Page 34 of Until Ace

Better than great.

From the moment we entered the restaurant—which was beyond cute—up until this point, I had his attention. Even when the waitress came to our table to get our order, he barely glanced at her to say what he wanted before his eyes were back on me. He was funny and sweet at the same time.

“Here we are,” he murmurs as he opens my car door. As soon as my foot touches the pavement of my apartment complex’s parking lot, he grabs my hand and helps me out. I forgot all about the pain in my ankle that was present throughout the night, and I wince when I lean all my weight into it.

“You okay?” He pulls lightly on my hand, and when my side touches his, he rounds my waist and takes a little of my weight.

I smile up at him. “I’m perfect.”

I can’t be sure if it’s only my imagination, but I’m positive I hear him murmur, “Yes, you are,” as he opens the door and guides me into the building.

Just the sight of my hallway brings back the memory and intense feelings from his kiss earlier. All night, I had trouble not begging him to kiss me again. I kept replaying the kiss at the start of our night in my mind, and on every new loop, my knees buckled a little. I wonder if he’ll do it again. If he’ll kiss me so passionately I won’t know where I end and where he begins.

I’m so lost in my mind that his arm around my waist stopping me and his words in my ear, “Baby, wait here a minute, yeah?” take me completely by surprise.

And that’s when I see it.

My apartment door is open, but there’s no light coming from inside.

At first, what I’m seeing doesn’t register, but then it dawns on me.

Someone was in my apartment.

My heart starts beating a mile a minute for a different reason than just a moment ago, and I hear the blood rushing in my ears.

I look at Beverly’s door to make sure hers is untouched, and when I see it’s shut, I breathe a sigh of relief.

“Did you hear me, Mandy?” Ace turns my face toward him. I can see he wants my verbal response before he does whatever he needs to do.

“Yeah,” I say, dazed, and start walking toward my home.

“Baby, stop.” He again puts pressure on my midriff to get me to do as he says. “Wait here. I’ll look through the apartment and come get you. Yeah?”

Even though he’s talking softly, his words and the image of my home open to the world indicating someone was in it send shivers of terror down my spine.

“I’ll be right back.” His eyes search mine before he slowly creeps to my door.

I stand in the spot Ace left me, shaking but not daring to move. Suddenly, the light comes on, and I jump.

I watch Ace walk slowly toward me with a weird look on his face.

“What?” I breathe.

“I’m sorry, baby.” He cups my face, becoming my whole focus. “I’ll take you in, but you’ve gotta prepare yourself.”

“Prepare for what?”

“You’ll see in a second, but remember—” He kisses my forehead and sighs before he continues. ”—I’m right here.” Then he takes my hand and guides me into my home.

Each step feels heavy, like my legs are made of lead.

I inhale to get the strength to face what’s inside, but nothing could ever prepare me for the level of destruction that awaits me.

God!

I look around and can’t find anything where I left it. Everything is tossed, turned over, or simply cut and shredded to pieces.

In the kitchen, every drawer and cabinet is open. The stuff that was on my shelves is now reduced to trash on the tile floor. Even the stools are unscrewed.