“Why?” Ari asked. “I’ve never done anything to you—I don’t think the police would have arrested you for the robbery if you hadn’t shown up that night at my house.” She cursed herself for thinking of Jace that night. He’d been terrifying. Violent and predatory.
“You think this is about me?” He laughed, rocking faster in his chair. “You’re a blip on my radar, girl. If I’d wanted you dead you would have been dead. He’s got a soft spot for you.”
“Who?”
He continued rocking, back and forth, rhythmically. “What’s it like?” he asked. “Playing God with children’s lives. Making decisions about who stays at home and who’s sent away?”
Ari frowned. “Playing God? What are you talking about?”
“You!” he shouted. “You and those other caseworkers, acting like you’re helping people, when all you do is tear families apart. Sending us hours from home. Locking us up with other criminals and perverts.” Jace had a strange look on his face, his blue eyes glazed over. “All while living in your nice house, driving a fancy car, and worse than that,” he laughed. “You—whoring it up all over town—you’re no better than the rest of the sluts on your caseload.”
Ari jumped to her feet. “I’ve never torn any families apart! You guys do the damage way before I get there. And my house is tiny. My car has a 90,000 miles on it from driving kids all over the freaking state and,” she took a deep breath. “I. Am. Not. A. Whore.”
Jace froze and the rocker abruptly stopped. Tilting his head, he stood up, never taking his eyes off Ari. The backs of her knees hit the mattress and she fell, stopping herself with an outstretched hand. “I’m …” she started, but the apology on the tip of her tongue wouldn’t come. Apologize to this creep? Her kidnapper? She didn’t have it in her.
Jace closed the distance in two long strides and he grasped her chin, jerking Ari forward. She remembered what Hope told her about him, and how he’d hurt her when she was a child. She remembered what he wanted to do to her that night outside her house before the Vigilante—Davis—had saved her. The eyes she looked into weren’t rational. They belonged to a wild, feral animal. Swallowing her pride she said, “I’m sorry your life has been like this Jace. It sucks. The system sucks. ”
He narrowed his eyes and Ari took her chance. She slammed her foot down on his instep and pushed the heel of her hand to his nose just like they’d learned at the self-defense class.
“Shit!” Jace yelled, clutching his face. Blood dripped between his fingers.
Ari ran to the door and down the dark hallway, stumbling at the bottom of a set of stairs.
“Come back here, bitch,” she heard Jace scream. Her heart lodged in her throat and she knew if she didn’t get out of there, he’d kill her.
Or worse.
She scrambled up the stairwell, two steps at a time. Jace was so close she could hear his strained breath. Fingers swiped at her back and a shadow passed across the threshold. “Oh God!” she cried out, “Help me!”
“Ari!”
She peered into the dark and cried in relief. “Nick! Help!”
Ari made a break, up the final steps, tears welled in her eyes. “Nick,” she sobbed, running to the top step. He stood in the opening, arms wide. She barely stopped when she got to him, tugging on his hand. “We have to get out of here. Get Hope. Call the police,” she rambled. “Jace, he drugged me, dragged me down here … come on!” She ran out the door, trying to pull him with her, but he didn’t budge. Finally, she stopped, looking down the stairwell at Jace. The two men looked at one another. Neither seemed surprised to see the other.
“No,” Ari whispered, shaking her head.
“Come here,” Nick said, forcing her into a tight embrace. “I’ve missed you.”
***
Dazed and completely confused, Ari went back to her room without a fight. Once the door closed behind the three of them, she tried to speak, “Nick …”
“Do you like your room?” he asked, quietly. “I thought it would feel comfortable. Less transitional. Jace worked hard on it for weeks.”
“Yeah,” Jace said, blotting his nose with his shirt. “I would have laid the hardwood if I hadn’t been arrested that night outside of your house. I wasn’t really going to hurt you, you know.”
“I don’t understand,” Ari started. She couldn’t even begin to comprehend what was happening.
“Understand. I know. It’s a lot to take in and you’ve had a rough night. You’re right. Jace did drug you, but only for your own protection.”
“No, he had Shanna at the bar and...” She tried to rationalize the situation. She couldn’t. “Why did you bring me here?”
Nick smiled. The smile that used to reassure her. Calm her. “Because we’re good together. Out there, you’re just distracted. Work, clients, nightclubs, and Vigilantes. Here we can focus on each other. Plus there’s plenty of work to be done right here. My girls could use a companion with a little compassion. I’m afraid Jace and I aren’t really the most empathetic housemates.”