by Small,DJ
Ava was curious to know what the call was about but refrained from asking. “I’ll go with you.”
Kacey nodded. “I’ve probably got something for you to wear for now. While we’re out, we’ll get you something.” She grimaced. “Sorry about breakfast.”
Ava smiled at her. “It’s okay. You can make it up to me later.”
Kacey grinned. “I will. Now let’s get ready to go.”
After Kacey cleaned up the mess in the kitchen, the two of them went to her room to get dressed. Once they were dressed, they left the apartment, and took the elevator down. They walked out of the building and headed to the parking lot. The two of them walked towards a fenced in storage area, and Ava frowned when she saw the reason for why they were walking to it. “No. Fuck no Kacey. I’m not going to get on that thing.”
Kacey chuckled as she twirled her keys around her finger. She reached the gate of the cage then slipped the key into the lock. Kacey opened the gate, and walked into the enclosure, heading for a shelf that had a spare helmet on it. She retrieved it then came back to the entrance of the cage and held the helmet out for Ava, who crossed her arms. “Oh come on, Ava. Take the helmet.” Ava scowled at her and Kacey grinned. “Don’t be a stick in the mud.”
Ava glared at her a second longer then snatched the helmet from her. “I’m not a stick in the mud,” she grumbled, putting the helmet on as she watched Kacey move towards the motorcycle. She walked it out then parked it. After Kacey had locked up the storage cage, she grabbed her helmet off the back of the motorcycle then got on it. As she secured the helmet to her head, Kacey glanced at Ava. “Hop on, Sunshine.”
“I’m not getting on that thing,”
Kacey put her key in the ignition then turned it to bring the loud engine to life. She gave Ava a pointed look. “I don’t have all day.” She grinned. “Plus, it’ll be the second best ride of your life once you’re used to it.”
Ava glowered and asked, “And what exactly is the first best ride?”
A cheeky grin came to Kacey’s face. “Me, of course.”
That had Ava rolling her eyes. She looked at Kacey, then at the motorcycle, then shook her head. The woman made her forget her rational self at times. Ava then got on the bike behind Kacey. “If you kill me, I’m going to kill you,” Ava warned as she situated herself on the narrow seat.
Kacey laughed, looking at Ava over her shoulder. “You’re going to have to hold on tighter than that.” Ava saw a wicked grin play at the corners of her mouth. “I want to feel the same type of grip you use when I’m deep-“Ava tightened her hold around Kacey’s waist quickly. “Too tight.” Ava loosened her grip, and Kacey chuckled. “So I’m guessing that was a bad joke?”
Ava glared at the back of her head. “Just go, Kacey.”
Kacey revved the engine a few times then took off. The longer they rode through the city, the more Ava relaxed. She had to admit, being on the back of a motorcycle was fun, and she admired the way Kacey handled the machine. Ava rested her chin on Kacey’s shoulder, giving her cheek a kiss. She was content, and felt a freedom that she hadn’t felt in such a long time.
Ava’s eyebrows scrunched together when they pulled into the parking lot of the club that she danced at twenty minutes later. When Kacey had killed the engine, she asked, “What are we doing here?”
Kacey pulled off her helmet and Ava noticed the slight scowl on her face as she replied, “Business.”
Ava instantly began to worry what “business” entailed of. She had locked away the topic of what Kacey did to earn money for later, but there hadn’t been an appropriate time to bring it up, and now she was about to witness a side of the woman that she wasn’t sure she was ready to see.
Ava removed the helmet that she was wearing, then Kacey held out her hand so that she could help her off of the motorcycle. They walked into the building using the rear entrance that went into the backstage area. Once they were inside, she and Kacey headed to the secured door that was back there. Ava had noticed it before, but she had no idea what lay behind it.
Kacey turned to look at her. Uncertainty shone in her eyes and she drew in a deep breath before she said in a soft voice, “You’re not ready to see this part of me, and I’m not ready for you to know it.” She leaned in and gave Ava a quick, but gentle kiss. “Go wait into the lounge. I’ll send Frank up to keep you company.”
Ava nodded but she stood there as Kacey punched in a code on the security pad that was next to the door. Ava began to worry about what Kacey was walking into, and she placed her hand on the other woman’s shoulder. When Kacey turned to look at her, Ava spoke, her voice full of emotion. “Be careful.”
Kacey grinned then winked at her. “I always am, Sunshine.” She walked through the door, and when it closed behind her, Ava felt a heavy weight fall upon her chest. What Kacey did for work caused a moral conflict inside of her, but it was overshadowed by the care that she felt for the woman.
Ava bit her bottom lip and stood in front of door for a second longer, before making her way to the front of the club. She sat down on one of the couches as thoughts of what Kacey could be doing filled her mind. She didn’t want to think about it, yet that was all she could focus on.
Ava was brought from her troublesome thoughts when Frank walked in the main lounge. He smiled at her and asked, “Something to drink, Ava?”
Ava nodded, then swallowed so she could speak. “I’ll have some water, Frank. Thanks.” He gave her a slight nod as he moved behind the bar, and she continued. “What is she doing?”
Frank looked up, and fixed his gaze on her for a moment, then he finished getting their drinks, dodging Ava’s question. He walked over to where she was sitting and handed Ava her drink, then settled on the couch next to her. Frank took a long drink from his glass then he turned his head to look at her. “You and Kace have gotten close, huh?”
Ava was confused for a slight moment then she remembered that Frank was essentially Kacey’s dad. He was going to grill her about their relationship, or whatever they were. Ava took a drink from her glass before she answered his question. “We have. She’s an amazing person.”
Frank chuckled and he agreed with her. “That she is.” He took another sip of the amber liquid that was in his glass, then drew in a deep breath. “She told me that you have a wife.”
Ava’s eyes widened as she stared at Frank in a shocked silence. She couldn’t believe that Kacey had told him about that, but she wasn’t going to lie to Frank; not only was he Kacey’s father figure, she also liked him too much. Ava was quiet a moment as she tried to figure out the right words to say, but quickly realized there weren’t any. “I do have a wife.”
Frank nodded his head slowly. They were silent for a long while, and Ava was nervous about what Frank was thinking. It scared her a little, but the look of concentration on his face relaxed her a bit. Kacey got same expression while she was thinking, and Ava surmised that deep thinking was a genetic trait.
She was taken from her distracting thoughts when Frank said, “I’m not going to judge you. You have your reasons for doing what you’re doing, but don’t hurt Kacey. If you hurt her, they won’t find you.” He paused to let his threat take root in Ava, watching as it sank into her brain. She had no doubt that he would make good on it if she did hurt Kacey. Frank continued, “I know she’s told you about the business.”
Ava shook her head. “She told me what she does, but I don’t know any of the particulars.” She didn’t want Frank to think that she was a liability for whatever they were involved in.
Frank nodded then took a sip from his glass. As he lowered it, he sucked air in through his teeth. “Good. Kacey’s cautious.” He glanced at her. “It has nothing to do with you, Ava, it’s just how business goes.” Frank turned so that Ava had a good view of his face. As soon as he did she wished he hadn’t. There was a dangerous glint in his eyes, and she didn’t know where it had come from. “If you can’t deal with this, then you need to go. This is her life, and she has acce
pted it all; the good, the bad, and the ugly. If you can’t deal with that or with what she does, or may need to do, then you need to go. Forget her, go fix your marriage, and live your life. I’ll worry about Kacey.”
Ava was taken aback by the out that Frank was giving her, but it didn’t sit well with her. She didn’t want to leave Kacey. Ava had yet to analyze and give proper titles for what she felt for Kacey, but she knew that the woman filled parts of her that she had been desperately trying to fill by dancing on stage, and then some. Ava didn’t want to lose what she had just found because of Kacey’s unethical profession. Yes, what Kacey did went against all her ethics, but she was going to find some way to make peace with it, because her happiness with Kacey meant more to her. Ava sat up straighter, and confidently met Frank’s gaze with a pointed one of her own. “I will never leave Kacey.” With the declaration came an overwhelming emotion and Ava gave a voice to it, without hesitation. “I-I love her.”
Frank studied her. His hazel eyes were as intense as Kacey’s, and it was eerie how the man’s gaze was almost identical. He nodded then sighed. “Good. She needs someone who can love her despite the things she needs to do for herself and the business.” Frank blew out a breath then ran his hand over his salt and pepper hair. “Kacey has had a tough life, Ava, and her finding someone is nothing short of a miracle. I have to say, I was worried about her.” He let out a small, dry chuckle. “I didn’t think she would let anyone close enough to love her.”
Ava’s eyebrows knitted together. “Why?”
Frank regarded her, then asked, “She told you her dad died when she was younger, right?” Ava nodded. “Did she tell you that she was there?” Ava’s eyes widened as she shook her head. Frank stared at her for a second then shook his head as he muttered, “She’s going to chop my balls off because I told you this.” Ava raised an eyebrow, letting it drop as he continued
“It was supposed to a simple discussion about territory in the city. Leo, Kacey’s dad, had wanted to give her some exposure to the business, but it got out of control. The guys on the other side blindsided Leo and took Kacey hostage. They made demands, and in the end Leo gave them all the territory east of the harbor because he didn’t want to lose his little girl.”
Frank finished off his drink then leaned forward to set the empty glass down on the table. “It was just the two of them, you know? Kacey’s mom died giving birth to her, and Kacey was all he had. Even after Leo told them that they could have a shit load of territory, the fuckers still stabbed her in front of him.” A soft gasp came from Ava. Frank nodded, and Ava noticed the tears that were glistening in his eyes. “Leo called me as soon as the sons of bitches ran out of the place. I booked it to the warehouse, but Leo’s guys got into a shootout with the other guys, and it brought out the cops. I wasn’t able to make it past them, but I heard the shots that came from inside the warehouse.”
Ava could tell that the tragedy of that day still had a deep effect on Frank. In his eyes she saw sadness, but there was also guilt. From the look, Ava could tell that Frank blamed the loss of his brother on himself. He drew in a deep breath. “Leo died at the scene, but Kacey we were able to get to the hospital in time. They had to repair her liver, and it was touch and go for her for a couple of days, but she turned it around.”
Ava fell back into the couch as she remembered the scar on Kacey’s back. Of course it was something that she wouldn’t want to talk about; the scar was a constant reminder of her father’s death and the night that she herself had almost died. Ava ran her hand through her hair as she thought about all the guilt Kacey had to have been carrying. Then she remembered the rant that she had gone on when she told Ava what she did for a living. It all made sense now. Ava looked at Frank. “How did things get to a shootout, and how did Kacey’s dad get shot?”
“The shootout was something that was unavoidable. The guys Leo had with him went after the others.” A dark expression crossed over Frank’s face. “But Leo wasn’t shot by the competition, he was shot by one of the cops.”
Ava’s eyebrows went up in surprise and she quickly asked, “Why’d they shoot him? Did they know about the business?”
A short chuckle came from Frank then he shook his head. “No, they didn’t. To most of the world, Leo Hudson was a charismatic small business owner. I mean, don’t get me wrong, the cops tried to get him with anonymous tips and they would follow leads that they hoped would trace back to Leo, but nothing ever stuck.” Frank sat back on the couch and sighed. “The cop that shot Leo had his own grudge” He glanced at Ava. “And we took care of that situation.”
Ava read between the lines and focused on the glass table that was in front of her as she processed everything that Frank had just told her. Getting involved with Kacey meant that she was going to be exposed to a violent and vicious world, and it scared her; not in the sense that she didn’t want anything to do with what Kacey, but because of what she was involved in. She was afraid for Kacey. She didn’t want her to end up the victim of someone’s gun. Ava scooted to the edge of the couch, then turned to face the man sitting next to her. “You can’t let her take over, Frank. I need her.” Ava swallowed the lump of emotion that had formed in her throat. “If she ends up getting-” She couldn’t continue. The thought of losing Kacey was something that was unimaginable. “I can’t deal with that.”
Frank took hold of her hand and smiled reassuringly. “Kacey has had some of the best teach her about the business and how to handle herself. She’s also got her dad’s brains, and stubbornness. Kace is going to be okay, Ava.” Frank’s smile turned into a grin. “The only thing you need to worry about is how you’re going to stop yourself from hitting her every time she opens that mouth of hers.”
Ava and Frank shared a laugh, which helped soothe some of her worries. He was right. Anytime Kacey opened her mouth Ava wanted to either kick her ass, or have sex with her, but she didn’t think Frank would want to hear about the latter. Ava caught her breath, and agreed. “You’re right there. She does have a way of getting under my skin.”
Frank gave her hand a gentle pat. “Unfortunately, it’s biological. Leo and I had several fights when were younger because he would say something that would cause me to deck him in the mouth.”
The two of them laughed some more and they were still laughing when Kacey appeared from the back of the club. She walked over to where they were sitting and asked, “What’s so funny?”
Frank got up from the couch and as he retrieved his glass off the table he said, “Nothing Kace. Just regaling Ava here with some stories from your younger days.” Kacey let out an aggravated groan and Frank placed his hand on her shoulder as he walked by her, chuckling. “Don’t worry, it wasn’t anything too embarrassing.” He started to walk away from them. “I’ve got some things I need to do before the club opens up.” Frank stopped walking then he turned to look at Ava. “Oh, and Ava?”
Ava was getting up from the couch and she smiled at him. “Yeah, Frank?”
Frank grinned at her. “Tonight’s your last night dancing. You’re fired.”
Ava was stunned for a second, then she turned to glare at Kacey. The woman held up her hands. “I had no part in this.”
Ava looked back at Frank, who laughed a little before he said, “You don’t think I was going to let you keep dancing here now that you’re with her? Hell no. I’m surprised she hasn’t-“ He held up his hand. “Never mind. I run a business, and that one,” he pointed at Kacey, “is bad for business when she’s jealous.”
Ava narrowed her eyes at him then she glanced at Kacey before acquiescing. “Fine Frank.” Before he could reply, she added, “But I quit.”
Frank laughed as he walked away, remarking over his shoulder, “Whatever you say, Doc.”
Frank went backstage as Ava gawked at Kacey. “You told him?”
“Yeah. You didn’t say I couldn’t tell anyone,” she said with a small grin. “To be honest, I was surprised, so it sort of fell out.”
Ava shook her head
then moved closer to Kacey. She gave her a tight hug and closed her eyes. Her hold on the other woman tightened as thoughts of Kacey almost dying filled her mind. She was going to do everything possible to make sure that Kacey lived for a long time, and that the darkness in her life would never overshadow her happiness. Ava felt an overwhelming rush of emotion, and decided right then and there that she wanted to make Kacey happy for a long time. Her declaration to Frank had been right, she was in love with Kacey.
Kacey rubbed her back. “Everything okay, Sunshine?”
Ava loosened her hold, then she pulled back so that she could look into Kacey’s captivating eyes. There was some concern in them, but it quickly dissipated when Ava smiled. She leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, then said, “Yeah. Everything is fine.” At least it would be. They just had one more obstacle to overcome.
∞
Ava worked on her makeup as she sat at the vanity that was in the backstage area. She had a few more minutes before she had to be on stage, and even though it was her last night dancing she was more than okay with it. After having an exciting day with Kacey, Ava realized that giving up her second job wasn’t going to be that hard. She was getting a lot in return.
She and Kacey had spent the day doing things that most couples would have done before getting into bed with each other. The two of them had seen a crappy movie, gone walking in the park, and they had also went shopping to get Ava clothes, since Kacey refused to let her go to the loft by herself. Ava also wasn’t ready for a Kacey-Robin confrontation, so she hadn’t put up a fight at the suggestion.
She was carefully putting on a new shade of lipstick when she saw Rachel walking over to her in the mirror. Ava chuckled to herself as she put the cap back on it, then turned to look at the other woman, noting the pitiful pout on her face. Ava chuckled even more, then moved to give Rachel a hug. “Rach, I won’t be too far away.” She grinned. “I’ll come visit so you can give me a lap dance or two, okay?”