Page 43 of Breaking the Limits

“Kynlee, baby, I can’t control everything. The paparazzi loves me right now so it’s not too shocking,” Enzo says into the phone with a flippant tone.

Tears start to leak down my face and I get out of bed and go to the living room where I can pace while I try to figure out how to fix this. I’m pacing back and forth, talking into my phonewith an urgent plea in my voice. “There has to be something you can do!” When Ace slams the front door I jump and turn around to face him. My tearstained face and bloodshot eyes cause no emotion to flicker into his dead eyes. I’ve never seen his eyes this devoid of emotion. Ace used to come running with guns a blazing whenever I cried. Ready to take on the world and dry my tears but this time he can’t. I’ve caused these tears myself, I’ve ripped his heart out so there was no part of him that can feel anything. Numbness and a little fire of anger is all he has. I can see it in his eyes, in his stiff posture and the way his jaw is grinding his teeth.

My hand falls away from my ear with the phone in it. I take a step towards him, “Ace…” he holds up the copy of the magazine, causing me to come to a halt. How did he get that so quick? Fresh tears fill my eyes. “I’m so so---“

“Don’t say sorry,” he says in a quiet and calm tone, the calm before the storm.

“I don’t know what else to say,” I reply sounding defeated. “I was trying to get them pulled before you saw them.”

Ace snorts with a harsh laugh. “Oh great! That’s just great Kynlee! Why pull them so you can keep up the lies? So, you can keep up the charade of wanting to be with me when you’re really just killing your time before Enzo finally asks you to be his?”

I stare at him for a moment. “That’s not it at all. I didn’t mean to lie to you. I don’t even know why I did. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“You know I knew you wanted to look like a slut for your career, but I had no idea you actually were one,” he says, as he slams the magazine down on the table. Ace turns for the door. “You said the other night that I was enough but apparently I’m not. Well, I’m sure Enzo will give you more than enough and now you’re free to take it.”

“Ace! I don’t want Enzo!” I cry out, but it’s no use.

“You could have fooled me baby doll,” he says, rubbing his hands over his face roughly. I’m sobbing uncontrollably because I don’t know how to fix this.

“How did you get that?” I ask him.

An eerie laugh escapes him. “It was in the damn mail slot at the shop. Exactly, what I wanted to walk into!”

I shake my head to try in control my emotions. “Ace…” I plead with him. “I know, God, I know how this looks right now but I promise. I swear to you that nothing aside from that happened. Those kisses should have never happened and if I could take them back I would. I made a mistake but it doesn’t change the fact that I loveyou, only you Ace.” Those three words slip out of my mouth before I can stop them. I notice the war of emotions that flood Ace’s eyes. He turns away, pacing the room, unable to look at me.

Finally, he stops and looks up to the ceiling. “Right now, I don’t know what to think Kyn. You say one thing but your actions say something different. Maybe…. maybe we just need to take some time to get our shit together, figure out what we want.”

“I want you Ace,” I sob.

He tenses up, eyes scrunch up as if my words cause him pain. “You say that but those pictures are ingrained into my damn brain and I can’t help but wonder if some part of you wanted that, wanted him. I know you Kyn and you aren’t the type to just let something like that happen twice unless you wanted it,” he lets out a gush of air. “I don’t know what else to say. I need some time and space, I think we both do.”

And I stand there without another word and watch him walk out the door and probably my life.

Chapter 29

3 Months Later

Ace

The sunlight is cascading through my window. I roll over with a groan and bury my head in the pillow beside me only to be engulfed byherscent. I curse out loud into the empty room. The scab on my shredded heart being ripped back off. Angrily, I kick the sheets off my body and climb out of bed.

Once I’ve had my cup of coffee I head to the gym. It seems that’s all I do these days. It’s my way of dealing with the pain, with the loss ofher.After vigorously working out for a couple of hours I get dressed and head over to Inkcredible. The shop is booming with business. I have two other tattoo artists now; we all have different specialties so it really helps to bring a bigger group in. Today, I’m trying to fill the last empty room in the building. Most of the people I have lined up to interview with are women. The guys and I have noticed that some of our female customers have mentioned that they’d be more comfortable letting another female tattoo them. I’m taking that into consideration.

I arrive and unlock the doors, turning on the lights and heading straight for my room. I’m in the back going over my schedule of appointments for the day when I hear the music go off in the front. As I head up, I notice an average height girl with shoulder length hair looking around the waiting area. “Can I help you?” I ask, as I approach her. When she turns around, I’m taken back, those light gray eyes are so familiar but I can’t place them.

She steps forward and extends her hand to me. “Yes, I’m Holly Sullivan. I’m here about the space for rent.”

There it is. Holly Sullivan used to be Hollis Foust. Bowie’s Hollis. She may have changed her blonde hair for a deepburgundy red with platinum streaks framing her face, but this is without a doubt Hollis. She gives me a quizzical look and I realize I’ve been studying her too long. I clear my throat. “Oh great, this way Holly,” I tell her, as I motion down the hallway. “Second door on the left.”

I follow behind her. She takes in the room. “This place is great,” she tells me, then goes on to explain all of her experience and what not but to be honest I don’t hear most of it. I’m too busy trying to wrap my head around her being here. Once she stops talking, I realize I need to reply.

“I’d love to give you the spotHollisbut I’m trying to figure out how I’m supposed to explain this to Bowie,” I tell her, and I watch as her gray eyes go wide with shock.

“Ace?” she whispers, as if she’s putting it together, trying to build the nine-year-old boy I had been the last time she saw me into the guy standing in front of her now. She places a hand over her heart and I notice the tremble in it. “Ace James?”

I nod my head and hold my arms out to sides. “The one and only.”

She shakes her head in disbelief. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know, they just told me to meet with Ace. Brody never gave me your last name and I never asked. If I had known I wouldn’t have come,” she says, and mumbles an apology again and walks past me.

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