Page 54 of Broken Bonds

We were on the bed of an old pickup truck that belonged to one of the rescue workers, surrounded by victims of the storm. Everyone was tired, scared, and grumpy. It wasn’t just us. ButGod, I could barely think past the pain in my legs.

“You don’t have to be an asshole twenty-four-seven, you know?” I snapped.

Ace rolled his head over to look at me, arching a brow. “What fun would that be, princess?” First, we had an argument about sitting in the bed of the truck, and now, I was really wishing we had walked because the truck was jostling my legs to the point it was almost unbearable. We hit another rough bump, and I squeezed my eyes shut, sucking in a sharp breath.

“You’re so rude. I told you I didn’t want to come in this truck.”

“And I couldn’t carry you and your thunder thighs all the way to your house,” he snapped. My gasp was carried away by the wind as I glared at him, the urge to punch his pretty facestrong.

“Would you two shut up?” a man grumbled from the corner of the back of the pickup, closest to the back window of the cab.

I shot him a glare, making him cast his eyes away from me, before I turned back to Ace, who was failing at hiding his amusement. “I don’t have thunder thighs,” I snapped. Wind whipped my hair all over my face with small, sharp stings as pain blossomed in my chest at Ace’s words.

He sighed. “It’s not the end of the world, princess. Some guys like it.”

Was he one of those guys? Why did I even care? Ishouldn’tcare.

“You’re a pig,” I sneered.

“I’m one of those guys, princess.” He shot me a smirk. My heart skipped a beat in my chest, and I felt like I’d swallowed my tongue. “I like your thunder thighs—something for me to hold onto when I kiss you.”

Oh, Jesus, please help me.

My heart was going to beat right out of my chest. Did he want to kiss me?

The truck lurched to a stop, throwing me forward a few inches. My hands shot out to brace my fall, and Ace’s hand gripped my upper arm, keeping me in place.

I looked up, and the insults I was going to throw at Ace dried on my tongue. The beach house—rather, the remains of it—filled my gaze.

No.

A cry tore from my throat at the sight of the destroyed house and the memories that had been washed away.Aidan. Oh, Aidan.

Upturned trees covered the driveway. Someone’s bike lay in the long, gravel road to the house, and the swinging bench Aidan and I used to sit on every Friday evening was laying in pieces in the middle of the front yard.

Puddles of water were everywhere, and I knew the inside would be even worse. Ace hopped off the back of the truck, his gaze on mine, his arms reaching for me. I shook my head, tears blurring my vision.

“No,” I croaked. This wasn’t happening. This could not be happening. Waseverygood memory of Aidan going to be tainted until I had nothing good of him left?

“Come on; we can’t keep these people waiting. They want to get home, too.” I glanced at the tired people around me, their dirt-covered faces wearing expressions of panic, fear, and sadness—so much sadness—etched into all of their eyes as they stared at the beach house.

Ace helped me down, his arms tight around my weak body. He thanked the driver, who nodded and sped off, the groan of the engine disappearing around the bend.

I stared at the house where so many memories were made. Memories now wrecked. Destroyed.

Ace took one step and then another, his footsteps sloshing each time his boot hit the wet ground. He avoided big branches and other debris along the path to the front door like a maze. And with every step closer, my chest tightened more and more.

The front door wasn’t hanging right. The bottom hinges were broken off. Ace used his foot to nudge it open, and water came rushing out, soaking his feet. We both muttered expletives as we stared at the mess in front of us. My heart screamed in agony.

Everything wasruined.

“I want to go home,” I whispered, tears flowing down my cheeks.

“Let’s just check?—”

I interrupted him. “Take me home, Ace. Just take me home.” My dad could deal with this. I couldn’t. Not today. Not anytime soon. Panic clawed up my throat at the sight of my safe place, the place where Aidan and I didn’t fight.Destroyed.

“Okay,” Ace said softly, sensing my panic. “I have to figure out a way to change the flat on the Jeep first.”

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