Chapter 85

The smell of coffee wafts through my senses as I try to sleep just a little bit longer. The bed in the cage

is comfort able, but nothing beats sleeping in our bed with Jace’s arms wrapped around me. I frown

after this thought runs through my head, because they are no longer around me, and if I’m

smelling coffee, then that means he is already up. I open my eyes grudgingly, and glance at the clock

on my nightstand. Thank God I have the day off because it’s already after ten in the morning.

I drag my deliciously sore body from bed and make my way to the bathroom as I wipe the sleep from

my eyes and give a big yawn. As I sit and empty my very full bladder, I think back to last night and

everything that has occurred. I think Jace and I need to sit down and go over my limits as his sub once

again. There are changes that I want to make, mainly to my hard limit’s list; a couple of things that I

want to add, to be precise.

I know we are young and still learning this whole new lifestyle, but I’m coming to realize that I really do

love it, and there are things that I do want to push myself to try, but I also want a normal life at times,

like keeping it fifty-fifty. I don’t want to lose who I am as a person, and I feel that when I am in sub

mode, I tend to give in more, no matter how bad Jace messes up.

I love Jace with everything I have, and I know he’s messed up big time in the past. People may not

understand why would forgive him for what he put me through, but they also

don’t see what he’s been doing to make it up to me. I can be in a relationship with someone who has

never hurt me, and they would never show me the love and dedication that Jace shows me every day. I

know what I want, I’m not some simple bumpkin willing to take whatever she can get. Jace and I are a

work in progress, and we may look like a hot mess at the mo ment, but we are each other’s hot mess.

I smile to myself, thinking about last night and the mess that we made together, multiple times. My hoo-

ha is proof as I wipe myself when I’m done. I’m just washing my hands when a pair of hands slip

around my waist, and lips nuzzle my neck.

“Mm, good morning, handsome.” I say on a soft breath.

“Morning, beautiful. Are you hungry?” Jace asks without removing his face form the crook of my neck.

“I can eat, if that’s what you’re asking, but that coffee sure does smell delicious.”

“You definitely smell way better than the coffee.” He chuckles and nips me gently before meeting my

eyes in the mirror, “I slept so good with you back in our bed.”

I turn around to face him, reaching up and lacing my fin gers together behind his head, “Me too. Don’t

ever make me sleep in the cage again.” 1 pout, playfully.

“Don’t be a naughty girl, and you won’t have to.” He teas

1. es.

Standing up on my toes, poke my tongue out and trace his lips briefly, “You love it when I’m naughty,

though.”

“Mm, you have a point there.” He dips down and takes my

mouth, not needing permission to invade it, as I open my own right away.

It’s just a quick little make out session, and is done before too long, but it’s what I feel during it, “I love

you, Jace.” I tell him as we pull away at the same time.

“And I love you, Ella. Always have, always will.”

My stomach chooses this time to make a loud gurgling sound, and we both laugh. I gently push at his

chest, so he takes a step back, but instead, he grabs me and tosses me over his shoulder, slapping my

butt in the process.

“Let’s go feed that belly before it starts eating you; that’s my job.” He chuckles at his own joke.

I gasp, “Jace Mitchell Palmer!”

“What? It’s the truth! The only thing that gets to eat you is my mouth.”

I face palm myself and let him carry me from the bath room, out to the kitchen. He deposits me on one

of the barstools and takes his place right beside me. It feels good to actually sit on a chair or stool and

eat my food, instead of kneeling. I definitely won’t be doing anything to earn me THAT punishment

again!

I thank God Jace likes to cook, and that he’s good at it be cause I suck at it. After another one of Jace’s

delicious break fasts, I get out the cleaning supplies for my weekly cleaning bender. I start with the

kitchen and then work my way around

the apartment. While I’m doing the dusting, sweeping and mopping, Jace throws the dirty dishes int the

dishwasher and then starts a load of laundry in the stackable washer and dry er combo that only the

top floor apartments have. Our fa vorite tunes are playing over the speakers that Jace and my dad

installed, and I dance around to Halsey’s song, So Good, as I clean.

This has become our norm, and we like it. I’m so glad that Jace isn’t that guy who thinks a woman’s

place is in the kitchen, and that he helps with every aspect of having your own place. Sometimes I feel

guilty, though, because he does most of the cooking, but to be fair, up until now, he hasn’t had another

job to go to like I do, but I still try and take most of the cleaning off his hands.

I’m sweeping my way down the hall towards the front door when I notice an envelope on the floor right

in front of the door. Neighbors have been known to push notes under our door, letting us know whether

or not an event is taking place or that something in the building isn’t working, and whatnot, so I pick it

up and open it up. A single white sheet of paper is folded inside of it. When I unfold it, and read the con

tents, my blood runs cold, and I drop the broom.

When the handle of the broom hits the floor, the noise echoes through the hall, and Jace comes over to

see what the noise is all about. I can’t take my eyes off the sheet of paper, but I feel when Jace begins

to approach.

“What’s wrong? What is that?” When all I do is continue to stare at the paper, Jace takes it from my

fingers.

Only then do I turn my head slowly and look up at him for his reaction. It doesn’t take long for him to

react. The anger

reflecting off his face is enough to make even me back away, even though I know that it isn’t towards

me at all.

“What the fuck? Who does this person think they are?” He crumples the paper in his hands and then

tosses it into the trash can. “Let them come! I’ll be waiting for them when they do!” He pulls me into his

arms and holds me tight, kissing the top of my head, “I swear, Ella, I will not let anyone hurt you ever

again!”

I’m finally able to come out of my stunned reaction, and I hug him back, “I know you won’t Jace. I was

just hoping that they decided to leave me alone; it’s been so long since they’ve done anything.”

“I think it’s time that start taking you back to the gym and show you how to defend yourself. Every

woman should know the basic moves, but you, I’m going to teach you more than just the basics. I’m

going to turn you into a badass bitch, so that even I become scared of you!” He tries to lighten the

mood, and it helps a little bit.

“Oh yeah, I would love to learn how to kick my bully’s butt.” I joke.

“Ass, Ella. Say it, a-s-s… ass.” Jace chuckles.

“Ass,” I say it a bit shyly, “I want to learn how to kick my bully’s ass.” | giggle.

“That’s my girl!” He kisses my forehead and then pulls away.

I bend over and take the letter out of the garbage, “I think we should keep this, you know, to give to the

police. Maybe they left behind fingerprints or something.”

“Good thinking, baby! I will grab a baggie to put it in and then we can take it to the PD.”

As I wait for Jace to grab a zip lock baggie, I carefully take the corners and stretch the paper back out,

careful not to rip it or ruin any prints that may be on it aside from ours. Staring down at the now

wrinkled sheet of paper, the words pop out, taunting me.

I haven’t forgotten about you, Ella!