Chapter 6

6

LIBBY

I hold Ace’s boxers in my hand. I can’t believe I’m holding a man's underwear. This is a first for me. I’ve seen some before. My mother would wash Father’s, but his were white and kind of resembling mine. They were more panty-shaped. Am I really going to put this on?

My legs are going to be on full display wearing these. Which has never been something I was allowed to do. We had to be covered. They made us all wear these long dresses at Heaven’s Temple.

Rebellion lights inside me. It has me removing my clothes. I go to step into the shorts Ace gave me, all too eager to rebel, and forget about my leg, putting too much weight on it. The pain shoots through my body. I cry out, my knee giving out on me.

“Libby!” My name is shouted a half second before the bathroom door slides open. Ace is on me, his hands roaming over my body. “Where do you hurt?”

“I—” His eyes are searching everywhere. It dawns on me that I am naked.

“Libby, talk to me, please. I can’t help if I don’t know.” This is the first time I have seen panic on his face. With all we’ve been through, how is this that moment?

“I’m naked,” I whisper. He is seeing me completely naked except for my panties.

“Shit.” He reaches over and pulls a towel off the rod. The thing is big enough to be a blanket, but I guess if you’re Ace’s size, you’d need one that big. He lays it over me before he scoops me up into his arms, carrying me out of the bathroom and over to his bed, where he lays me down. “Where are you hurt?”

“I’m fine, really.” I start to sit up, but he stops me. I'm more embarrassed than anything. I hate when attention is drawn to my leg.

“I heard you scream.” He runs a hand down his face. “Fuck, that scared me.”

“Are you okay?” I think he’s more out of sorts than me.

“I’m fine,” Ace says gruffly.

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, just not used to that shit.”

“Used to what?” I ask, confused.

“Fear,” he says before he turns, going back into the bathroom. A second later, he returns with the boxers and shirt.

He’s not used to fear? I felt that every day. “You weren’t scared earlier? When we were escaping?”

“No,” he responds without any hesitation.

Ace slips the shirt over my head, pulling it down over the towel so that he can then slide the towel out from under it, keeping me covered the whole time. It’s long enough that it pools around my waist, covering my panties.

“How was that not scary? You were sneaking around, blowing crap up. The man at the gate was armed with a gun!" I can’t wrap my mind around how he wasn’t terrified back at Heaven’s Temple with all the craziness going on. Yet my small scream scared him?

“I do that for a living.” He does that for a living? What kind of job is that? “What happened?”

“My stupid leg.” I wave it off, not wanting to talk about it. I mean, it’s bad enough he’s going to have to see the scar. To be honest, I hadn’t thought about him being able to see it before I had my moment of rebellion. But Ace calling me gorgeous earlier and the concern that is now on his face has me feeling more comfortable by the second.

I can feel my cheeks burning. I’m not sure about what, him seeing me naked or falling like a klutz. I'd rather discuss his line of work, which involves blowing things up. He was proficient with that drone.

“Can I look at it?” I would normally say no to anyone but my sister, but he’s so worked up.

“If you want.” He sits down on the side of the bed facing me. I shift slightly to lean against the headboard. The action makes the shirt ride up, revealing my panties yet again. Ace's eyes linger there for a moment before he turns his head. I see his jaw clench. I’m not sure what to make of it.

In the bathroom, it was like he didn’t notice I was naked. Not going to lie. Even in my embarrassment, I’d noticed that. Of course, I didn't want him to be pervy, stealing a look or copping a feel, but I did want something.

What that was, I wasn’t sure. I just know I didn’t care for what I was sure was disinterest, but now his eyes are lingering. Perhaps it's because he's no longer concerned about my safety. Damn, Ace really is some avenging angel.

“I’m covered,” I tell him after I pull the shirt back down.

“Sorry,” he mutters.

“How about you stop saying sorry too, because you have nothing to be sorry for when it comes to me.” He shakes his head, giving the impression that he doesn't believe me. Again, no clue what to do with that. Normally I’m pretty good at reading men’s moods, but Ace has thrown me for a loop.

“Going to touch you now.”

“You can touch me, Ace,” I reassure him. I hate how I always tense up. He’s going to start to think I hate his touches. When, in fact, it’s the opposite. Once my body knows it’s him, I actually feel safer than I ever have before.

His hand wraps around my ankle. “I’ll get you some thick socks in a minute.” Ace’s thumb strokes my ankle before his hand starts to slide up my calf. It sends a shiver through my body. A good one that I can’t even explain. “Tell me if anything hurts.”

Yeah, hurt is not what I’m experiencing right now. He has no idea how intimate this is to me. Not that I want him to stop. It’s just new and exciting. Men aren’t supposed to touch. Not unless they are your husband. I never imagined a man's touch would be something I wanted more of.

Thoughts of Ace being my husband flit through my mind, making me gasp. His hand pauses. “Did that hurt?”

“No, it feels good.”

“How about this?” His fingers sink in deeper, and he starts to rub.

“Oh gosh.” I moan. “That feels good.” My head drops back.

“Don’t move.” Ace bolts up from the bed. I want to grab him and pull him back, but he’s freaking quick. He enters the bathroom, but he’s back a second later with a bottle in his hand. “Lotion.” He sits back down. “A massage might do it some good.” I just nod because that sounds wonderful. “Are you tender here?” His fingers trace the prickled skin where my scar is.

“No, not really. I occasionally experience a sharp pain there, but I'm uncertain if it's real or in my head.”

“We’ll have a doctor decide that. There could be a nerve acting up.”

“A nerve?”

“You make me want to go back there and beat the shit out of all of them.”

“Over a nerve?”

“No.” He shakes his head, but a half smile tugs at one side of his mouth. “That they didn’t teach you girls the basics.” Ace starts to rub, all the while going on to tell me what he means. Things about the human body that I should know. It’s all so fascinating.

My eyes start to grow heavy as Ace works his fingers into my muscles. His words are soothing, almost like a lullaby, until sleep draws me in.