8. Shadows of Jealousy
Ace had been right about me needing rest. I slept for another five hours, not waking until a little before eleven, so we didn’t arrive at school until after the end of fourth period.
With a hand on the small of my back, Ace ushered me through the crowds of students in the hallways and toward my locker so I could grab my books for our English class.
I was nervous, with anxiety wrapped around my throat. Would I see Ben today?
Would he try to speak to me, or had Madoc made sure he learned his lesson?
“Stop worrying,” Ace whispered into my ear. “Ben isn’t here.”
I looked up at him. How does he always know what I am thinking? “How do you know that?”
He shrugged, offering no explanation, and attempted to lead me forward once again, but I dug my heels in, forcing him to stop.
“Ace,” I started slowly, “please tell me you didn’t do something to Ben.”
I wouldn’t put it past him. He had gotten into fights over less.
Ace scoffed as if that were the most ridiculous question in the world. “Of course not.”
He tried to push me forward again, but I remained still.
“What did you do to Ben, Ace?”
His shoulders slumped. “I didn’t do anything. Madoc was the one who beat him to a pulp. I know Ben’s not here because I saw the condition he was in yesterday. He’s no doubt in hospital—”
“Hospital?” I gasped. “Madoc put Ben in the hospital?”
“Motherfucker deserved it for what he said to you. And besides, it’s time he learned his place around here, his standing.”
“What is that supposed to mean? What’s his ‘standing?’”
“No more questions, Doe.” He pressed his hand on my lower back again.
“Hold on, we haven’t finished,” I continued, ignoring the warning in his eyes. “You can’t just say ‘no more questions,’ and expect that to be the end of it. I’m not having it anymore.”
Ace let out a frustrated puff of air. “Look, I only meant that Ben is new here and obviously didn’t understand that he can’t talk to girls that way and get away with it.
Now he does. Problem solved.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. I had a strange feeling he wasn’t telling me the whole truth. It wasn’t the first time.
He gently nudged me toward my locker. “You should grab your books. We’re going to be late for class if we don’t hurry, and I know how much you hate being late.”
I huffed but did as he said, turning and unlocking my locker. Ace leaned his massive form against the wall beside us, watching me closely with those deep blue eyes of his.
He reached out and played with a strand of my hair, twirling it between his fingers.
My stomach fluttered.
Shit. I need to get a handle on how I react to him.
As I took out my first book, I noticed Ron Edwards approaching us. I wanted to thank him for defending me when Ben called me all those horrible names.
Plus, I was glad to see he was okay. He could have easily gotten caught up in the fight with Madoc.
“Ron,” I breathed out, smiling at him over Ace’s shoulder.
Ace didn’t turn to look at Ron or even move, though I noticed him stiffen. I held myself back from rolling my eyes. He was so weird about other men talking to me.
“Hi, Dorothy.” Ron threw a nervous glance at Ace. “A-Ace.”
“Not now, Edwards,” Ace snapped.
Ron’s face fell. “I, uh, just wanted to make sure Dorothy was okay after everything that happened yesterday.
“And to…” He looked nervous enough to puke. “And to apologize for not stepping in sooner. I should’ve done more when Ben—”ut I dug my heels Ace whipped around and stepped into Ron’s space so they were mere inches apart.
Ron gasped but somehow managed to hold his ground.
“Ace!” I grabbed his arm, trying to yank him back. “What are you doing?”
Ace didn’t move. He just stood there, staring Ron down, not saying another word.
Ace made Ron look tiny, and Ron wasn’t a small man. He was well over six feet, with broad shoulders and a muscular form. Ace was just bigger than life.
Ron blinked up at him, his face paper white.ulp. I know Ben’s “Ace?” I asked quietly.
What the hell is going on? What’s with the staring contest?
I tugged on Ace again, and he grabbed my hand and squeezed it in reassurance, silently communicating that everything was okay.
After a few more seconds, Ron jerked his head up and down. “U-understood.”
Ace finally took a step back and hauled me to his side, wrapping his arm tightly around my waist. The air returned to my lungs. I could’ve sworn their weird stare-down was going to end in a fight.
Ron swallowed and looked at me. “I’m happy to see you’re doing okay, Dorothy.” He gave me a smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes.
He glanced at Ace, who gave him a singular nod. “I-I’ll see you around, okay?”
Before I could respond, Ron turned and marched down the hall.
“What just happened?” I murmured. I peeked up at Ace. “Did you say something to him?”
“What do you mean?” With his hands on my waist, he turned me back to my locker, motioning for me o be late for classto gather my books.
“Why did he look so freaked out? And why did he say he ‘understood?’”
Ace shrugged and picked up the piece of hair he was playing with before, licking his lips. “Not sure.”
I arched a brow. Ace’s casual energy was throwing me off. He only acted this way when he was up to something.
“He didn’t do anything to me, Ace. He defended me yesterday. Please tell me you didn’t threaten him.”
“Of course not. Ron’s a good guy. I’ve always liked him. And Madoc already told me he tried to help you yesterday. I’m not sure what his problem was.”
There was something he wasn’t telling me. I felt it in my gut.
Ace looked down at my open backpack. “Did you get everything you need for class?”
I huffed. “No.”
Ace leaned his massive form back at the body while I stuffed more books into my bag.
“Are we going to my house or yours after school today?” I asked. “Elliot hasn’t stopped talking about how excited he is to play Mario Kart with you.”
My eleven-year-old brother was obsessed with video games and loved it when Ace played with him.
Ace straightened his spine. “I can’t today,” he replied stiffly.
“Oh, that’s okay. Elliot can wait. So, you want to go to your house then?” I asked, dropping my books into my backpack.
“We could finish the movie from last night while we study for that history test on Monday. I fell asleep before the end, and I doubt you were paying attention. You were on your phone the entire time.”
I put my last textbook in my backpack and closed my locker before facing Ace. I found him frowning, his jaw clenched tightly. The air around us grew tense.
I took a step back. Did I say something to upset him?
“Is something wrong?” I asked.
He dragged a hand through his hair. “I’m only dropping you off at your house after school today. I can’t stay,” he explained. “I have something I need to do tonight.”
I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Ace and I always spent our evenings together after school. The only nights he wasn’t with me were Tuesdays and Thursdays when I had dance practice.
There were some days I ended up at Marta’s house, but she’d been recently cast as a lead in the school y communicating musical and was busy rehearsing most evenings.
I was so grateful for Marta. She was my best friend before I came to Embermoon.
That she had ended up moving from Massachusetts, too, was nothing short of a miracle for me.
When I moved to Colorado, everything was so different. New school, new house, new people—and eventually, a new stepfather.
Needless to say, my move to Embermoon was a hard transition to make.
As a six-year-old, my entire world was flipped upside down. I had Ace by my side, but there were times when even that wasn’t enough. I was homesick. I missed Massachusetts.
So, for Marta’s father to be offered a position at a law firm only twenty minutes away from us, well, I was ecstatic.
Ace still took up most of my time, but I hung out with Marta whenever I could, and she knew how important she was to me. I told her everything I couldn’t tell Ace.
Plus, she seemed normal to me, while everyone else in Embermoon was just so strange, perplexing.
They had their own little culture that I had never been able to understand. I still felt like a bit of an outsider, even after living here for eleven years.
Marta felt like my equal. I didn’t feel small or different when I was with her. n’t threaten him.”
But Marta was busy tonight. And Ace had plans apparently. He never had other plans. I was convinced that the only other person he hung out with was Madoc. He didn’t like anyone else.
What am I going to do tonight on my own?
“What—?” I started to ask.
“Alpha,” a voice said from behind us.
Ace growled and swung around, shoving me behind him so quickly that I was surprised I didn’t get whiplash. I had to grip his shirt so as not to topple over, and my face was pressed against his back.
“Ace!” I admonished, shoving him.
He ignored me, keeping me huddled against him with an unyielding grip.
“Clara,” he said.
His rigid muscles loosened as he regarded her, and I was able to shift enough to peek around him.
This Clara, apparently, was one of the most gorgeous women I had ever seen— day. I fell asleepgobsmackingly so. She was tall and slender, with sleek brown hair and hazel eyes.
Her long legs looked like they went on forever in her dark skinny jeans and heeled, leather boots. Her brown leather jacket and high ponytail made her look mature and badass.
I swallowed, intimidated by her easy confidence, while at the same time, eager to be her friend. It was a confusing combination. I wondered if she had this effect on every person she met.
She smiled brightly at Ace, obviously excited to see him. “Today is my first day at Embermoon High. I was wondering when I would see you.”
Ace smiled back—something he didn’t do often around others. “I’m sorry, I completely forgot you were coming today. I wish I could have been here this morning to show you around, but I was occupied.”
My brow furrowed. Yeah, occupied with me.
“It’s good to see you,” Ace continued. “How was the move?”
“Fine, but long,” she responded. Her eyes met mine. She tilted her head with curiosity, and her smile widened. “Oh, my gosh. Is this your—”
“Friend,” Ace interrupted, his tone clipped. “This is Dorothy Kennicott, my friend.”
Those words were like a sucker punch straight to my midsection. I’d never heard Ace correct someone about who I was to him so quickly before.
Is it possible that Ace is interested in Clara? Is that why he hid me away when she approached?
“Oh,” Clara said. Her eyes widened a bit. “Oh. Right.” She cleared her throat. “Well, it’s nice to finally meet you, Dorothy. I’ve heard a lot about you. I’m Clara Hernandez.”
I stepped out from behind Ace. He put his hands on my shoulders, making me feel a little more anchored—which was good, given that the ground felt like it was crumbling out from underneath me.
I offered Clara a handshake. “Hi. It’s really nice to meet you.” I did my best to return her smile as she shook my hand.
When I glanced back at Ace, I noticed him watching Clara with a weird intensity in his gaze. His grip on my shoulders tightened slightly.
What the hell is going on with him? If I didn’t know any better, I would think he was nervous. Is she~
making him nervous?~ I was convinced I leaned back against him a bit, hoping my touch might bring him some comfort, the same way physical contact with him always helped me.
I cleared my throat. “So…how do you two know each other?”
Before either of them could respond, Ace whirled me around so I was facing him.
He looked down at me. “How’s your head?”
“My head?” Is this his way of avoiding answering my question?
He brushed a hand through the side of my hair. “Yeah. Does it hurt?”
I thought about it. There was a small thrum of discomfort at the base of my skull, but I hadn’t even noticed it until he’d asked. It was nothing serious. “I feel fine.”
“Good. That’s good.” Ace exhaled softly. “You’ll be late for class if you don’t go now.”
I veered back, shocked by his obvious attempt to dismiss me. “Oh,” I responded meekly. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“I’m going to stay and talk with Clara for a bit,” he continued. “You go ahead.”
“You’re not coming with me?”
He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “I’ll meet you there in a little bit, okay?”
That made two days in a row that he’d missed class without explanation. I glanced back at Clara whoer friend. It was a had taken a few steps away to give us some privacy.
“O-okay.” I took a few slow steps away, hoping Ace would realize he didn’t want me to go and pull mebermoon High. I
back.
He didn’t.
“It was nice meeting you, Dorothy,” Clara called after me.
I nodded. “Yeah, you too.”
My eyes strayed one last time to Ace. He didn’t meet my gaze.
All his attention was set on Clara.
ame way physical
Before either of them could respond, Ace whirled me around so I was facing him.
He looked down at me. “How’s your head?”
“My head?” Is this his way of avoiding answering my question?
He brushed a hand through the side of my hair. “Yeah. Does it hurt?”
I thought about it. There was a small thrum of discomfort at the base of my skull, but I hadn’t even noticed it until he’d asked. It was nothing serious. “I feel fine.”
“Good. That’s good.” Ace exhaled softly. “You’ll be late for class if you don’t go now.”
I veered back, shocked by his obvious attempt to dismiss me. “Oh,” I responded meekly. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
“I’m going to stay and talk with Clara for a bit,” he continued. “You go ahead.”
“You’re not coming with me?”
He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear. “I’ll meet you there in a little bit, okay?”
That made two days in a row that he’d missed class without explanation. I glanced back at Clara who had taken a few steps away to give us some privacy.
“O-okay.” I took a few slow steps away, hoping Ace would realize he didn’t want me to go and pull me
back.
He didn’t.
“It was nice meeting you, Dorothy,” Clara called after me.
I nodded. “Yeah, you too.”
My eyes strayed one last time to Ace. He didn’t meet my gaze.
All his attention was set on Clara.
