My body trembles with anger as I hold Remi to me as tight as I can.
How was any of this even possible? What were the chances? How long has he been here watching us?
All these questions and a million more race through my mind as I try to get my head around what the hell just happened.
The man I thought was my father was the man who had terrorized Remi. Whether he knew then what he knows now about James and Remi’s relationship, it’s still messed up. He only found Sarah—only found Remi—because of James.
Fucking hell. I shake my head, realizing that I could say the same thing.
Am I as bad as that monster?
I turned up here, thinking I was going to get to spend a night in a house alone with my girl, and I walked into… no, I can’t even think it without wanting to go and find that motherfucker and slide his own knife straight through his neck.
“I’m okay, Ace. You can let go. I need to check you.”
“I’m fine.” I have no idea if it’s the adrenaline or what, but I don’t feel anything from where he caught me. I assume it’s only a flesh wound, but really I have no idea.
Remi tries to squirm out of my hold, her need to look after me greater than her need to be held. I allow her to lift my shirt and she gasps when she sees whatever it is.
“Ace,” she cries, looking around the room as if she’s no idea what to do. “I’m going to get the first aid kit. Don’t move.”
“No. Stay here. We don’t know where he is,” I bark in a panic.
“I watched him go out the door. He’s not hiding in the bathroom.”
The sound of sirens in the distance distracts her. “They’ll be here any minute. Just sit the fuck down.”
She drops to my lap once again and I sigh with relief. “What are you doing?” she asks when I hold my cell in front of her.
“Calling James. He needs to know what’s going on.” He answers on the second ring. “We need you at Sarah’s place. Now.”
“Ace, what’s wrong?”
“Just get your asses here. All of you.”
“Shit, okay. Sure, we’re on the way.” He hangs up in a rush as he barks instructions to Sarah. I don’t give a shit that I’ve just worried him. The only thing I care about right now is that Remi and my brothers are okay.
When the sirens get even louder, I let her up to open the door, ready for their arrival.
Two officers come rushing in only seconds later and get their fill of the scene they’re surrounded by. EMTs soon follow and, despite my objections, I end up topless with one of them cleaning up my wound.
“You were very lucky here, son. Any more pressure behind this and you could have had a serious problem.” I barely hear the words. I’m too focused on Remi as she answers the officer’s questions on the other side of the room.
I’m in awe of Remi’s strength as she sits there and explains everything that happened with Charlie years ago, before moving on to the messages she’s been receiving that she thought were from Bexley, and then tonight. She’s so calm, so descriptive, despite what she’s been through. I swear I fall even more in love with her right then.
As if she can feel my stare, she turns to me. A smile breaks across her face, and I know right then that we’re going to be okay. We’ve both been to hell and back the past few weeks but somehow, we’re going to come out of it all stronger than ever.
“I love you,” she mouths, ignoring the officer in front of her and watching the paramedic cleaning me up. “You okay?”
I nod. I’m just about to return the sentiment when James, Sarah, Conner and Cole come running.
“Oh, thank God,” Sarah cries, running toward Remi and James, and the twins descend on me.
“What the fuck now?” Conner barks.
“Da— Charlie. He’s been stalking Remi. Did you know he was Sarah’s ex?” I ask, turning my eyes on James, who swallows harshly.
“Charlie was Sarah’s…” He turns to look at her at exactly the same time she does him.
I recognize the look that passes between them. It’s the same as when Remi and I look at each other. It’s the first time I truly understand how James feels about Sarah. “No, I didn’t… how is that even possible? I thought he was dead. Where is he now?”
“He ran. He’s fucking lucky I didn’t kill him.”
“Why didn’t you? Cunt deserved it for this alone,” Conner mutters.
As much as I can’t deny feeling the same, I can’t put myself in prison because of a waste of space like him when I need to be beside my girl.
“He’ll get what’s coming to him. Motherfucker like him doesn’t deserve to share the same oxygen we do.”
“Are you okay?” Cole asks. It’s the first thing he’s said since he walked through the door.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Looks worse than it is,” I say, nodding toward my chest that’s now stuck together with some sutures. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily,” I joke, trying to lighten the mood. Cole looks like he’s about to lose his shit, and that’s the last thing any of us need tonight.
“James,” one of the officers says, clapping him on the shoulder. “It seems like your young ‘uns have really been through it tonight. Why don’t you take them all home? You leave this all with me.”
“You got it. Thank you.” They share a knowing look before James turns to the three of us. “You heard the man, let’s get going.”
Pushing myself up, I walk to where Sarah is still clinging on to Remi. “We’re all going back to James’ tonight,” I say. “Let’s go get your things.”
Because like hell am I letting her out of my sight again.
Ellen is waiting for us when we all get back with a table full of food and a couple of bottles of wine and scotch. I can only assume that James gave her the heads up while we were at Sarah’s.
“I’m not sure I can stomach food right now,” Remi says, curling herself into my side.
I know exactly how she feels. “How about we just head out to the pool house?”
She opens her mouth to answer as Conner walks in, announcing his delight at the spread before him. Fucker’s always hungry. Cole, on the other hand, takes one look at it and swipes one of the bottles of scotch.
“I’ll be in my room with my friend here if you need me,” he announces.
“Is he okay?” Sarah asks as we all watch him disappear.
“He prefers to deal with things on his own. He’s not good in stressful situations,” I say, trying to make him sound a little less… weird.
Cole is just Cole, and over the years I’ve learned the best way to deal with him is to just let him be and do what he needs to do.
“Remi, would you like anything?” Sarah asks, taking a seat at the table beside James.
“I’m fine. We’re actually just going to…” I point to the door.
Silence descends around the room. With Remi’s bag in one hand and hers in the other, we make our way to the door.
“Ace?” Sarah calls before we’re out of the house.
“Yeah?”
“T-Thank you. Thank you for looking after my girl.”
“Always.” I nod at her before we disappear around the corner.
“How long did you pack for?” I ask, placing Remi’s case in the corner of my bedroom.
“Long enough.”
Wrapping my arms around her waist, I duck down so she’s got no choice but to look at me. “Why didn’t you tell me?” She frowns, so I add, “About the text messages?”
“I was worried about what you’d do, and I didn’t want to lose you.”
“What have I told you? You’re not going to lose me. Not ever, okay?”
She stares off at nothing, and I slide my fingers under her jaw, tilting her face to mine. “Remi, baby. What’s going on in that head of yours?”
“I’m not sure I want to go back there.”
“Back wher—oh.”
She offers me a sad smile that breaks my heart in fucking two. “It took me so long to be able to sleep without barricading my own door after he disappeared. He just walked in through the back door. I’m never going to feel safe there again.”
“I’m sure your mom will understand that. She’ll probably agree. You guys can find a new place.”
She looks away from me, her teeth sinking into her bottom lip.
“What? What aren’t you telling me?” I hate that she’s hiding how she’s really feeling right now.
“I don’t want a new place, Ace. I want…” She blows out a breath. “I want to be here… with you.”
“Oh,” falls from my lips before a smile pulls at the corners. “You want to move in with me, Princess?”
She nods. “I know I’m safe when I’m with you.” The honesty in her voice guts me.
“As incredible as that sounds, I’m not sure they’re going to be all that happy with the idea.” I flick my eyes up to the main house.
“I don’t care, Ace. We’re both eighteen. We can choose what we want to do. This is our life. And I choose you.”
“I choose you too, Princess.” I run my nose against hers, holding her that little bit tighter. “Let’s just be us tonight, and we’ll worry about the rest tomorrow.”
“Okay, sounds good.”
“It’s just me and you, Princess. Always me and you.”
Dropping my lips to hers, I kiss her so deeply that there’s no chance of her ever forgetting.
This girl owns me.
And I’ll spend my life trying to make it up to her.
Starting with right now.
