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“I just want Wes to stay my perfect little squish forever, that’s all.”
A quiet growl came from Ace’s chest. “They act like you’re fragile because you are.
You’re fragile and perfect and beautiful. And you need protection and deserve the respect of everyone around you.”
I gave him a small smile. “Thank you.”
Wes yawned and turned in my arms, setting his head down on my boobs.
I laughed. “I swear, this kid thinks my boobs are his own personal pillow. He does this every time we’re together.”
“If I didn’t know he was three and that you two were related, I might be jealous,”
Ace said.
I shoved his chest. “Don’t be such a guy,” I said, even as my stomach did a flip.
Ace grinned. “You’re so good with him.”
I hugged Wes closer to me. “I can’t wait to be a mom someday. I want as many kids as possible, just like my parents.”
Ace looked at me with an expression that I couldn’t read. Was it determination?
“Then you will.”
***
“Do you remember what happened?”
“You mean the car accident?” I replied.
The man in the suit glanced up from his notepad, and the chair he was sitting in at the side of my hospital bed groaned under his weight. His abnormally large body looked comical in the flimsy seat.
“During the car accident, yes, but before or after as well,” Suit-Man said. “Really anything that happened that day.”
I frowned. I had already talked to several doctors about this at length.
I couldn’t remember the car accident. Or anything from the last few days. My last memory was of Ace pulling me out to my backyard during my fifteenth birthday party the night before the accident.
And then…nothing. I awoke in this hospital room two days later with the most horrible headache and a nurse standing next to my bed who told me I had gone through the windshield of my dad’s car.
“I…I don’t remember. I have, uh…dissociative amnesia.”
That was what my doctor told me at least. My mind blocked out the memory of the car accident—and the days surrounding it—to protect me from the traumatic event.
“Yes, you already mentioned that. I just want to make sure I have as much information as possible.
“Are the concussion and the cut on your head the only injuries you sustained from the accident? It’s a miracle you didn’t walk away with more after going through a car windshield.”
“I-I, um…” I winced as my head started to feel like someone was cracking it open.
I dug my knuckles into my eyes. “A-are you a doctor? I’ve already talked to a bunch of doctors about this. Couldn’t they explain it to you?”
The man sighed. “No, I’m not a doctor. Remember what I told you when I got here?
My name is Gregory Mintz, and I’m with the OPS. I’m your caseworker.”
A loud buzzing sound started in my ears, and my head was pounding like a relentless jackhammer. “The OPS? Do you mean CPS?”
Why would Child Protective Services send a social worker to talk to me? It was only a car accident. It wasn’t as if I needed to be removed from my home or anything.
Gregory shook his head. “No, not CPS. OPS—the Omega Protective Services. I’m here to make sure you aren’t in any unsafe situations.”
He leaned forward, setting his elbows on his knees. “Are you sure there isn’t anything else you want to tell me, Dorothy? I promise I only want to help you.”
My head was about to explode. My gut churned.
“It was just a car accident. It wasn’t even that serious. The doctor said I can go home later today. I really don’t see why Child Protective Services needs to be involved.”
Gregory let out a frustrated huff of air. “I’m not from Child Protective—”
“Where are my parents?” I cut him off. Why aren’t they here? Why am I alone with this man? ?“I want to see Ace.” Tears of panic and pain clouded my eyes.
“We’re talking in circles here, Dorothy. Your parents and mate agreed to step out while I talked to you, remember? It’s important that no one influences your answers—”
Each word he spoke felt like he was stabbing a needle into my brain. He wasn’t making any sense.
“Stop!” I shouted suddenly.
I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed my hands into the sides of my head, trying to ease the intense throbbing. “I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Please don’t make me talk about this anymore.”
***
I jackknifed up in bed with a gasp. Oh god, that was a terrible dream. ?My heart bounced in my chest as I tried to regain my bearings.
I squinted into the darkness, relieved to find I was back in my bedroom, but still taken by the aftereffects of that unsettling nightmare.
Not to mention my head felt inflamed with yet another oncoming migraine.
I groaned and fell back on the bed, my hands immediately searching for Ace’s warm body. Instead, all I found was an empty mattress. Unexpected panic flooded my stomach.
“Ace?” I whispered into the pitch-black room.
Where is he? This isn’t like him.
He was more likely to carry my unconscious body around with him than to leave me alone in my bed.
Something had to be wrong. That was the only explanation. There was an emergency or an accident that took him away from me or—
The bed dipped next to me, and a hand traveled up my back, slipping under my shirt to caress my bare skin.
“Shh, Doe, I’m here. You’re okay. I’m here.”
The bedside table lamp suddenly flooded the room with light, and I found Ace smiling down at me, sitting on the edge of the bed with his body turned to me. I let out a relieved sigh.
“Where were you?” Surprising even myself, I crawled to him, wrapping my body around his leg. I just wanted to be near him.
Ace ran his hand through my hair as I adjusted myself so my head was on his lap, nuzzling myself into the side of his knee.
“I was bringing Wes back to his bed,” he explained. “I didn’t want your parents to wake up and wonder where he was.”
“Oh,” I murmured, still somewhat asleep. “I’m pretty sure that’s the first time I woke up without you next to me since we met. It was weird. I didn’t like it.”
“Now you know why I get angry when I wake up in the middle of the night to find that you’ve snuck out of the bed.”
“To go to the bathroom!” I said, feeling defensive. “Would you rather I wake you up and say, hey, Ace, I have to go piss?”
“Yes, I would much prefer that.” His warm gaze traveled over my face. “Are you okay? I swear, I could hear your heart pounding when I walked back into the room.”