Damn Good Reasons **DISCONTINUED - SEE NEW VER!**

30 Damaged Goods

"Do you know any of these people?" Natalie whispered to me.

"Apart from Ace's boys? No. But Ace knows the rules - he's completely liable," I said wryly.

Ace and Eyeball went to the fridge to grab a fresh beer each and were arguing about whether to replace a clutch or not when reconditioning a gearbox. It was nice to see them squabbling about mundane things again. But I noticed that one of the girls - the blonde one - was hanging around them and grinning at their conversation like it was super interesting. And it was anything but – trust me. She looked the popular type - pretty and she had her fringe pinned back with long curls just resting on her shoulders which had a knit cardigan draped over them. Her eyes were baby blue and her lips were stained deep red. As I continued to observe, I noticed that wherever Ace moved around the room, she'd stick right by his side like a loyal dog on a leash.

My spying was interrupted by Jack bumping my arm as he sat next to me and pulled the brunette girl onto his knee. I'd never seen him with a girlfriend, and apparently it was a big deal because the rest of the guys threw Jack hoots and jeers to... well, let's just say they were egging him on to make it count.

"Ooh, cookies," Eyeball said. He took a handful from our bowl and stuffed them into his mouth before falling on the sofa next to Natalie and wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "You comin' with us, babe?" he asked her.

"Where?"

"Told you I'd teach you to play pool, remember?"

"Oh... do you mean, you're going to that bar? I don't know. I've never been into one of those places before. I'm not old enough."

"Age ain't an issue. Ace has got it covered."

"Are you sure?"

"'Course. And anyway, I'll look after you." Eyeball cracked a persuasive smirk – one I'd seen him use on her before to get his way.

"I'll get my jacket," she giggled.

I hadn't been able to get her off the sofa all night, and seeing her practically leap out of her chair and run for the room to grab her stuff did surprise me.

"What's her story?" I asked Eyeball, pointing to the blonde girl.

She was talking to Ace now, but the music had suddenly been turned up so loud that I couldn't hear what they were saying. Even Eyeball didn't hear me ask, and he was sitting right there. It was a pity because things were starting to get interesting in my kitchen. The girl wasn't all giggles and laughs anymore. Her red stained lips had parted in, what looked like, surprise, or like she had been startled or stunned. Ace pointed at me, and her gaze followed his finger. He started walking away from her, and she tried to pull him back demandingly. Desperately. But he didn't seem to care. The girl, obviously not knowing what to do, stood there for a moment, looking like a little lost lamb. She shot me another look and then bolted down the hallway, I supposed to use the bathroom.

I got up to turn the volume dial on the radio down to half and then went back to Ace who had kicked Jack and his girl off the sofa and then sat in my seat. He reached for me, and I crawled onto his lap, my legs astride him.

"Well, you certainly brought a party home with you. I guess you had fun out there."

He just shrugged.

I leaned forwards on him and started to lay on a more authoritive tone. "What did you get up to in Chamberlain? Picking up girls I see. Did you stay out of trouble?"

He gave a short laugh and took a swig from his bottle. I rolled my eyes and sighed. "What happened?"

"We're going to Irby's for a nightcap," he said, avoiding the question. "And you're coming."

"Too right I'm coming."

He gave me a grin so oozing with charm that I felt like a soft-touch for grinning back. "It's funny watching you get jealous," he said.

"Oh, is that what this is? Are you trying to make me jealous?" I leaned right down on him to whisper into his ear. "Well, I'll tell you somethin'. When I've got a guy who's worth getting jealous over, you can bet your '38 Dodge I'll be keeping an eye on him."

Ace smirked. "You don't gotta worry, baby. You're my number one girl – you know that. She'd rank number two at best."

I shoved him in the shoulder and chuckled. I knew he was only trying to wind me up. I bet, if he kept at it, he could get me going like a clockwork mouse. "Ooh, don't start playing like this with me, Merrill. I told you I can be competitive, and this is one game you won't win."

I got off his lap and went over to Charlie who was leaning on the doorframe of the entrance to the hallway. "Hey, Charlie, how are you?" I asked, gently rubbing his shoulder and giving him a little grin.

I glanced back at Ace with a sly sideways eye. That teasing smirk had been wiped clean off his face.

--

The bathroom was occupied – I guessed the girl was still in there. I grabbed my jacket from my room and, when I came out, I heard voices floating through the crack in Natalie's bedroom door.

"He never told me he had a girl back home. Why didn't he say anything?"

I probably looked stunned on hearing that but, despite our little games, I trusted Ace completely.

"I don't know," came Natalie's soft voice.

"I should never have left Kyle. I should have stayed with him. I shouldn't have let Ace pull me away."

"But he was hurting you. Just look at that bruising on your wrist. I think Ace did a very noble thing by taking you out of that situation. He rescued you."

"No, he didn't," the girl said sternly. "Because now things will be worse. I thought Ace wanted me. I thought he was going to be there to protect me."

"He and Cass are rather close... I'm not sure it was ever his intention to make you think that."

"Oh so... I imagined it all? Now I'm just making things up in my head? Kyle is gonna..." Her voice trailed off and turned into the sounds of sobbing. The sobbing became muffled, and I guessed Natalie had pulled her in for a comforting hug.

"You need to be strong now, June," Natalie said. "You need to tell someone about the awful things he has been doing to you."

"But who would I tell? My parents? They don't even know I have a boyfriend. Tonight, I told them I was staying at my friend's house for the weekend."

"Listen, I think it would be best if we took you home tonight. You'll be safe there and then you can work something out."

"OK..." June sniffled.

I nipped through my bedroom door and waited for them to come out of Natalie's room. June went into the bathroom to blow her nose, and we caught a glimpse of each other as I passed by.

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