“I don’t need answers,” she interrupts me with a sad smile. “I don’t have them either. I only needyou.Whoever that is today.”
Her words seep into me, and something in my chest loosens. I feel like I can breathe again for the first time in eight years. My vision blurs, but I don’t fight it. I let it come while air rushes into my lungs.
I still don’t know if I can be everything she deserves. But right now, I can bethis. A man trying to mend what’s broken, one breath, one step, one small gesture at a time.
Because I have her back.
I have what I wished for for years.
And I won’t fuck this up again.
ELEVEN
Raised voices echo from downstairs.
Ah, shit.
The sound reminds me that the world hasn’t paused to give me time to catch up. It doesn’t care that I’m still trying to piece myself together. At least Ace looks a little less broken now, which makes me breathe somewhat easier.
Ace is alive.
He’s here.
My heart trips over itself, unable to decide if it wants to break or swell.
Later.I’ll think about all of this later. Right now, the voices downstairs are too loud, and my head is pounding.
“They wanted to talk things out.” I swallow, the fear of losing him already curling around my ribs. “Will you… would you come downstairs too? Please? I don’t want to leave you already again.”
His eyes are still guarded, but he nods. “Sure.”
Relief seeps through me as I push the lingering tears on my cheek away with the sleeves of Sylus’s hoodie. I tuck my hands inside the cuffs, needing the fabric to hold onto while I stand. The room tilts, and I have to steady myself against the wall for a moment.
As I follow Ace down the stairs, my steps feel weighted, slow, almost like my brain is cataloging the moment as something of importance and slowing it down for careful filing.
I’m mindful not to touch him, keeping a step or two behind him. His shoulders are curled inward like he’s bracing for impact, and why wouldn’t he be? He was in prison because of me, because of our dumb dare. He got hurt, over and over again, because of me.
All because of me.
He should hate me. He has every reason to.
Tears threaten to spill again, but I breathe through it, pushing the pain down and locking it away. Now isn’t the time to fall apart.
As we reach the bottom step, the hallway opens up to the view of the kitchen. Sylus is leaning against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest. When he hears us, he lifts his head, his eyes locking onto mine, a hint of relief flickering in them when he sees Ace with me.
I start to move forward, but fur brushes against my legs. I glance down, startled, and find a tabby cat gazing up at me with green eyes. I can only stare as I try to make sense of it.
“Good Lookin’?” I crouch down, scooping her up more out of instinct than intention, and she nuzzles into my neck right away. The movement pulls at something in my arm, sharp enough to make me wince, but I ignore it. “Where the hell have you been?” I glance up at Sylus, my smile wobbling with disbelief. “You brought my cat?”
This boy would do fucking everything for me, and I love him for it.
Wait, love?
Sylus raises an eyebrow, confused. “Yourcat?”
“Yes!” I laugh, stroking her fur. “The one I told you about? The stray that comes up to my apartment? How the fuck did youfind her? She was gone for so long.” I turn back to Good Lookin’, whispering, “I was so worried about you, you little rascal.”
“Wait.” Ace murmurs from beside me. “That’smycat. Jinx”
