Page 37 of Broken Bonds

Hard.

The back of his head bounced off the concrete, and I clung to his wet shirt, my hands digging into his shoulders. He sucked in a sharp breath of pain. My body ached with exhaustion, and I didn’t want to move. I just wanted torest. Right there on his chest. Right there where I felt safest despite the roaring of the waves just behind me.

Ace started to move, and I groaned in protest. Sitting upright, he looked at me lying on his legs before holding the back of his head with one hand. He pulled his fingers in front of his eyes, only to find them covered in blood. My own exhausted, burning eyes widened in horror.

Oh, no.

“We have to move. We have to get out of here,” Ace urged, but I was still looking at his red hand.

He had gotten hurt from saving me. He was going to leave me just like Aidan did. Not again please. God, not again.

“Did you hear me? Get up, Celine; we have to move!” He was pushing me off him to get up, his eyes looking over my shoulder. Fear lingered in his blue depths, the same fear that was there this morning when he spoke to my mom.

He pulled me up by my arms, his blood getting on my shirt, but I crumpled to the ground when he let go. My legs were shaking, and pain pulsed through them, just like after the accident. Fear swarmed through me. I couldn’t walk. How was I expected to walk? To get to the shelter?

“Celine, get up. Come on, princess, get up.” He was still looking behind me toward the ocean. His eyes widened, and then, he looked down at me, extending his hand.

“More is coming! Take my hand!”

“Leave me, Ace. I can’t. It hurts too much.” I choked out the words, my throat raw from the salt water. He needed to get out of here while he still could—forget about me. My legs burned from the knees down, and I bit my lip to stop the cry from tumbling from my lips. I wouldn’t be able to walk, let alone run. I would only hinder him, slow him down. Maybe even get him killed.

“I’m not going to leave you here, Celine. The whole reason I’m here is to save you, so get your pretty ass off that ground and come with me!” He pulled me up, not giving me a choice.

I fell into his body, smacking my nose against his hard chest. His arms banded around me as he stumbled, trying to get his footing so he could support my weight.

But this time, I didn’t fall back to the ground.

I looked at the giant wave coming our way and then back at Ace. Water was dripping down his face, and he slid his hand through his wet, black locks that were falling into his clear, blue eyes. I was leaning on him for support. I couldn’t stand on my own.

Should I tell him?

Gripping my hand, he started to turn, taking his support away, and I started to fall, but his hand holding mine tugged sharply. Then, I was in his arms again.

“We have to run, Celine. You have to run with me.” I shook my head, and tears blended with the raindrops falling on my face.

“I can’t. My legs, Ace. I can’t.” Fresh tears of pain rolled down my cheeks. A flash of confusion crossed his face, but the confusion was quickly replaced with understanding. In one swift movement, he swept me off my feet and cradled my body to his chest. I looked away from his penetrating gaze, linking my arms around his neck.

I was so weak.

Ace started to run with me in his arms, but I had nothing to hold onto but his neck, so I was bouncing all over the place. I only hoped he wouldn’t drop me, but I didn’t say a word. He was saving me—yet again. Always coming to my rescue.

He stopped after a few minutes, once we were far from the water, and a sigh of relief escaped his parted lips when he turned around and saw the water was in the distance, back where it couldn’t reach us.

“You can put me down.” My voice was soft, barely a whisper. He didn’t move, just stood under the cover of an overhang of one of the many shops, breathing heavily. His chest rose and fell quickly under my fingers. He slid to the floor, never letting go of me.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, looking into Ace’s ocean-blue eyes and then down at his lips that were now so close to my face. The desire to kiss them washed over me again.

Did Ace want to kiss me, too?

He was so warm despite our soaked clothes, his body heat emanating from him like a furnace. I was shivering, my teeth chattering. He opened his mouth to say something but thenshook his head and remained quiet. His arms were like steel around my body, so I laid my head on his chest, listening to the rapid beat of his heart.

“How bad is the pain?” His chest rumbled against my ear, the sound vibrating through my body.

“I’ll be fine. Let’s keep going.” He didn’t need to know that I was on the verge of screaming in agony.

“Celine,” he sighed my name, “tell me.”

I swallowed thickly. “I just need to take it slow.” He nodded, no longer pressing for an answer.

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