Chapter 1
Graduation Night ~
Ten Years Ago
Jace priedthe shoes off his aching feet and sank into the lounge chair. One of his graduation gifts, a bottle of fake beer from Dad, rested on the side table while a cluster of teenage party guests filtered throughout all areas of the home. All, that is, except for the loft. Jace had claimed that for himself.
It wasn’thisparty, after all. His younger brothers were hosting. The twins, Leo and Kip, were celebrating the end of their junior high years and the approach of their high school careers. Jace had agreed to chaperone, at the request of his pleading twin brothers. Bless Mom and Dad for making themselves scarce for the occasion, allowing the twins to hang on to their cool factor, untarnished by a hovering mom or lame-joke-telling dad.
Sure, Jace had considered spending the evening at Connor Belder’s big graduation bash, but he would settle for making an appearance instead. Once the soon-to-be sophomores wrapped things up at twelve o’clock sharp, Jace would head over to Connor’s. After all, it had taken years to earn his status as theWildest Brute of the Brawl, something he earned an official crown for at the homecoming dance; may as well go out with a bang.
A vision of the faces he could expect to see filtered through his mind. Logan would be there, angry that he’d shown up so late. The rest of the guys from the varsity football team would be there, most of the cheerleaders and the drill team too. The same tired crowd. Graduation may have taken place just that morning, but Jace had been mentally done with the high school scene for a while now. On to bigger and brighter things. Like the US Naval Academy in Maryland, over fifteen hundred miles away, where new adventures awaited him. Adventures that would—if all went well—lead both him and Logan to positions as US Navy SEALs.
“Hey, Jace.” Kip rushed into the loft, glancing over his shoulder before approaching him. “Leo picked the lock on the wine cellar, but only so we could use it for three minutes of heaven.”
“Mom and Dad keep a detailed inventory on that wine, Kip,” Jace warned.
“I know.”
“Dad knows every bottle down to the label and cork.”
“I know.”
“And if I find out one of those bottles goes missing I’ll single handedly wreck your social life.”
“Dude,we’re not interested in drinking any of it,” Kip hissed with the sharp jerk of his head. He leaned in, eyes wide and pleading. “We just want a little privatelipactionwith the ladies. That’s it. I promise.”
Jace tipped his head enough to see who waited outside the loft. Kassy Nelson. Blonde hair, brown eyes. She looked a little like her older sister, Amy, a girl Jace wouldn’t mind getting a littlelip actionwith if he were being honest. Too bad he wouldn’t see her tonight; girls like Amy didn’t frequent parties like the one Connor Belder threw. He wasn’t surewhatkind of parties a chick like Amy would show up to—a book club? No, she didn’t seemthatserious natured, just beyond the party scene, he guessed.
“Tell Leo I’ll knock his skull in the dirt if he evenlooksat that wine.”
“I will. We’ll wrap it up before Mom and Dad get home for sure.”
Kip rushed out of the room with a fist pump. Jace snatched the remote, turned up the sound on his game, and tipped back the icy bottle of fake beer.
Just as the bitter liquid hit his tongue, the doorbell chimed. Jace pulled the brown tinted rim from his lips and shivered. “That’s disgusting.” Not that he was surprised; he’d never taken an interest in therealstuff, no matter how many Belder parties he’d attended. The truth was, Jace had decided to drink it in honor of a different celebration. One that —since his parents were trying to move past—he wouldn’t mention to another soul: Exactly two years ago Jace had taken down the man who’d attacked his mother.
He hoped now that he’d graduated, he could make a living from ridding the world of other evils that threatened freedom and peace.
The doorbell rang again. Jace heaved forward, shoving the chair out of recline mode with a grunt. He hurried down the short flight of stairs, counting the guests as he passed by. A trio of girls giggled while thumping keys on the piano as a couple of nervous-looking boys stood nearby. A larger group huddled over a bowl of popcorn while staring at the TV in the front room, some horror flick blaring on the screen.
“No one’s going to answer the door?” Jace grumbled before creaking it open. His eyes widened as he took in the familiar visitor—the very girl he’d been thinking about just two seconds ago. Amy Nelson.
He took in her pretty face, lit by the amber glow of porch light as she tipped her head back to meet his gaze.
She wore her usual: sports shorts and a tee shirt, yet she’d ditched the sneakers for a pair of casual flip-flops that showed off her perfectly polished toenails. Known to be one of the school’s top softball players, Amy often wore a baseball cap. Today was no exception. The Red Sox ball cap shaded her brown eyes while the blonde locks of her hair followed the curve of her shoulders. Always pretty without looking like she tried.
He gulped down the remaining bitterness in his mouth before speaking. “Amy?”
Her eyes shot to the bottle in his hand, her lips transforming from a soft smile to one hard line. “Is…” She died off there, her gaze stuck on his grip. “I’m here to get my sister.”
“This isn’t real,” he said while lifting the cold bottle. “It’s just a lame graduation gift from my dad.” He mustered his manly advertising voice and displayed the bottle with a serious scowl. “Fake beer —the top-rated graduation gift out there.”
Amy cracked a grin, and Jace felt the heat of it everywhere.
He puffed out his chest. “I’m, uh… thetrustedchaperone this evening.”
“Jace Burns is chaperoning on graduation night?” She arched a brow. “That doesn’t sound like you.”
