A Whole New Crowd

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

As we stood in the library, we were told a lot of different facts. We were told that Jace had been recruited by Chance to work for the DEA when Chance returned home and discovered his father was working for the drug ring. Jace was already working for Sal Galverson, but he decided to turn on his boss when he found out the mother of his child died from a drug overdose. Jace said to me, “It was that night when I was in the kitchen and you came out. You sat at the table with me for hours.” He hesitated. “I was an ass before then. I’m sorry, Taryn. I know things were bad at the house and I know I’m partly to blame for things over the years. I was messed up for a lot of those years.”
I nodded. “I remember.” He never talked about his daughter. He mentioned her once; she was being cared for by another family. No one asked any questions because that’s how Jace was with us. That had been the dark, scary Jace. That night was when things changed; he had turned into the Jace that I loved as a brother. I saw traces of him again, but it didn’t matter. Too much had happened.
“Jace was stalling. He was giving us time to get there and set up the nets.”
Tray frowned. “What about Dad?”
Chance cast him a frown.
Jace said, “He’s not dead. Sal ordered to get rid of him so we made it look like he was.”
Chance spoke up, “He’s in witness protection.”
Tray asked, “So I’ll never see him again?”
“Not unless you want to join him.” Chance glanced at me. “Once you go in, you can’t come out. Something’s telling me you won’t go for that deal.”
“Do you see him?”
Chance hesitated, then shook his head. “No, but I’d like to. I love him too.”
Tray continued to frown, but he didn’t respond. He gave a small nod and then looked to me, as if giving me permission to get my answers.
There was a heavy silence in the room. Then Jace asked, “You don’t have anything else to say, Taryn?”
I didn’t. I really didn’t. I should. I knew there was a lot I didn’t understand or know, but after jumping from that tunnel and thinking I was going to die, a switch had been flipped. I really had let go of my past. My future was what mattered now. Brian. Jace. I let go of everyone and everything. “I’m eighteen now. I’m an adult. I’m going to finish high school, and I’m going to try and get a scholarship in swimming so I can go to college. I’m going to find Mandy and Austin because I love them. They’re my new family and,” I lifted my hand that was holding Tray’s, “I’m going to be wherever he is,” I turned so I was talking only to Tray, “as long as you’ll have me.”
A tender expression flashed over his face and he pulled me to his side. Dropping a soft kiss on my forehead, he whispered, “That shit goes both ways.”
Another stupid smile came to my face and like the time on the boat, I didn’t try to hide it.
“Okay then.” Jace started for the door. He paused with his hand on the doorknob. “I’m still a member of the Panthers. If you need anything, you can go to them. They’ll take care of you.”
I frowned. “Why? Where are you going?”
He shared a look with Chance.
I twisted around. Tray’s older brother grimaced as he said, “Sal Galverson’s drug ring is gone, but he was one member in a bigger network. A few of the guards got away. We were able to capture most of them and the others were killed, but his name will get back to the rest of the network.”
“What does that mean?”
“They know who I am so I have to disappear.” A wall slid away and Jace wasn’t the stranger anymore. I saw the caring in his eyes again and I was warmed by that. Blinking back tears, he was still there in my heart.
I tried to grin, but knew it was shaky. “You really meant it when you wanted me to go away, didn’t you?”
He sighed. His hand fell from the doorknob. “If something went wrong, I didn’t want Galverson to use you against me. People knew I cared about you.”
“And Brian?”
He gave me a crooked grin. “You think Brian would’ve gone anywhere I told him?”
“Oh.” I laughed, but it was weak. “No. He would’ve done the opposite.” Jace reached for the door again. “Wait,” I stopped him. His hand went back to his side, and I asked, “Where’s he buried? Is he by your dad?”
“I’m having his body moved. I don’t want anyone to do anything to it, and these people, they’d do just about anything to get to me.” He frowned. “I’ll let you know where I have him moved.” He glanced at Chance. “Or someone will.”
He paused again, staring at me as I stared at him. This was it. This was really the end. “I’ll never see you again?”
“Unless something bad happens.” His grey eyes seemed haunted and he tried to give me a half-grin. “Let’s hope you never see me again.” He said to Tray, “Take care of her.”
“I plan to.”
Then he started to turn again. “Wait.” I flew at him. Slamming into his chest, I buried my head there, and he wrapped his arms around me at the same time. This was my last goodbye. With tears streaming down my cheeks, I knew I’d probably always care about him. He and Brian had been family when no one else had been. When I pulled back, he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear and gently flicked me on the cheek. He murmured, “We had some good times.”
My heart was heavy. “Goodbye, Jace.”
He nodded. He didn’t say it back, but that was okay. He dropped a kiss to my forehead and whispered back, “Love you, kid, even when you thought I hated you.”
Then he pulled away and left. I didn’t turn for Tray. I didn’t need to be comforted. I knew what was happening. That old chapter in my life just walked out the door. It was done. There were nothing left to be resolved.
“You okay?” Tray asked me, standing beside me.
I nodded. “Yeah.” I reached for his hand. I was okay. I would be okay. Hell, I would be more than okay. I was strong. I was a survivor. I felt ready to take on the world. Feeling that rush of adrenalin, I squeezed Tray’s hand.
He was my home now.