Page 75 of When Ben Loved Jace

I’m not sure how much time passes, but when I feel my phone vibrate, I sit up like a shot and answer after confirming it’s Jace.

“Is everything okay?” he asks.

The background noise tells me that he’s in an airport, but this can’t wait. “Aaron stopped by.”

“Who?”

“Aaron,” I repeat. “He left a note on your door.”

“About what?”

“The night you spent together.”

Jace is silent for a moment. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Want me to read the note to you?” I don’t let him respond. My voice is dripping with sarcasm as I orate, mostly from memory, because I’ve certainly been over the words enough. They stir the anger inside of me again.

“Someone is playing a game,” Jace says when I reach the end. “And it isn’t funny. I’ve never slept with anyone named Aaron.”

“What about that guy you almost kissed?” I ask with a tight throat. “What was his name?”

“It wasn’t Aaron.”

“Did you tell me the full truth about what happened with him?”

“Ben… You’re being played.”

“By who?”

“Tim.”

“Nice try! Adriensawthe guy who left the note. He knocked onhisdoor too, and guess what? It wasn’t Tim!”

“Then he put someone up to this.”

“How? Tim doesn’t know where you live!”

Jace has no answer for that.

“Even if he did,” I continue, “what if you were home when Aaron stopped by?”

“That wouldn’t be hard for Tim to figure out, since we always park on the street.”

“He doesn’t know that!Orwhat kind of car you drive. Stop trying to blame him!”

“It’s the only thing that makes sense!” Jace growls. “I know Adrien wouldn’t do this to me.”

“But we both know what you did to him.”

“Ben…” Jace says warningly. “That was a special circumstance.”

“Was this to get back at me?” I ask, my voice warbling. “If so, just tell me and we can move on. Please.”

I hear a muffled announcement on the other side of the phone. “I’m sorry,” Jace says. “I have to go. My next flight is about to leave.”

“How convenient,” I snap.

“I’m sorry,” he repeats. “I’ll call you back once I’ve landed. Just trust me until then. Okay?”