snapped back, kicking himself away from his chair. His physique had lost some of it's intimidation with age. "Screw the code and screw the rules. I'm not letting you risk everything over the feelings you have for one girl."

"That's my decision." Jace towered over him, his hands tightening into round fists. He knew that he wouldn't kill her, he knew that he wouldn't be able to. Savannah had impacted him in a way that he didn't want to admit to or even think about.

"What about Brad?" Marc spat out, struggling to rise to meet Jace's height. "He agrees that we should get rid of her. And I know your mother would. Everyone believes that having her know as much as she does is dangerous. And her fucking friend? That pushes it too far."

Jace's glare deepened. "You-"

"This has gone too far." Marc interrupted, shaking his head furiously. "This is putting all our men in danger too. You want to risk all that? And what about Jared? This could ruin the chances of getting his sister back."

"You need to shut your mouth." Jace growled out, forcing him back into his chair. "I do what I want to do. If I believe that this is safe, then it is. Do not question me on my intentions, Marc. You may be my father, but I'm not afraid to put a bullet through your head if you cross the line."

His father's eyes stayed stubbornly levelled, the flush in his cheeks growing with embarrassment at the way his son had controlled him. "I don't doubt that you will. I would do the same for your mother." He snorted, shaking his head. "I won't support you though. Not like this." He shook his head "And especially with a war about to start with the Nixon's."

"I don't fucking care." Jace stepped back, crossing his thick arms together. "I have more men loyal to me than you ever did. You can't change that."

An ugly sneer folded across Marc's face. "So, what are you going to do about it then? Let the Kingston's fall apart? We separate over some girl?"

"No," Jace exhaled, forcing himself to take a step back. "I've heard what you believe and I don't agree. I'm saying that you should accept that because it isn't changing."

He didn't say anything more, his harsh breathing sounding throughout the room.

Jace stayed tensed, his hands ready to grab his gun before Marc relaxed, his face showing his displeasure.

"Fine," He exhaled loudly. "Fine. But, one wrong move and I'm pulling from this. Brad and I won't support you."

Jace nodded, resisting the urge to snort; he had more than enough power in his own name and more loyal to him than his brother and father ever would have. His lips pressed together in a thin line and he decided he was done here.

Calling for Layton and Max, Jace didn't turn until he knew the two had entered the room. He was more than eager to return to Savannah and temporarily forget what had occurred.

"And Jace?" Marc called out and Jace turned, his eyes narrowing into slits as he stared at his father. Marc had already focused back on his paperwork, the pen once again locked between his pudgy fingers. "I will kill her if I need to. I don't care about the consequences."

___________________________________

"Watch him," Jace commanded, leveling his gaze on Layton and Max as the black-fury he had been compressing finally made an appearence in his voice. He shoved a finger to the door. "I want to know if anything suspicious happens. Get Linc, Duke, and Trevor here. I want two of them watching over Savannah when I'm not. We don't want a repeat of the past."

Jace shouldered past and the two automatically fell behind him, tucking their guns into the waistbands of their suit pants. "Get Red to investigate." He added, knowing that the two would understand that he wanted Red to hack into his father's systems to draw up what he could. "I want to know if he has anything fucking hidden. I don't trust him."

"Boss," Max hedged, his tone hushed as he spoke up. "You think he's a threat?"

"Yes," Jace stonily replied, not bothering to say anything more as they reached the door to the bedroom. "Be aware. I don't trust him, especially with Savannah."

Their gazes darkened at the wild girl's name, who had obviously grown on them in the short time she had spent with them.

"Alert the others." Jace ordered and Layton was quick to reach for the phone in his pocket, stepping away as he dialed a number. "I want a full report in my hands by the end of the day of anything that occurs, as well as being notified immediately."

Layton nodded, his posture tense. "Of course, Boss."

"We're staying for another two days." Jace gripped his phone from his pocket, thumbing through the dozens of emails that had piled up throughout the night. "I want Ben and Lake out here, as well. I want to know who Marc calls for and wherever he goes. If anyone tells Savannah what just occurred, they'll be dealing with me." Jace patted the weapon hidden by his suit jacket.

Knowing that his orders would be met, he stalked to the bedroom door and shoved it open.

"Savannah?" He forced himself to keep the eagerness out of his deep voice, he turned towards the closet, loosening his tie.

Frowning when he heard nothing in return and sensing that something wasn't completely right, he moved towards the bed.

Expecting to find a certain dark-haired beauty in his bed, Jace was surprised to find the it empty, the sheets chilled. The only sign that she had ever been there was the smell of vanilla that clung to the pillow and his memory. As Jace stared at the mattress, unexplained anxiousness rising in his chest, his eyes narrowed darkly.

That was just before the rage set in.

PLEASE READ

I apologize sincerely for my lack of updating. I had a chapter written, though I was not satisfied with it and so I decided to give you a short chapter in Jace's POV. I have been sick, am in the middle of moving, and have been overly busy with schoolwork, though those aren't excuses. Another chapter should be out soon! Thank you and once again, I'm sorry! :)