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“Stay away from me, Bexley.” I narrow my eyes. “I mean it.”
Ace is waiting for me at the end of school. Kids give him a wide berth as he lingers by the door.
“This is a surprise,” I say, flinging myself at him. He catches me, pulling me into his arms.
“I missed you.” Ace nuzzles my neck and I shriek, drawing the attention of some passing kids. But they don’t say anything.
“I’m just glad you’re okay. And Cole?”
Ace’s expression hardens. “He’s in a bad place, but he’ll be okay. He’s strong.”
“Maybe he should talk to someone,” I suggest.
“Like a shrink?” He hooks his arm around my neck and pulls me into his side. “I’m not sure that’s the answer here. Cole is... complicated.”
“Talking about it might help.” We reach his bike and Ace hands me the helmet.
“Cole
will figure it out, Princess. When you were brought up the way we were, trusting people doesn’t come easy.”
“I know.” I gulp, imagining the life they’ve had. “I just... forget it, it doesn’t matter.”
“Hey, come here.” Leaning on his bike, Ace hooks his finger into the waistband of my skirt and pulls me between his legs. “I love that you care so much, but there’s a long way to go before any of us get used to this life, Princess.”
“I know.” I slide my hands up his chest, not caring who can see us. “I just hate that you went through all that. It’s not fair.”
“Sometimes life isn’t fair. But I feel like my luck is finally turning. I have you, a legit job… and Donny cut me loose.”
I stiffen, my eyes growing to saucers. “What do you mean, he cut you loose?”
“I’m out. Done. My services are no longer required.”
“Just like that?” Suspicion lingers in my voice.
“Honestly, I have bigger things to worry about right now. Donny said I can walk, so I walked. I’m done.”
I want to believe him, but there’s something in his eyes. Something he’s not telling me.
I’m about to ask him when my cell vibrates. Before I can stop myself, I go rigid. Ace’s brow knits as he studies me. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” I muster a smile. “It’s probably just my mom.” Quickly, I dig it out of my bag and check the screen, careful not to let Ace see.
Relief floods me when I realize it is my mom this time. “She wants to know if you’re staying for dinner.”
“If I’m... Shit, she invited me for dinner?”
Pocketing my cell, I wrap my arms around his neck again and brush the corner of Ace’s mouth with my lips. “Well, you are my boyfriend, and that’s what boyfriends tend to do. They come over and have dinner with their girlfriend’s mom and make promises not to corrupt their daughter.”
“Is that so?” His brow rises, a slow smirk tugging at his lip.
A smirk that has my stomach clenching.
“You know, I never have been very good at keeping promises.”
Soft laughter spills out of me. “Well, it’s a good thing that’s one promise I don’t mind you breaking.”
Mom has pulled out all the stops. There’s pizza and mozzarella sticks, salad and tater tots. I’m not sure who she thinks she’s feeding, but she gets an A for effort.
