Page 28 of You’re Mine

Irene’s eyes go wide.

“You don’t have to stay here. He’ll never touch you again. We can change our lives together,” I promise in a rush. “It’ll be a new life, that’s what.”

After all, my mom has been with Herb ever since they were kids. The story is they were destined to be together, but it wasn’t hard to glean that it was closer to an arranged marriage between their families. There must have been a time when she had some fight in her, right? It can’t all be gone.

A sad smile touches her lips. “This is your story, baby. I think it’s a little too late for me.”

Then with quiet steps, she’s gone, disappearing into the gloom of the mansion.

I turn to stare at Jace. Did that just happen? Did my mom reach out to me in her own cold way? But the thing is, I’ve always known my mom was a victim of my father’s rages, and a part of her must have shut down after years of abuse. Going silent was her survival mechanism, and it breaks my heart to think that she’s become so used to this way of life that she can no longer leave. Unfortunately, I can’t force her to take our help.

Wiping the tears from my eyes, I turn back to Jace and Jamie.

“We need to get out of here.” Jace takes my bag, and I pick up our son. My ex seizes the lead, guiding us through the house and out the kitchen door.

“I parked –”

“In our usual spot,” I finish. He flashes a roguish grin, and, even with the high stakes, my body flushes remembering all the good times we had sneaking off in his truck. In particular, the amazing time the last night I saw him.

“Yeah, the usual spot,” he smiles. With a newfound sense of togetherness, we pad off into the darkness.

It doesn’t take long to get to Jace’s car. The car parked in the dirt is a far cry from his old red truck. In fact, the sleek black sports car is closer to something Herb might drive, with its shiny exterior and low-slung look.

I swing my head back at Jace and finally take a hard look at him. He’s wearing a real suit, with a fitted cut, expensive fabric, and seamless tailoring. His watch is understated, but it definitely cost a pretty penny, not to mention his expensive haircut and blindingly white dress shirt. Everything is screaming wealth.

Given the tension of the moment, I keep my questions to myself. But I am curious. I wonder how much has changed over the past seven years for him because this clearly isn’t the old Jace, who didn’t have two dimes to rub together.

Jace throws our bags into the trunk, slamming it shut while Jamie and I get into the backseat. Without a car seat, he’ll need to be held the whole ride to wherever we’re going, and I don’t know how we’re going to fly because I don’t have our passports. Herb keeps those locked up tight.

Jace is in the driver’s seat, his knuckles white as he grips the steering wheel.

“Is everything okay?” I ask softly. Tension radiates through his body before he takes a deep breath and relaxes his muscles

“I’m fine.” He looks to the backseat. “Let’s get out of here, babe.”

The car starts and then pulls onto the road, and I let out a long breath. I’m finally leaving. After twenty-five long years, the Jones Estate is fading into the distance. Gone from my life, and hopefully forever.

“Get down,” Jace’s sudden comment sounds the alarm bells.

“Why?” He doesn’t say anything which doesn’t help my growing anxiety. “What’s going on?”

I look at Jace, and see how those blue eyes glaze. Then, I see what he’s seeing. A car approaching that looks like –

“Jamie stay down here with me.” I bend over with my son so that we can’t be seen from outside the car. My heart pounds in my chest as I wait for the vehicle that may or may not be Herb’s to pass us.

“Mommy, is everything okay?” comes my son’s small voice. I stroke his hair to reassure him.

“Yes, baby. I just wanted us to stretch a little.” I watch as Jace’s eyes follow the car. Fury tinges his expression, and, just from that, I know it was Herb in the car. His gaze is steely though. I pop my head up when I think it’s safe, but it’s not. My dad’s behind us, with a crazed expression on his face.

My hold around Jamie tightens as the car accelerates. Herb has clearly seen us, and he’s tailing us now.

“Jace?”

“He’s not going to get you,” he rumbles.

“Jace!”

“Haley, I won’t let him get you. I promise.” I trust him. He’ll get us out of this. After all, we’ve already come this far.

---