I'm In Love With My Bestfriend's Billionaire Fiance!
Chapter 88: As A Favour...

Chapter 88: As A Favour...

(Casey’s POV)

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I watched Jace for a long moment, trying to read beyond the mask of calm he wore so well. His eyes, as dark and unreadable as the night, flickered just slightly—enough to let me know he was holding more than he was letting on. My heart beat a little faster, not out of fear exactly, but anticipation. Dread and desire had begun to mix in strange, inexplicable ways around Jace.

I sighed and gave a slow nod. There was something in me—maybe something reckless—that chose to trust him. Not completely, not blindly. But enough. Enough to believe that when the time came, he’d break the silence and let me in. Enough to believe that whatever shadows he was walking through, he was doing it with my best interest at heart.

Still, reality pulled me back in. I couldn’t get lost in him, not yet—not today. I had bigger problems to think about. The lawsuit was waiting like a ticking bomb I had to defuse, and after that, I needed to see Kira. She had questions—hell, I had questions—and the longer I stayed away, the colder her trust would grow. The worst things would get for us.

Just then, the low rumble of an engine curled into the room like smoke. I tensed before realizing it was just Ethan’s car in the driveway. Right on cue. Jace looked toward the window, then back at me.

"Looks like my ride’s here," he said quietly, though there was something deeper beneath the words. A subtle reluctance.

I sucked in a deep breath as Jace slowly rose to his feet, the morning light spilling through the window, casting a warm golden hue across his bare chest. His gaze found mine—intense, searching, almost reverent—and then he reached out, palm open, wordless and steady. Without hesitation, I placed my hand in his. The warmth of his touch grounded me and sent a rush of electricity spiraling through my veins as he pulled me up gently into him.

My body melted into his, chest against chest, our breaths aligning. For a second, neither of us spoke. We just stood there, breathing each other in like the world outside didn’t exist.

"Last night..." he began, his voice low and hoarse, laced with something tender and raw. "It was one of the best nights of my life."

I looked up at him, eyes softening. "The same here," I whispered, fingertips brushing his jaw. "You didn’t just touch me, Jace. You unraveled me. No one’s ever made me feel the way you did last night. You didn’t just make love to me... you made me feel seen, whole. Like I belonged."

His arms slipped around my waist and pulled me closer, his lips brushing against my temple. "That’s because you do belong. With me. In every way. You don’t have to pretend with me. Not now, not ever."

I pressed my forehead to his, emotion tightening in my chest. "I don’t think there’s anyone who could ever make me feel that way again. Not like you. You’re it for me."

His smirk was soft but cocky, the kind of grin he wore when he was trying to act casual but couldn’t hide what he felt. "That’s good to know, babe," he murmured, his lips grazing mine. "Because I’m not going anywhere. No matter what happens—lawsuits, secrets, danger, all of it—I want you to know one thing."

"What’s that?" I breathed.

"I love you," he said simply. "And I’ll fight through every shadow, every lie, every storm... just to keep holding you like this."

I kissed him, slow and full of everything words couldn’t say.

No matter what the world threw at us—this was ours.

As his lips found mine, all thought melted away. The kiss was deep, all-consuming, filled with a hunger that had nothing to do with lust alone—it was the need to feel one another, to hold onto the only thing that made sense in the middle of all the chaos. I kissed him back with everything I had, pouring every unspoken word, every desperate feeling, into the warmth of our locked mouths.

His hands roamed with purpose, sliding down my back until they cupped my butt firmly, pulling me flush against his hard, muscular body. A small gasp escaped me as my breasts pressed into his chest, my body aching for more of him—all of him. He deepened the kiss, his tongue teasing mine, and for a moment, the rest of the world disappeared. It was just us. Fire and want. Familiar and new, all at once.

But after what felt like forever, I reluctantly pulled back, breathless, lips tingling. My hands rested against his chest, trying to push away temptation even as my fingers curled instinctively around the fabric of his shirt.

"You need to get going," I said in a husky breath, trying to ignore the way his mouth was still brushing against mine. "At this rate, I can’t trust myself around you. I swear, I’m a second away from ripping your clothes off and riding you into oblivion."

His grin was wicked, boyish, and charming in that dangerously sexy way. "Come on," he said, brushing his nose against mine. "That’s not a bad idea. I’m completely on board with that plan."

I groaned, trying to suppress the way my body reacted to the heat in his voice. He leaned in again, lips hovering over mine—but I twisted out of his arms with a breathless laugh and no small amount of regret.

"Ethan’s outside," I warned, voice shaky as I stepped away. "He’s waiting for you. Don’t make this harder than it already is."

"He works for me," Jace drawled, eyes narrowing with playful frustration. "He can wait."

"Jace," I said more firmly now, crossing my arms even though I wanted nothing more than to run back into his embrace, "have you forgotten you have things to do? People to see? A blackmailer to catch?"

He let out a dramatic sigh and rolled his eyes like a petulant teenager, even as he started backing toward the door. "Fine," he muttered, grabbing his jacket from the nearby chair. His hand paused on the doorframe and he looked over his shoulder at me.

"You haven’t forgotten the favor, right?"

I arched an eyebrow. "How could I? You only reminded me ten times."

He smiled at that—genuine and heart-melting. "Good. Because no matter what happens today, that favor... it’s going to mean something. For both of us."

My heart fluttered. There was so much we weren’t saying—so many secrets, so much danger still circling—but right now, none of it mattered. Because even in this whirlwind, one truth remained: we loved each other.

And love... love was worth fighting for.

I nodded slowly, the weight of what he asked lingering on my chest like a whispered promise I wasn’t sure I could keep.

As a favor, Jace had asked me to come spend the night at his place by the end of today. It was more than just a casual request—it was a plea for connection, for closeness, for something real in the middle of everything that was trying to tear us apart. God, I wanted to say yes. I wanted nothing more than to lose myself in the warmth of his arms, to wake up next to him with tangled sheets and his heartbeat lulling me back to sleep. But I couldn’t ignore the looming uncertainty that hovered over the day. Too much could happen. Too much would happen. And neither of us could predict how it would all play out.

If things went smoothly, I’d be there. I’d find my way back to him like I always did. But if not... then we’d have to reschedule, and try again when the world wasn’t on fire.

For now, my answer was a hesitant, aching "maybe."

He studied me closely, the silent tug-of-war written all over my face. I gave a helpless shrug, lips tugging into a soft, apologetic smile. His responding grin was tight, wry, a little broken around the edges—but understanding. That was one of the many things I loved about Jace. He never tried to force me. He just hoped. And sometimes, hope was louder than any pressure.

He stepped forward, cupping the side of my face with a hand that was warm and steady, even though his eyes betrayed everything he didn’t say aloud. "Just come if you can," he murmured, pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. "That’s all I ask."

Then, without another word, he turned, unlocked the door, and stepped out into the waiting morning.

I stood there in the silence that followed, the ghost of his touch still resting on my skin, my heart feeling oddly heavier than before. I drifted toward the window like a magnet pulled by something unseen and watched him climb into the passenger seat of the SUV parked outside. Ethan was behind the wheel, already shifting gears as Jace settled in.

I pressed my palm lightly against the windowpane, watching them pull out of the driveway, the SUV disappearing slowly past the gates of the estate. It was strange—the way watching him leave left me feeling both full and hollow. Full of love. Hollow from the absence.

And yet, even as the distance grew, I could still feel him. His scent on my clothes. His lips still echoing on mine. His warmth lingered in the air we’d just shared.

This wasn’t just a favor. It was a thread pulling us together through the chaos. And if the stars aligned—if fate could offer us just one quiet moment—we’d find each other again tonight.

And when we did, I’d show him just how much he meant to me... with every kiss, every breath, every inch of my heart.