Page 123 of Broken Bonds

“Can you speak, Ace?” the doctor asked.

He was still looking at me. “Hi, princess,” he croaked, voice hoarse, and I cried.

“Just a few questions, and then I’ll give you some time with your family.” Ace turned from me to the doctor and nodded slowly. “What’s your name?”

“Ace Danvers,” Ace rasped. The nurse helped him drink a little more water.

“Middle name?”

Ace shifted. “Parents never gave me one.”

“Age?”

“Twenty-three.”

“What is this woman’s name, and how is she related to you?” the doctor asked, gesturing to me with his pen.

Ace’s eyes shone when they landed on me. “Celine Wilson. She’s the love of my life, and I’m hoping she’ll be my girlfriend.”

“Oh, my God!” Amber squealed from behind me, hands on my shoulders, squeezing. I sobbed, my knees going weak. I sank back into my chair at his bedside.

“I don’t think you’ll have a problem with that, son,” the doctor chuckled. “Do you know why you’re here?”

Ace winced. “Somebody hit me on my bike.”

The doctor nodded. “Do you remember the date you were hit?”

Ace closed his eyes for a moment, making my heart rate skyrocket. I breathed a sigh of relief when he opened them again. “I think a Saturday in May. Why?”

“It’s almost August,” the doctor told him. Ace grimaced. “You were in a coma for two months.”

Ace looked at me for a moment, then back at the doctor. “Am I going to be okay?”

“With time and physical therapy, you’ll have no lasting injuries. I’m going to give you some time with Ms. Wilson and come check on you later.”

When he left the room, Ace squeezed my hand. “Two months. I’m so sorry, baby girl.”

I lifted his hand, pressing it to my cheek. “I love you so much.” He grinned at me. “I’m so sorry I never told you, and then you almost died, and I never got to tell you.” I was rambling as fast as my tears were falling.

“Come here,” he whispered, and I leaned closer, allowing him to pull me to his chest, his scarred, tattooed arms wrapping around me, finally making me feel whole again. “I heard you every time you told me. I heard you, princess. I knew you loved me the day I told you. I just wanted to give you time to heal.”

I sniffled. “There’s nobody but you, Ace. I’m completely in love with you.”

chapter forty-one

ACE

SIX MONTHS LATER

“Bro, have you even showered yet?” Ryan asked, disgust coloring his voice.Judgemental fucker.

I snorted as I headed into the locker room of the gym at school. I couldn’t afford to take on a gym membership on the money I made right now. Between school supplies, rent, truck payments and maintenance, and also setting aside money each week to be able to take Celine out every weekend, funds were a bit tight. Whatever extra I had left over each week from my bartending tips went straight to savings so I could one day buy a house for me and Celine.

That girl had become the center of my entire universe. How I survived a year without her, I had no idea. Because I could barely stand to be apart from her now. Most nights, she stayed at my place, and we fell asleep in each other’s arms.

Having her curled up against me, my body spooned around hers, always brought me the best night’s sleep. She was everything I needed, she was worth every hardship, because I started and ended every day with her soft smiles.

“You’re the one who called me,” I told him, trying to catch my breath. “I thought it was something important.”

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