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“They’re around the apartment building when you’re home too,” Everett informs her, and she whips her head around to where Rayne is talking to Storm across the room.
“Are they now?”
I meet Elijah’s eyes, and he gives me a small nod. “It’s a good idea.”
I sigh and shove my hand through my hair. Not for the first time in our lives, I realize I could never deny Mia anything. Except maybe orgasms, but that’s a thought for another day.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
MIA
Ithought I’d be more panicked being out in the open. I thought I’d be craving the safety of the penthouse as soon as I stepped out the front door. But this is the first time I’ve felt truly free in almost a decade.
I’m still having trouble reconciling the boy I knew as a kid with the ruthless killer Tommy has turned into, but the way he looks at Clara gives me butterflies, I can’t imagine how she feels being on the other end of those looks.
When Emerson suggested we take a trip to the youth center she runs with her father, I was hesitant. I’d already been out of the house for a few hours, and while I’ve enjoyed every single second, I’ve basically been alone with my own thoughts every minute of every day for so many years that being surrounded by conversation has been a little overwhelming. But there’s something in the back of my head that urges me to go.
So I say yes.
The drive from the courthouse to downtown Chicago isn’t particularly long, but I can’t help but fidget the whole way.
Ace keeps his hand on my thigh, his eyes scanning the streets as he navigates them. I’ve never been that interested in cars, but Cyrus was into them. He used to go on and on about his collection for hours while he tortured me. The classic Chevy looks to be in original condition, but it’s immaculate. When he first helped me slip into the soft leather seats, I was afraid I somehow had crumbs on me that I would leave behind. Maybe that’s my trauma speaking—the memory of all the times a perceived mess was used as an excuse to hurt me.
The closer we get, the more tense Ace seems to become, and my stomach rolls uncomfortably. “We can go back to the apartment if you need to get some work done,” I tell him.
His eyes flick to me, the green softening as soon as they clash with mine. “It’s not that, Sugar. I just get nervous about having you out of the house.”
I hesitantly drop my hand to his and squeeze. The contact sends a zap of electricity straight to my chest, and from the way the tension in his shoulders softens slightly, I know he feels it too. “I’m not going anywhere. And Emerson said there’s a large security presence at the center now.”
He nods, but it doesn’t seem to make a difference as he brings the car to a stop across the road.
I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. The buildings that line the street are run-down, some so much so I would call them decrepit, but there’s one that stands out from the rest.
The bricks have recently been cleaned, the sign above the door is so clean I’d swear it was hung yesterday, and the connected basketball court is fitted with soft flooring rather than solid concrete. It’s a haven for children like I was when I was in foster care, and I find myself reaching for the handle instinctively.
Ace stops me with a squeeze of my thigh, and I look up at him expectantly. “I want you at my side at all times, okay?”
I nod. “I know.”
He lets out a breath and reaches for his own door.
I slip from the car and look down at the emerald dress I’m wearing. I’m not really dressed to be here, but when I see Emerson getting out of Rayne’s black SUV in her fitted black dress and heels, I relax.
She beams at us as we cross the street. “What do you think? We were forced to do some remodeling recently because there was a fire here, but the changes we made have made all the difference!”
“It’s incredible.” I smile as she leads me through the front door and into what I assume is the heart of the center. There are a few seating areas with comfortable-looking couches and games strewn across the tables.
A couple of boys are engaged in what seems to be an intense game of chess, while three girls, probably around twelve, are huddled around the one gossip magazine, giggling between themselves.
I know from experience that this is as peaceful as their lives get. At home, it’s a constant rat race. Even if they live in a home where their parents love them, this is their safe haven.
“This is incredible,” I hear myself say as I look around the wide-open space. The carpet beneath our feet is brand new, the tables and chairs the same, but the space feels homely.
Emerson beams proudly, which drags a smile to Rayne’s usually intense face. “It’s been in our family for three generations. This is where I grew up and where I met Rayne.” She leans into him, and he doesn’t hesitate to wrap an arm around her shoulders and press a kiss to the top of her head.
Not for the first time, I long for that kind of closeness, but I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to handle it. So far everything Ace and I have done has been met with no anxiety, but I’m certain there’s a line we’re rapidly approaching.
I look up at the man in question and catch him looking at them with the same longing I feel in my chest. The overwhelming need to leave hits me out of nowhere, sucking the air right from my lungs. It’s not fair on him to stay. I’ll never be able to give him what he wants.
