Page 70 of Untouchable

Ibreathe in the summer air, trying to let the sound of wind chimes, and Ace’s hand gripping mine, ground me as I relive the worst day of my life.

“Mom and I had this tradition of going shopping together every spring. I would stock up on new summer dresses and she would buy my dad a new tie he would never wear. We would start as soon as the mall would open and make a whole day out of it. We’d grab lunch at the food court, talk about everything under the sun, and we could always bet our entire shopping trip that Dad would be grilling steaks when we got home. This particular shopping trip was during my last semester before graduating college. We were in the car on the way home, in the middle of a discussion about how my dad never let me ride with the club. She assured me that it didn’t mean anything and that I was no less a part of things just because I wasn’t behind the handlebars. I just missed being on a bike, you know? Feeling that sense of freedom I remembered from him taking me on rides when I was younger. She reminded me that they both just wanted to keep me safe, that I was their little girl and it would kill?—”

I have to stop when my sobs dare to choke me up. Ace is quick to tighten his hold on me, and I hurry to get the rest out. “That it would kill either of them if anything ever happened to me. She promised me that she would talk to him about letting me ride, because even though I was a grown-ass woman I still wanted his blessing. I hugged her tight then a car behind us honked, telling us our light was green. She quickly accelerated but because she was in a hurry to get out of the way she didn’t see the car flying through the red light from the opposite direction. It was a drunk driver and they hit her side at full speed. I was in shock, screaming at the top of my lungs, and there was s–so much blood, but I couldn’t move. Their car pushed ours until it stopped on a light pole. I couldn’t get out, I couldn’t help her, I–I just had to sit there. I held her hand until they pulled her away from me.” I roll my lips together and squeeze my eyes shut, trying to keep the dam from breaking, but Ace sees me hurting and refuses to let me hide.

“I’m here,Mi Luz. Let it out, it’s okay.” I look at him and he nods, rubbing my back in the most comforting way. I sink into his arms, letting every emotion have its moment to be felt. He never shushes me or rushes me through it, he doesn’t offer empty words—he just exists here in this moment with me. Which is truly the only thing I need. When the crying subsides, I look at him with swollen eyes and try my best to smile.

“Let’s go in and rest, hmm?” he offers. Which sounds like a dream given I’m always tired after crying so hard and would hate to be a drag during whatever else we may do today.

“Okay.” We walk inside and up to my room without a word, but when we climb into bed and his arms wrap around me, I hear him whisper something else in Spanish, and I tell myself to ask him about it when I wake up.

The nightmare that occurs only when I think too deeply about the day my mother passed jolts me awake. My chest is heaving and my body is covered in sweat as I look around the unfamiliar room and try to regain my bearings. Gentle hands pull my face to the right, causing me to focus on Ace. I quickly remember where we are, and what we’ve been doing, and my heart rate begins to slow.

“Katarina, it’s okay. I’m here.” Those two wordsI’m here, are becoming some of the most impactful words ever spoken to me. I rub his forearms, letting the warmth of his skin calm me even further. My eyes fall shut and I breathe in the familiar scent of his cologne.

“You’re here,” I whisper the words, mostly to myself, but I know he can hear me. He presses his forehead against mine and I can feel the muscles in my face relax.

“Right here.” My eyes open slowly, and all I want is to feel him closer. So I press my lips to his, not surprised to find the same passion in his movements as I’ve experienced any other time we’ve kissed. His hands still holding my face and his lips claiming mine, makes me forget about everything else but him. The way my mind clears when he touches me feels supernatural. Nothing else has ever been able to accomplish that before. His hands travel down my body, intentionally exploring every part of me. One hand palms my breast, while the other keeps hold of my neck. Then they both move to caress my arms until I move to straddle his lap and they land on my ass, squeezing firmly as I press my hips further into him. He moans when I slip my tongue in his mouth and I smile.

“You like driving me crazy, Reaper?” he whispers against my lips.

My smile widens. “Maybe.”

“Well, you’re excellent at it.” We both begin to laugh, but his hands stay resting on the curve of my ass. “I know you requested we stay here today, but would you be up for going out for dinner? Then we can come back and do whatever you’d like.”

I nod my head excitedly, biting my lip to keep myself from smiling like an idiot. He pulls my lip from between my teeth, looking at me with such care I have to consciously catch my breath.

“Don’t ever hide your smile, Katarina. It’s far too beautiful to be held captive.” I have a hard time believing this is all actually real sometimes—that things between us changed so quickly and in such a big way. Here I thought he was too serious for my shenanigans and didn’t want anything to do with me most of the time, to him telling me he wanted me in all of the ways I never imagined to be true.

“If we’re going out I need to shower, I’m nightmare sweaty.” I scrunch my nose and he leans forward and licks my neck, making me gasp. “Adrian!”

“You taste fine to me.” He shrugs. “But if you want to shower then let’s go. I’ll wash your hair.”

Nobody pinch me.

An hour and a half later—after showering together, Ace insisting on blow drying my hair for me, and him trying to teach me how to salsa in the middle of me doing my makeup—we’re walking out the door to go to dinner. I did tell him I wanted to revisit the dancing lesson though because I’d kill to watch that man move his body like that again. There’s something so sexy about a man who knows how to dance, and Ace Hernández candance.

“Can I drive?” I jokingly ask Ace, knowing his answer will be no.

“Do you even know how?”

“I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t know how to drive a bike, Ace. I’m not suicidal.” I roll my eyes.

He raises a brow at me, grabs my helmet, and places it on my head. “Who taught you to ride?”

“Bodine,” I answer simply, causing his movements to halt. His brow furrows but he doesn’t say anything as he continues fastening my helmet. “What?” I ask, wondering why the sudden change in his demeanor.

“Nothing.” I stop him from finishing my helmet, backing away from him as I pull it off completely and place it on the bike.

“Ace.” He looks at me, his eyes dark like they used to be when he would look at me. “Why does that bother you?”

“It doesn’t.” I can tell he’s lying and I’m not leaving this driveway until I figure out why.

“Truth, Ace.” He sighs and I smile, but it fades quickly when I hear his concern.

“Why are you two so close?”

“Um, we’re friends? Friends typically are close.” I laugh. “I mean, it’s no different than how close I am with Tabitha.”

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