Ace of Hearts

by Chantal Fernando

  It’s going to be harder than ever when I leave on Monday.

  30

  How I’ve missed you,” I say to Black Beauty, giving him a rubdown. “You are just as beautiful as I remember.”

  “You need to learn to ride her,” Dreads says, coming up to stand next to me. “No point wasting her beauty, having her sit here.”

  “I know,” I say, sighing and turning to face him. “And it’s a him, not a her. What are you up to today?”

  “We own a motorbike shop, so I’m working there today,” he explains. “I better get going, or I’m going to be late. But if you have time tomorrow I can give you a riding lesson.”

  “Sounds good,” I tell him, waving as he gets on his bike and rides away. Dad comes out of the clubhouse, all dressed up in slacks and a shirt, ready to go out to lunch. I can tell he made an effort, and I appreciate that.

  “You look handsome,” I tell him, giving him a thumbs-up.

  “And you look beautiful,” he says.

  We walk to the car, and he opens the door for me. I thank him and get in. After he gets into the driver’s seat, I ask, “So what do you feel like eating today? I did a Google search, and there’s a really cool Spanish tapas place if you’re interested in checking it out. Also, I’m paying for lunch today. Because it’s always you doing stuff for me, and I want to say thank you for everything.”

  He turns to me and I can tell he’s trying to keep a straight face, but ultimately he ends up cracking up laughing. “If you think you’re going to pay, you have a lot to learn. I never let a woman pay, and you’re my daughter, so fuck no are you ever paying. I missed out on your childhood, if you look at it that way, I probably owe you a huge-ass check for all the birthdays and everything that I’ve missed.”

  I purse my lips and roll my eyes. “You’re such a caveman. I didn’t even know men like you guys existed anymore. It’s the twenty-first century. There’s a thing called gender equality.”

  “I don’t give a fuck,” he replies frankly. “If the worst thing women can complain about is that I want to pay for shit, then I’d say I’m doing all right as a man.”

  “I’m sure they have other things they can complain about,” I reply, turning up the radio. “If I ask Veronica, I’m sure she’d have a few things to say.”

  “Oh, she’d have plenty to say,” he mutters. “Now what’s the address of this place you want to go to?”

  I rattle off the address, and he puts it into his GPS.

  “So did you have a good night last night?” he asks me, fingers tightening on the steering wheel.

  “I did.”

  “I told Paulina not to come back to the clubhouse,” he says, and I’m surprised that he’s bringing this up. “If she has an issue with you, then she has one with me.”

  “That’s nice of you, Dad,” I tell him. “I knew you would have done that if I told you, but I guess I wanted to handle things myself, even if I handled them in a terrible way. But hey, when in Rome . . .”

  He chuckles softly. “So, what? You tried to think how one of us would handle it and decided to break her nose?”

  “I didn’t plan on the nose breaking, I just lost my temper and went for it,” I say, staring at his profile. “My roommate recently showed me the proper way to throw a punch, and I guess I wanted to test how well I picked it up.”

  “I’d say you’re an A-plus student.”

  “I think you’re right.”

  We arrive at our destination, and I’m really excited to try out this new place.

  “Why are you moving around so much?” he asks me, watching me do a little happy dance before I open the car door.

  “I’m excited,” I explain. “I really love checking out new restaurants.”

  His eyes soften, and it’s a beautiful sight. “If this is what makes you happy, we can go out to eat every damn day.”

  “Don’t spoil me,” I tease, getting out of the car. “I might get used to it.”

  “You should get used to it,” he says as we walk up the stairs to the entrance. He opens the door for me and waits for me to enter first. “You’re not just Ace’s princess.”

  My heart melts just that little bit more.

  And he’s right, I’m not.

  That night, Ace has to work. Don’t ask me where, because I have no idea, but it’s only for a few hours. He leaves with Knuckles and Rogue, so I feel a little better knowing they would never let anything happen to him. I wander outside and sit on the grass, a glass of red wine in my hand. I remember what Dad said when we sat here last, he told me not to go into the forest at night because there’s some panther that roams around. I smirk at the memory, then stand up to head back inside. I run into Dreads at the door, he’s got his hands full with a tray of mangoes.

  “Where did you get those from?” I ask him, eyeing the fruity goodness.

  “I went to the market to get some fruit to make smoothies with,” he explains. “But I forgot about them and left them in the car. Took me three trips to carry them all in. Do you want one?”

  “Yes, please,” I say, taking one from the box and bringing it to my nose to smell. “This one is perfect.”

  We head into the kitchen, where I glance around at all the fresh produce. “You like smoothies, then?”

  He laughs. “Yeah, I do. I like making up new recipes and making everyone try my creations, like the one I made today. Want to try it? It has strawberries, mulberries, and apple.”

  “Sure, it sounds delicious.”

  He hands me a cup, and I sit down and smell it. “This one might be a winner.”

  “I hope so,” he replies, also sitting down with me. “They can be the perfect hangover cure.”

  I take a sip, and then a few more. It’s just as tasty as I thought it would be. Except then, I freeze and drop the cup, my hands going to my throat.

  Something isn’t right.

  Before the darkness takes me, all I see are beautiful whiskey-colored eyes.

  Beep. Beep. Beep.

  I can hear people talking around me, but I can’t open my eyes.

  “Is she going to make it?”

  “She’s strong, she will pull through.”

  “You don’t know that.”

  “She died, and they brought her back.”

  I hear what they’re saying, but the voices all sound the same. I don’t know who is talking. What do they mean I died? Is this a dream?

  Ace?

  Where is he?

  Darkness pulls me under once more.

  31

  I open my eyes and rub them. My whole body hurts, and I feel like absolute shit. Next to my bed this time are both my dad and Ace. When they see my eyes open, my dad starts crying. “Thank God.”

  Ace quickly places a kiss on my forehead. “You are one tough fighter, princess. Fuck, I told you not to scare me like that again.”

  “I’m so sorry,” Dad says, wiping the tears away from his face. “This is all my fault, I had no idea she’d be capable of doing something like this.”

  Wait, what?

  “Who?” I ask him, confused and disoriented, but I know there’s something not right about what he’s saying.

  “Veronica. She tried to poison you again with one of her smoothies. She’s the only one who makes them, and that’s what we found lying next to you when you passed out on the kitchen floor. She must have made a batch, then added something into yours.”

  Veronica makes the smoothies? Not . . .

  Oh, fuck.

  Guilt and panic fill me.

  Veronica is being blamed when it wasn’t her, and this time I know that for sure.

  “It wasn’t her!” I tell them, touching my throat with my hands. “Dad, listen to me, it wasn’t her. It was Dreads.”

  Ace and he share a look.

  “Motherfucker,” Ace growls, punching his hand into the wall. “Mac? Are you sure, Erin? How do you know this?”

  “Positive. He told me he’s the one known for making smoothies, but he mu
st have just been trying to frame Veronica,” I say, looking between them. I don’t know how Veronica is going to forgive us this time. We’ve really fucked up when it comes to her, especially me. I’m the worst unofficial stepdaughter to ever exist, and I know I’m going to have to make it up to her. I don’t know how, but I’m going to try. “Where is he now?”

  “At the clubhouse.”

  “Does he think I’m dead? That’s the only reason he’d think it was okay to stay there.”

  They share a look.

  “You stay here with her, I’ll handle Mac,” Dad says to Ace, and gives me a quick kiss on the top of my head.

  “And after all of this is over, you should probably apologize to Veronica,” I point out.

  “I think I’ll worry about that later,” he says, expression hard. “No one betrays the Cursed Ravens, and no one fucking goes after my baby girl.”

  He storms out, and I kind of feel bad for Dreads.

  Not bad enough to stop anything that’s about to happen to him, though.

  “Why do you think he did it?” I ask Ace, lying back down and closing my eyes again. “I thought he liked me.”

  “I thought he did, too,” he replies, looking a mixture of furious, hurt, and disappointed.

  I move over and make room for him on my hospital bed. “Come on.”

  He slides in next to me, and I rest my head on his chest. “We have to stop meeting like this.”

  “You need to stop ending up in here.”

  “I tried. Stupid delicious poison-infested smoothie.”

  “You’re crazy,” he breathes, kissing my temple. “I love you so much, Erin. If you had died, I don’t know what the hell I would have done. Probably would be in prison for killing anyone I’d suspected of hurting you.”

  “I’m like a cat.” I yawn. “Nine lives, baby.”

  “Well, put the rest in a bank, we don’t need to use them right now. I think you’ve scared me enough for the next decade,” he states.

  My eyes start feeling heavy. “I’m tired.”

  “Sleep, princess. I won’t leave your side,” he whispers, kissing my cheek. “Ever again.”

  “What do you mean, ever again?” I ask sleepily, eyes closing. “I have to leave you on Monday.”

  “It is Monday,” he says. “You were in and out of consciousness for days.”

  “What? No.”

  “Yes, Erin. Now get some rest. Your body has been through hell and back again.”

  “He’s not very creative,” I point out. “Using poison twice. Unless the first time wasn’t even him and he wanted to mimic it.”

  “We will have to be careful. Never once in my life did I think I’d see the day a Ravens member would betray us,” he admits, rubbing circles on my arm with his thumb.

  “Never once did I think someone would want to kill me. Twice,” I admit, falling asleep.

  I don’t even hear his reply.

  A few days later I’m back at the clubhouse, catching up on my lectures online. Luckily my professors have been cool about my missing a few days, since I told them I had food poisoning. My mother took it as well as an overprotective mother would, but I assured her that I was fine, and I’d be home as soon as I can. I can’t stay here forever. Dreads wasn’t at the clubhouse when I got back, and it was like he never existed at all. His picture is off the wall, and his room is empty. I think I’ll ask Ace what happened to him when I’m ready.

  Ace did tell me something though. Dreads’ family originally owned Bravo’s, and after the club purchased it, Dreads always assumed he’d get it back. But at a club meeting, Dad had told them all how he has added me to his will, and everything he owns will go to me.

  Bravo’s included.

  I think this must be why Dreads wanted me dead. Ace also told me that Dreads was basically in love with Paulina, and he would’ve done anything for her. He’s been wanting to make her his old lady, but she was always holding out for someone better. He wasn’t too pleased when he found out I hit her. He probably thought she’d reward him for offing me. He clearly has shitty taste. So that, along with the fact that I was basically going to get his family legacy, apparently pushed him to poison me. Ace and my father seem to think the case is closed, but something just doesn’t add up to me. I thought Dreads was a cool guy, but now I’m just questioning my judgment with everything and everyone.

  “Is Veronica talking to you yet?” I ask Dad as he enters my room with a tray of food. It’s like still being in the hospital, but with better food options and company.

  “No,” he replies. “But she will get over it.”

  “You locked her in a room,” I remind him.

  “She’s lucky that’s all I did.” He winces. “Or maybe I’m lucky that’s all I did.”

  “The latter.”

  He sits down on my bed and hands me the tray. It has cereal, toast, juice, coffee, and a fruit salad on it. Without any of the women around to do shit for them, it’s funny to see the men trying to fend for themselves. Knuckles has been in the kitchen more than the others, but everyone is stepping up. A man’s gotta eat. Dad or Ace usually brings me breakfast every morning, something one of them has prepared; it’s very sweet.

  And unnecessary.

  But sweet nonetheless.

  Ace is going to drive me back to college when I’m ready. He said there’s no way in hell he’s letting me get on the bus after everything that has happened.

  I hope this means that I’m safe now, because I want to be able to come back here.

  This is my home too.

  I wave ’bye to everyone out the window, and watch as they all fade away. I know I’ll be coming back when I get my break, but it’s still sad to leave my dad and Knuckles, and after Ace drops me off, he will leave tomorrow morning. At least I get one extra night with him, which is better than nothing.

  “Do you want to get something to eat before we leave the city? You know after that it’s all gas-station food,” he reminds me, taking my hand in his as he drives.

  “I think I’m good,” I tell him. “How about you?”

  “I’m okay,” he says, bringing my fingers to his lips and kissing them. “So I was thinking, how about I start giving you some driving lessons?”

  “No, thank you,” I say instantly, without even thinking about it.

  “Why not?” he asks.

  “Because the thought of driving terrifies me,” I admit, looking out the window.

  “But you’re fine when someone else is driving,” he points out. “So it’s not a fear of being in the car, it’s just being in control of the car?”

  I nod. “Yeah, I guess I just don’t trust myself in the driver’s seat, and it really scares me to think of me doing it again.”

  “Have you ever tried to learn, or are you just being a stubborn ass?”

  “Yeah, I tried. And I was actually pretty confident on the road in the beginning. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it’s a phobia. If you look at it that way you can see why I haven’t gotten back behind the wheel,” I try to explain.

  “I had no idea it was that bad,” he admits, eyeing me from the corner of his eye. “What happened that made you feel this way?”

  “When I was learning I was in a car accident,” I tell him, shifting in my seat. “And after that I just never tried to drive again.”

  “Everyone crashes,” he says, kissing my fingers again.

  “I was pregnant when I crashed,” I blurt out, needing to tell him the truth. “And the crash made me lose the baby.”

  He stills and gives my hand a squeeze. “Fuck, I’m sorry, Erin. Whose baby was it?”

  “Clint’s,” I say, looking down at my hands. “He was my only boyfriend before you, and I was young and stupid, but losing the baby really traumatized me. My actions behind the wheel did that, and I’m just not someone who should be on the road. It’s safer for everyone that way.”

  “Bad things happen,” he says to me gently. “And people crash every day, Erin. Maybe if you ha
d a good driving instructor who was patient with you, you might feel comfortable enough to try again one day.”

  “You aren’t let down by what I told you?” I ask him in a small voice.

  “I’m not going to judge you,” he replies, frowning. “We’re all human, and none of us are perfect. Do you think I haven’t done a million stupid things growing up? My list is much longer than yours.”

  “I can imagine,” I reply, licking my dry lips. “I didn’t even know if I wanted to keep the baby, you know? But when I lost it, I knew that I would have. I was so upset, and sad for this little life that I made, then killed it without even giving it a chance.”

  “It was an accident,” he reminds me. “You didn’t crash on purpose, Erin. Stop blaming yourself. Bad things happen to good people, it’s just how the world works.”

  “That’s depressing.”

  “That is life, princess. But life can also be fuckin’ amazing,” he adds, looking at me. “At least when I’m with you, that’s what it feels like.”

  “Stop being cute.”

  “I can’t,” he murmurs. “Maybe we can just stick to you learning to ride. You seem to feel okay with that. Who needs a license when you can zoom through the streets on your black beauty?”

  “That sounds like an idea I can get on board with,” I say.

  “See. Compromise,” he replies, flashing me a smile. “But by the way, if I ever run into Clint again, I’m going to punch him in the face, like I wanted to the first time.”

  “Ace!”

  “What?”

  “He didn’t do anything,” I tell him, swiveling my body toward him. “What are you going to hit him for?”

  “For knocking you up? Not wearing a condom? The fact that he fucked you in the first place when you were mine.”

  He sounds dead serious, too.

  “I didn’t even know you then,” I huff at him. “You are unbelievable.”

  “I get that a lot.”

  “Of course you do, because you’re ridiculous,” I tell him, but even I can hear the smile in my tone. “You can’t hit every guy who wants me.”