Page 22 of Claim Me Forever

“Babe, everything is going to be okay.”

“I know.” She tucks a piece of hair behind her ear.

“Is there anything you want to ask me?” I want to put her at ease any way I can.

“No, it’s fine. You should probably check on the cooler.”

I’m about to sayfuck the coolerwhen Libby’s phone goes off. She scurries back over to the bed, answering. I dip into my closet to pull on some jeans and a shirt.

When I step back out, Libby is talking to her sister. She glances in my direction and smiles at me.I’ll be right back,I mouth to her, knowing that she and her sister can talk for over an hour on the phone. She nods.

I enter the safe room, grab my own phone, then retrieve a handgun and holster it under my shirt. Heaven’s Temple roads are clear, and I’m not sure what might head this way. Either way, I will be prepared. No one will ever hurt Libby again.

14

LIBBY

My emotions are all over the place. I’d fallen asleep in Ace’s arms. I felt warm and protected. Now everything is changing. I know it’s partly my fault. When I called my sister this morning with tears in my eyes, telling her that I missed her, it put her in gear. She’d called to tell me that she and Garrett were on their way here.

Ace is downstairs, so I'm unable to tell him. I wonder whether I should head downstairs to find him. Why hadn’t I thought to add his number to my phone? Probably because he is always next to me. That is about to change now that the storm has passed.

Then he’ll be here with pretty Joe while I’m off to the woods with my sister to her love-cabin. That is going to be hard to be around because my sister is madly in love. There is no way it is not going to pour off her. Heck, half the time Winter calls, she is sitting in Garrett’s lap or he is very close by. They’re adorable, and I love that for her, but I want it too. Not with anyone but Ace, but I have no clue what we are to each other.

He has been introducing me to the outside world, and I am uncertain if our touching and kissing are simply a component of that. Sex and relationships are drastically different here. We couldn’t even hold hands with a boy where I’m from. This for Ace could be casual, and I don’t think I can ask him either. It would put him on the spot.

I pace back and forth, craving to see Ace. I grab another pair of his boxer briefs and roll them up along with a new shirt to put on and my shoes. I want us to have a moment to ourselves before my sister shows up here, but that might not be possible. He’s with Joe. That thought makes my stomach turn.

I can't help but be bothered by that. Joe was nice. I can’t forget how beautiful either. She was freaking tall, too. I bet she was six inches taller than me. Not as tall as Ace, but still. Her long, dark hair cascaded down her back, accentuating her curves. I look down at my own body, engulfed by Ace's shirt. I’ve never once thought of myself in that way.

I huff, annoyed at myself. Joe is all woman, where I’m all girl. Not to mention my limp. My father consistently stated that no one was interested in marrying me because of it. Ace said that’s bullshit, but he’s always sweet, trying to build me up. He’s a good man. One that I might have taken advantage of even if he tries to deny it.

I open the door but pause at the top of the stairs. When I hear Ace's voice, I start to go down, but when I reach the bottom, the week before comes flooding back. The first and only time I actually came through this back door. The day my whole world changed. I take a deep breath to calm myself.

My eyes linger on the hallway Ace pointed out that night, saying the bar was that way. I listen again but don't hear anything. Then a feminine laugh filters down the hallway. I fight the urge not to turn and flee back up the stairs because I know that laughter has to be over something Ace had said to Joe. Have they even had casual sex before? Did he kiss and leave hickeys on her skin too?

I follow the sounds of Joe’s voice. I can’t make out what she is saying, but I don’t hear Ace respond. I stop in front of a metal door that is open wide. I lean forward to peek in.

Ace is down on his knees working on something while Joe is standing over him with a flashlight in her hands. My eyes meet those of another man. He’s in jeans and a flannel shirt. He appears to be significantly older than Ace.

He quickly removes his white cowboy hat. “What do we have here?” he asks. Both Ace and Joe turn their heads my way. Ace's eyes narrow as they scan up and down my body. He abruptly stands and shoves a silver-looking tool into the other man's chest.

“Finish it,” Ace orders before he’s stalking toward me. I take a few steps back and stop when my back meets the wall. “What are you doing?”

“Are you mad or something?” I can feel the tension rolling off of him. But I’m unsure of the reasoning behind it. Is he upset that I interrupted his time with Joe?

“I thought we didn’t ask questions to not answer other questions?”

“My sister is on her way.” Ace clenches his jaw; I see a tic. “Why are you so mad?”

“I’m just trying to fix the air pump so everything doesn’t go to shit.” I don't believe that's the reason he's upset. I tilt my head to the side, staring up into his handsome face. “Don’t want you roaming around down here.” His hands come down on both sides of me, caging me in.

“Why?” Is he embarrassed of me? He hadn’t seemed like he wanted to introduce me to Joe either, but there wasn’t much of a choice. Now this man with the cowboy hat.

“Babe—”

“Libby!” my sister shouts.

“Winter!” I push on Ace’s chest to see my sister stepping through the back door. I bolt toward her. She meets me halfway, wrapping me in a giant hug. It’s all too much. I burst into tears. Winter does too.

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