Page 52 of Broken Bonds

“Still… I’m sorry.” He kissed the top of my wet head, shooting sparks throughout my whole body.

We ended up in the big dance room again, sitting in silence today, neither of us knowing what to say after the ordeal in the locker rooms. We were leaning against one of the mirrored walls when I eventually started to doze off, the day’s events and sleepless nights hitting me hard.

He pulled my head onto his shoulder, his arm wrapping around my body. “Sleep. I’ll protect you.” He kissed my temple, leaving me filled with questions as I felt my body succumb to sleep.

What was happening between us?

Hours later, after dinner, we were all in our respective corners again, and the energy in the room was tense. Word had gotten out about our run-in with Richard and the other two guys he hung out with. Per Barbara’s rules, they weren’t allowed in the gym anymore once she saw my shaken appearance when the men walked in during dinner.

Now, everyone longed for better news in the morning—news of freedom. And I knew many of the men would barely be sleeping tonight, worried for their wives and daughters.

“What’s the first thing you’re going to do when we get home?” Ace’s deep voice shook me from my thoughts.

“Definitely a hot shower,” I said without even having to think about it. “You?” He laughed.

“I’m going to make some decent food. I’m starving.”

I raised my brow at him in surprise. “You can cook?”

He nodded, and through the candlelight, I could see red creeping up his neck. “My gran taught me before I came here. She didn’t want me to depend on a woman.”

I laughed. “Never heard it that way before. Usually, it’s us girls depending on the men.”

He snorted, shaking his head. “She taught me to cook, clean, and how to do laundry, including ironing. After we got my mother settled in the rehab center, she focused some of her attention on me to make sure I could make it in the world on my own.”

Cook, clean, and laundry. Be still, my beating heart.

“You’re quite the catch, hey?” I fought the feeling of jealousy clawing at my throat, trying to make my tone light and teasing.

Because Ace wasn’t mine. He couldneverbe mine. Not with Ryan standing between us. I knew Ace would never betray his best friend like that.

“Someday, when I find the right girl,”damn, that hurt, “I want to help. I don’t want her to think she has to take care of everything in the house alone.”

He would never be mine. I wasn’t that girl.

We spoke throughout the night, our heads next to each other, our whispers and laughter filling the silence along with an occasional snore from someone else in the room that would interrupt us.

Chaos and excitement filled the air the next morning when we heard loud banging coming from the entrance of the school. Ace jerked into a sitting position, his hand immediately clamping around my wrist like he was ready to yank me up and get me to safety.

“The rescue workers are here, folks!” Oscar wobbled around quickly on his cane, telling everyone the good news. My heart started hammering in my chest.

Rescue workers! We were goinghome!

Ace and I shared an excited grin and grabbed our belongings before he swung me into his arms and carried us toward the entrance of the school. His heart was beating just as fast as mine was, both of us excited to finally get out of here and get back to my family. To his apartment. Back to normalcy.

“I’m going to get you home, princess,” he whispered next to my ear, his big footsteps jostling me around. With each sway, my legs pulsed with pain, but I didn’t say a word.

“Weare going home, Ace. Both of us,” I corrected, looking up into his blue eyes.

We waited at the entrance with everyone else in the darkness. The sound of a saw ripping through the air and the mumble of voices could be heard from the other side of the door. We were so close.So close.

“One, two, three!” a loud, gruff voice shouted, and then, we heard a loud boom. The building shook, someone screamed, and then, silence rang in the crowded hallway.

The front door cracked open, and a wall of humidity hit us as light poured into the dark space. I squinted my eyes in surprise, and someone groaned loudly. We hadn’t seen light like this indays.

“Are you all okay?” a voice asked, and my gaze landed on a man dressed in a firefighter uniform, his face layered in dirt, exhaustion clear in his voice. No doubt, they’d been working endlessly to clear roads and get people medical attention.

“We’re just dandy, sir. Thank you for helping us out.” Oscar hobbled to the man, his hand extended in greeting. They held a short conversion in hushed whispers as we made our way out of the school and into the fresh air outside.

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