The Club: Ace

by Jenna Elliot

  The whole scene is surreal. Mia and I have been talking about weddings since middle school. Who would have ever guessed that when she finally made it down the aisle, she would be surrounded by guests who make sex their profession instead of the high-power attorneys and politicians that populate her parents’ world?

  Definitely surreal.

  I’m distracted when some guests get up from their seats. The guys are big, so they make a commotion sliding out from the tight rows of chairs to get to me. Bulls in a china shop.

  My two oldest brothers.

  Drew kisses my cheek, while Kevin says, “Cinderella dressed for the ball.”

  “Cinderella, my ass.” I step back to take a look at the two of them, but before I can make a crack about their appearances and thank them for being here for Mia, I sense . . . him.

  My heart starts to race as Ace steps between me and my brothers. He wears an immaculate white suit, and looks freaking amazing with his tanned skin and neatly-trimmed blond hair. As if he was born to host parties on yachts. And since this is his yacht, I suppose that’s probably true.

  His gaze captures mine. I can tell he’s been waiting for me, because he takes my hand as if he’s taking possession. Inclining his head to my brothers, he doesn’t say a word, but links our arms and escorts me through the neat rows of guests. My last glimpse of my brothers is of them exchanging a curious glance that I know means they’ll be grilling me later. And giving me a ton of shit.

  With my arm linked with Ace’s, we greet people. Some are guests from the club, others are people I know. Mia’s friends. I nod to several acquaintances.

  But it’s Ace who has my full attention. I know every inch of his body intimately. Yet walking beside him gives me a thrill, and I feel high on the moment. From the greedy little ache between my legs to the absolute perfection of the venue, I buzz with emotion and excitement.

  Then we’re at the bow, in full view of the guests. I kiss Ethan’s cheek and nod to Jax, then let Ace direct me to my place on the opposite side of the bower.

  He doesn’t let me go. Slipping his arm around my waist, he leans in to whisper, “You look stunning, gorgeous.”

  “Thanks. So do you.”

  “I do, don’t I?” He grins. “But I’m more interested in what you aren’t wearing.”

  My thong, of course.

  Fantasy and reality collide in a big way, and I feel heat rushing into my cheeks. Great. I have family staring at me right now. I don’t have to turn around to feel their gazes on me, to know they’re wondering who the hell this insanely handsome and possessive man is.

  Until this very moment, I didn’t realize just how much Command Performance had become an escape from my life. Now the two came together, and I’m more than a little flustered.

  I go for distraction, filling the silence with chatter. “Looks like we’re all here. Except for the bride . . . And the captain. Where’s the captain?”

  “Right here.” Ace squeezes my hand.

  I glance up at him, surprised. “You’re performing the ceremony?”

  His mouth is so close, his lips brush my ear when he says, “I can actually do things other than make you cum.”

  His warm breath filters through me, and I shiver. Oh, I am going to get so much shit from my family. No question.

  I turn on a flirty smile, determined to take control of the moment, to give as good as I get. “I have no doubt you can do anything you set your mind to.”

  But Ace’s reaction isn’t quite what I expect. The light in his expression flickers. The edges of that handsome face somehow sharpen, and I think I may have unexpectedly struck a nerve.

  True, the Ace I know is a party boy, but he’s also obviously an astute businessman from what I’ve heard from Mia and Ethan. And I’ve glimpsed more beneath his gracious host persona. Much more. More depth, and more darkness. He shares neither. With anyone?

  I don’t know, but I’m left to wonder when the cellist begins the wedding march. Ace brings my hand to his lips and brushes his mouth across it. I shiver. Then he steps away as Mia appears across the deck, and begins her walk down the rose-strewn aisle alone.

  I wonder if she wishes her father was with her. She spent so much of her time and energy seeking her parents’ approval and attention and always being disappointed. But one look at her expression and I see she’s . . . Strong. Bold. Beautiful.

  Mia’s her own woman now, and she’s at peace.

  More than anything, that thrills me because those days of yearning and disappointment seem behind her since Ethan.

  His face transforms when his gaze locks onto his bride for the first time. And his eyes glow hot. With lust. With love. His smile comes fast and hard, almost feral. He looks like he wants to swallow her whole. Someday, I want my husband to look at me just like that. As if I’m the only woman in his world.

  This moment is perfection. And then Mia surprises us all when she pauses, extending her hand to . . . My dad.

  Oh. My. God. Suddenly, my vision is blurred by tears. My bear of a dad pops up from his chair on the aisle and links his arm through Mia’s, and Dad LB walks his honorary daughter the rest of the way down the aisle. I can see my brothers grinning like idiots, and my mom is already in floods.

  I’m forced to resort to a tissue by the time he lifts Mia’s veil and kisses her cheek. He levels a seriously-paternal stare at Ethan. I’ve seen that look before. It’s a look he usually reserves for my brothers and one that promises a world-class ass-kicking if there’s any trouble. Ethan nods in silent understanding, and only then does my dad extend his hand to shake and seal the deal.

  I swap the tissue for Mia’s bouquet. But she’s beaming through her tears, and the mascara’s holding up. All good. My dad winks at me before returning to his seat.

  Ace is confident as he conducts the marriage ceremony. He’s smooth, elegant, and perfect. But then, he enjoys the limelight. I should have expected no less.

  And then the sun sets and the water glows a burnished red, Mia kisses Ethan in a kiss hot enough to melt an iceberg. We throw rose petals into the air and cheer.

  When Ethan sweeps her into his arms and carries her back to the main salon, my tears break away again from my lashes. Only I’m out of tissues.

  “Oh, honestly.” Ace hands me a perfectly folded white handkerchief. “Why do women cry at weddings?”

  “Because, unlike men, we don’t hide our feelings.” I dab at my eyes.

  “The only thing I’m hiding is my hungry dick,” he growls.

  I glance down and see the bulge in his pants. “You’ll have to suffer for a bit. We’re only getting started. There’s dinner and dancing and cake cutting and bouquet tossing—”

  “Yeah, well, I won’t be suffering alone.” He grins and reaches into his coat pocket.

  And my private bits begin to vibrate.

  22

  Ace

  I USUALLY HATE weddings. As far as I’m concerned, weddings are a lame excuse to party. I can think of a thousand reasons to throw a party. But legally hooking up with someone, so life gets complicated when it’s time to unravel, isn’t one of them.

  But with Emme here, this wedding isn’t quite so bad. I’m not sure why because I get more than I bargain for tonight. Mia is Emme’s best friend, so I should have expected personal life mixing into my business.

  Maybe because this wedding came together so fast, I thought it would be exempt from the normal traditions that plague most weddings. Family. Toasts. Cake cutting. Garter tossing. No such luck. I get all three in spades.

  Emme plays it cool, breaking away from me to greet her family after the ceremony. But the family isn’t having any part of cool. They’re all over me at every opportunity, grilling me about everything—business, family, friends. They’re checking me out like they might a potential date for their daughter. I’ll bet money they had no clue I existed until tonight, so I brought the interrogation on myself by singling Emme out the way I did.

  I only moved test three t
o the yacht because I didn’t want to cancel since Emme keeps the darkness at bay. That came out of left field, and should have been a red flag. The fact that I keep thinking about being Emme’s dirty little secret comes out of left field, too.

  I take evasive maneuvers and circulate, dancing with the bride and some friends from the club. I leave the remote control in my pocket for the time being. I don’t want to think about Emme and sex right now.

  Damn hard not to though. This yacht’s not nearly big enough. No matter where I am, I hear her laughter. I see her in my periphery, dancing the night away. And how am I supposed to keep my eyes off her when she’s such an amazing dancer? The moves she does with her hips should be illegal. She’s flushed from exertion, her eyes alive and excited.

  No way in hell can I keep away. Not for long. Not with Jax’s invention, the nano-vibe, burning a hole in my pocket, tapping against my thigh every time I move, and just challenging me with test number three and some really exceptional fucking.

  Of course, I can’t even lust in peace tonight. No sooner do I get over my own pride and reclaim Emme for myself again, than her father cuts in for a dance. I consider being an asshole and refusing, but decide to play nice and dance with the mother.

  She’s a nice-enough lady. Lovely and no-nonsense.

  “So, Ace, you own this boat?” she asks as I lead her around the dance floor to some forgettable ballad.

  She follows me gracefully. Like her daughter. Another natural dancer. “Guilty as charged.”

  “This really is quite a boat. Along the lines of the country club I work at.”

  She delivers that observation deadpan, and I laugh despite myself. We fall into silence, and for some reason, I don’t feel like turning on the auto-charm and dazzling her with small talk.

  She deals with the silence for a while, and finally tips her head back to meet my gaze. “Emme and Mia tell me you’re a business partner of Ethan’s.”

  “Guilty again.”

  More silence.

  “And you boys run a night club?” she asks as we take another turn around the floor as I try to outpace her husband who does one helluva job concealing his daughter behind a broad back and ample ass.

  “We do,” I say. “A few of them.”

  I don’t mention we own the clubs. I don’t mention that they’re sex clubs, either. Maybe I’m off base, but I suspect neither Emme nor Mia mentioned that detail.

  But I do recognize this woman isn’t going to stop trying to kick up the conversation. I decide to go for it.

  “So, Emme has two brothers?”

  The mother shakes her head. “Two sisters. Four brothers.”

  One of seven. Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. “That’s a lot of kids.”

  “Hence the reason I work in a country club.”

  Hence the reason Emme has that special sparkle of hers. Obviously, it came from the maternal side of the family.

  Okay, so unlike Mia, Emme doesn’t come from money. My brain starts working. I don’t know much about Mia, but I remember some long-ago conversation when Ethan mentioned her dropping out of law school. I tease my brain for more details, and recall parents who were high-power political attorneys.

  But Emme’s family is here tonight, not Mia’s. There’s a story there. No clue why I’m interested.

  I ask anyway. “Emme and Mia have been friends a long time, haven’t they?”

  The mom goes all soft around the edges. “For so long that Mia’s one of our kids. We call her family-by-love. Now Ethan will be one of us, too.”

  I have no idea what Ethan may think of that arrangement. He’s sharp in business, so I assume he factored in the addition of extended family before staging tonight’s life-altering event.

  I also have no idea what the hell to say to this woman who looks expectantly at me.

  “You know, Ace, you were very kind offering your boat for the wedding. On such short notice, Ethan and Mia would never have been able to pull off such a special night. And that’s exactly what a wedding should be—special.” She startles me by reaching up and patting my cheek, such a motherly gesture I blink stupidly. “Tonight couldn’t be more perfect, so I hope you know just how much your kindness is appreciated. By all of us.”

  Even more startling is the way I smile back at this woman, like I actually care what some babe’s mother thinks of me.

  Whoa. There has got to be something in the air tonight. Weed, maybe. Polluting my brain and making me think all kinds of crazy shit. There’s no other explanation.

  Thank God the song ends before I have to think of some reply. The father returns Emme, and I whisk her away without a backward glance, fucking grateful to put these people behind me.

  Of course, I don’t have Emme back to myself for long before her brother cuts in. The oldest one. Then Jax. Then the younger of the two brothers. Kevin, I think. By the time I get her back yet again, I’m so ready to peel off that dress. It’s flirty and sassy, and she’s been teasing me all night.

  That’s when I take matters into my own hands and dance her right the hell off the dance floor and away from all the guests. I dance her straight into the elevator and up to the only place I can get her alone right now—the sun deck.

  She doesn’t say a word, just follows where I lead. The stars are out, and I can breathe again. I run a hand up her leg, knowing she’s bare underneath and watch her mouth part into a surprised O.

  “You are so bad,” she teases.

  “And you like bad boys, don’t you?”

  “I like everything about you.” She says lightly and tries to spin away.

  I grab her hand; haul her back against my chest. “You don’t know me.”

  “That’s because you hide yourself. Why?” she asks, leaning back so I’m the only thing keeping her from falling back on her ass. She gazes up into my face. “Are you a vampire? An alien from Alpha Centauri? Or perhaps you’re a Merman.”

  Someone’s having a very good time tonight. “What the fuck is a Merman?”

  “A male mermaid, silly.” She laughs when I pull her up from the dip again. “Only they don’t have tails, they have another large appendage.”

  “Now who’s being bad?” But despite the light banter, there’s more than underlying sexual tension.

  Maybe I’m just on family overload. Or maybe Emme hasn’t admitted to herself that she wants more from me. I recognize the signs. Sex is fun. But the good women, and Emme is certainly one of them, always want more.

  I get it. And it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have singled her out the way I have. But I enjoy her, and we only have tonight and next Friday. Then she’ll be level two, and I’ll cut her loose.

  She’ll have her fun at the club, then she’ll meet the right guy. There’ll be another wedding. One I won’t be invited to. Thank God. I wouldn’t go even if I was invited. I’d just send an extravagant gift, and keep moving without looking back.

  Because that’s what I do. I don’t do families. I don’t do involved. I don’t do anything but a good time. That’s the only way to keep the darkness from catching up. And I shove the bleakness of my life away. Something else I’m good at.

  We have tonight, and I’m determined to enjoy it. “The relief captain is bringing us around. We’re heading back to port, so we’re on borrowed time.”

  “How long?”

  “Enough time for me to keep you all to myself up here for a while longer.”

  She likes that. I see it in the way she smiles, feel it in the way she snuggles against me. She’s in no rush to get back to her family, either.

  “When the guests leave, you’ll stay.”

  “All night?” she asks in a whisper.

  No. She’s pushing. The kindest thing I can do right now is send her home with her family.

  “You told me you can go all night,” she says. “Was that just bragging?”

  I don’t want to send her away. What can one night hurt? Especially when I can finally, finally use the remote in my pocket. “No, it
’s fact.”

  And with a quick depression of my thumb . . . Emme’s eyes widen, and a gasp tumbles from her lips. I only bury my smile in her hair and waltz her around the sun deck with my dick throbbing in time to the music in my head.

  23

  Ace

  AS MUCH AS I want to blow off the rest of this wedding, I can’t keep Emme all to myself. Not until Ethan and Mia take off, and the guests disembark. So I wait until the yacht circles before we head back to the festivities. By then, Emme is boneless with desire. One touch and she melts against me.

  I want nothing more than to fuck her big, but I send her off to say her goodbyes alone. I don’t want to be interrogated by her family again, and with the nano-vibe remote in my pocket, I make sure she doesn’t forget me. I enjoy making the rounds with the guests, pressing the switch and watching her try to manage her reactions . . . The softening of her lovely face, the slight parting of her lips, the brightening of her eyes that seems to make her freckles stand out.

  I’m about to hit the switch yet again, when I hear Emme’s name from somewhere in the buzz of conversation. Glancing around, I find Ethan and Mia standing at a bar table, talking with one of Emme’s brothers. I do a double take, curious, because the three of them are deep in conversation, drinks forgotten.

  It’s Ethan’s expression that cues me. This conversation isn’t normal wedding small talk. Something’s up. I have no clue what, but my internal alarm goes off.

  Excusing myself, I head closer to the action.

  “Scotch,” I tell the bartender, who knows to go for my private stash. The guests drink top shelf, not my personal collection of rare blend.

  I make myself comfortable near the end of the bar, take a drink, and zero in on what’s being said nearby.

  I catch a few words here and there, and it’s enough. Police investigation. Potential suspects. Emme?

  After the group breaks up, I stalk Ethan to catch him alone. Of course, he isn’t leaving Mia, so I chase down Jax.