Caught Between Brothers

gray that makes the whole world look like it's holding its breath. Fog gathered low in

t need to see the road. She knew it by heart. They'd driven this way more times than she could count-weekends at the lake, late-night

wasn't an esca

straight into the past a

, the muscle ticking every time he swallowed. His hair was messy in a way that somehow still looked good-he had

t time. "Two months ago. Sitting in my apartment, wearing my

t him. "Maybe she

ir doesn't change her mind. Sh

about you that muc

Then, "Wo

es. "I mean it. Not like that. I just-

she still

er voice was too even. That was the problem-she

"That doesn't mean

harder than th

course he did. Jace had never known how to le

ally n

sion neutral. She'd practiced that look for yea

fucking Hale. You know he used to carry his lacrosse stick int

y. "He's a hedge f

lex. I swear to God, she's

sn't anything she could say

sh of mist hanging over the trees, light slanting like a blade through the clouds. If she were

it. He never really

opping, softening. "Thanks for coming

to crash your ex's engagement party?" A

liar. That look used to undo he

I'm doing?" sh

or die," he said

at once, lou

anyway. "Ye

k squeeze. It was nothing, probably. But her skin burne

ng across the hillside like something out of a magazine. All sharp angles and co

s breath. "Still looks

rive. The windows were black against the sky, reflectin

lt and stepped out into

er had the way it made her feel

upstairs or downstairs? The downstairs guest win

is fine,"

take you up, then go

r mom doesn't know I

But she's not the

eps. The front doors opene

here

. Not th

brot

lines and cold posture. His shirt sleeves were rolled, his jaw sharp, hi

dn't

n, looking at Aria,

denly a little more gu

idn't betray whether he meant it. He studied h

weekend," Jace

. He looked at Aria and tilted his

ked. "Ex

ched, but it w

eaving the air colder than it had

frozen fo

behind her. "That's just his

didn't

n hadn't just

ked thro

her he already knew she wasn

sure what

ddenly very su

ld have