Page 115 of Broken Bonds

My phone lit up with Ryan’s face, and I answered quickly, not thinking. “Ry?” I heard a sigh of relief on the other end.

“What’s going on back there? My phone has been blowing up for the last few days!” he said, panic and exhaustion clear in his voice.

I didn’t want to tell him the truth. I didn’t want him to worry about me anymore. He was just going to blame himself even though, like every time, it was my fault for trusting the wrong man again.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I mumbled, carefully rubbing the sleep out of my swollen eyes without hurting them.

He scoffed. “First, Amber leaves me this cryptic message, and now, she won’t answer my calls. Some of the guys called from the team telling me to come home because you’re hurt. You haven’t answered a single text or phone call. Mom and Dad said you were okay but wouldn’t let me speak to you. So, you tell me—what is going on, Celine?”

God, the gossip train around here was relentless. “Nothing. I just got into a fight with Julian, and Amber was worried about me. I told her not to worry you. I’m okay. How are you over there?”

Ryan snarled, “That’s not what I heard from Baker, Celine. He said Julian put you in the hospital twice in the last week. Please tell me he’s not telling the truth.” I hesitated with my answer, and that was enough for him to know. “I’m coming home.” He hung up before I could answer, leaving me there to stare at the ceiling in regret.

After an uncomfortable dinner with Ace carrying me down the stairs to eat with the family, he brought me back up, where Amber gave me a sponge bath. She cried for the first ten minutes. Once I was sitting on a chair in the bathroom in my bra and panties, she dropped to her knees in front of me and cried.

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry that I didn’t come sooner. I shouldn’t have let him take you. Oh, God, Celine, I’ll never forgive myself.” Her cries quickly became inconsolable, and she wept while helping me bathe. I didn’t know what to say. I was on the verge of crying with her.

“Ryan is coming home,” I muttered once she pulled a big t-shirt over my head. She faltered before looking at me with red-rimmed eyes.

“I didn’t tell him. I promise I didn’t.” Grabbing her hand, I squeezed it with everything I had, trying to convey my love for this girl, who had become the sister I always wanted but never had.

“I know. Baker did,” I told her. “I don’t want him to see me like this, Amber. He’s going to hurt Julian, and he’s going to be angry at Ace when he sees him here. I don’t want him to mess up his future because of me.”

Amber sighed. “He loves you, Cece. He just wants to protect you from every bad thing in this world, but he has to realize that he can’t. I’ll make sure he’s okay; I promise I will.” We talked for a few more minutes, and excitement crept into her tone with every passing minute with the idea of Ryan coming home sooner than expected.

And then, Ace was at the door, water in one hand, pills in the other. “Time to rest, princess.” The term of endearment made Amber smile at me.

“I’m going home tonight, but I’ll be here early in the morning—promise,” she told me, pressing a kiss to my cheek. I nodded at her, and she left the room, leaving the door open a crack.

Ace took her spot on the bed, handing me another dose of pain pills and the water to wash it down with. “Thank you,” I whispered as he helped me lean back on the pillows without jostling my ribs.

“Anything for you,” he said, a small smile tilting his lips.

Once I was comfortable, I looked up, letting my eyes meet Ace’s. “Why me, Ace?”

He shrugged one shoulder. “Because you make me forget about all the bad in my life and make me want to love again.”

I swallowed thickly. There he went with that word again. “Do you really love me?” I whispered groggily, his face going in and out of focus as the pain pills began to kick in.

He nodded solemnly. “With every inch of my heart, Celine.”

Reaching out, I grabbed his hand, my eyelids beginning to close. “Please don’t leave me alone; he comes with the darkness.”

His lips brushed the back of my hand, but I couldn’t bring myself to open my eyes again. I was so sleepy.

“I’m not going anywhere, baby girl.”

“You pathetic girl!” Julian shouted, raising a hand to slap my cheek. Pain emitted from the sharp sting he left behind. I raised my hand to my throbbing cheek.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it. He flirted with me, Julian.”

The crack of his hand against my cheek echoed in the room. Then, he whacked my other cheek, sending me to the floor.

“Don’t lie to me, Celine,” he snarled. “I saw you flirting with that punk in my jersey!” he roared, standing above me.

Fear crawled into the pit of my stomach when he leaned down and picked me up by my arms, squeezing them tightly.

“You’re hurting me,” I whimpered.

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