His fingers curled into fists at his sides, every ounce of restraint he had built over the past weeks cracking all at once.
"How long are you going to ignore me?" he demanded, his voice trembling despite his effort to steady it. "Do you seriously think I came here just to prove how good of an assistant I am?"
Vincent paused.
He didn't turn around immediately. When he did, it was slow, deliberate, his expression already laced with irritation.
He sighed, rolling his eyes as if this was nothing more than a nuisance. "Go away, Jade."
But Jade didn't move.
Instead, he stepped forward and grabbed Vincent's arm.
"My heat is approaching," he said, the words rushed, almost desperate now. His grip tightened slightly. "Please, Vince… I know you love me—mmph!"
The sentence never finished.
Vincent moved faster than thought.
His hand shot out, gripping Jade's jaw hard enough to force his head up, fingers digging into his skin. The sudden force made Jade gasp, his words cut off entirely.
