Broken Bonds (Unbreakable Bonds #1)

Chapter Thirteen

chapter thirteen

ACE

THE OTHER NIGHT

I had never wanted to kiss a girl more than I did as I stared down at Celine. After everything she had shared, everything she had been through, all I could focus on was how much I wanted to feel her lips pressed to mine. How badly I wanted to erase the pain lingering in her eyes.

It took every ounce of willpower I had to walk away from her when she looked so vulnerable. I never walked away from a girl asking me to kiss them. Never walked away from a girl whose eyes were begging me for so much more. I never said no to a girl when they offered themselves up to me.

Yet… there I was. Walking away from the most tempting girl I’d ever laid eyes on because I’d promised her brother—the only person who’d been decent to me in years —that I wouldn’t touch her.

I had trouble falling asleep that night, my every thought plagued with images of her pinned under a burning bike. I had been riding since I could walk. My bike was like an extension of my arm. I had raced dirt bikes growing up and broken just about every bone in my body while doing it as I learned to do tricks. I knew how dangerous bikes were, but never had I been pinned underneath one while it was on fire.

I wanted to know more about her. I wanted to know about her recovery. I wanted to hear her story. She shared so much with a stranger, and like her, I had a past I would rather forget about—a past that I was still fighting to break free from. A past that plagued me and affected every single decision I made in my life.

I fell asleep thinking about the restless nights I endured after I graduated, how many times I had cleaned up my own blood, how many times I had stopped my stepfather from hurting me and my mom, and how many times I carried my mother to bed during one of her drunken stupors.

And the little boy I missed more than fucking anything .

“HELP! Aidan, help!” Celine’s panicked voice startled me from a deep sleep, and I jerked into a sitting position, sweat clinging to my own skin from the heat and from my own flashbacks. “Aidan!” Celine screamed again, even more panic and fear in her voice.

I rushed out of bed, tripping over my own feet in the darkness of the room. She had gone quiet, but I could hear a whooshing sound coming from downstairs. Frowning, I changed direction, heading for the door of Ryan’s room. My eyes widened in horror at the sight. Water was flooding into the house. Shit, shit, shit! We had to get the fuck out of here.

Celine screamed again—no words this time—just a blood-curdling scream that sent goosebumps down my arms and a chill racing down my spine. I ran into her room, where her tortured screams were filling the air. She was reliving that nightmare over and over. Just like I relived my own every night. I hated it. I wished I could remove all that horror from her memory.

“Celine! Celine! Wake up! Celine, wake up!” Leaning over her bed, I roughly shook her. She slowly opened her eyes, blinking them once, then twice, not registering anything. Her cheeks were wet with tears, and her body was damp with sweat. I didn’t know whether to help her or continue freaking out over the water. “We have to go, Celine. We have to go!” The flooding won out. I pulled her out of bed and spotted her sweatpants on the floor, so I threw them at her, not looking at her legs. I couldn’t go there—she wasn’t available. She screamed again, and I jumped in surprise, my heart damn near slamming out of my chest and onto the carpet of her bedroom.

“Don’t look at me!” I barely bit back a flinch. I guessed she hadn’t meant what she said last night. If I had kissed her, we would have woken up in the same bed. She would have woken up in my arms, and maybe she wouldn’t have had that dream. But one thing was for sure—she would’ve regretted it as soon as she woke up.

When I turned to look at her, she was jumping into the sweatpants, doing it so quickly that she almost fell over.

“What are you talking about?” I turned away from her, trying to see in the darkness for a bag. I had to get us some supplies and get us out of this house before we couldn’t safely get out any longer.

“Why did you wake me?” I yanked open her wardrobe door. I could just barely make out the shadow of a backpack in the darkness, so I grabbed it and threw whatever clothes touched my fingers into the bag.

I left her room, running through the shared bathroom into Ryan’s room, and threw a pair of Ryan’s jeans into the bag and a shirt. I rushed back to the sleepy girl looking at me like I was crazy. Couldn’t she hear the water? It was so loud . She was going to panic when she realized what was happening to her vacation house. And I knew she was going to want to stay, but I promised Ryan I would protect her. I promised Celine she would survive. And I wasn’t willing to break either of those promises.

I would not be the reason someone died. Not again.

“Ace, what the hell are you doing?” She rubbed her eyes and then looked at me, like she wasn’t understanding why I was running around. God, she’s beautiful. I wished I had met her before I met Ryan. Maybe then, I could have pursued a relationship or even just one night with her.

Immediately, I shook the thought from my head because there was no future for us. Just friends . Nothing more. I couldn’t let her get attached to me; I had to make her hate me. I had to be the asshole she kept calling me. I wasn’t good enough for her. I would never be good enough.

“It’s flooding, Celine. The sandbags didn’t work. The water is coming in downstairs. We have to get out of here.” She looked confused, and her eyes were closing, almost like she was falling asleep while standing. We shouldn’t have drank last night. I should’ve been aware that our plan could go to shit—just like it clearly had—and not let her drink so much so she’d be level-headed on the occasion we had to evacuate.

“Celine, wake the hell up!” I barked at her. “The water is rushing in downstairs. We need to get out of here now!” I stood in front of her, one hand latching around her wrist to pull her out of the room.

I ran down the stairs, grimacing at the water flooding through the rooms, which pushed me to move faster. We needed to get out of here now . Soon, opening the door would be a struggle. My mind was running a mile a second, thinking of everything we needed, how fast we needed to get out of here, and wondering where in the hell we would go.

I let go of her hand since she was slowing me down, leaving her on the stairs to stare at the carnage around us. When my feet hit the water, it felt like ice. It was freezing . Celine stayed on the stairs, looking at everything floating around the room, horror in her eyes. I grabbed a few water bottles, realizing the bag was going to be too heavy with everything I needed, but oh, well. I would deal. Spotting Celine’s phone on the kitchen counter, I quickly snatched it up. We would need it to not only keep in touch with her family but to also try to find shelter.

If there was one available.

I ran up the few steps to where Celine was still standing—statue-still. Her face was pale and even more horrified, if that were possible. I handed her the phone, and she gripped it tightly, not saying a word.

The water was rushing in faster and faster, and every step I took made a loud splash, making water fly up. My pants were soaked, but there was no time to worry about it. I would just have to deal with it.

“No. We can’t leave. We’re safe here.” Celine’s voice shook with panic. “Ace, listen to me!” I stopped and looked at her as a tear trickled down her cheek and her lips trembled. God, she was wreaking me. I hated that she was so afraid. I hoped that my eyes didn’t betray my own fear. I had to be strong for her. It was the only way we were getting through this.

“I am listening, princess. Now, you need to listen to me. We have to get out of here and get to dry land,” I urged. “We have to go on foot, so put your damn shoes on and march your ass out the door.”

She looked around at the water surrounding us again. “We can take the Jeep.” No. I shook my head.

“Your car and my bike won’t be any good in the water, and you have a flat,” I reminded her. “We don’t know how bad it’s going to get out there. Hell, I don’t even know where we’re going to go. All I know is we can’t stay here. The waves are too rough, and it could destroy this house. We can’t be in here if it does.”

I was standing in the kitchen now, and I couldn’t feel the cold water anymore since I’d become so numb to it. I needed to think clearly, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t think with everything happening so fast. The water was rushing in, and Celine was panicking. Her parents had entrusted her safety to me, and all I could think about was how I failed in the past. I had to stop thinking about him—he wasn’t here anymore. I couldn’t save him, but I could save Celine. That was what I needed to focus on.

Celine was beside me now, backpack on, and her hand gripping mine. She was pulling me toward the garage. I shook the memories of my past from my mind and focused on the girl next to me, the girl whose hand was gripping mine tightly. She let go to grab her wet Converse, and I waited impatiently as she tugged them on. I wanted her out of this house and safe.

Water sloshed out as soon as I pushed open the front door. She stood in the doorway while I ran through the house one last time, looking for anything I might need.

Celine was shivering when I reached her again, her pants were soaked, and soon, her shirt would be, too. The rain hadn’t stopped, and it was going to be a long walk to whatever shelter we could find. She was standing under the tiny roof, trying to stay dry, though it was about to be futile when we were about to have to step into the rain. The wind was blowing her hair everywhere, her eyes were closed, and the backpack was tipping her over. Still, she was so damn beautiful.

I found some more food and water, and I shoved it into the backpack when she shrugged it off her shoulders. Then, I took the heavy bag from her small hands and strapped it to my back. The weight was just another reminder of the long journey ahead of us.

I looked out into the gray driveway, listening to the rain smack harshly against the pavement. I wanted to keep her safe. I wanted to be better than her ex. So, I held out my hand to her, waiting patiently to see if she would grab it. If she would let me support her.

With trembling fingers, her hand gripped mine tightly, and she softly sighed in relief at the contact before looking up at me. A hint of anger burned in her gaze, mixing with the sadness lingering in her eyes. A lone tear rolled down her cheek. I had to be strong for her. I wouldn’t let her die. I refused to let her down.

We stepped out of our little haven under the porch awning and into the pouring rain. It lashed against our exposed skin, instantly soaking our clothes. She ripped her hand from mine to tie her hair up and then looked at me expectantly. I stopped and looked at her. The wind was blowing her hair everywhere even though it was secured in that black elastic. Her eyes were locked on mine, wide with fear and uncertainty. The girl standing beside me, who poured open her heart last night, was terrified.

God was testing me again. He put her life in my hands. I didn’t ask for this. The last time He left someone in my care, they died. And just like my family had been counting on me, now her whole family was. I had to be strong for her. I had to get us through this.

“There should be a shelter nearby,” I told her. “We’ll be safe there. They’ll be better prepared than us.” I looked at her through the heavy rain and held out my hand again. Her eyes darted between my hand and my face, and a minute passed, but she didn’t move. Why couldn’t she just trust me? “Don’t be scared, Celine. I’ll keep you safe.” My words seemed to break through to her because she took my outstretched hand, shivering in the rain.

She squeezed my hand, and instantly, I was hit again with the need to keep this broken girl safe. I wanted to be better than her ex. I wanted to prove to God that I was worthy of this second chance. I wanted to be forgiven. To be able to move on. To be able to freely breathe again.

We didn’t speak, lost in our thoughts as the rain continued to fall around us and beat onto our bodies. My skin was numb, and the sting of the droplets had begun to fade. Celine looked back at the house again, and I wondered what was going through her mind every time she glanced back, the house getting further and further away.

She was lost in thought when I gently tugged on her hand to lead her across the road, away from the never-ending driveway. She looked at my hand and then at the house one last time. Waves crashed against the house, making me thankful we’d gotten out in time. If Celine hadn’t been screaming in her sleep, we both could have died.

Her hand was so cold in mine. I wasn’t sure if she could even feel mine, and I worried about her getting sick. Even I was now beginning to feel the cold. Thirty minutes after we left the house, my socks and Timberlands were soaked, and my toes were numb.

She shivered every few minutes, and the rain refused to stop. She hadn’t spoken, and neither had I because I didn’t know what to say. I kept thinking about her screams, about her toxic ex, and about my little brother.

Finally, the rain stopped pounding on our shoulders, and we could see the road in front of us more clearly. Thunder rumbled overhead, and Celine squeezed my hand a little tighter. I didn’t look or comment; I was scared to break the peace we’d found.

We were on the A1A finally—hours later. I didn’t know how much further the Ave was, but I hoped it was close. I didn’t know how much longer we would be able to walk. She hadn’t said anything since we left the house. Honestly, I hadn’t either. And the quiet surrounding us—nothing but the wind, the ocean, and the thunder creating noise—was deafening.

I was thirsty and tired, so I could only imagine that she was feeling the same way. I didn’t let go of her hand even though I wanted to shove my fingers into my pants pockets in hopes of warming them. I was afraid if I let go, she wouldn’t be able to keep up. She had been walking slower and slower with every passing minute.

She stopped suddenly and tugged on my hand. I looked at her, noticing she was pointing at something in the distance. “Do you think anyone is there?” Her voice was rough from lack of use as she referenced the gas station up ahead. I didn’t want to disappoint her, but there was nobody there. This was an evacuation zone—only stupid people like us were still here.

“No. But we can rest under the overhang for a few minutes. We need to eat and drink something.” It took us another long thirty minutes to reach the deserted overhang. I didn’t know what to say to her to make this situation sound any better, and I didn’t know how much longer we were going to be able to walk in this rain.

We sat down in the only dry spot in the center of the gas station’s overhang. It smelled like gasoline and rubber, but the break from the rain was welcoming. I sat first, and she glanced at the ground, a look of disgust taking over her features before she sat beside me, stretching out her long legs. My back ached from carrying the loaded backpack with our only belongings, and I nearly groaned as I eased the pack from my shoulders.

I rummaged through the bag, hoping that in my haste I brought the right supplies. She slid her shoes off, sighing loudly, and I grimaced at the blisters forming on her feet.

The pair of clothes we threw in the bag were still miraculously mostly-dry. I saw her take a peek, and a look of relief crossed through her eyes before she looked away. I took out two meal bars and handed her one. She ate it quickly while I took out one bottle of water. I had a small sip before handing it to her. She looked at it and then at me before finally drinking some of it.

I basically ate my bar in one bite and considered eating another one, but I knew we were both still hungry—starving even. It wouldn’t be fair, and besides, we needed to conserve what little we did have.

She passed the water bottle back to me—still a quarter of the way full. I was still thirsty, but it was only fair that we split it. “Are you sure, princess?” She nodded quickly, her eyes urging me to drink the rest.

I could feel her eyes on me as I swallowed the last bit. It tasted even better now than before. I stared out to the edge of the overhang, where the rain had begun to fall again, loudly beating down onto the tin roof above our heads. I wasn’t looking forward to going back out into that.

“Can I have my phone?” I didn’t hear her at first, lost in my mind, trying to figure out a plan. She held out her hand expectantly. Blinking to get out of my head, I found the phone after rummaging through the full bag. “Do you want to call your parents?” she asked.

I wasn’t even sure if they knew I was in Florida. My mom had stopped caring long ago.

“No; they won’t even care anyway.” I looked away from her intense gaze, not liking the questions in her blue eyes. My family was the last topic I wanted to talk about, especially with her and her perfect family. She would never understand. I didn’t want her to understand—not in the way that would be needed. I would never wish an unloving family on her.

“I’m going to call my mom and tell her what’s happened.” She looked upset when I didn’t answer but smiled a moment later. I wondered what her parents were going to think of me. I knew her survival was important. I knew they were counting on me to get her home safely.

I was lost in thought, going over all the worst-case scenarios, when I heard the panic in her voice.

“Tell them we should be at the Ave in maybe two or three hours, depending on our pace,” I told her as I listened into the conversation. I was watching the rain fall, the droplets hitting the asphalt harder and harder with every passing second. The weather was just getting worse and worse.

“Asshole,” I grunted in annoyance, “says we should be at the Ave in two or three hours. Do you think there will be a shelter, Dad?” I sighed and glared at her. Did she really have to call me that to her parents? I thought we’d moved past the whole asshole thing.

Still, despite her brattiness, she was a pleasant distraction from the chaos surrounding us. She had this no-care attitude that was starting to grow on me, and she trusted me, even if she didn’t like it. Watching her lips move, the urge to kiss her swept through me again. I should have done it last night.

But it would’ve been a mistake. I knew it down in the depths of my soul.

A normal girl would have brought up why I didn’t want to kiss her. But Celine wasn’t normal; she had a lot of baggage she carried around on her shoulders and wheeled behind her in a sparkly suitcase. Nobody survived a tragedy like she had without scars—both visible and invisible—and I knew each one ran deep. I had them, too. Adding feelings to our situation would only be our downfall. I had to focus on getting her home safely. That was all that mattered. That was all that could matter.

“Dad said to go down the Ave to find a shelter,” Celine said, dragging me out of my head again. “That should take us another two to three hours from the Ave. If we get going soon, we can make it before the sun sets.” She looked beyond the overhand at the dark sky, the heavy wind, and the dreadful rain. “I don’t want to be wandering the streets in the dark.”

I ignored the fear I heard in her voice, and the instinct to protect her flared up inside of me. But I decided to play it cool. She didn’t need to know that I was equally as afraid.

“Sounds like a plan, Princess. We can go in five minutes. I need a rest.” I leaned back against the backpack and closed my eyes. I needed these five minutes to mentally prepare myself for the next three hours. I didn’t know what we were going to encounter, or if we would make it to the shelter together by nightfall.

Rest—what little I could get—would be vital to our survival.