Winning Ace: A Winning Ace Novel (Book 1)

by Tracie Delaney

  “Natalia, I’m sor––”

  He hard-stopped. Rupe was standing on the other side, a stupid, lopsided grin on his face.

  “Fuck me. It’s true.” He pulled Cash into a rough hug and clapped him hard on the back before sauntering inside. He scanned around the room. “So where is the woman who’s tamed the most successful skirt chaser I’ve ever seen? Got bored of you already?”

  “What are you doing here?”

  “Had to see for myself. When Brad told me you’d been pussy-whipped, I thought he must be smoking something. And when he added the little nugget about her being a journalist… well, I was actually lost for words.”

  “First time for everything,” Cash muttered. “Well, you’ve seen me now, so you can bugger off back to the Caribbean, or wherever you’ve been hiding for the last three months.”

  “Now, now. Don’t get tetchy, darling. I know you’re still pissed I missed Christmas.”

  “Barely noticed you weren’t here."

  Rupe chuckled and wandered into the kitchen. He helped himself to a large glass of red wine and waved the bottle at Cash.

  Cash shook his head. “I’m playing tomorrow.”

  “Never stopped you before.”

  “Yeah, well. Maybe I’ve changed.”

  Rupe raised one eyebrow, his eyes briefly falling on the glass of water in Cash’s right hand. “So it seems.” He sank onto the sofa, rested one ankle across the opposing knee, and took a large swig of red. “Well, as you didn’t know I was coming, you can’t have smuggled her away, so where is the mystery woman?”

  “Gone for a walk.”

  “Pissed her off already?”

  “Gracie called.”

  “Ah.”

  “It’s the second time in a week, and both times Natalia has been here, so naturally, she asked some questions.”

  “And you’re not quite ready to tell her, I presume?”

  He shook his head. “You know I hate talking about that shit. And if I’m honest, I’m scared to tell her the truth.”

  Rupe waggled his eyebrows. “Beware of weaving a tangled web, my friend. It always leads to trouble.”

  Cash snickered. “I have missed your crazy ramblings. How long are you sticking around?”

  “Until at least Sunday. Thought I’d come and watch you play. You know how annoying Kinga entertains me.”

  The mere mention of her name made Cash clench his jaw so hard it physically hurt. “I fired her today.”

  Rupe’s eyes widened. “Why?”

  “She hit Natalia.”

  Rupe sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes bugging out of his head, and then he let out a low whistle. “Blimey. No wonder you fired her. She always got jealous whenever you had a new bit of fluff on your arm, but I never thought she’d stoop to physical violence.”

  “Me either. There’d been some arguing to and fro, but Natalia was holding her own, so I left her to it. After my match finished, I found her sparked out with a swollen cheek and a cut lip and Kinga crouched over her. I swear, Rupe, I nearly lost it.”

  “She’s fortunate you didn’t.”

  Cash flashed him a black look as unwelcome memories tumbled into his mind. “It’s hardly the same.”

  Before Rupe had chance to reply and attempt to drag Cash down a road he had no intention of travelling, there was a timid knock at the door. Cash got to his feet. “That’ll be Natalia. Try to be less… Rupert-like.”

  Rupe plastered an offended look on his face, which was utter bollocks. Cash had known him for years, and he had a skin as thick as an elephant’s hide. Ignoring Rupe’s faux-aggrieved expression, Cash crossed the room and opened the door.

  “Hi.” Natalia’s shoulders were rounded, and her eyes held an edge of defeat as she tried to read his mood. “Sorry for storming out.”

  Cash pulled her close to his chest. “Trust me,” he whispered. “Nothing is going on between Gracie and me.”

  Her head moved against his shoulder in what he hoped was a nod. “Will you ever tell me?”

  “Yes. Just not yet. Give me time.”

  Rupe cleared his throat, and Cash groaned as Natalia peeked over his shoulder. “My best friend just turned up, uninvited. I’ll apologise for him in advance.”

  “I heard that.” Rupe strolled across the room and kissed Natalia on the cheek that wasn’t swollen. “Darling, I’ve been dying to meet you.”

  “Back off, Rupe,” Cash growled, positioning himself between them.

  “Now, now, be nice, Cash. What do you think I’m going to do?” He shoved Cash to one side, draped an arm around Natalia’s shoulders, and led her over to the sofa. “Come, darling. Tell me everything about yourself.”

  * * *

  Rupe managed to outstay his welcome, as usual. He grilled Natalia on everything from where she went to school and who her best friend was to why she’d decided to study journalism, what type of music she liked, and what she loved to eat. As Cash sat and listened to their easy banter, jealousy coiled around his gut.

  Natalia looked relaxed and happy, her face animated as she regaled Rupe with stories from her past, and as Cash watched them, he realised he’d never asked her anything about herself. He didn’t know what her favourite movie was, the type of books she liked to read, anything about her family. Christ, he was a superficial bastard, so determined to avoid intimacy in case the real person behind his veneer was discovered.

  “Rupe, you will stay for dinner, won’t you?”

  At Natalia’s invitation, Cash snapped out of his daydreaming and fixed Rupe with a stare that told him if he said yes, he was going to lose a very valuable part of his anatomy. Fortunately, Rupe valued his balls enough to correctly read the situation.

  “Another time, darling. I’m still jetlagged and not on my best form. I’ll be at the game tomorrow, though.”

  Cash jumped up. “Thanks for dropping by,” he said, propelling Rupe towards the door in case his friend even remotely thought about changing his mind. “I’ll get a pass sent over for tomorrow’s match. Presume you’re staying in the usual place?”

  “Yep.” He bent his head conspiratorially towards Natalia and winked. “The bartender is an absolute fox.”

  She giggled and even blushed a little, which sent Cash over the edge. He shoved Rupe hard in the back. “Okay, time for you to go.”

  As Rupe stepped into the hallway, Cash slammed the door, not even letting him say goodbye.

  Cash turned on his heel and fixed his gaze on Natalia. “We need to talk,” he said, pulling his T-shirt over his head and unfastening the belt on his jeans. He dragged it through the belt hooks and tossed it to one side.

  “You don’t look like you want to talk,” she said, her eyes flickering to his waist as he undid the top button on his jeans.

  “Oh, but I do.” He stalked towards her. “After I’ve lost myself in you, we’re going to talk for hours.”

  THIRTY-SIX

  Tally shook her head at Cash’s offer of the last noodle roll, which he expertly gripped between two chopsticks—something she’d never mastered.

  “Couldn’t eat another thing,” she said.

  He popped it into his mouth and dropped the chopsticks onto the tray then pushed back his chair and strolled into the kitchen of their apartment. He scraped the remains of their takeout into the wastebin and returned with a fresh bottle of juice. “Your face looks quite good, considering. The ice must have taken most of the swelling out.”

  She touched her cheek. Apart from a slight lump under her skin, Cash was right. It wasn’t nearly as bad as she’d feared.

  “I feel fine. Hopefully, I can hide it with make-up. Wouldn’t want those hideous reporters thinking you’d belted me.” She chuckled, but her smile fell when dismay widened Cash’s eyes.

  “Shit.” He tilted his chin downwards and frowned. “I hadn’t even thought of that. Maybe you shouldn’t come tomorrow.”

  She shook her head. “Not a chance. Em’s taught me a trick or two over the years. You w
on’t see a thing.”

  “I certainly hope you’re right. Some of the reporters I’ve pissed off over the years would love a juicy bit of gossip like that. I can see the headline now. ‘Gallagher gobs girlfriend a good ’un.’”

  Girlfriend! Tally tried to hide her shock and knew she was failing when Cash gave her an odd look.

  “Don’t look so surprised. That’s what you are, after all. My girlfriend.”

  Her eyebrows shot upwards, and she couldn’t stop an inadvertent shake of her head.

  “You don’t agree?”

  “I don’t know.” She swallowed. Her mouth was parched. She picked up her glass of juice and drank. After she put it down, Cash took her hands in his.

  “Before I met you, I’d never chased a girl, not even when I was younger. I’d never put a girl’s pleasure before my own during sex, never brought a girl to a tournament, and certainly never let a girl challenge me the way you do. And then you blew into my life and changed everything. If that doesn’t make you my girlfriend, I don’t know what would.”

  Her pulse jumped. “You sure know how to layer on the sweet-talk.”

  Cash lifted her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingertips. “Only with you.” Then he shook his head sadly. “You know, when Rupe was interrogating you earlier, I realised that I’d hardly ever asked you anything about you. All the things you were telling him, I didn’t know those details about your life, and I should. When I said I wanted to talk, I meant it. I want us to spend the rest of tonight getting to know each other properly.

  “You’re on,” she said, instantly jumping on an ulterior motive. Perhaps this would be the way to find out more about Gracie. And if the right moment didn’t present itself, she’d made her mind up that she was going to ask Rupe at the first opportunity. If he was Cash’s best friend, surely he’d know who Gracie was and whether Tally had anything to be concerned about.

  Cash waved his hand at her. “You first.”

  She grinned. “How did you and Rupe meet?”

  Cash’s answering smile was full of affection. “At high school. Rupe’s father was a senior police officer working for the Met. He was transferred to Belfast when Rupe was eleven. I remember his first day at school so well. He turned up in a smart blazer and cap, looking like Little Lord Fauntleroy.” Cash laughed at the memory. “He stood out like an iceberg in the middle of the desert, and the bullies zeroed right in, but Rupe refused to let them intimidate him, and I was impressed with his guts, even though he was shit-scared. We hit it off immediately, which still surprises the fuck out of both of us.”

  “I liked him a lot.”

  “I noticed,” he said with a frown.

  “Don’t tell me you’re jealous.”

  “Insanely. Right, my turn. Tell me about your parents.”

  She tensed her body against the too-familiar pain. “My dad died of cancer when I was sixteen. It happened a couple of days before Christmas. We were very close. It broke my heart, and I’ve never really got over losing him. Pete was my dad’s best friend, and he took me in until I went to university, and he then gave me my first break in journalism.”

  “So Pete’s not your real uncle?”

  “Not by blood, but I’ve always thought of him as my uncle. I’ve known him my whole life. If it hadn’t been for him after Dad died, I don’t know what I’d have done.”

  Cash sucked in a sharp breath, his hand reaching out to take hers. “I’m so sorry. It’s a terribly difficult age to lose a parent.”

  “Oh, of course,” Tally said. “You lost your dad around the same age.”

  Cash’s face darkened, his grey eyes holding a dangerous glint. “There’s no comparison. You obviously loved your father. I despised mine.”

  She opened her mouth to question him, but he shook his head. “No. I’m not talking about that. Anyway, this is my question. What about your mother?”

  The jolt of abandonment felt like a punch to the gut. Those who knew her best never spoke about her mother, and she rarely had to respond to questions about her. After all these years, she’d assumed she was immune.

  “My mother walked out on me and Dad when I was four.” Her voice faded away until it was barely a whisper. “I don’t remember her at all. I have no idea where she is, and even if I did, I wouldn’t want to see her.”

  “Christ.” Cash shuffled to sit next to her. He stroked her hair, the show of affection making her want to cry, but she swallowed her tears and shrugged instead.

  “It’s fine. Old news.”

  “Hardly. Is this why you’re so down on yourself all the time?”

  She forced a smile. “If your own mother doesn’t want you…”

  “You’re not serious?” he said, and when she grimaced, he cursed. “Do you know why she walked out?”

  “No. Dad refused to speak about her.” She waved her hand. “Like I said, it’s old news.”

  “I’m beginning to wish I’d started with favourite movie.”

  That made her giggle, and she tugged at the sides of his mouth until he joined her in a smile. “Okay, my turn. Best concert you’ve ever been to.”

  He picked up her veiled hint to move on. “That’s easy. The Prince 20TEN tour in Berlin. I had front-row seats.”

  “You’ve led a charmed life.”

  A flash of sadness crossed his face, but it was gone as quickly as it appeared. “Baby, you have no idea.”

  They carried on back and forth for a while. She tried to find a way to ask about Gracie, but the right time didn’t come up, and Cash was in such a good mood she was loath to ruin it by pushing him to talk about something he clearly wasn’t ready to share.

  “You look shattered,” Cash said when she yawned for the second time. “Last question then bed.”

  “You go. I’m all questioned out for today.”

  “Okay. Relationship deal-breaker: what would make you dump me?”

  She grinned. “How long have you been waiting to ask that one?”

  “It’s important to pace yourself. So…?”

  “If you suddenly became crap in bed.”

  “Ah,” he said with a mischievous grin. “That means I’m not at the moment. Otherwise, you would have already dumped me.”

  “Well done, Sherlock.”

  Cash’s grin faded to a more sombre look. “Seriously, Natalia. What would be the one thing you would never be able to forgive?”

  She hesitated. The reply was easy, but she paused for a few moments anyway.

  “You already know the answer. I won’t share, Cash. If you’re mine, then you’re mine alone. If you cheated on me, then that would be it, because I’d never be able to trust you again.”

  Unblinking, he gazed at her for a few moments before taking her face in his hands. “Baby, I’m yours.”

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  The packed stadium buzzed with excitement as Tally slid into her allocated seat beside Rupe on the day of the final. Ball boys and girls stood to attention, waiting for the players to appear, and pop music rang out from multiple speakers set up around the periphery. She placed her handbag at her feet and shrugged off her jacket.

  Rupe looped his arm casually around her shoulder. “How’s our boy?”

  “Antsy and eager to get going.”

  “Should be a close match. About time he worked for a living.”

  She laughed. “Don’t be mean. He works really hard.”

  “Says the woman who is looking through glasses that are so rose tinted I’m surprised she doesn’t keep bumping into things.”

  Tally dug Rupe lightly in the ribs, and he grunted.

  “She plays rough too. No wonder Cash is obsessed.”

  “You’re incorrigible,” she said with a shake of her head.

  “But you love me anyway. Not surprising really. I am incredibly loveable.”

  She giggled. “I am so going to miss you. Wish I didn’t have to go back to work tomorrow.”

  Rupe shrugged. “Then don’t.”

  “Easy for yo
u to say, moneybags. I have bills waiting.”

  “Screw ’em.”

  Tally twisted the cap off a bottle of water and took a sip. “You’re a bad influence.”

  “Have you spoken to Cash about going back to work?”

  “No. He knows I am, though.”

  Rupe cocked his head to one side. “Knowing and accepting are two different things, darling.”

  Tally frowned. Cash knew she was going back to work because he was the one who had organised her time off with Pete, and neither of them had discussed anything different since then. Even if they had, it wouldn’t be possible. She had a living to earn and a job she loved.

  She shrugged off Rupe’s comments, certain he’d got the wrong end of the stick. “By the way, now I’ve got you alone, I want to ask you something quickly before the others get here.”

  Rupe wiggled his eyebrows. “Darling, we shouldn’t. Especially in public.”

  Tally giggled. “I’m trying to be serious.”

  “Wrong guy for that. I think I’m missing the serious gene.”

  “Who’s Gracie?”

  Rupe must have been lying when he said he didn’t have the serious gene, because she’d never seen someone switch from lighthearted to deadpan so quickly. His eyes drained of the bright smile he’d been wearing, and his jaw locked in place.

  “I’m sorry, Tally, but you need to have this conversation with Cash.”

  “So you know?”

  “I’m not going to talk about this. It isn’t my place. And if I did, that would probably be the end of my friendship with Cash. As much as I’ve come to love you in the short time we’ve known each other, Cash is the closest thing I have to a brother. I would never betray him.”

  She lowered her gaze, picking at some dry skin surrounding her thumbnail. “Is it bad?”