Page 41 of Broken Bonds

“Nothing strange about a twenty-year-old who can’t swim, right?” I couldn’t contain my scoff. Ace looked down at me again,and I regretted the words as soon as they were out in the air, but I couldn’t take them back.

He sighed, a frown tugging at his lips. “Like I said, when you’re ready, you’ll talk. My job is not to question your life, not to question why you can’t swim…” his gaze flickered down to my chest for a long enough moment that my skin went hot—“or why you decided not to wear a bra.”

I was shocked by his last statement. Hehadnoticed. And fuck, need swept through me at the knowledge. Did Ace want me as badly as I wanted him?

“Why don’t you question all those things?” I bravely asked. He stopped walking, pausing just outside the room where everyone was. I could hear multiple voices, and soft laughter came through the open doors.

“Because that would mean I care, and I can’t care about you, Celine,” he rasped, shattering my heart and throwing ice-cold water on the heat that’d just been thrumming through my veins. “Everyone I care about gets hurt, and I’m not putting you, of all people, through that again with another asshole guy.”

He didn’t give me a chance to respond before he continued into the brightly lit room that was full of people, effectively ending the conversation and leaving my heart weeping for him and whatever he’d gone through.

chapter seventeen

CELINE

I glanced around the room, looking for Oscar. A family of five was huddled in the corner—a mother, father, and three little boys no older than four. A group of six women were playing a game of cards, laughing and shoving each other playfully. I finally spotted Oscar talking to a man with long hair, who had a shopping cart full of his things. They seemed to be in an argument, and the long-haired man seemed to be shrinking into a corner, his arms flailing around.

Two women with the same caramel skin tone as Oscar, looking concerned. One was older, her twists tied up in a big bun on her head, and she was sporting a pair of hot pink sweatpants and a matching jacket. The younger woman had her hair down and was wearing navy scrubs and bright, white shoes.

Ace’s arms tightened around me in a vice grip, his attention on the other side of the room where four men were eying us, their gazes lingering on me. Their dark eyes made my skin crawl, but I wasn’t scared.

Ace would protect me.

The two Cuban women, who I assumed were Oscar’s wife and daughter, approached us first, their warm, welcoming smiles easing my nerves.

“Oscar told us about you kids—poor dears stuck outside during this chaos. You must be starving!” the lady in hot pink said.

“Yes, ma’am, it was crazy. Oscar mentioned something about soup. Can you spare two bowls?” Ace’s southern drawl thickened when he spoke to her. How could he be so nice to her and not me? It wasn’t fair… just like that hot accent wasn’t fair. That southern twang to his words made my belly heat with need.

“Oh, yes, of course, hun. I heard you want to use the phone, too. Let me get you a bowl each and show you where the phone is while Oscar deals with Danny over there. He’s one of the homeless seeking shelter here, and he won’t leave his things to eat or shower. Hopefully, Ossie can convince him it’s safe.” She walked away while still speaking, her black sneakers squeaking on the floor.

“I’m Donna,” the other woman introduced herself, smiling warmly at us, “and that was my mother, Barb. She forgets to introduce herself most of the time. Do you need any medical assistance? I’m a nurse.” Donna linked her fingers together, letting them drape in front of her body.

“Hey, Donna. I’m Celine. Do you have any pain meds? I’m suffering from some… leg cramps,” I finally settled on. She bobbed her head quickly and walked away as her mother appeared with two steaming bowls of soup. My stomach rumbled at the sight. God, I was so hungry and so desperate for something hot in my belly.

“Here; I’ll carry the bowls since your hands are tied, and I can show you where the phone is. It’s in a different room, so you’ll have some privacy to talk to your family. Follow me, dears.”

“Wait, Mom, these are for Celine.” Donna handed me two red Tylenol pills. “Just eat first, okay? I wish I could give you more or something stronger, but you can’t have more than two at a time safely, and I don’t have anything stronger. You look like you’re ina lot of pain.” She didn’t know half of it, and I didn’t even think the Tylenol would help. But it was better than nothing.

“Oh, Don, get me two water bottles and bring them to the front office,” Barb instructed. “They need to use the phone.” Then, she quickly walked out of the room, balancing the two bowls in her hands like it was nothing.

Ace followed her to where we first entered the building, and through the glass door, I could see it had gotten much worse outside. The winds had picked up, and the trees looked dangerously close to uprooting and flying into the building. I couldn’t fathom the idea of having to brave the weather again. Just the mere thought sent chills of fear running down my spine. Ace and I truly had gotten here just in time.

Barb showed us into the front office of the school, where she flicked on a light and put the steaming bowls onto the counter by the phone. There were two swivel chairs, and Ace placed me in one, then loosened the straps of our backpack and put it down next to me. He sank into the chair beside me, sighing and closing his eyes.

He looked so tired. Guilt tightened my chest. He was exhausted—just as worn out as I was—and I’d just let him carry me.

Donna appeared with two water bottles and gave them to us, lingering by the door to give us some space.

“The phone is here, hun. Take as long as you need,” Barb told us. She glanced at her watch. “It’s already after eight. I’ll get some sleeping bags out for you guys. Come back to the gym when you’re ready. Oscar and I won’t go to sleep until much later. We’re waiting for the ten P.M. storm advisory.”

Ace opened his eyes and stood, extending his hand as he walked over to Barb. “Thank you for everything, ma’am.”

“Oh, yes, thank you,” I blurted as they shook hands. “I didn’t think we would make it this far, and I didn’t know if there wouldbe people here, and you’ve welcomed us in.” I wanted to hug her, but I couldn’t get up from the chair. Barb nodded, smiling at the two of us before she left the small room with her daughter, giving us privacy.

“You should call your mom, Celine. They must be worried.” Ace pushed my chair closer to the phone and passed me a bowl of soup. “Eat so you can take those pills.” He sat back down in his swivel chair, and our arms brushed while he ate, but he said nothing. He didn’t even glance at me, meanwhile my skin felt like lightning was coursing over it every time we touched.

I looked at the old, gray phone and clicked on the old keys, remembering my mom’s phone number from when she drummed it into my head as a child in case of an emergency. And to think I had always told her I wouldn’t need to know it. Turned out, I had. Mom had always known best.

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