I reach for his hand and squeeze it. “Don’t worry, Jace. I’ll fix you.”

Chapter 5

Dylan

I carefully inspect my faded blue streaks in the mirror. The girl at my aunt’s salon was good, but she couldn’t get rid of all the blue.

Unfortunately, the new washed-out hue is less noticeable after I toss my hair up in a bun like my aunt suggested. Combined with the preppy RHA uniform I’m donning, it’s all I can do not to gag.

Normally, I’d put up a bigger fight to not conform, but I don’t want to make waves for my aunt. Wayne’s nice to my face, but I know he wasn’t exactly thrilled with the idea of a convict’s daughter staying in his home for an entire year. It probably took some serious convincing on her end.

Crystal looks relieved when I turn around to face her. “I can hardly see it. You look beautiful.”

She smiles and for a moment my heart pangs. At twenty-eight, Crystal’s only ten years older than me, and right now she reminds me so much of my mom…

Nope.

Taking a deep breath, I force the ache down as far as it will go.

“She’d be proud of you, Dylan.”

I highly doubt that. In fact, I’m pretty sure if she knew my father was in jail for embezzlement—which let’s be honest, is just a fancy word for theft—because he wanted to keep his gold-digging wife happy— and I was refusing to talk to him for the rest of eternity, she’d be rolling over in her grave.

Or maybe not. It’s hard to say since our time together was so brief.

Crystal once told me my mom was strong, smart, sensitive, and sarcastic. When I asked her if she flipped to the S section of a dictionary for all those adjectives, she laughed and said my weird sense of humor was just like hers.

It really sucks I’ll never get to experience it. But that’s life…bad shit happens and the only thing you can do is deal with it.

Since I’m desperate to switch the subject, I bring up my plans for after school. “I’ll probably be home a little late tonight. I want to go job hunting.”

She raises one perfectly tweezed eyebrow. “You don’t have to worry about money. I told you—”

I hold up a hand, cutting her off. “No. I can’t let you do that.”

I appreciate her offer to pay for everything this year, but I’m not her kid.

I’m his.

And given my father’s currently sitting in a jail cell and the government seized his house along with every dime he had; I officially have no choice but to fend for myself.

I’ll be eighteen soon anyway.

“It’s your senior year, Dylan. I want you to enjoy the best time of your life, and I want you to have time to study so you can get into a good college.” She sighs. “However, I know telling you not to do something will only make you want to do it more, so how about we compromise?”

I reach for my messenger bag. “I’m listening.”

“You can work on the weekends and one day during the week. Deal?”

I shake my head. “No one is going to hire me with that kind of schedule.”

Her eyes twinkle. “Well, I happen to know that Mrs. Dickinson is looking for a little extra help at Top of the Muffin. I can swing by while you’re in school and put in a good word for you.”

“Top of the Muffin?” It must be new because I’ve never heard of it.

She laughs. “It’s a coffee shop…bakery. I’m not really sure, to be honest. But Mrs. Dickinson is the most adorable old lady. You’ll love her.”

I shrug as I leave my bedroom. “If you say so.”

It doesn’t really matter where I work or how adorable my boss is. I’ll scrub toilets if I have to. A job is a job.

“Oakley.”

I knock on his door again when he doesn’t answer. “We’re gonna be late.”

“His car isn’t in the driveway,” Crystal says behind me. “I think he left already.”

Of course he did. The douchebag.

She ushers me down the stairs. “I’ll give you a ride.”

I’m not sure why my aunt was so worried about my hair when it looks like every other girl at RHA is violating the school dress code.

Their plaid skirts are shorter than sex with my ex.

“Don’t be nervous,” Crystal says as I open the car door. “Guarantee you’ll be the most popular girl here by the end of the day.”

My aunt clearly doesn’t know me. She might have been popular in high school, but those genes weren’t passed down to her niece.

“See you later,” I mumble over my shoulder as I exit her convertible.

I’m typically not an anxious person, but I hate venturing into unknown territory and I downright despise being the new girl.

I had to do it four years ago after I left Royal Manor and the adjustment period sucked.

By the looks of things…this one is going to suck more.

My mouth feels dry as I walk across the parking lot leading to the cream-brick building with high archways.

So far, I don’t see anyone I recognize from back in the day. Not that it would matter much if I did. I wasn’t exactly Miss Social.

In fact, the only true friend I ever had was…

My heart beats out of my chest and my knees buckle as I zero in on the tall figure leaning against a royal blue Lexus.

Jace Covington.

My breath catches as I take in those intense eyes, sun-tanned skin, full lips, and the dark stubble grazing his strong jawline.

Jace was always cute, but now he’s…

So attractive it almost hurts to look at him.

I shake my head, feeling like an idiot for gawking like every other female in the vicinity. This is Jace. My Jace.

As if he feels my presence, he looks up and smirks. Jesus. That smirk is as dangerous as he is.

“Hey, you,” he drawls in a husky voice that makes my cheeks heat. “Long time no see.”

And just like that, all of my problems, all of the bad shit I’ve been dealing with and keeping inside no longer matters.

He’s my person. He’s always been my person.

The only one who can reach me when it gets too dark. When it hurts too much.

For the first time in four years, my universe feels right again.

I give him a smile so big my cheeks hurt. “I kn—”

A force pushes past me. “Very funny. I was with you last night, silly.”

Heart lodged in my throat, I watch as a tall, busty, redhead trots over to his Lexus, leaving her small group of friends behind in the dust.

Nausea barrels into me as she leans in to kiss him. It takes everything in me not to vomit when I realize who she is.

Britney Caldwell.

Mega rich. Mega popular. Mega bitch.

The girl—along with her herd of Britney wannabes—tormented me every chance they could in elementary school, and made my life a living hell in junior high…and now? Now, she’s making out with Jace.

Jace—who used to wipe my tears after she’d tease me about my mom dying.

My lungs burn as I force myself to draw in a deep breath. I knew things would be different when I came back to town, but not this much.

Fortunately, their little lip lock is interrupted by a silver BMW that whizzes through the parking lot before pulling into the spot next to Jace.