Page 91 of Broken Bonds

Sorry wasn’t bringing Ace back.

But if Ace really cared, he would’ve kept his word. He would’ve stayed. He wouldn’t have broken his promise to me.

“It’s… it’s okay.” Shrugging my shoulders in defeat, I forced a smile at Ryan’s shocked expression. “If he really cared about me, you wouldn’t have been able to scare him away.” My voice sounded tired to my own ears. “I forgive you.”

He reached over and hugged me, his shoulders slumping in relief. “Who’s going to protect me while you’re gone?” I teased.

He laughed, and for the first time in a while, a real smile tilted my lips. “Amber will. That girl is like a guard dog.”

“Have you told her yet?” Pulling away, I looked up at my brother.

He sighed. “No. I had to get through Mom and Dad first. I thought about inviting her over tonight, but I knew it was going to be a bad outcome.”

I patted his arm. “She really likes you, Ryan. You’re the only thing on her mind at the moment. You have to tell her.”

He swallowed thickly, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “I’m thinking about ending the relationship.”

My eyes widened in horror. “Dude, what is yourproblem?” I snapped.

He heaved a tired sigh. “I don’t want her to get attached before I leave, and then the whole time I’m away, I’ll be worried about two girls at home. And it would be long distance. I can’t… I can’t ask that of her.”

I frowned at him, my brows furrowing. “She’s a keeper, Ryan.”

He sighed. “I know. I just don’t want to break her heart if something does happen to me.”

I sighed, glaring at him. “You better not die.”

His lips tilted up at the corners. “I’ll do my best.”

chapter thirty-two

CELINE

The morning after Ryan and I had our heart-to-heart, we faced our parents together, aiming to be a united front. Regardless of our intentions, they were still furious with Ryan, though my mother seemed to be slightly remorseful for her actions last night toward me.

After another screaming match that made Ryan and me late for our first day of class, they agreed to at least think about it, never mind that Ryan had already filled out the paperwork and the United States Military was expecting him January second for training. He was under contract. Legally, there was nothing our parents could do.

Much like my first day of class a year ago, I sat in Ryan’s truck, nerves swirling in my stomach at the thought of yet another first day. Unlike my brother, who wasn’t excited for his last first day, especially as a senior, I couldn’t wait.

Amber and I had been lucky enough to coordinate two classes together, while my other four would require me to either step out of my bubble or embrace the loneliness. Truthfully, I was leaning toward any possibility that kept me nice and safe in my bubble. I knew if Amber hadn’t approached me on the firstday in our class, we wouldn’t be friends today. But I just wasn’t in the mood to attempt making friends with anyone else.

The fiery redhead was sitting beside me now, her nose stuck in her phone, a smirk playing on her red lips, nails clicking away at her phone.

“Who are you texting?” I whispered, watching the professor walk into the small room, her hands filled with papers.

“Ryan… duh?” She looked at me with a shrug.

Fighting a giggle, I stayed focused on the woman at the front of the room, who seemed to be talking to herself. “No sexting in class, dork.” She dropped the phone abruptly with a loud bang that had every head in the room turning in our direction.

Glaring at me with cheeks as red as her lips and hair, she discreetly put the phone in her bag and rested her gaze on the woman at the front of the room.

“Geez, way to throw a girl to the sharks,” she mumbled, earning a snicker from me and a strange look from the boy sitting on her other side.

The woman at the front of the room was still shuffling around, arranging her papers on the desk in stacks. Then, she took a sip from her hot pink tumbler before rearranging the papers and mumbling to herself some more.

“You think nutty is going to start class anytime soon? I’ve got to pee.” She leaned her head closer to mine to whisper the last part.

Slapping her arm playfully, I stifled a laugh. “It’s the first class of the day!”

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