by Nicola Jane
“Only you could have a hot Mafia boss on your ass and complain that it’s a mess,” I smile. This feels more like normal. I can feel myself beginning to relax.
“It’s not like that between us. He found out something and now-”
“Found out what?”
Piper opens her mouth to answer me, but the click of the key in the door interrupts us. Scar pops his head around the door. “Up for another visitor?” I nod, and he steps back to let Lucy in. She looks at me sheepishly, fiddling with her hair. I stand and smile warmly.
“Come here.” I wrap my arms around her and we embrace.
“I’m so sorry,” she sobs into my hair. I feel her body shaking.
“Lucy, please don’t apologize. None of this was your fault. It wasn’t anyone's fault, apart from Lorenzo’s.”
We hug until I feel her sobs subside. “I’m sorry I haven’t been to see you. I felt terrible about it all. It should have been me.”
We sit on the bed. “Lucy, I don’t blame anyone. I’m glad they took me and not you. I just wish we could have protected Abel more.”
“Don’t yah think it was weird that they left him in the park like that?” she asks, wiping her eyes.
I shrug. “I think somewhere, deep down, Tag’s dad has a conscience. Abel is his grandson, after all.”
“What if he tries again or decides to take Abel when he’s older to run his empire? What the hell did I marry into?” she groans. I exchange a snicker with Piper and Lucy catches it. “I know what you’re thinking. Yes, I married a Mafia boss but I didn’t think it through properly. Now that I have Abel, it's not just me I’m thinking about. Will I always have to watch over our shoulder?”
We don’t have the answers for her. We grew up in this life and that was the first time I’d ever been in danger like that. “How’s Tag taking the break-up?” I ask.
“Typical for Tag. He calls me constantly and shows up wherever I am. He’s basically stalking me.”
“I wish he’d stalk me,” smiles Piper and Lucy gives a playful scowl.
“Lucy, you and Tag are meant to be. You’ve punished him enough. Go make it right,” I say.
“No, I want to be single like you. We can move in together.”
I laugh. “We both live here already. I hate being single. Why would you choose that when you have a gorgeous husband like him?”
“I thought you loved single life? You always seem so happy.”
“Looks can be deceiving. The man I want doesn’t feel the same.”
Lucy looks intrigued. “Is he a biker?”
I nod, and she claps her hands excitedly. “Let me guess,” she taps her chin thoughtfully. “Is it Scar?”
I shake my head. Scar is the obvious choice. We get on well and he’s more my age. I can’t tell Lucy the truth. I don’t know how she’d feel about it but before she can take another guess, Piper rolls her eyes. “It's Ace,” she sighs.
My mouth falls open and my eyes burn into Piper’s head as she continues to turn the pages on her magazine, not even bothering to look at either of us. “Piper!” I screech, my face turning crimson with embarrassment.
“Oh,” says Lucy, raising her eyebrows in surprise.
“What?” asks Piper innocently. “She needs to know. The guessing game was boring.”
“Why does she need to know? It’s not like anything’s gonna happen, now is it!” I hiss.
“Oh, please. The guy loves you. You’d think that the pair of you would just give in already. Life is too short, and you’ve just found that out yourselves.”
“I didn’t see that coming,” admits Lucy, still looking shocked.
“Are you mad at me?” I ask, wincing.
“Why would I be mad? You’ve known him a lot longer than I have. He’s my dad by blood, but I’m still getting to know the real him. Does he know how you feel?”
Piper smirks. “Just about everyone knows how she feels, including the big man himself.”
“And he doesn’t feel the same?” asks Lucy.
I shake my head. “Sometimes, I think he does and then he kind of friend-zones me. Age bothers him. It’s complicated.”
“He’s been single for too long. Maybe he’s just scared to commit?” suggests Piper.
Whatever the reason. I can’t imagine we’ll ever make it after what he’s seen. We shared something so brutal and painful, and now it’s all he can see when he looks my way.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Ace
It’s late and I’m drunk. The poker game did not go my way. The whiskey bottle I took from behind the bar hangs loosely in my hand, and I stagger out into the club's parking lot.
I slide down the hut that the guys use to watch the gate. Bear is out here tonight but he’s patrolling the perimeter. Dodge sits by me. I stare up at Mae’s bedroom. The light is on, but the girls left her an hour or so ago. I’ve had regular updates from Scar.
“Hey, handsome. What ya doing out here on your own?” Mystique saunters towards me.
“I needed some air after that poker game,” I say, swigging from the bottle.
“Mind if I join ya?” she asks. I shake my head and she slides down next to me and plucks the bottle from my hand. “You look sad,” she states.
“Don’t psychoanalyze me, Mystie. I’m too fucked up for that.”
“I’ve met many men in my life. You are not as fucked up as you think.”
“You don’t know the shit I’ve done,” I sigh.
“Maybe some time you could tell me about it?” She places her hand on my knee and I eye it suspiciously. “I’d like to get to know you better, Ace.”
“There’s not much to know.” I take the bottle back and drink, trying to think of a way to break the news to her before she hits on me.
“Let me be the judge of that.” I feel her eyes on me and I turn to look at her taking a second to focus my eyes on her face. “I’m gonna lay my cards on the table.”
“Don’t do that. Why do women keep doing that to me?” I groan.
“I want to get to know you properly, Ace. Maybe spend some time alone?” She leans in and plants a kiss on my lips. I freeze and she takes that as a green light, locking her lips over mine and thrusting her tongue into my mouth. After a few seconds, I gently push her away.
“Sorry Mystique, I think I gave you the wrong impression. I like someone, maybe even love them. I can’t get to know you like that. It’s not fair to either of you.”
“Oh, right. It’s just you said you were single and available.”
“If I gave you that impression, then I’m sorry. My head is fucked with it all and I’m confused with how I feel, and yeah, right now I am single but I’m not available.”
She smiles and squeezes my hand gently. “Thanks for being upfront, Ace. If it doesn’t work out with her, then you know where I am.”
I return her smile and rest my head back on the shack. I make out the shadow of Mae in her window. The drape suddenly falls back, and I know she’s seen me with Mystique. I sigh heavily and then push to my feet. I need to see her.
Making my way upstairs, I bounce from one wall to another, trying desperately not to spill the contents of the bottle. I reach her room and Scar dangles the key out towards me, “You sure you want to go in there like this?” he asks. I nod, resting against the wall. “It’s a bad idea, Pres, you’ll fuck it up.”
“I’ve done that already. Over and over,” I groan.
He unlocks the door and I stumble inside. Mae is laying on her bed with her back to me. “Can I come in?” I slur.
“You’re already in,” she mutters. I detect the coldness of her tone.
“I love you, Mae.” I blurt it out before Scar has even closed the door.
“Sleep it off Ace,” she sighs.
“No, I really do love you.” She ignores me. I begin to undress, falling about; unable to keep my balance. “I put the message out there that I want to meet up with him face to face,” I mutter, and Mae turns to look at me.
“Tag’s dad?”
“I’m gonna gut that bastard,” I add. “I’ll laugh while I do it.”
“No,” she snaps. “Don’t meet him.”
“After everything that happened. I have to.”
“You don’t. Let Anton deal with him. You don’t have to be the fucking hero in this story.”
“I watched my woman being raped at his order,” I growl. “I’ll slice him from head to toe and dance in his fucking blood.”
“Don’t do it for me. You saw what he did to Tag, his own son. He’ll kill you and then I’ll have lost you, too.”
“I’ll die with his blood on my hands and that will make me one happy mother fucker.” Mae huffs and pulls the sheet over her, turning away from me. “He has to pay, Mae. I can’t close my eyes without picturing them on you,” my voice cracks. “It’s fucking with my head.”
She reaches behind her until she finds my hand. She pulls it around her and I lay down, tucking myself around her shaking body. She cries quietly and for the first time in my adult life, I feel a tear roll down my face. This has broken us both and I don’t know how to make it better. “I want you to have a house and a puppy. A husband with a good job.”
“Like Lucy had with Noah? Acting like the perfect couple in public and then behind closed doors, it was a different story. I want an honest man that loves me unconditionally and fiercely, not some fake ass moron that cares more about what everyone else thinks than me.”
“Mae, you don’t know what you’re getting into. You say fiercely, but I’ll lose control. My obsession with you will become unbearable. It’s already started. I can’t be with anyone but you. I tried, and I couldn’t. You’re in my head all the damn time.”
“I saw you kiss Mystique,” she blurts out.
“She kissed me,” I say defensively. “I told her I loved someone else. But before that, I tried to be with Angel and I couldn’t. I closed my eyes and saw you.”
“Then stop fighting it, Ace.”
“I’ll take you and keep you. Possess you, drive you crazy,” I warn.
She turns in my arms and her eyes are filled with hope. “All I’m asking for is that you try.”
“What if we try and I drive you nuts? I won’t let you walk away, Mae.”
“I won’t walk away. Don’t you get it? I love you. I always have.”
I release a shaky breath. “I love you, too.” It feels good to admit it to her. She smiles and it’s the first smile I’ve seen on her gorgeous face in days.
“Sleep on it. You’re drunk. I want a sober discussion,” she smiles. I nod, placing a kiss on her nose and snuggling behind her. I feel lighter than I have in months.
Mae
I barely sleep. Mainly because of nightmares and flashbacks, but also because I keep going over my conversation with Ace. Smiling, I climb from the bed and head for the shower. It’s the first morning that I’ve felt more like my old self. I don’t feel sick or weak and although I am tired, I feel happier than I have in a while.
I dress quietly. Ace is still sleeping. He was so drunk that I’m sure he’ll suffer a hangover today.
Once I’m ready, I creep over to where he sleeps and place a gentle kiss on his cheek. He stirs, stretching his arms out and then groaning when the light hurts his bloodshot eyes. I smile with pity; I hate hangovers. “Shall I ask my mom to bring you her hangover cure?”
He shakes his head, letting out another groan. “No, I can’t stomach the thought of raw egg and whatever other shit she mixes in there.”
“She loves a potion,” I say. “I used to think she was a witch.”
Minutes later, I wait patiently while Ace showers. I can’t hide the fact that I’m disappointed. I was hoping he’d wake and want to discuss our conversation from last night, but he didn’t so much as kiss me on the head as he passed me for the bathroom.
When he returns, he’s already dressed in last night’s clothes. “I’m gonna go and get changed,” he says, rubbing his hair on the towel. “Do you want some breakfast brought up?”
“Actually, I thought we could go downstairs and have breakfast together?” I suggest, hoping he’ll take the hint.
“I’m not all that hungry Mae. I feel sick as a dog. Speaking of dogs, I need to take Dodge for a walk.”
“Well, I could come?”
“I don’t think you’re ready. I’ll send Doc up and then ask Mystique to bring you some breakfast.”
“Is she staying permanently?” I ask, changing the topic. I’d meant to ask before but somehow it slipped my mind. I’m grateful that she helped us get out of there, but I don’t trust her like Ace seems to, and I certainly don’t like the way she is around him. She’s made it clear she likes him, a lot!
“Yeah, I told her she can stay as long as she likes. We owe her, Mae.”
“We don’t really know her.”
“We don’t know a lot of people we take in here, Mae, but we give people a chance. I like her. She's had a tough life and she deserves a break.” I nod. My heart sinks. With no mention of our conversation last night; I’m beginning to think he’s forgotten. Maybe he was too drunk.
“Well, can I leave the room today? I feel so much better.”
“Let Doc take a look and if he’s happy with your progress, then I don’t see why not.” A small victory, at least; I need to get out of this room.
Ace leaves. He doesn’t kiss me or tell me when he’ll be back to see me. Doc comes in and does his usual checks. I tell him I feel much better and he agrees that I’m perhaps over the worst of it. I’m instructed to take it easy for a few more days, but he’s happy for me to leave my room. He does another pregnancy test because I keep pestering him to put my mind at rest. It’s negative which, again, is more good news. He insists that we do another in a week's time even though this test is one of the good ones that tells you how far along you are. I feel confident that I’m in the clear.
It feels weird venturing outside my room. Scar sticks with me. It's sweet how much he cares. “Where’s Ace?” I ask.
“He went for a walk with Dodge and Mystique.”
“Right,” I sigh. “Has that been happening a lot since I’ve been locked away?”
“They get on. I think she feels close to him after what you all went through.” The bitch in me wants to roll my eyes but instead, I nod and smile. She wants to win him over and right now, I feel like that’s a possibility.
I spot Lucy and make a beeline for her. “Morning, it’s great to see you up and about.” She smiles, hugging me.
“It feels good,” I admit. I take Abel from her. He nuzzles into my chest. “I need to vent,” I sigh, taking a seat on the couch.
“Okay, go ahead.”
“Is it weird if I talk to you about Ace? Because it feels weird.”
“It’s not for me, unless you talk about…” She pauses and glances around and then lowers her voice. “Sex.”
“Ugh, I don’t want to talk about that,” I say, covering Abel’s ears. “Last night, he admitted that he loved me.”
Lucy’s eyes widen and she smiles. “Wow, that’s huge.”
“I know. The thing is, he was drunk. Like really drunk.”
“Oh.” It wasn’t the reaction I needed and my heart aches. Lucy picks up on it and rushes to reassure me. “I’m sure he meant it. Don’t people talk the truth when they’re drunk?”
“But that’s no good if he doesn’t remember it today. He’s acting like nothing happened.”
“Have you asked him about it?” she asks.
“No,” I almost screech. “I can’t ask him. It’s embarrassing. If he was talking shit because he was drunk, then he’ll backtrack and it’ll be awkward.”
“You have a right to know where you stand. These men think they can do whatever they like. I’m sick of it. Take control and-” She’s cut off when Tag storms into the clubhouse looking pissed as hell.
“Lucy Corello,” he bellows, and she groans. “You were supposed to drop my son off to me today, or d
id you forget?”
“No, I didn’t forget. I was bringing him later.” Her voice is strong and fierce and I’m shocked that she isn’t quaking in her boots as the anger rolls off Tag.
“We agreed on ten o’clock.”
“You agreed. I didn’t. You sent your damn monkey to arrange it while you were on a date!”
Tag half smiles. “And your point.”
“My point,” she hisses, standing. “Is that if you want to order me to bring your child to see you, then the least you can do is deliver the message yourself.” She's so far in his face, I find myself wincing. Damn, when did this girl get so ballsy?
“You’re playing a fucking game that you won’t win, Lucy.”
“I already am, Tag, because your son isn’t where you ordered him to be and I know that’s fucking with your head.” She almost looks smug, and I swear that steam comes out of his ears.
I stand, drawing both of their attention to me and Abel. “So, you went on a date?” I ask, and Tag gives me his cocky smile. “What the hell happened to you two? You love each other.”
“She kicked me out.”
“You deserved it,” snaps Lucy.
“Me and Ace don’t want this. We don’t want you guys fighting over what happened. Life is too short.”
Lucy shuffles her feet. “He wasted no time in dating again.”
“I didn’t go on a date. Anton was just saying that to piss you off,” mumbles Tag and they remind me of fighting teenage lovers.
“Take a few hours to sort your shit out. I’ll watch Abel. I promise not to leave the club with him,” I suggest.
“No. You should be resting,” sighs Lucy.
“Go,” I order, “I insist.”
Tag takes Lucy by the hand before she can protest again. “We’ll go upstairs and talk. If Mae gets tired, she can bring Abel up to us,” he suggests. Lucy reluctantly agrees, and he drags her away.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Ace
Doc called me to update me about Mae, so I’m surprised when I get back from an hour long walk to find her sitting with Abel and reading him a story. She looks up at me and smiles before going back to the story. I want so bad to let the world know how I feel about her, but I’m not rushing this. It needs to be perfect.