Broken Bonds (Unbreakable Bonds #1)

Chapter Eleven

chapter eleven

CELINE

When my phone began ringing in my pocket shortly after my phone call to my parents, I pulled it out, frowning when I saw Ryan’s face appear on my screen. I sighed and swiped across my screen to answer his call. “Did Mom and Dad tell you?” Ace turned around to look at me, saw the phone pressed against my ear, and turned back around, continuing to walk.

“I should’ve come with you to the house,” Ryan said, his voice filled with guilt. “I’m sorry. You wouldn’t be alone right now, walking miles to find shelter.”

“I’m with Ace, remember? I’m not alone.”

Ryan huffed. “I don’t care. I don’t trust him enough to take care of you. Not after everything you’ve been through. I promised you I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. I promised Mom and Dad I would protect you after what happened with Aidan.” He had always blamed himself for that night. He was in charge of me, and he let me go out when it had been raining.

He took all the blame when it wasn’t even his fault. It was mine. It was my fault for getting on that bike, and it was my fault for not stopping Aidan from racing. Or at the very least, for not insisting I get off the damn bike. I could’ve climbed off while they were preparing to set off. I didn’t have to ride with him.

“It wasn’t your fault, Ryan, and this time isn’t either. Ace isn’t Aidan. I’m not going to die. I promise you, Ryan, I’m going to be okay. It’s just an adventure—” a small laugh spilled from my lips, “a really scary adventure.” He laughed, too, though it sounded just as weak as mine.

“Can I talk to Ace?”

“I told him about the accident,” I blurted, not answering his request. Ace stopped this time and looked at me again, his brows pulling low over his eyes.

“Everything?” Ryan asked slowly.

“Um… yes,” I said quietly.

Ryan released a heavy sigh. “Don’t you fall in love with him, Celine. I’m warning you. I won’t let you get hurt again.”

I scoffed. “I won’t, Ryan. I promise I won’t.” Besides, I wasn’t Ace’s type, remember? Ace and I would never be nothing more than two people brought together by a hurricane.

I handed the phone to Ace, who looked surprised. He glanced around as he took the phone, but there was nothing to distract either of us with. We were in the middle of a deserted road.

Once Ace had the phone, I continued walking, leaving Ace behind me just as he’d done to me as he listened to what Ryan had to say. “Yes, I know, Ryan.” Ace paused. “Nothing has happened. I told you nothing would… I’m doing as you asked me; I’m keeping her safe. She’s hydrated, and she’s eaten… I can’t help the fact that we’re soaked to the bone, and she might get sick. I’m doing my best in a crappy situation, bro.”

Ace was silent for a minute. I hated that he was only doing this for Ryan and not for me. But what would I have done if Ace hadn’t come when Ryan asked him to? I’d be stranded in that house, maybe drowning. Fuck, I could have been dead by now. I wouldn’t have been strong enough to survive and cope on my own.

“Stop being an ass,” Ace suddenly snapped.

The rain picked up again and so did the wind. The two seemed to be holding hands, working together in perfect synchrony. My ponytail whipped around me, lashing at my neck. The rain beat down against my skin, stinging with each cold drop that hit me.

“Did your dad find out if there’s a shelter near us?” He had picked up his pace and was walking beside me again. Our hands brushed, sending tingles shooting up my arms, but his fingers didn’t reach for mine. I hated the desolate feeling it left me with.

“What’s the school name so I can check maps for how far it is from us?” Ace asked Ryan.

I crossed my arms, taking my hand away from any further, possible connections. I couldn’t handle it. I felt too open. Too vulnerable. His touch just made my soul quake and my heart need.

“Okay; we’ll call later when we make it. Hopefully, there’s power at the shelter and a phone charger, so we can keep in touch until you’re allowed back into the area. Worst case, we’ll stay there until it’s safe to travel, and then I’ll get us transportation to your house.” He paused, listening. “Yeah, I’ll tell her. Bye.” He put my phone in his pocket instead of handing it back to me.

“Tell me what?” I asked, frowning over at him as a shiver wracked through my body. It was so cold.

“He loves you.” My throat tightened at his words. I missed my family. I wanted to be up in Georgia with them where it was safe.

We fell back into silence, both of us listening to the crashing waves and the pitter-patter of rain as it beat against the asphalt and stores. If I had been at home, I would be curled up in a blanket watching romance movies with a bowl of popcorn. Oh, how I wished that were the case right now.

Thunder rumbled in the looming, gray clouds, and lightning rippled across the sky, lighting up the dark road for a minute. I saw a cat run from one bush to the next, and I wondered if it knew the danger that was coming. If it was trying to seek shelter like we were.

I had driven this route so many times, and I never even considered how long it would take if I ever had to walk it. I never would have thought I’d have to walk this far to anywhere. A twenty-minute car ride had turned into an all-day adventure.

The rain stopped for a moment, and our sighs of relief filled the silence. Then, it poured, taking away any relief we may have felt. The loose strands of my hair stuck to my face, and the smell of rain permeated the air along with the scent of salt from the ocean. I shivered again, fighting the urge to cry. I wanted to go home. I wanted to have a hot shower, wrap myself in a blanket, and forget about Ace and this nightmare we were trapped in.

Hours passed by slowly. We didn’t stop for a long time, and eventually, I couldn’t take another step, my old injuries coming into play. It was getting darker now, and the Ave was still far away. It felt like we would never make it. We weren’t going to find shelter tonight either. We were going to be out in the elements. I was cold, hungry, thirsty, and in so much pain.

Another deck chair blew in our direction. Ace pushed me out of the way quickly and then stepped away from me again, his arms crossed over his chest. We still hadn’t spoken since his phone call with Ryan, the sounds of mother nature being our only reprieve from the silence.

“I need to stop.” My throat was dry, my lips chapped and sore, and my eyes burned from squinting through the rain.

“Can you make it to the next gas station?” He pointed at a metal roof in the distance that seemed so far from us, especially with how badly my legs were aching. Every step was pure agony .

“I’ll try.” Each step hurt worse than the last, and I was fighting a limp now, my old injuries resurfacing, biting through the muscle of my legs and threatening to send me crashing to my knees.

Toe, heel. Toe, heel. Toe, heel.

I focused on the sound of crashing waves to ignore the aching in my feet and legs. It didn’t work for long though, and I was beginning to fall behind. Ace stopped and waited for me when he noticed. When I reached him, he silently reached for my hand and began to gently tug me along. Hot tears rolled down my cold, windblown cheeks, mixing with the rain beating down on my skin.

“Almost there—you can do it,” Ace encouraged, his voice deep and soothing along my frayed nerves.

“I can’t; it hurts.” I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“We’re almost there, then we can rest.”

With every passing minute, the sky got darker, the wind got colder, and my fear grew. How were we supposed to survive this? How were we supposed to make it to shelter tomorrow when I could barely walk anymore?

Eventually, we reached the gas station, and I collapsed under the metal roof, my legs giving out as I crumpled to the ground. Ace sank down next to me, taking the backpack off and stretching his arms and rolling his shoulders, a wince passing over his features before he could smother it. Without a word, he pulled my phone from his pocket and handed it to me. The screen was bright in the darkness, as none of the streetlamps had come on tonight, the power already gone. It was seven P.M., and I had a lot of missed messages from my family. I didn’t bother reading them; it would waste battery power we desperately needed.

I called Mom, and my throat burned when I finally heard her voice. “Where are you now, baby?”

“Far, Momma, so far. I’m so scared,” I cried into the phone, warm tears rolling down my cheeks, further soaking my shirt as they rolled down my neck and into the collar.

“You can do this. You’re strong. You’re strong, my girl. Don’t cry.” I nodded, looking at Ace for strength. He took the phone, his other hand finding mine. When he linked our fingers together, I felt like I could breathe.

“We’ve found shelter for the night. It isn’t much, but it’s shelter from the rain for now. It’s dark here, so I think the power has gone out.” Ace paused, closing his eyes. “I don’t think it’s safe to continue. She can barely walk.” He paused again, listening to Mom. “I understand she has injuries from the accident. I’m doing my best here… We’re going to stay here tonight… I’m okay. We’re okay.” He handed the phone back to me, a frown tugging at his lips. But he didn’t let go of my hand.

“Be strong, my beautiful girl,” Mom gently urged. “Don’t cry anymore. Be strong, and the night will be over soon. I love you.”

“I love you more.” I ended the call before I couldn’t control the mess of dark emotions swirling inside me. I knew Mom was already worried enough. She’d panic if she heard me sobbing on the phone.

“I’m so sorry, Celine. I’m sorry I didn’t get us there in time.” Ace had taken his black boots off, and was stretching out his wrinkled feet. He let go of my hand to rub them, groaning as he did so. I did the same, ripping off my Converse.

“It’s not your fault. None of this is your fault, Ace.” He seemed surprised because he looked at me, his head cocked to the side the slightest bit like he was trying to figure me out. Thankfully, he didn’t pry and dropped the subject.

“How about another bar and some water?”

I smiled, thankful for the move away from the deeper conversation. “I’d love that; thanks.”

We talked for a while about nothing serious, our arms crossed over our chests to ward off the cold. He told me about what he wanted to do in the future. It was really nice to talk to him, to share my hopes and dreams, too. And I knew both of us were happy to focus on something other than the dangerous conditions we would have to sleep in tonight.

He was telling me about the time he tried to join a frat when my eyelids grew heavy. Sleep sounded so good right now, and I was so, so tired. Bone deep exhausted.

“Come here. I’ll keep you warm so you can sleep.” He opened his arms for me, and I froze, unease licking along my spine.

“What do you mean?” I shivered in the darkness.

“Let me hold you, Celine. I won’t bite,” Ace promised.

I shook my head. It was too intimate, and while I knew I probably needed to lay with him to maintain some body heat, I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.

“I’ll be fine. Goodnight, Ace.” I curled up on my side, shaking like a leaf, but I willed my eyes to stay closed. He grumbled something about me being stubborn but said nothing else.

Within a few minutes, I heard a soft snore coming from him. Meanwhile, I was still shaking. I scooted closer to him, hoping to steal some warmth while he was unconscious.

He must have felt me near because he reached out and put an arm around my body. I tensed, a small squeak escaping my throat. “ Shh ; go to sleep, princess,” he crooned in his raspy, half-asleep voice.

I was too tired to fight him, so I laid my head on his warm chest and closed my eyes, listening to the storm raging around us as I let sleep take me, trusting Ace to keep us safe.