Broken Bonds (Unbreakable Bonds #1)

Chapter Fifteen

chapter fifteen

CELINE

I couldn’t breathe. My mouth was open, gasping for a much-needed gulp of air, but every time I tried to breathe, water rushed into my mouth. My back hit the ground first, then my head, followed by my arms and legs. The wind escaped my parted lips in one long exhale. Whoosh.

My body was screaming in agony. Gravel from the road beneath me pricked at my exposed skin.

Where was Ace?

My eyes burned when I tried to open them. I couldn’t do it. I knew I needed to get up. To move. To get out of reach of the waves, but I was so tired . I couldn’t get my limbs to work.

Was Ace dead? Did he drown? The thought filled me with fear and sadness and made me want to throw up. I couldn’t lose him, too. He was here because of me.

Rain continued to fall, the droplets hitting my skin softly at first, then they splattered harshly, stinging my face. Fear crawled into the pit of my stomach when I heard the roar of a wave coming closer.

Not again. God, please have mercy on me. I was alone. Ace was gone, and I was alone again. Wasn’t that enough to deal with? Did I have to drown, too?

Before I could open my eyes, the wave crashed through me, and I was floating again. My body was thrown around from side to side. I struggled to reach the surface for a breath of air, but the water was stronger than me, and my limbs still weren’t working right.

I was tired of going against the current, so I let the water take control. I didn’t fight it anymore. What was done, was done.

Another wave crashed into me, slamming my body to the ground again. Pain rippled through my head as my mouth opened and water rushed in. Choking, I reached for the surface. I didn’t know how much more I could handle. Why did fate have to be so cruel?

My head emerged from the water, and I sucked in a sharp breath of fresh air. Squinting my burning eyes against the splashing water, I saw Ace lying on the ground, unmoving. Fear damn near choked me more than the water ever could. I opened my mouth to scream for Ace one last time, but salty water rushed in, burning its way down my throat and into my lungs. I choked and gasped for breath.

I couldn’t open my burning eyes against the harsh waves. I couldn’t see if Ace was alive. I was struggling to breathe. I was so tired. I couldn’t get back to the surface. I couldn’t breathe.

I couldn’t breathe .

God, please save me. Send Aidan to save me. Someone. Anyone. Please .

My ears were ringing, my throat was burning, and I knew I was going to die. My family was never going to find my body. They would never know what happened.

I closed my eyes as my lungs begged for air and my mind hurt . And then, I felt it—God sent me Aidan… except, it wasn’t him.

Big hands wrapped around my body just as I was about to let go of my last hope for survival. I opened my eyes, and saw Ace’s big, blue, concerned eyes meet mine. He was holding us above the water, and his lips were moving, but I couldn’t hear what he was saying. My head hurt. My lungs ached. My body was so sore.

And I was so, so tired.

“Breathe, princess. Open your fucking mouth and breathe. I can’t lose you, too.” I opened my mouth, and oxygen rushed through my parted lips. I gasped, coughing and spluttering, then I closed my burning eyes again.

“Open those eyes, princess. I need to see them,” Ace begged. Pleaded so brokenly, I had to open them again just to look at him. His blue eyes were wide with panic.

He was going to save us. I knew he would. He wasn’t Aidan. Ace was selfless.

We were falling as the water slipped away, but he held me to his chest as we hit the ground.

Hard.

The back of his head bounced off the concrete, and I clung to his wet shirt, my hands digging into his shoulders. He sucked in a sharp breath of pain. My body ached with exhaustion, and I didn’t want to move. I just wanted to rest . Right there on his chest. Right there where I felt safest despite the roaring of the waves just behind me.

Ace started to move, and I groaned in protest. Sitting upright, he looked at me lying on his legs before holding the back of his head with one hand. He pulled his fingers in front of his eyes, only to find them covered in blood. My own exhausted, burning eyes widened in horror.

Oh, no.

“We have to move. We have to get out of here,” Ace urged, but I was still looking at his red hand.

He had gotten hurt from saving me. He was going to leave me just like Aidan did. Not again please. God, not again.

“Did you hear me? Get up, Celine; we have to move!” He was pushing me off him to get up, his eyes looking over my shoulder. Fear lingered in his blue depths, the same fear that was there this morning when he spoke to my mom.

He pulled me up by my arms, his blood getting on my shirt, but I crumpled to the ground when he let go. My legs were shaking, and pain pulsed through them, just like after the accident. Fear swarmed through me. I couldn’t walk. How was I expected to walk? To get to the shelter?

“Celine, get up. Come on, princess, get up.” He was still looking behind me toward the ocean. His eyes widened, and then, he looked down at me, extending his hand.

“More is coming! Take my hand!”

“Leave me, Ace. I can’t. It hurts too much.” I choked out the words, my throat raw from the salt water. He needed to get out of here while he still could—forget about me. My legs burned from the knees down, and I bit my lip to stop the cry from tumbling from my lips. I wouldn’t be able to walk, let alone run. I would only hinder him, slow him down. Maybe even get him killed.

“I’m not going to leave you here, Celine. The whole reason I’m here is to save you, so get your pretty ass off that ground and come with me!” He pulled me up, not giving me a choice.

I fell into his body, smacking my nose against his hard chest. His arms banded around me as he stumbled, trying to get his footing so he could support my weight.

But this time, I didn’t fall back to the ground.

I looked at the giant wave coming our way and then back at Ace. Water was dripping down his face, and he slid his hand through his wet, black locks that were falling into his clear, blue eyes. I was leaning on him for support. I couldn’t stand on my own.

Should I tell him?

Gripping my hand, he started to turn, taking his support away, and I started to fall, but his hand holding mine tugged sharply. Then, I was in his arms again.

“We have to run, Celine. You have to run with me.” I shook my head, and tears blended with the raindrops falling on my face.

“I can’t. My legs, Ace. I can’t.” Fresh tears of pain rolled down my cheeks. A flash of confusion crossed his face, but the confusion was quickly replaced with understanding. In one swift movement, he swept me off my feet and cradled my body to his chest. I looked away from his penetrating gaze, linking my arms around his neck.

I was so weak.

Ace started to run with me in his arms, but I had nothing to hold onto but his neck, so I was bouncing all over the place. I only hoped he wouldn’t drop me, but I didn’t say a word. He was saving me—yet again. Always coming to my rescue.

He stopped after a few minutes, once we were far from the water, and a sigh of relief escaped his parted lips when he turned around and saw the water was in the distance, back where it couldn’t reach us.

“You can put me down.” My voice was soft, barely a whisper. He didn’t move, just stood under the cover of an overhang of one of the many shops, breathing heavily. His chest rose and fell quickly under my fingers. He slid to the floor, never letting go of me.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, looking into Ace’s ocean-blue eyes and then down at his lips that were now so close to my face. The desire to kiss them washed over me again.

Did Ace want to kiss me, too?

He was so warm despite our soaked clothes, his body heat emanating from him like a furnace. I was shivering, my teeth chattering. He opened his mouth to say something but then shook his head and remained quiet. His arms were like steel around my body, so I laid my head on his chest, listening to the rapid beat of his heart.

“How bad is the pain?” His chest rumbled against my ear, the sound vibrating through my body.

“I’ll be fine. Let’s keep going.” He didn’t need to know that I was on the verge of screaming in agony.

“Celine,” he sighed my name, “tell me.”

I swallowed thickly. “I just need to take it slow.” He nodded, no longer pressing for an answer.

We didn’t move for a long time. The pain was mind-numbing, and I struggled to stifle my moans by biting down hard on my lip, eventually tasting blood. When he eventually released his grip on me to stand up, I almost expected him to start walking without waiting for me. Instead, I was surprised when he stretched his hand out, reaching for me on the wet ground.

My fingers gripped his warm palm, and he hoisted me to my feet, his hand clamping on my hip for a brief moment as I tried to catch my footing, biting my tongue hard enough to taste blood when pain swept through my legs.

“How’s your head?” I asked, trying to distract myself. He reached up to touch the back of his head and winced.

“Could be better, but I’ll live.” He pulled his hand back, inspecting it for what I imagined to be blood, but there was none. Thankfully.

“Are you sure we can’t take a break?” I asked, hopeful for an excuse to sink to the ground again. “I could use one.” Ace shook his head slowly with a small, regretful smile.

“Are you okay to walk now?” He looked at me through wet lashes, droplets of water dripping from his hair into his eyes. I nodded, afraid I would cry with disappointment. I didn’t want him to know just how bad the pain was because then, my worries became real. Like the fact that I might have done irreparable damage to my legs.

He let go of my hand to adjust the straps of the backpack still clinging to his shoulders. His shirt was molded to his chest, and I saw goosebumps covering his exposed skin.

He looked at the road ahead of us before looking at me again and nodding, steely determination glinting in his blue eyes. I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding when he turned away from me and started walking.

My legs shook with each step I took, and I prayed that I hadn’t caused more nerve damage. I winced as the pain shot up my calves and into my thighs. I was taking small steps, trying to balance my weight evenly between both legs. My wet Converse didn’t help. I should have worn better shoes.

I was reminded again of my slow recovery from the accident, the months of physical therapy, the pain and frustration of having to learn to walk again, the embarrassment I felt when I crumpled to the ground after trying to take my first step on my own. I had come so far since then, and I didn’t want to go back to the lowest point in my life.

I tried but I couldn’t keep up with his pace, and I was going slower than before, so Ace checked on me every few minutes to make sure I was still here. Every time my foot touched the ground, I fought the tears pooling in my eyes.

I’m strong. I can do this. , I chanted in my head over and over. It was my mantra. The only thing that kept me putting one foot in front of the other.

I bit my lip, hoping to distract myself, but I faltered when Ace came back to where I was struggling and held out his hand again.

“Let me help you.” I shook my head, my voice failing me as tears started to fall. I caught a glimpse of myself in a store window and cringed at the sight. My hair was stuck to my face and dripping, even though the rain had stopped for a bit. My clothes were stuck to me, and the dark circles under my eyes looked haunting.

“I can do it,” I croaked.

“I’m sure you can,” he said gently, “but you don’t have to go through this alone. I’m here, princess.” He reached for my cold hand again and took it in his own, his warmth spreading from my palm to my fingertips.

His fingers latched onto mine, and he pulled me to him, letting me lean on him for a moment. A flutter of relief shot through my body before the pain returned with a vengeance. “Thank you, Ace.” My voice wobbled like I expected, but he didn’t question me, and for that, I was even more thankful.

“Let me know when you need a break. Let’s try to find the shelter before dark.” He walked slower this time, his hand gripping mine tightly, and I cried silent tears with every step that ached more than the last.

Hours later, we passed by the railway tracks, and then I-95, eventually, making it to Congress Avenue just as the sun was setting. I was afraid we would have to spend another night out in the open. The rain hadn’t stopped over the last hour, and the roads continued to flood with rain and ocean water.

The sky rumbled loudly and lit up with a strike of lightning, then hail began to fall. At first, they felt like tiny pebbles—small enough to sting but not harm—but then, they got bigger.

Ace tugged on my hand, breaking into a jog, but my legs resisted, and I let go of his hand as he bolted through the hail, leaving me behind. He crossed the road and ducked for cover at a public bus stop, leaving me standing at the intersection. He looked back at me and gestured with his hands to hurry up, but the pain had gotten worse, and I couldn’t run. I could hardly walk without limping so badly, I looked like a zombie. The pain from the hail paled in comparison to the burning agony shooting through my legs.

I started to cross the road slowly when lightning slashed through the sky again and thunder rumbled, louder than before, making the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Ace looked at the sky and then me before dashing from his safety to help me.

He grabbed my hand and tugged again, but I pulled back. “I can’t run, Ace! Just let me walk!”

“We have to hurry. The hail is only going to get bigger, and the lightning is too close!”

“It hurts so much. I’m tired. I can’t keep going!” I shouted, my voice breaking. I felt hopeless. My skin was burning from the hail, and my body was frail from weathering a fucking hurricane.

“I’m not leaving you here. I’m tired, too, princess, but we’re almost there. We have to do it together.” I nodded, gritting my teeth, and pushed my legs to move faster. Tightening my hold on his hand, I stole some of his strength. We passed the public bus stop shelter and walked along the sidewalk, slow at first, looking for the hurricane shelter. Then at last, we finally saw a sign near the school my dad mentioned.

Ace kept pulling my hand, never letting go as we rushed as fast as my legs would carry me toward the door of the shelter, our feet losing traction against the sidewalk with all the water. Hail hit us, and I knew within a few hours, we would be covered in bruises, but Ace still didn’t let go of my hand. We reached a door, only to see huge chains binding it closed.

No. No, no, no. God, please, we’ve come so far.

He groaned with frustration when a big piece of hail hit his head. “Fuck me,” he muttered, holding the spot with his other hand.

Don’t mind if I do… if we survive this.

Spotting a sign behind him, I pointed at it, relief flooding through my body.

“There, Ace.” He turned, spotting the sign that indicated that the entrance of the shelter was through the back of the building. We walked along the overhang of the building, avoiding the hail and rain, and finally reached the back door. There were no chains, no welcome sign, and not a soul in sight. Fear settled in my gut. What if no one was here?

He pulled it open without resistance, and without hesitation, he pushed me inside first just as lightning struck again, the sound making us both jump.

Upon our first glance, the school appeared to be empty. We were in a dark hallway full of lockers, and it was freezing cold, a gust of A/C taking us by surprise. Droplets of water fell off us and landed on the ground in a soft pitter-patter that filled the eerie silence.

Ace was breathing heavily, wiping a hand down his face before looking through the glass door to the chaotic world outside.

Lightning continued to light up the sky, and bigger chunks of hail fell to the ground, making a loud noise against the asphalt. Even though neither of us said a word, I knew we were both thinking the same thing.

We made it just in time.

He looked at me next. My legs ached, and I wanted to slide to the floor and stay there until all this was over. He opened his mouth, but it wasn’t his voice that I heard.