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I pocket my cell and push it down.
As I expected, I find Ace alone in the pool house.
“Where’s Remi?” I ask, finding it odd that she’s not here. She’s always here. Not that it’s an issue. I kinda like that we’ve got a sister now too. Hell
knows, she helps to soften Ace’s rough edges a little
“Taken Hadley back to the dorms.” My breath catches at even the mention of her name. My eyes fly to his, wondering if he saw it. The small smirk playing on his lips tells me that he did.
Sadly, he hasn’t got me here for relationship advice—not that I’d take any from him, knowing just how messy things have been between the two of them since we arrived in Sterling Bay.
“What has Donny got you doing?” he asks, cutting straight to the point.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I lie easily as I fall down onto the small beanbag Conner was occupying with my girl last night. My girl.
I ignore the increased beat of my heart at those two words and focus on the issues at hand.
“Don’t fucking lie to me, Cole. I know you better than you know yourself.”
“Well then you’d better fucking look again, because you’re talking shit.”
“So where did you disappear off to yesterday?”
“A team thing.”
“A team thing?” he repeats, his brows almost hitting his hairline.
“Yeah, things are heating up with the season. Aaron wanted to—”
“You’re lying.”
“Am I?” I taunt, sitting up straighter.
His lips press into a thin line as the muscle in his neck pulsates with frustration.
“Cole,” he says with a sigh. “I can’t protect you if I don’t know what the fuck is going on.”
“Who said I need you to protect me? I’m a big boy, I can look after myself.”
He stares at me, and I hate that he’s seeing the weak little boy that I used to be. But that was before. Before I was forced to endure the things I did. Things that I’ll never tell him or anyone about. The things that changed me, turned my heart black and ruined my soul.
“But you don’t have to. We’re a fucking team, Cole. We do this together.”
“Together?” I snort.
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Ace glowers.
“Is that what you were thinking when you went up against Bruce that night?” The second he registers my words, I know I made a mistake.
“Is that how you knew to turn up that night? Was it a set-up?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I shrug. “I came looking for you and found you half fucking dead.”
His jaw ticks with anger and his fists clench. I understand his need. I’d much rather fight this out than fucking talk about it.
“Are we done?” I ask, pushing from my seat and taking a step toward the door. I need to get out of here before one of us does or says something we’ll regret.
“Not even fucking close, bro.”
