Page 107 of Broken Bonds

Closing my eyes, I sucked in a deep breath and then another until I had regulated my breathing. Once I opened my eyes again, I saw my younger sister’s concerned gaze, and then the EMT’s soft eyes on my trembling form.

“We’re taking her to the hospital. Do you want to ride along?” With a quick nod, I was off the ground and following the squad to the ambulance. Pushing through the crowd, I ignored everyone’s wondering gaze, their eyes landing on a barely recognizable Celine and then on the barely lucid Julian, who was being dragged out of the house in handcuffs.

I hoped he rotted in prison for doing this to her.

I paced the hallway of the waiting room, debating whether or not to make the call to Ace. He’d want to know; I knew he would. I didn’t know why he left, aside from Ryan pushing him away. But I knew in my gut he wouldn’t just abandon Celine with a damn good reason.

I sighed, glancing over at my sister. Jamie had fallen asleep on the chair behind me and was snoring softly.

Calling Celine’s mother and father had been hard. I could barely speak through the tears when I tried to explain whathappened. They arrived at the hospital at the same time we did in the ambulance. They were sitting with her now in the room she’d been moved to after she’d been stabilized in the ER. I hadn’t gone back to see her yet. Couldn’t bear to see my friend in that condition. I walked in and right back out after seeing her bandaged and bruised body, both eyes swollen shut, lips swollen, and her foot wrapped in a cast and elevated off the bed.

Ryan hadn’t answered my call, probably unable to use his phone, so with great reluctance, I didn’t leave a message. I couldn’t tell him one of his ex-teammates almost killed his sister over a fucking voicemail. I wouldn’t be the reason he left everything over there to come home and protect his little sister. I should have done a better job, but I failed.

So now, staring down at the name on my phone, my finger poised above the call button, I continued to pace.

Will he answer?

What is he going to do?

Will Celine hate me?

Will he care?

Will he come home?

I stumbled into a nurse with a grunt and saw that my phone was dialing after accidentally hitting the call button. Sighing, I lifted the phone to my ear, my gut twisting with nerves. After four rings, I pulled the phone from my ear with every intention of hanging up when I heard his voice.

“This better be important, Amber,” Ace grunted, sounding tired but awake. At least I hadn’t woken him up.

“Nice to hear you’re still an asshole a year later,” I snapped, my nerves frayed.

He grunted. “I was sleeping.” Liar. “What’s so important at two in the morning?”

“Celine—”

“We aren’t together, Amber—never were,” he said, abruptly cutting me off. I scowled. “It’s been over a year. Why can’t she get over it?”

I fucking hated him sometimes, but Celine needed him, dammit. “Just because you have a dick doesn’t mean you have to act like one! She needs you!”

Ace heaved a tired, exasperated sigh. “I’m not coming back, Amber.”

I ground my teeth together. “Ryan isn’t here to protect her,” I told him, hoping to sway him.

“Then, you do it.”

I gritted my teeth. “Just fucking come home, Ace.”

“Goodbye, Amber.”

Staring at the blank phone, I threw it to the ground, startling Jaime awake. “Piece of crap,” I snarled. Pulling my fingers through my ragged hair, I started to pace again.

“Go sit with her, Amber,” Jamie whispered through a yawn.

“What about you?” I asked, not wanting to leave her by herself.

“I’ll drive to your place and come back in the morning with clothes and all the goodies.” She smiled and walked over to me, wrapping her arms around me in a tight squeeze. Tears burned in my throat again. “I love you. You’re strong.”

Resting my face on her shoulder, I shuddered. “I can’t see her like this. I should have?—”

---