Sleeping With Sirens (A Siren's Love, Reimagined)

Eight: Ocean Fantasies

DAY EIGHT

"Hey Kels! Wait up." I was humming the lyrics to "MAD" by Vito Lamarr and on my way out of the school when Jace caught up with me, slinging his arm around my shoulder. I tried not to tense at the action but by the way he glanced at me I assumed I wasn't successful.

"Sorry." I smiled sheepishly, nervously glancing towards Carina, who was currently staring us down from her squad car. I shot her a look that said to chill out before turning to Jace. "What's up?"

"I just wanted to uh, check in on you. I really can't apologize enough for what happened. I hope you know I would never intentionally put you in any danger, ever, and I assure you it will never happen again." He rubbed his reddening neck in apparent embarrassment which I thought was adorable. I bumped his shoulder with mine, ducking my head to catch his gaze.

"What is that, number thirty-five? How many times do I have to tell you I'm fine Jace, I promise. I heal fast and it was just a couple stitches." He looked up at me through inky black lashes, a bashful smile across his full lips.

"Well if you decided to hate me later, I'll understand. Seems your mom already does." He tipped his head just as Carina honked. I shot her a glare that could curdle milk, waving her off. "Don't mind her, she's just-" a nine hundred year old sea creature that shouldn't exist. "Protective." I settled on, snorting at myself in amusement and exasperation. "But I really should get going. Are you gonna be at Ryan's beach party tonight?"

He ruffled my hair. "You bet kiddo. See you there?"

I made a face. "Firstly, ew, and don't expect me to call you daddy any time soon. And secondly, duh, it's the beach!" Carina flipped her bitch switch from honking to sirens and I beelined to the car before she could ruin my life even more, hollering at him to pick me up at seven. He was laughing and shaking his head as we drove off.

"Sirens, really?" I groused to Carina, sniffing.

She shot me a warning look. "Don't start with me." Yikes, she was definitely in a mood. I decided to tread carefully and play the nice card for once.

"Alright, damn. What crawled up your butt?"

Yes, that was me being nice.

She didn't talk for a hefty minute, which worried me because I usually couldn't get her to shut up. I ran a hand through my hair, bracing myself and trying to work up the courage to ask her what was going on, when she turned to me at a red light. There was something hidden in her eyes, an emotion I couldn't decipher. "There's something I need to tell you, and your mom and I kind of argued on whether or not to, but I thought you should know."

"Ookay," I drawled, my heartbeat rising.

"Jack is out on bail. We got the notification this morning." I went completely still, the freezing numbness of shock rushing through me at the sound of his name. Memories swam behind my eyes, and I blinked back tears. I didn't feel afraid, technically, it was more like paranoia. I fought the urge to look around, suddenly overly aware of everyone we drove past. I knew Carina sensed my panic, and she pulled over into a Safeway parking lot, grabbing my face and turning it towards her. My jaw clenched and I struggled to meet her gaze. Eight fucking days into our new life, and the person who'd nearly destroyed me was already out of jail. I shouldn't have been surprised, the asshole had a loaded bank account and insane legal connections.