Chapter 8
8
I toss and turn, unable to find peace. The gentle rise and fall of Ace’s chest next to me is soothing, but my mind races with a thousand worries.
Ice’s words echo in my head: “We’ll bring you back to justice.” I desperately want to believe they’ll clear my name, but doubt gnaws at me like a relentless parasite. The Blackwells have money, influence, and a vast web of connections. What if they find a way to twist any information Ice’s boss uncovers, turning it against me in their favor?
A heavy weight settles in my chest. I can’t truly trust anyone, not even the charming bounty hunter whose arms make me feel safer than I have in… forever.
I am incredibly drawn to Ace, his disarming smile and unwavering determination to help me. This is the very reason why I have to stay guarded. Feelings can blind you, make you vulnerable to manipulation and betrayal. I’ve seen too much evidence of that. I have now learned that harsh lesson well. Allowing myself to let my guard down, even for a moment, could prove catastrophic. So I lie awake, my thoughts spinning, forcing myself to remain vigilant despite the solace Ace’s presence provides.
Making sure I don’t wake Ace, I slip out of bed and pace around the small room considering my options. I could try to make a break for it, disappear before they have a chance to act. But where would I go? Back to my rental? No one would think of looking for me there.
Or I could stay, play along for now. Let them think they’ve won my trust. No, that won’t work. While under Ace’s watch, I have no way to keep gathering information, to clear my name once and for all.
I don’t want to end up behind bars, my life ruined.
For a second, I stare at the inky darkness shown by the screen and wonder if there’s a way out of this, some angle I’m missing. My eyes drift back to Ace, his features softened in sleep. He seems so calm, so sure everything will turn out all right. He has that sort of trust with his team. I long to have that kind of faith, that certainty. But I’ve watched people get burned. I’ve seen how fickle fate is, how quickly the world can turn against you.
No, I can’t afford to let my guard down, no matter how tempting it might be. I have to stay focused, keep my eyes on the prize: freedom, vindication.
With a sigh, I sink into the chair, almost resigned to another sleepless night when I remember the switch, the one Ice clicked on to kill the alarm.
I can run!
Now that my decision is made, I move silently through the room, gathering my few belongings and stuffing them into my backpack. I glance at Ace’s sleeping form. Why am I feeling guilty? Am I making a mistake? I push that thought aside. I have to do what’s best for me, even if it means leaving him behind.
I slip on my shoes and tiptoe to the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I press on the button I saw Ice push just before he left. I hold my breath, praying it doesn’t make a sound. The red light above the handle turns to green, and I exhale slowly, relief flooding through me. I turn the handle, but before I can take a step, a strong hand grips my arm, spinning me around. I find myself face to face with Ace, his eyes blazing with a rage I’ve never seen before.
“Where do you think you’re going?” he demands, his voice low and dangerous.
I swallow hard, trying to find the right words to explain myself. “Ace, I… I have to go. I can’t stay here any longer.” I hate how my voice trembles.
His grip tightens on my arm, and I wince in pain. “Why not? Because you’ve got the money and you’re running off to meet with your partner?”
My mouth falls open in shock at his accusation. “What? No! That’s not true at all!” I protest, shaking my head vehemently.
Ace scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief. “Don’t lie to me, Alicia. I was slow to catch on, but now I get it. You and Blackwell Jr. started this whole scheme together. And now… now… you used me, made me think you were innocent. Why? Were you hoping we would help you pin it all on him while you made a clean getaway?”
Tears sting my eyes as I realize the depth of his suspicion and mistrust. How could he think I would betray him like that? “No, Ace, please. You have to believe me. I didn’t lie to you. I’m not working with anyone, least of all David Blackwell,” I plead, my voice cracking with emotion.
He releases my arm, closes the door again, and takes a step back, putting some distance between us. The hurt in his eyes is like a knife twisting in my gut.
“Then why are you running?” he asks, his voice laced with a mixture of anger and sadness.
I can see the pain I’ve caused him, and it breaks my heart. “No, of course not. What happened between us… it was real. But I’m scared, Ace. I don’t want to go to jail for something I didn’t do. I can’t bear the thought of being locked up, branded as a criminal when I’m innocent,” I explain, my voice breaking as I fight back tears.
Ace runs a hand through his hair and lets out a growl of frustration, pacing back and forth like a caged animal.
“So you thought running was the answer? That you could just disappear without a word?”
I think what he’s really asking is how I could think about leaving him behind without a word.
I look away, shame washing over me as I realize how selfish and cowardly my actions must have seemed. I can’t meet his gaze. “I’m sorry. I thought it was the only way to avoid being wrongfully imprisoned. I should have trusted you, Ace. I never meant to hurt you or betray your trust.”
He takes a deep breath, his voice harsh. “I’ve got to hand it to you, Alicia, you’re good. You had all of us fooled. Fuck, my entire team was working on clearing your name.” He shakes his head. “Let me guess, you ran ’cause you knew this was going to backfire, we would figure out how guilty you are…”
I bite my lip, my heart pounding in my chest. How can I make him see the truth?
“Yes, I did take the money, but only after I was framed by someone at the company. And yes, as incredible as it may seem, I do have faith in you, Ace. I wanted so desperately to believe that you were going to be my knight in shining armor, the one to prove my innocence.” I swallow hard, feeling tears prick my eyes. “But what if your team can’t gather enough evidence? What if the Caldwells twist what you find to further implicate me? I can’t risk being imprisoned for a crime I didn’t commit. Please, you have to understand, I never meant to betray your trust. I’m just trying to survive.”
Ace reaches out, cupping my face in his hands. “If you had faith in me, you would have stayed. I wouldn’t have let anything bad happen to you. But now, I know better than to trust this pair of pleading eyes and those lying lips.”
Oh no, what have I done? I have sabotaged my entire case. I lost the trust of the only person who was willing to help me.
I’m positively screwed: Ace won’t let me run to investigate on my own, and now that he thinks I did, he’ll probably tell his team to stop searching for evidence of my innocence.