Chapter 7

Nerissa froze for a second.

She glanced over at Jace and noticed how tense his profile looked — the lines of his face sharp, and his knuckles standing out as he gripped the wheel tightly.

"It's okay," she said softly.

Jace didn't reply, but she saw his jaw unclench just a bit.

Nerissa's cheeks flushed again. "Sorry... I'm bothering you."

"I'm not blaming you," Jace replied, his voice finally carrying a hint of emotion. "I'm a doctor. I'm just stating facts."

The light turned green, and the car started moving again. They stayed silent the rest of the way.

As the campus buildings came into view, Nerissa found herself quietly relieved — though part of her felt strangely disappointed.

When the car pulled up at the front gate, she undid her seatbelt, ready to thank him and hop out, but Jace handed her a card instead.

"My personal number's on it," he said. "If your stomach pain gets worse, or doesn't stop, call me anytime."

Then he gave her a look that lingered just a little too long, and asked, "How much more does your dad's treatment need?"

The question hit Nerissa like a cold splash of water, cracking the calm front she'd tried so hard to keep.

"You... how did you know?" Her voice came out dry, almost unfamiliar.

Jace's eyes stayed locked on the road ahead, his side profile sharp under the slanting afternoon sun. "Before you came up, you made a call out in the hallway."

That one sentence hit like a switch, instantly flipping open a floodgate of memory. Nerissa flashed back to that desperate phone call outside Jace's apartment last night — her mom's piercing accusations still ringing in her ears. Back then, she was too worked up, too mortified, to even think someone inside might overhear.

Turns out, Jace had known all along. Known why she came to him. Known about the debt, the father lying helpless in a hospital bed, and how badly she'd run out of options. Still, he'd turned her down, cold as ice — at first.

Her cheeks burned. A tangle of shame and complicated gratefulness rose in her chest. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, barely audible. "I didn't mean to — I just didn't know what else to — "

"Was it a hundred grand? Two hundred?" Jace cut her off abruptly. "If you didn't say a number, were you planning to keep selling yourself until it added up?"

Those words slapped Nerissa harder than any real hit ever could. Her head snapped up, her eyes stinging — not out of feeling wronged, but from the sheer humiliation spelled out so plainly.

"No! You're the only one I — If it weren't for my dad needing surgery right away, I wouldn't have ever — "She choked up a little, took a deep breath, and forced herself to stay calm. "I'll count that sixty grand as a loan. After my dad's surgery, once everything stabilizes, I'll take up some jobs and pay it back. Not a cent less."

After finishing, Nerissa bit her lower lip hard and stared at the blurry reflection of herself in the window.

The car fell completely silent — only the low hiss of the air conditioner could be heard.

Then suddenly, Jace undid his seatbelt.

Before Nerissa could even process what was happening, he leaned over, gripped the back of her neck, and pressed his warm lips onto hers.

This kiss was nothing like last night's. That one had been driven by desire and possession, but this... this felt more like a warning. Or maybe it was... confirmation.

His kiss was intense, urgent, prying her lips apart and stealing her breath without giving her a chance to resist.

Forced to tilt her head up, she placed her hands helplessly on his chest, feeling the heat of his skin and the strong beat of his heart through his shirt.

The taste of whiskey, mixed with the clean cedar scent he always carried, surrounded her completely.

Her mind went blank. It was her body that reacted first — eyes closed, fingers clutching at his shirt on their own.

No idea how long it lasted. Just as she felt she couldn't breathe anymore, Jace finally pulled away.

They were both breathing heavily. Her lips were swollen, her gaze foggy, and she just sat there, stunned, staring at the man so close to her. Jace's eyes were unreadable, something dark swirling underneath — desire, irritation, maybe something else she couldn't quite name.

He stared at her for a few seconds, then quickly leaned back and buckled his seatbelt again, movements tight with restraint.

"Phone," he said, straight to the point, voice a little hoarse.

Nerissa blinked, confused, and pulled out her old phone with a cracked screen.

"Venmo or Zelle?"

She hesitated, then unlocked the screen. "Venmo. Username's just my email."

His profile was a deep blue ocean. The name? Just "JW".

"You... don't believe I'll pay you back?" Nerissa asked softly, a lump rising in her throat. "I mean it. This sixty grand is just to get me by. Once I pick up another job, I'll..."

Ding —

A sharp notification tone cut her off.

She looked down. A transfer message popped up in the chat — 160,000.

Her eyes went wide. She counted the zeros again just to be sure, completely frozen.

"This is..." She looked up at him.

The man's face was back to its usual indifference, only the rise and fall of his chest hinting at something swirling beneath.

"I'm generous to my woman," he said flatly.

"I was pretty satisfied last night," Jace said, eyes flicking to her still-swollen lips before quickly looking away.

"This 160 grand — think of it as medical expenses."

"Medical expenses?" Nerissa echoed under her breath.

"For your injuries," Jace's gaze brushed past her lower body, deliberate yet fleeting. "I'm a doctor — I know what a first time means to a woman. Take the money. Rest up and don't let it leave lasting damage."

Nerissa's nose tingled, and a wave of emotion hit her. She quickly shook her head and tried handing the money back. "Mr. Whitmore, really, that's too much! Last night... I chose it. You already gave me sixty grand — that's more than enough..."

"Nerissa Noland." He called her full name — not loud, but it came with that unshakable weight.

She froze and looked up at him.

"Get out." His voice was calm, almost casual. "Right now."

She blinked, stunned.

Jace rested one hand on the steering wheel, his Adam's apple bobbing as he looked at her darkly. "If you don't leave, I can't promise I'll keep my hands to myself."