"You wouldn't do it."
The words slipped into the noise so easily they almost went unnoticed.
Almost.
He didn't look up immediately.
Didn't react.
Just let the silence stretch long enough to make people uncomfortable.
Then
A quiet scoff.
"Do what?"
A few heads turned now. The shift was subtle, but it was there. Conversations slowed. Attention tilted.
Across from him, Jace leaned back like he'd been waiting for this exact moment.
A slow grin.
"You heard me."
He finally looked up.
Not curious.
Not confused.
Just… calm.
"Say it properly."
That got a reaction....low laughter, someone muttering here we go under their breath.
Jace leaned forward this time, elbows on the table, eyes locked.
"I said…" he started, voice dropping just enough to pull everyone in,
"you wouldn't do it."
Now the silence held.
Not awkward.
Intentional.
He tilted his head slightly, studying him like this was all mildly entertaining.
Then, without missing a beat
"Who is it?"
Straight to the point.
No hesitation.
No denial.
That alone shifted the energy.
A few people exchanged looks.
Jace's smile sharpened. "So you're in?"
He reached for his drink, taking his time before answering.
"Depends."
A pause.
Then
"Who's the target?"
That did it.
Now they were all listening.
Someone at the edge of the group leaned in. Another turned fully in their seat.
Jace glanced around, almost like he was enjoying the buildup.
Dragging it out.
"Careful," someone said under their breath. "Don't start something you can't finish."
He ignored it.
His gaze stayed on Jace, steady, unreadable.
"Say the name."
Jace chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Nah… I don't think you're ready for that."
A few quiet laughs.
But no one missed the shift.
That tiny flicker of challenge in his eyes.
"You just said I wouldn't do it," he replied, voice even.
"So either you believe that…"
A slight pause.
"Or you don't."
Silence.
Tight. Expectant.
Jace exhaled through his nose, like he'd been pushed exactly where he wanted to be.
"Fine."
He leaned in just a little.
Not enough for everyone to hear.
But enough.
A name left his lips
Soft.
Almost swallowed by the music.
But it landed.
And for the first time that night…
He didn't respond immediately.
It wasn't obvious.
Most people wouldn't catch it.
But it was there.
That half-second pause.
That tiny stillness.
Gone as quickly as it came.
He leaned back again, like nothing had changed.
"Two weeks," Jace said.
No reaction.
"Still interested?"
A beat.
Then
A faint smirk.
"Yeah."
Simple.
Confident.
Final.
And just like that
It was done.
But somewhere in the background, beneath the music, beneath the laughter…
Something had shifted.
Because this time
The game wasn't as simple as he thought.