All Chapters of Piss Off, This Is My Money : Chapter 91
- Chapter 100
154 chapters
91
Iris’s heart was beating fast.The moment Jace’s call ended, she rushed out of the bathroom and took a quick shower, her thoughts spiraling the entire time. She put on a dress—shorter than what she would normally wear. Shorter than what she’d ever wear if this were anyone else.But this was Jace.And it felt like he was finally about to open up to her.She needed to show him she was there. Fully there.She stopped by her brother’s room. He was asleep—completely knocked out. He’d had a long day. Everyone in the house had. She decided not to wake anyone.Quietly, she grabbed her keys and left.She drove faster than she should have—just shy of earning herself a ticket—back to the gym.Halfway there, she reached for her phone.Nothing.Her stomach dropped.She’d left it at home.There was no time to turn back now. She didn’t want to be late. Didn’t want Jace waiting and thinking she didn’t care. If she wanted him to trust her—if she wanted him to believe she wouldn’t regret choosing to sh
92
The girl beside him flinched.Jace smiled, calm and charming, the kind of smile that said I’ve got you.A gentleman.A protector.Then—WOOOSH!His smile faded.He checked the rearview mirror.Cameras.Fucking cameras.“I told you guys, this car is fake. Pure fake!” a voice shouted.Laughter followed.“He’s such a piece of shit.”“Typical Detroit kid.”More laughter.The girl beside Jace was already panicking.She had seen the videos. Everyone had. The way his jaw locked when he snapped. The manic calm before he exploded. It was the very thing that made half the girls on campus obsessed with him — the dangerous, dominant, money-drenched aura.Right now, it terrified her.Because as Jace slowly turned to look at her, a thin smile crept onto his face. Not warm. Not friendly. Wrong.“Hey,” he said softly.Her stomach dropped. His voice was too calm. A whisper.“Do you also think,” he continued, eyes fixed on her, “that this car is fake?”She shook her head immediately, almost before the
93
You know that feeling when you’re trying to be a saint—but you still refuse to be a doormat?Yeah. That.That was Jace right now.His fist was already clenched, muscles locked tight, every instinct screaming to finish what the universe had apparently started. Whoever this bastard was—whoever thought it was cute to humiliate him and then walk away clean—Jace was ready to erase that confidence. Permanently. If there was a next life, the first thing the guy would add to his to-do list would be avoid Jace at all costs.He stepped into the hall.The place was small. Too small. Dim lights. Empty corners. At the far end, a figure sat crumpled against the wall, like someone who’d folded in on himself and forgotten how to unfold.Jace stopped a few feet away.“Hey,” he called.The figure didn’t move at first.Then—slowly—the head lifted.And Jace hated the reaction that flashed through him. Disappointment. Sharp and immediate. Somewhere deep in the back of his mind, he’d been expecting… more.
94
“It’s a very unfair place,” Patrick continued. “I was just talking to Jace a few days ago. Maybe his gentle soul is resting in perfect peace now. But whatever the universe decides for you—that’s exactly what will happen. Destiny, fate, every single thing in your life… already written. You don’t control it. You just live and play it out.”The nurse had seen grief do strange things to people—screaming, fainting, collapsing. But this? This was new.She shook her head slowly. “Your son is alive. He—”“Miss… or are you married?” Patrick interrupted. “You need to listen. People like you work tirelessly every day, trying to change a fate that’s already been decided. You shouldn’t. If your fate is to be poor, working won’t change anything. It’s miserable. I keep tell—”“Sir!” The word snapped out of her before she could stop herself. “Your son is alive. I just told you that.”“I know,” he said quickly as if he didn't even care about that. “But listen to what I have to tell you. Everyone is ge
95
The nurse didn’t wait for questions. Didn’t wait for the stunned whispers starting to ripple through the hallway. She turned and fled.If those were really Jace’s parents…That boy would need a lifetime of therapy.She pushed open the door to his ward.He was already awake. Already halfway out of the hospital scrubs. She had told him she’d be back.“Jace…” she said gently, careful. Careful like she was approaching a wild animal.“I’m sorry you had to see what my fucking parents did,” he said flatly, not looking at her. “I have to go now. I’ll settle the bills on my way out.”She opened her mouth. So many things crowded her chest—offers of help, concern, please don’t do this alone. That she could be there. That he needed support.But nothing came out.“What?” Jace turned suddenly, making her flinch.“Wh—what…?” she forced a smile. It trembled.“You want to fucking help me undress?” he snapped, rage flashing across his face.“No—no, no,” she stammered, already backing away.She turned a
96
Jace shrugged.He didn’t care. This was their life. They could ruin it however they pleased.He was just about to get into his car when he noticed someone waving from the other side of the road.He squinted.The figure came closer. Too close. Close enough that Jace didn’t even have time to open the door before he recognized him.Fucking Paxton.“Hey, man. I need a ride.”Paxton opened Jace’s car door like they were old friends.“Get the fuck out,” Jace said flatly.“Hey,” Paxton laughed, unfazed. “At least reciprocate the shit I did for you in there. The old dude’s an alumni from my dad’s college. Went to police school after. That’s why he’s there. Thought I should tell you so you don’t think I’m making things up.”Jace slid into the driver’s seat anyway, his jaw tight, rage simmering just beneath the surface.“You really think we’re friends?” Jace asked, his voice low—dangerously calm.Paxton leaned back, studying him.“I thought we were when we first met,” he said casually. “But aft
97
It had been the most insane twenty-four hours of Paxton’s life.Easily.What the hell are you even supposed to do when you’re eighteen and your dad just died?You’re supposed to cry. Like—really cry. Ugly cry. Break-down-in-public cry. Because even if the man was a complete dick while he was alive, the truth still stands: you’re never going to see him again. Ever.And for someone like Jace—who was borderline impossible to impress—Paxton was damn sure he didn’t even have a single decent memory with the old man.So yeah. Paxton had expected screaming. Punching walls. Silence. Rage. Maybe all of it.What he didn’t expect was this.After coming back from Jace’s house—where Jace had read that ridiculous excuse for a goodbye, a letter that shouldn’t even qualify as one—Jace and James checked into a hotel like this was just another stop on a long, boring trip.Then James pulled out some papers.Actual papers.He scribbled something on them like he was planning a group project instead of proc
From the author
Hey there, reader 👋 What do you think of the story so far? If you’re enjoying it, a quick review would mean a lot—low-key fuels my motivation and strokes my fragile writer ego just a little 😌 Curious about Bella? You can check out my previous book, Ex-Convict to Mysterious Power. Totally optional though—no pressure. Also, my new book is out now: "The Saintess Chose the Wrong Man". If drama, and questionable life choices are your thing, you might enjoy it. Thanks for rocking with me. Always.
98
“And what’s courtesy, B.B.?” Jace said, using her initials with a mocking edge.These were the guys her brother had warned her about. Bella glanced at Jace—what had she even been thinking coming here? She should have known he was nothing but red flags the moment she saw his stupid earrings. And his friends? They looked like they were ready to kiss his ass.Bella stood up, snatched her bag from the chair’s arm, and braced herself.“What’s wrong?” James asked quickly. “Don’t tell me you’re going to bail over that little joke.”“You treat girls like… pieces of shit. I can see you’re used to it, but I’m not just some girl you meet for a day and then treat like I’m nothing,” Bella said firmly.“Come on. Don’t ruin the fun. He was just trying to be funny,” one of the other girls groaned.“Just sit and let’s order something,” the other chimed in.Paxton shot a pleading look at Bella.She looked at Jace. He was supposed to say something, right? But he wasn’t even looking in her direction.“Yo
99
Bella glanced at him, then at the other guy. He looked pissed too. Maybe this was because it was her first date with a guy, but everything felt off. She worried she might be doing something wrong. Damn… maybe dates are supposed to be this hard?She’d just been trying to strike up a conversation, but clearly, it was the wrong move.After a series of increasingly bizarre moments—the other girls practically French-kissing their partners mid-meal, weird hand gestures, and all kinds of chaotic antics—they finally finished eating.Jace stood up and paid the bill while the others waited outside by his car.“So… who’s next?” Paxton asked, exasperated. “What’s the one thing we can do to make this date actually memorable for you?”“I want us to go somewhere alone… for something hot,” the girl whispered into Paxton’s ear.“We can’t do that,” Paxton replied sharply. Yeah, because making out with some random girl mid-chaos is a great idea… not.“Well… I’d love to go somewhere alone with him,” Bell