**Chapter 13: Playing with Fire**
Part 13
The air was thick with tension as Jace sat next to me on the couch, his eyes fixed on the cigarette dangling from my lips. I could sense his gaze, but I didn't look at him, instead taking another drag and exhaling slowly. Ethan was sitting on the other side of me, watching us with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. Jace's expression was neutral, but I could tell he was trying to keep his distance. I reached out, my hand brushing against his, and he quickly pulled away, his eyes flicking to mine. "Lila, don't," he said, his voice low and warning. I smiled, taking another drag of the cigarette. "Why not?" I asked, my voice husky. Jace's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenched. "You know why," he said, his voice tight. Ethan snorted, rolling his eyes. "Oh, come on, Jace. You know she's playing games with you. Just relax." Jace shot Ethan a look, but Ethan just shrugged and grinned. "I'm just saying, dude. She's clearly interested." Jace's eyes flicked back to mine, and for a moment, I thought I saw a glimmer of attraction. But then his expression hardened, and he looked away. "I'm not interested," he said, his voice firm. I laughed, taking another drag of the cigarette. "Sure you're not," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. Ethan chuckled, settling back into the couch. "This is gonna be good." As we sat there, the tension between Jace and me grew thicker. I could sense his frustration, his desire to resist me. But I was determined to wear him down. I reached out, my hand brushing against his again. This time, he didn't pull away. Instead, he let me rest my hand on his thigh, his eyes flicking to mine. For a moment, we just sat there, the only sound the hum of the TV in the background. Ethan let out a low whistle. "Well, well, well. Looks like someone's given in." Jace's eyes flashed with annoyance, but he didn't move my hand. Instead, he just sat there, his expression a mask. I smiled, feeling a sense of triumph. I knew I had him right where I wanted him. But as I looked into his eyes, I saw a spark of warning. He was playing along, but he wasn't going down without a fight. And I was more than happy to oblige.