Ace kept whispering, holding me as if I was the most fragile thing in his arms. “Stay with me, Britt. Just a minor blip, yeah? We’ll get through it.”
I clung to him, my breathing slowing gradually. His scent — cedarwood, something familiar, something I hated that I missed — was anchoring me, pulling me back to the present.
When I finally pulled away, wiping my face roughly, I whispered, “There’s a snake… in my room.” My voice was so small it barely felt like mine.
Ace gave a soft chuckle under his breath — not mocking, just relieved. “Alright, warrior. Let me be your knight today.”
He kissed the top of my head without thinking — without hesitation — like it was still his right. My heart twisted painfully.
I watched him march into the house like he’d done this a thousand times. A few minutes later, I heard a loud, “Yup, that’s a little intruder!” followed by the sound of the bedroom door shutting.
He came back out, phone in hand. “Animal control’s on their way. He’s barricaded in. You’re safe, Britt.”
I nodded, wrapping my arms around myself. My skin was still crawling, but the icy terror had ebbed into a dull tremble.
“Thank you,” I murmured. My eyes flicked up to his, lingering longer than they should have. His face was so familiar, so achingly beautiful it made my chest hurt. Dark eyes, sharp jawline, the faintest scar on his brow — the same Ace who had shattered me five years ago.
We sat on the porch steps, silent at first, the tension like a taut wire stretched between us. The sun was dipping low, casting gold and rose across the sky. I tucked my knees to my chest, resting my chin on them.
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling heavily. “I didn’t think… I didn’t think this would be how I got to talk to you again.”
I gave a hollow laugh. “Didn’t think it’d take a snake, huh?”
His mouth quirked, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Britt… I know you’ve shut me out. I know why. But I never stopped—”
Suddenly, his phone buzzed on the step between us.
Sierra calling.
My heart gave a sharp, involuntary lurch. I stiffened, trying to pretend it didn’t bother me. But it did. Oh, it did.
Why was she calling him? Why was she still in the picture? They were divorced — I knew that. I had madeit my business to know that before I slammed the door on his presence in my life.
Ace glanced at me. “I should get this,” he muttered, almost sheepish.
“Go ahead.” My voice was cool, clipped. My fingers dug into my palms.
Without thinking — or maybe wanting to show me transparency — he hit speaker.
“Ace! I am sorry for disturbing your trip but she is acting out again” Sierra’s voice rang out, high-pitched, annoyed. “Karla’s been asking for you all afternoon. She’s refusing to eat dinner unless you say goodnight.”
My blood froze.
Karla?Who the hell was Karla?
Ace closed his eyes for a moment, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I’ll be there soon, Sierra. Tell her I’ll FaceTime in ten minutes.”
“You should’ve been here already. You promised her you’d tuck her in tonight. You can’t keep disappointing her.”
I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me.
Karla
His daughter.
With Sierra.
My lungs constricted so tight I could barely take in air. I stood abruptly, the porch steps blurring before my eyes.
