Building Faith (Long Beach Series Book 2) (35 page)

My mood has been dumpy all day. The conversation I'd had with Caleb that morning haunts me as I work my shift at the café. I manage to smile brightly at my customers and make small chit-chat, but inside, my chest aches. I hate having Caleb mad at me. We'd gotten close after Justin's attack, and I can understand how he'd be worried over my wellbeing where Ace is concerned.

Even I have to admit it probably looks bad to have the kind of past I do, only to end up with a guy that's dominant and has a desire for restraints. I get how someone might misinterpret the situation and think that I'm allowing Ace to control our relationship.

Ironically enough, it's the total opposite.

Ace challenges me, and most of the time I am the one who makes the decisions, unless we're in the bedroom. I just don't know how to help Caleb realize that even in the bedroom, I still have some form of control there as well. Ace doesn't do anything I don't like, and if he does, which has happened only once—my body's reaction was enough to clue him in not to try it again. He'd backed off immediately and moved on to what he knew I'd for sure like.

He doesn't take from me like Caleb thinks he does. Ace gives so much to me and in return, I give back. We are not taking advantage of each other.

As I let these thoughts take over my mind, I realize that all the hardships we've been dealing with have actually brought us closer in such a short period of time. Our relationship feels right, and I've never been happier.

Now, if we could only get this thing with Caleb straightened out and get Oliver off my back.

When my shift is almost finished that evening, I'm taken aback when Caleb walks into the café. I stare at him, feeling uncertain. He glances at me and points to his watch before walking over to an empty table to sit down. He watches me while I continue helping the customer I'm packaging cookies for, and I realize he's here to ride the bus home with me.

I smile kindly to the older woman as I ring up her purchase, and I wonder if Caleb's going to talk to me at all or ignore me during the short bus ride. I desperately want to smooth things over with him.

Bruce allows me to leave on time, and shortly after six, I am walking out the door with Caleb beside me. We're both silent as we walk down the sidewalk to the bus stop. I glance at him and see that his eyes are roaming the street and sidewalks. He's watching to see if anyone is paying special attention to us.

I feel safe walking with him. When we reach the bus stop, Caleb turns to me and quietly says, “I don't even know what this Oliver looks like.”

As we wait with a small handful of people, I try to describe Oliver with as much detail as I can. When the bus pulls up, we pay our fare and search for seats together. There aren't any, so I end up sitting with a woman and her crying two-year-old while Caleb gets stuck sitting next to a teenage girl that's chewing gum and talking a mile a minute to him. I watch as he smiles warmly at her and patiently listens to what she has to say.

I grow bored watching them and scan all the faces on the bus without trying to draw attention to myself. I'd tried to look at every face as I'd made my way down the aisle in case Oliver was on the bus, but I hadn't seen him. Oddly enough though, I feel like someone's burning holes into the back of my head.

Very casually, I turn in my seat and peer around. No one's paying attention to me. Except for possibly the elderly lady in the very back. She's wearing a hat and a pair of big, dark sunglasses. Is she looking at me? I can't tell. Then, I mentally roll my eyes at myself. Of course she's looking at me, I've got my body turned all the way around to peer at the back. I'm drawing attention to myself. I turn forward again, and a few minutes later we’re at our stop.

Caleb and I make our way off the bus, and he escorts me into the apartment building. We're once again silent as we ride the elevator to the second floor.

“Thanks for making sure I get home safely,” I tell him as we walk down the hall. I pull my key out as we approach my door.

“Do you mind if I come in?”

I glance at him, and his eyes meet mine. “I'd like that,” I say honestly.

I slip the key in the lock and we enter the apartment. I flip on the light since the sun has begun to sink lower in the sky and the living room is now shadowed, and Caleb immediately goes about searching the place for me. Daisy darts out into the living room to greet me after Caleb lets her out of the bathroom. I pick her up and cuddle her to my chest.

Caleb walks over, his eyes serious. “Do you check the peephole whenever someone knocks on your door?”

I nod.

“Good. Are you on your own this evening?”

“No.” I hesitate and then say, “Ace will be here around seven or seven-thirty.”

Caleb sighs and gives me a wary look. “I'm not usually so uptight about stuff, but I'm having a hard time dealing with the fact that you're dating him. I really don't want to see you get hurt.”

I set Daisy on the floor and give him a reassuring smile. “He's not going to hurt me.”

“I sure as hell hope not, because I'll be the one who has to pick up the pieces, and it's not something I want to experience again.”

I look away, not quite sure how to interpret that statement.

“I didn't mean that I don't want to be there if it happens, I just meant I'd hate to witness it again. I just want you happy, Faith.”

His sincerity has me looking at him once more. “I am happy, Caleb. It's okay that you're not on board with our relationship.” I take a hesitant step towards him. “But don't shut us out, okay? Give us a chance to prove to you that we know what we're doing.”

“I'm not going to shut you out. Whether I approve of Ace or not, I'm not going to let that ruin our relationship,” he assures as he opens his arms.

I slip into his embrace, and he hugs me tightly. “You're like a brother to me. I hate it when we fight,” I tell him.

“And you're the sister I never had. I only want what's best for you.”

After I pull back, I look up at him. “What about Ace? Will you give him a chance to explain his side?”

His expression tightens. “I'm not ready for that yet.”

I am cuddling with Ace on the couch after dinner Thursday night. The past few days have passed by uneventfully, thank God. Things are smoothing over between me and Caleb—much to Ace's relief. As for Caleb’s and Ace's relationship, that has completely disintegrated. Caleb's not speaking to Ace, and Ace told me he's going to give him some space before he tries to approach him.

As for the situation with Oliver, I haven't seen him and nothing suspicious has happened. Everything feels oddly normal except for Ace's overprotectiveness.

I peer up at him. He's quiet tonight, as if he has something on his mind. I get the feeling he wants to talk to me, but he's not quite sure how to bring up whatever it is. “You wanna talk?” I suggest lightly, hoping it'll prod him into talking about what’s bothering him.

He's silent for a long moment until his eyes connect with mine. “Yeah, I do. I don't want you to feel pressured about what I'm going to say, okay?”

This conversation is evidently going to get serious. I ease away from his chest so that I can face him, my eyes questioning. “What is it?”

“What do you think about me temporarily moving in?” he asks carefully.

He wants to move in? I silently stare at him as I process what he'd just said. He'd said temporarily, so I know his offer has everything to do with the Oliver situation. There's a small part of me that wishes this were real, that he wants to move in because he wants to spend all his free time with me when he's not busy. To actually have that kind of commitment with him would be thrilling.

“I'm not trying to take away your independence,” Ace cuts into my thoughts, probably mistaking my silence for rejection. “I know I'm over here nightly already, but I'd feel better if I was here with you as much as possible until this thing with Oliver is settled. I won't try to take over your everyday life or anything like that if that's what you're worried about. I just want to be here to keep you safe,” he explains as he watches my reaction closely.

I'm not quite sure what to say. Of course, I want him to move in—even if it is temporary. But I have a feeling that if he does and this thing with Oliver ends, it's going to be hard to let him go once he's assured of my safety. To have that much of him in my life and then to watch him move back out would be tough. Logically, it'd be too soon for us to move in together permanently anyway, I know that. It'd be way too fast, but... I sigh inwardly. Maybe someday. But for now, I need to figure out if I can handle having him move in for a short period of time. Will I be able to let him go back to his own apartment when it's all over?

“Faith?”

I glance at him and make up my mind. “You're over here most of the time anyway. Might as well make things a little easier and bring some of your stuff over,” I say lightly.

“You sure?” he asks as he studies me.

“Yeah. I don't mind.”

He breaks into a smile. “Then I'm going to bring over a few things before you change your mind,” he says, rising to his feet.

“Right now?” I ask with a laugh.

This earns me a pointed look. “If I grab my shit now, I don't have to climb out of bed later to go get it.”

“You think you're getting laid, huh?” I ask, arching an eyebrow.

“I bet I have you on your bed with your legs spread and ready to go in twenty minutes,” he dares as his eyes flare with the promise of hot, sweaty sex.

“I'm going to burst that bubble of yours, buddy. Not happening,” I say as I keep my face straight.

He regards me with a one of his calculating smiles. “Wanna bet?”

“You're on.”

“If I have you right where I want you in twenty minutes, you owe me a favor. Any favor,” he says wickedly.

Heat burns in my lower belly as I imagine just what kind of favor he'd come up with. “And if I win, you owe me one,” I counter back.

“Yes. Deal?”

“Deal.”

He turns and strides out of my apartment confidently.

As soon as he's gone, I mutter a soft curse under my breath. All the man has to do is touch me and I go up in flames. How am I going to win this bet? I jump to my feet and race to my bedroom. I yank on a sweatshirt over my tank, then I pull down my shorts and quickly slip on several pairs of panties over the pair I'm currently wearing. Next, I rush to my closet and yank out a pair of skin-tight yoga pants. Once those are on, I add three layers of socks and giggle at how ridiculous I look. I definitely want to have sex with Ace, but I really want to win this bet. All I need to do is keep him from getting me naked within twenty minutes.

I'm debating what else I can do to keep him from winning the bet when I hear my phone ring from where I'd left it on the island counter earlier. I quickly walk down the hall and hurry across the living room to the counter.

It's my mom.

I smile with glee and answer it just as my phone vibrates against my ear, letting me know I have a new text message coming in. If I’m on the phone, Ace can’t seduce me. “Hi, Mom.”

“Faith Preston, I want you home right this instant,” my mom says with a hint of panic in her tone.

“What's wrong?” I ask immediately as I clutch the phone tightly to my ear.

“Caleb just confessed that Oliver is there in Long Beach. You come home right now where we can keep an eye on you. We'll go to the police again and demand they start an investigation,” my mom insists.

“Faith? You'll be safer in Harrison. Long Beach is too big, Oliver could be anywhere there. At least in Harrison the police can easily keep track of him,” my dad adds, obviously listening in on their other house phone.

My heart sinks. I'd been hoping my parents wouldn't know about Oliver until I had the situation under control. “You guys, calm down. I haven't even seen him, and the police here are aware of the circumstances.”

“It's not enough, Faith,” my dad says gruffly. “The fact that he's out there tells us that he wants to finish what he's started. You're vulnerable there with that job of yours. It wouldn't be that hard for him to sneak into that complex, either.”

My apartment door opens, and I look up to see Ace stepping inside with a duffel bag. His lips curve with amusement when he sees my outfit until he spies the phone pressed to my ear, and his eyes narrow. “Cheater,” he accuses.

I shake my head at him to let him know the phone call isn't part of the game. “Dad, I'm safe here,” I say, trying to assure him. “I'm taking the bus to work, and Caleb's been there to ride it with me on the way home. It's not like I'm alone here. Caleb's always close by and so are his friends.” I watch Ace turn serious as he walks towards me.

“Do you need a keycard to get into the complex?” my dad asks suspiciously.

“No,” I say with a sigh. “It's safe, I swear. Caleb lives next door, and he has some friends that live right next to them. If I so much as scream, they'll be over here in a heartbeat,” I promise as I inwardly grimace. We sure found that out the other night.

“Let me talk to him,” Ace says as he holds out a hand for the phone.

“Who is that? Is that Caleb?” my mom immediately asks.

“No, he's a friend of mine.” I'm not sure my parents would appreciate hearing that I'm dating someone already. I glance at Ace to see his eyes are urging me to trust him. “He'd like to speak with you guys. Is that okay?” I ask my parents.

There's a brief moment of silence.

“Put him on,” my father agrees.

I hand the phone over to Ace, and he immediately puts the phone to his ear. “Mr. and Mrs. Preston, my name is Ace Wellington. I'm a good friend of your daughter’s. I had hoped that if Faith ever introduced me to you, it would be under different circumstances,” he says in a warm but respective tone.

My eyebrows rise as I watch him talk with my parents. What is he doing?

He listens for a moment. “Yes, I'm a good friend of Caleb's,” he confirms as his eyes slide to mine. He grimaces slightly before turning his attention back to the conversation. “I know about Oliver, and Faith is taking precautions to stay safe. We're all helping her with that. Your daughter's safety is important to all of us here who know her.” He listens for a moment and turns away to stand near the living room window. “Yes, sir, I'm aware of that. No one's letting Faith out of the building by herself. As of today, I am temporarily moving in so she's not alone. I'm sure that's probably not what you'd like to hear, but I can promise that I have the utmost respect for your daughter, and all I want is to make sure she stays safe. Oliver will have to go through me to get to her,” he says firmly into the phone.

I can't see Ace's expression since his back is to me, and I wait to see how this conversation is going to play out. I'm pretty sure my dad isn't happy upon hearing that a guy is going to move in with me for a while. No father wants to hear
that.

“Sir, I will be sleeping wherever Faith tells me to. I'm fine with the floor or the couch.” Another pause. “If you're unsure of me, you can call Caleb. He'll assure you that he knows me well enough to know that I'll never take advantage of Faith or ever put her in harm’s way,” he says while his shoulders tense.

I bite my lip. If my dad calls Caleb back, there's every chance that Caleb might throw Ace under the bus, so to speak.

“Caleb didn't say anything because he doesn't know I am moving in. Faith and I just discussed it shortly before you called.” Ace turns and looks at me, his expression conflicted now. I watch as his expression suddenly shifts to eerie determination. “I respect everything you say, but the reason for this conversation is for me to assure you that your daughter is not alone. Everyone is pulling together to keep her safe, that includes making sure someone is at her place nightly. I mean you no disrespect sir, but I won't be taking any chances with Faith's life. If you're uncertain as to who I am or worried that I'm hiding something, feel free to do a background check. Once again, my name is Ace Wellington, and I'm originally from Hartford, Connecticut. My parents’ names are Bill and Yvette.” He listens for another brief moment. “I would expect nothing less,” he agrees. Another pause. “Yes, sir. You too, ma'am.” He holds the phone out to me. “Your parents want to talk with you,” he tells me.

Feeling wary now, I accept the phone and put it to my ear. “Hi..” I wait to hear their reaction.

“Do you trust this man?” my father asks bluntly.

I glance at Ace and smile. “Very much so. I've gotten to know him very well, and he's helped me move on from what happened with Justin.”

My father sighs. “I really don't like the idea of some man living with you, but at least I know you're not alone.”

“If anyone is going to protect me, it'll be Ace.”

“He has a nice voice. Is he handsome?” my mom asks curiously while my dad mutters something under his breath.

I can't help but chuckle. “Yes, Mom.”

“When this is all over with, I'd like to meet this young man,” she says in a tone that I pick up on immediately. She knows Ace is more than a friend to me.

“You will, I promise.”

My father grunts his displeasure. “You be careful, Faith. With Oliver and with this Ace character.”

“I will, Dad.”

“All right, we'll let you stay there for a little while longer. But if your friends can't protect you, we're coming to get you,” he warns.

“Dad, please don't take this the wrong way, but I am not the same girl I was when I left Harrison. I'm nineteen and fully capable of being in control of my own life. You aren't letting me stay here, I am here because I want to be. If you come to get me, I can promise you'll be going back home without me. This is where I want to be,” I tell them firmly as I feel Ace put a warm hand on my back to show his support.

There's a heavy silence on the other line.

“You've grown up, haven't you?” my father asks softly.

I can't help but smile. “Yes, I have.”

“Will you call us nightly to check in?” my mom asks as she sniffles slightly.

“I promise.”

After we say our goodbyes, I end the call and turn to face Ace. “Well, that went better than I thought it would.”

Ace stares at me. “I just told your dad I'm moving in with you. He hates me. I just thought they might find a bit of comfort knowing that you're not alone, but it seemed to backfire.”

“No, it worked just fine,” I assure as I slip my arms around him and smile. “Nothing I was saying was getting through to them. Now they're accepting I'm staying, and I just have to check in with them. I think you did give them some assurance with the fact that I'm not alone.”

He sighs. “Your dad still hates me.”

“Nah, you just took him by surprise, that's all. He'll get over it.” I turn my head and peer at the clock on the microwave. “By the way, you lose,” I say sweetly as I peer up at him for his reaction.

Ace shrugs. “I don't really consider it losing.” His eyes skim over me from head to toe and he chuckles. “Did you really think this would deter me?”

“Wait until you see what's beneath it.”

“I'm about to find out,” he says as he lifts me up into his arms to carry me to my room.