Page 70 of Embers of Torment

"Jace said you disappeared during fifth grade, and he assumed you enrolled elsewhere because of him. He said he didn't know for sure until you mentioned it at the soccer field."

"Ugh!" I threw my hands in the air. "Assumed? He shouldknowwhat he caused. Jace had been a year ahead of me but was forced to repeat fourth grade. That's how he ended up in my world. Jace made me his target when the academic year began, and he had a whole army of friends who had no problem mimicking his behavior. My parents had thought everything would die down over the summer. But that isn't what happened. The bullying became worse, both from Jace and his followers. I got cornered and beat up in the bathroom one afternoon. That's when I got sent to a private school."

"Della, I'm sorry. I didn't know it was that bad. But, honestly, Jace has changed. The person you describe isn't anything likethe guy I know. Talk to him. If you still hate him afterward, that's how it'll be."

"What then? You'll drop me as a friend because I loathe your buddy?"

"No! It's not like that. I don't want to end my friendship with either of you. I'll make it work."

"Thank you." Adam's answer was what I had hoped he'd say but didn't a hundred percent expect. At least I felt relieved I wouldn't lose him. That would be doubly devastating.

Adam sighed, the sound overly loud. It was what he did when he was frustrated. "Well, I should let you go. Theo wanted to go to dinner, but I asked him to wait a few minutes so I could try to call you again. Now he's pacing the kitchen floor because he's hungry."

"Then you better get going. I know how grumpy Theo gets when he's starving."

"Funny, he's just like you," Adam chuckled. "Seriously, though. Are you going to talk to Jace?"

"No, I am not. He doesn't deserve it. And don't ask me again, or I'll have to hurt you."

"All right. I'll drop it, but think about it. You two are my best friends, and I know you care about each other. Well…maybe not now, but you're great together, or were, and can be again. So, please reconsider."

"And this is dropping it? Bye, Adam." I hung up the call and growled. What did Adam and Kendra not get? Jace was a beast to me, repeatedly cruel and demeaning. I couldn't forgive who he was and what he did.

Not now. Not ever.

Jace was dead to me.

Chapter 21

Jace

"Dammit," I growled as I parked behind Ree's SUV. She was standing in Heath's front yard with her hand on her hip as she wagged her finger at him. Based on her scowl and stance, I assumed she was angry. My suspicion was confirmed when I scrambled from my car and caught what she was saying.

"You're an idiot. Who the hell does something like that?" Ree yelled. She paced back and forth, looking ready to explode. Then she stopped and motioned toward the dumpster still in the driveway. "You could have asked if the ball was Lily's before you threw it away. But, no. You decided to make my daughter cry instead."

"Hey, hold up. What's going on here?" I rushed over to Ree to try to settle her down. Ninety-five percent of the time, she was a sweet, motherly, and fun-loving person. It was the other five percent you had to be wary of. Once you pushed Ree's buttons,which took a lot of repeated effort, she was like a Rottweiler in attack mode, and it was hard to get her to stop.

Ree swiveled to face me, her arm wildly swishing toward Heath. "This imbecile found Lily's ball in his yard and tossed it in the dumpster without asking if it was hers."

"I did no such thing," Heath said dryly. He stood with his arms crossed over his chest, his foot tapping an erratic rhythm on the grass.

"Excuse me? Yes, you did." Ree glared at Heath, her face as rigid as a concrete slab. "Lily was playing with her soccer ball in our driveway and accidentally kicked it over here. She ran into our house for a minute, and when she returned to get her ball, it was gone. Lily was searching for it when your plumber asked what she was looking for. When Lily told him she was trying to find her pink soccer ball, the guy said he saw it in the dumpster. Then he informed her he was too busy to get it for her. So, of course, my daughter came home crying."

"And you automatically assumed I was the person who tossed the ball. For your information, I left an hour ago and just returned. I was walking to my front door when you attacked me." Heath's lips twisted into a mocking smile. "Nothing like jumping to conclusions."

"You weren't here?" Ree scrunched an eyebrow, appearing reluctant to believe Heath.

"Nope, I sure wasn't. But go ahead. Make stuff up and accuse me. You probably enjoy it."

I jumped between the two of them, hands in the air. "Hey, come on, guys. Can we stop now? It sounds like this is a simple misunderstanding."

"It's not me. It's her," Heath said while he nodded toward Ree. "I was minding my own business, so you might want to call her off."

"Uhh…Ree. Why don't I grab the ball, and you can take it back to the house?" I slipped my arm through hers and walked her a few feet to the dumpster. Peering over its edge, I spotted Lily's pink glittery soccer ball poking out from underneath some drywall. Climbing into the steel container through its swing door, I maneuvered around several pieces of furniture and construction debris to get to it. I carefully retraced my steps after retrieving the colorful piece of sporting equipment. "Here, you can give it back to Lily." I held the glittery orb out toward Ree.

"Thank you," she snapped, snatching it from my hand. Ree marched back to her house and disappeared behind the front door.

"Sorry about that. Ree's protective of Lily." I brushed some dirt from my jeans while Heath walked over to join me.

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