Page 113 of Broken Bonds

Ace looked up from his phone, frowning at me. “Celine, I would want to know if you were my sister. This isn’t fair of you.”

I raised my hands, then limply let them fall back to my lap. “What is he going to do, Ace? Julian is going to be locked up. He has to be.” Warmth filled me when his hold on my hand resumed, a constant, gentle reminder that he was here.

“You should tell him, baby girl.” My heart skipped a beat, the monitor giving me away. “Tell him now, and you won’t have to relive all this again in a few months.”

I pursed my lips. “I’ll think about it.”

I was released from the hospital a day later. I asked Amber to bring me a pair of sweats and a long-sleeved shirt. I didn’t want anyone to see the bruises still covering my body. Nobody needed to see the mess Julian made, especially Ace, who had been hanging on by a thread ever since the detective stopped by yesterday and questioned me about that night.

Ace kicked him out after I burst into tears and spiraled into a panic attack when the detective asked if Julian broke my wrist, and then mentioned a few other times he had hurt me in the past. Ace’s look of disapproval and anguish sent me over the edge.

At home, Ace carried me into my bedroom, where he rested me on the bed, being so gentle that his fingers barely grazed my skin. I sucked in a breath when he accidentally jostled me, and pain flared from my fractured ribs.

On my bedside table was a picture of Julian and me from our first winter formal a few months ago. Ace picked it up and took it with him downstairs, leaving me alone. Amber replaced hima few minutes later, sitting on the bed beside me, her red hair twisted into a braid down her back.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, looking down at her hands.

My brows furrowed. “For what, Amber?”

She swallowed thickly. “Not being there in time to stop him. I shouldn’t have left you alone with him. I should’ve known.” She looked at me, those tears she had been fighting for days finally falling.

I shook my head at her, my heart hurting. She shouldn’t feel guilty about this. “You couldn’t have known. I didn’t tell you. It’s not your fault.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she cried, looking completely shattered and heartbroken. My own tears welled in my eyes. “I’m your best friend! Why didn’t you tell me?!” Her head fell into her hands as she sobbed, her shoulders shaking.

“I was ashamed,” I croaked, a tear running down my cheek.

And he was all I had.He had stayed.

“I wouldn’t have judged you. I love you, for Christ’s sake, Cece!”

“I’m sorry.” My own tears fell, and she leaned forward to hug me but hesitated.

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Just hug me, girl.” Wrapping her small arms around me, she barely touched my skin as she hugged me. “You saved me, Amber. You saved me,” I whispered into her ear as I wrapped my arms around her.

Looking over her shoulder, I spotted Ace standing in the doorway, holding a glass of water and my pain pills, so much pain flickering in his blue eyes. Amber pulled away from me and turned to look at Ace. “Just because you’re back doesn’t mean I lose my best friend. We need girl time,” she grumbled, getting off the bed and brushing past him.

“Just making sure she gets better, Amber. That’s all I want.” She huffed as she flounced out of the room, making me smile.

Ace took a seat on the edge of my bed after throwing a blanket over my legs. Handing me the pills and the water, he watched expectantly for me to take the medicine. After I swallowed the pills, he got up and started to leave without a word.

“Ace?”

He turned and looked me over with tired eyes. “Yes, princess?”

“Can you take my sock off? I can’t reach.” A grin cracked the solemn expression on his face, and I was relieved to see it.

Lifting the blanket, he took the sock off and tucked my foot back in. “How’s the pain in your foot?” he asked.

“Honestly, it’s terrible, but I’ve had worse.” His smile fell into a frown. “I would have asked Amber if you didn’t chase her out, but can you help me take off the sweater? I’m going to melt with all these layers.” I smiled at him. I couldn’t help myself.

He walked over to me and helped me raise my arms, then started working the sweater off my cast first, over my shoulder, then the other arm. I held my breath when he pulled it over my head, pain flaring throughout my chest.

His eyes were on my exposed stomach, and I moved to cover myself with my shirt that had risen, but it was too late. He had seen my discolored stomach, and the look on his face terrified me.

“I’m going to kill him.” He pressed one knee into the mattress, his finger gently tracing the outline of the bruise. All the air left my body with his touch.

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