NOVEL NEXT Chapter 61: Subtle Signals
They left the bar together, Hannah's hand still looped through his arm. At the door, she glanced back at her group.
One of the men gave her a small nod, another tapped the table twice. Jace caught the signals. They weren't for him.
Hannah smiled sweetly, then suddenly stopped. "Look, can you wait here? I forgot something."
Jace kept his expression steady, though his gut twisted. "Sure."
She turned back toward the table, weaving between chairs. Her sister's eyes followed, sharp and unreadable.
[This whole thing feels sketchy,] Zin's voice whispered in Jace's head. [Keep your guard up.]
Jace muttered low, "But Eva…"
[Is blinded,] Zin cut him off, sharper now. [Blinded by whatever revenge she wants. Think about it, she's barely told you anything about this group, not even the girl's history. If you're going to continue, you need to move fast and stay focused. We need the power, yes. But you being alive matters more.]
Jace stayed by the door, eyes scanning the bar's interior. He wasn't stupid.
He'd noticed the hand gestures, the shared looks, the way silence passed between Hannah's group like a private language.
Subtle signals, but enough for him to catch.
The sister's disapproval, the men's quiet hostility, none of it felt like coincidence.
And Eva, for all her big talk, hadn't given him a single detail about Hannah besides where to find her. That silence was louder than words.
Jace adjusted his shirt and kept his face calm, but his mind was racing. If this was a setup, he had no intention of walking into it blind.
.
.
.
.
Jace leaned against the door, watching the streets pass by in streaks of dim light. Hannah's car hummed smoothly, but the conversation inside wasn't smooth at all.
She kept asking about him, where he grew up, what he did before this, what kind of work he was in now.
Every answer he gave was followed up with another, digging deeper into him while never giving anything back.
When Jace tried flipping it, asking about her or the people she was with, the pattern showed itself. She'd deflect.
Sometimes with a sharp change of subject. Other times with a question of her own.
And when he pressed a little harder, she turned sarcastic, brushing it off with a smirk that left no room to dig further.
It was seamless, practiced. She was good at it. Too good.
Jace sat there, jaw tight, irritation simmering. He wasn't here to make friends, but pretending like this grated on him.
Especially when he already knew what she was hiding, even if she didn't realize it.
He kept quiet. He couldn't afford to ruin the plan, not now.
Still, as the car rolled deeper into the city, every unanswered question weighed heavier, and Jace's patience thinned.
[She's working you,] Zin muttered in his head. [Notice how she keeps control of the conversation? It's not casual, it's deliberate. And you're letting her steer it.]
Jace exhaled through his nose, forcing a small smile when Hannah glanced at him. He wasn't about to blow his cover. Not yet.
He kept his smile steady the whole drive. He wanted to test her, to see if she'd slip, but he knew better.
If she caught on, the plan was done. So when she deflected his questions, he let it slide, masking his irritation with practiced grins.
Every time she turned, he smiled back. Every time she teased instead of answered, he swallowed his frustration.
The game wasn't about honesty tonight. It was about getting close enough to do what he came for.
Soon they pulled up to her place. The street was quiet, a little too quiet, and Jace's guard stayed up even as she unlocked the door.
At the door, Hannah paused after unlocking. Jace moved in close behind her, so close his chest pressed lightly against her back. She froze, breath hitching.
"It's not much inside but—" she started, her voice uneven.
Jace cut her off. His hand came up, firm against her face, and he kissed her hard. He pushed the door open as their lips clashed, guiding her inside without breaking contact.
The door swung shut behind them with a dull thud.
Hannah gasped into the kiss but didn't resist. Her hands slid up his chest, gripping his shirt like she was pulling him closer. Whatever games she was playing before, she dropped them now.
They stumbled together through the narrow entryway, bumping against the wall before moving deeper inside.
Hannah broke the kiss only long enough to smirk, her lips brushing his ear. "Bold move."
Jace didn't answer. He kissed her again, harder this time, one hand in her hair, the other at her waist.
For all his nerves earlier, his focus sharpened now. Every move had intent. Every second brought him closer to what he needed.
Her breathing grew heavier, her body pressing flush against his. She tugged him toward the couch, lips never leaving his.
Jace's grip tightened, his mind split between Zin's words and the heat of Hannah's body against his.
He knew the risks, but right now, all that mattered was getting what he came for.
Jace pushed her down onto the bed, standing over her for a moment.
Hannah's body sank into the mattress with an ease that almost looked rehearsed.
She didn't fight it. Her arms stretched back casually, and her lips curled into a smile that told him she was enjoying every second of his attention.
For all the talking she had done, all the coy back-and-forth that had nearly worn him thin, there was no denying she was beautiful.
Her confidence only amplified it. She knew how to carry herself, how to make every movement look deliberate.
Jace took in the sight, breathing steady. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't going to enjoy this.
As much as he hated games, as much as Zin kept buzzing warnings in his head, right now none of it mattered.
He needed what she had. If this was the way to get it, then he would see it through.
Hannah tilted her head slightly, her eyes locked on him. "Well," she murmured, voice low and teasing, "you don't waste time, do you?"
Jace smirked faintly, leaning closer. "Why would I?"
Her laugh was soft, almost pleased, as she reached up and brushed her fingers along his arm.
The grip was light, but deliberate. He let her touch linger as he leaned down further, his weight pressing into the mattress.