Page 6 of Ruined

Anger and panic lick up my spine. My fingers brush the door handle, giving me enough room to yank, and causing my body to tumble out onto the ground.

I can hear Jace saying something, but because of the blood rushing in my head, everything is muffled. The stares from others around me aren’t helping and when someone grabs a hold of my bicep, I’m yanking the small knife from my pocket, plunging it into their side.

“Fuck.”

Oh, no.

My eyes widen, my vision clearing as I look up, finding Jace’s pinched expression. I yank the knife out. I know what I did, but I can’t bring myself to handle physical contact. Not when he’s looking at me likehedid something wrong. I was the one who panicked and stabbed him. I’m the one who has too many issues that no one deserves to deal with.

My hands start moving before I know what I’m doing, signing random words, trying to get him to understand.

Jace frowns at my hands, shaking his head. It’s the typical response I get. Most people don’t understand me.

“Stop,” he grits out. “I need the first aid kit from the trunk.”

Biting my lip, Jace walks around popping the trunk open, before he reaches inside and grabs the first aid kit, handing it to me. My hands shake as I take it from him, my legs nearly buckling as I follow close behind Jace into the gas station. Pulling my hood back up, my eyes bounce around, the uneasiness of a public place rooting in my chest. I don’t like people, and I surely don’t like public spaces. Once we reach the bathroom, Jace stumbles inside, peeling off his jacket and shirt. His entire stomach and chest are covered in large tattoos. Ranging between a skull covering the majority of his stomach, both sides and chest. A mix of skulls along his left arm. Each pec holds a clock. I don’t understand the significance of the times, and I’m trying my best not to ogle the man.

“Lock the door,” he orders.

Shaking my head, my eyes refuse to leave Jace’s. I hold the medical kit in front of me as if this small thing will hide me from the irate look he’s shooting at me.

“Lock the damn door,” he says again, wincing a bit when he tries to stand taller.

I smirk into my hood, enjoying his pain a little too much. I shouldn’t have stabbed him,buthe shouldn’t have touched me. It’s common sense. Plus, didn’t my family warn him not to touch me?

“Blake, lock the fucking door. I’m not trying to bleed out here while arguing with you. I just don’t want someone walking in and asking questionsyoucan’t answer.”

I glower at the ground; my black vans are caked with mud on the sides. Rubbing the heel of my foot on the toe of the other, I try getting the mud and dirt from my shoes. I know Jace was making a dig at me for not talking, and I know it shouldn’t bother me. I don’t know him, nor do I want to. I hate him, in fact. But the digs, the snarky comments about my being mute–I thought I had gotten over them. It’s been three years. They can’t touch me.

“We’re not doing this.” He motions between us. “Lock the damn door so I can stitch this up.”

I shake my head, refusing. I can’t and I won’t just lock the door for a man. My heart squeezes in my chest. I’m trapped inside that room again.

“Hey, Sunshine.”

My head snaps up at his words. Sunshine.I’m far from that. I’m a ball of darkness, trapped inside, begging to be let out.

“I don’t know your past. I don’t know you and hell, you don’t know me, for that matter. But I need you to listen to me.” He inclines his head toward the door.

I’m shaking my head before he can even finish. I can’t be locked in a room with a man again. I can’t. My hands fumble, and the knife and medical kit clatters to the floor. My eyes widen, the panic rising in my throat. I feel like I can’t breathe. Then Jace is suddenly in front of me, gripping my throat. My hands wrap around his wrist, my nails digging into his skin. I jerk back, trying to get him off of me. I need to get to my knife;I need it.I can’t protect myself without it. I don’t trust someone to protect me from Antonio and his crazy idea to marry me. Jace reaches around me and the moment I hear the sound of thelatch, my fist slams into his side, causing my hood to slip off my head. Jace grunts but refuses to let go of my neck.

“You’re freaking out, and I don’t have time to make sure you’re good. So, you’re going to have to just put your good ol’ faith in me right now. You stabbed me and now I have to stitch myself up; I can’t have a random person walking in here asking questions.” His words fall on deaf ears. I know the words he’s speaking, but I just can’t comprehend them.

“It’s not me you want to stab, Sunshine. But once I get you safely out of here, I’ll gladly let you stab me all you want.Onceyou’re safe.” He smiles down at me. Jace’s hand drops from my throat, breaking away from my grasp. Backing away, he bends down, picking up the first aid kit and my knife. I expect him to toss the knife, pocket it, or do anything else but hand it to me.

Taking it from him, I watch Jace head to the sink and slowly start cleaning his wound. How is he okay with me just stabbing him? I don’t understand. The last person I stabbed was a guard who stood too close, and I freaked out. Dad got so mad he took all the knives from the kitchen and locked them in his office so I couldn’t access any weapons in there. Thankfully, Gabriel understood my need and always got me a new one.

“Come on, Sunshine,” Jace mutters. Glancing up, I hadn’t realized I had zoned out. He now stands in front of me in just his jacket and the medical kit in hand. His shirt lies forgotten on the ground. “I would reach around and unlock the door, but for the sake of you feeling a little stabby again, would you mind doing it?” he asks, motioning towards the door.

Narrowing my eyes up at him, I stop myself from smiling at his words. Pulling my hood up, I slide over, letting him unlock the door himself. Blindly following Jace once more out of the gas station and back to the car, I get inside while he finishes pumping gas. Once he slides in, I peek over at him when he fails to start the car right away.

“You don’t trust me,” he states. Even though he’s not asking me, I shake my head. I don’t trust anyone. Not anymore. Jace nods his head, eyes moving to the windshield.

“You might not trust me, and that’s fine. I’ve already stated we don’t know each other. But for the time being, if I tell you to do something, it’s for a good reason. Can you understand that?”

I shrug. I understand where he’s coming from. He might have been sent in for my protection, to keep me safe until Antonio is dealt with, but that doesn’t mean I can trust him.

“Was it someone close to you?” he asks, his eyes still on the windshield. I don’t know why it’s easier to nod with him not focused on me. Jace must have seen me from the corner of his eye because, once again, he nods.

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