by Diana Gardin
Too many questions and no answers. My head begins to throb, a steady rhythm of pain knocking against my skull. A groan slips from my lips.
The couch shifts beside me as Carson sits. He slaps my back with an open hand. “It’s gonna be okay, Ace.”
My uncle has always had my back. As my mother’s younger brother, he could have been my sibling instead of hers. Then again, she was only sixteen when she had me. Carson has been there, watching the shitty life I had growing up. As soon as he was able to help me get out, he did. He put me up in my first apartment, over his bar, when I was only seventeen with super low rent. He’s always looked out for me.
He doesn’t approve of the Ring, never has. His bar is on the up-and-up, and he believes in a man making an honest living for himself. He knows first-hand what can happen when you take the road less traveled. When he was younger, he made some stupid mistakes, which led him to serve time. But he doesn’t judge me, and he knows I’m only doing it to set myself up for my future.
I’m not going to break the law forever. I’ve got plans.
“Shit. What am I gonna do?” I raise my head so I can look Carson straight in the eye. “How am I supposed to deal with this? They saw me, Carson. They’re coming back for me.”
He evaluates me, studying my face with the trademark serious expression that means his wheels are turning. “You want to run?”
I sit back, contemplating. Do I want to run?
The thought makes me feel like I swallowed something sour. Hell no, I don’t want to run. I’ve never run from a fight. Usually, I go running headfirst into them without a second thought.
This fight isn’t fair, though. My enemy knows who I am. He knows where I spend time. But I don’t know anything about him. It’d be like fighting someone blindfolded with my hands tied behind my back. A total disadvantage.
If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s a lopsided fight.
I swing my gaze back to Carson’s. “I’m not going anywhere.”
He nods once, like he already knew what my answer would be. “You’ve gotta come at this smart, then. Your hotheaded temper’s got no place here.”
My lips pull into a grim line. Does he think I don’t know that? I’ll be lucky if I make it through the other side of this alive. I’m not going to give this loan shark, whoever he is, any more advantages.
Standing, I pace the area in front of the couch. “I can close down the Ring for a while. Lay low at the condo until this blows over.”
Meanwhile, I’ll be doing some digging of my own.
Carson frowns. He knows hiding isn’t my style. “For how long?”
Shrugging, I release an aggravated sigh, a quick release of breath through my pursed lips. “I don’t know, Carson. I need to figure out who this shark is. Gotta find some leverage to dig myself out of this.”
Carson strokes his beard, the same sandy color as my hair. “Yeah. Think I can use some of my connections from the bar to get a short list of sharks in the uptown area. You can find out which one your guy was dealing with.”
Hope blossoms somewhere deep inside me, a flower leaning toward a ray of light. “Yeah? How long?” I stop pacing, standing in front of him as he considers.
He shrugs. “Give me a few days. I want you to stay put at your place until then, you hear me? This is not a request, Ace.”
He’s right. I need to play this game smart. Because if I don’t?
It’ll be the last round I ever play.
Eleven
ACE
I told myself I would just come once.
To check on her. Make sure she’s safe.
It’s the chant I keep repeating in my head when I park down the road from her driveway just after eleven PM. It’s the mantra I keep telling myself as I hike up the paved walkway leading from the sidewalk to the front door.
Exactly three days since I dropped her off here, and I just need to see if she’s okay. It’s not like I can text her or call her. I never got her number.
So here I am, like a stalker, walking up to a sorority house on a weeknight.
My boots make a hollow sound on the pavement as I walk, and I’m alert. Listening. Watching.
I’m paranoid now when I’m on the Harley. If I think any vehicle is behind me for a suspicious amount of time, I just cut off another car and shoot up a side street. I don’t think I was followed here, but the last thing I want to do is bring trouble into Naima’s backyard. I just need to make sure she’s safe.
The moon slices a path through the darkness. I stare up at it as I drift forward. As I stop in front of the house, the spotlight and lanterns join the glow from the moonlight, and I stop mid-step.
What am I about to do? Ring the doorbell? Pretty sure a stranger standing on their doorstep after dark might freak the sorority girls out. Shimmy up a damn drainpipe? Climb a rose trellis? Each cliché makes me grin. Staring up at the massive house, a snort escapes me, and I shake my head. I don’t even know which window is hers.
From my vantage point hidden among a clump of manicured bushes underneath a billowing live oak, I contemplate. I stare at every window and try to picture Naima behind it. Most of the downstairs windows, at least on the front of the house, are dark. Most of the girls must be asleep. My gaze moves up to the second floor, and I’m drawn toward the one window with a faint light burning. From this point, I can tell that the curtains are black, the light filtering in through the inky gauze, creating a really awesome effect.
That’s her. That’s her room.
The certainty I have about it surprises me. It’s just a feeling I have. I know that this room belongs to Naima, without a doubt. I’m drawn forward, my feet crunching beneath me as I take a step and freeze. Glancing down, a slow grin crosses my face. Bending at the waist, I pick up a few of the white pebbles and rub them together in my palms.
I’m seriously about to throw rocks at someone’s window in the middle of the night.
I step out from the bushes, but still feel the canopy of the live oak shadowing me, keeping me hidden from the direct glare of the moonlight and the beams of the nearest spotlight. Taking aim, I let the pebbles fly.
They connect with the lit window, and I hold my breath while I wait.
Nothing.
I bite my lip in grim determination. Okay…let’s try this again, Rapunzel.
I let another handful of pebbles fly, each one making a distinct ping as they connect with the window.
And then I pump my fist into the air with a silent “Yes!”
Because I’m not already lame enough right now.
The black gauzy fabric in the window shifts, flutters. Everything inside of me tightens, clenches, knotting up with anticipation. When Naima’s flawless face appears at the window, I’m floored.
Relief slams into me at the same time attraction does.
She’s gorgeous. She’s safe. And she’s close again. So damn close I can almost touch her.
There’s a flash of recognition and something I can’t pinpoint in her expression and she goes for the latch on the window, lifting the panes up and out.
Leaning her elbows on the sill, her lips twist into a sexy smile.
God. Why does that smile make me want to do stupid shit? Like climb up a trellis at a sorority house on a college campus? This girl is beyond dangerous.
“Did you really just throw rocks at my window?” Her little smirk widens to a full-fledged grin and my chest tightens. “Hold on…I think I’m supposed to throw down a rope made of my hair or something. Oh, wait…”
Her throaty chuckle washes over me, and I step out from under the oak tree’s branches because I can’t help but get closer.
“Hey.” I lift my shoulder in a shrug. “You never gave me your number, so I had to get creative.”
She props her face in one hand and frowns. “You never asked for my number.”
Our voices rise above the nighttime sounds, and I don’t want to wake anyone else in her house. “Get down here, angel.”
&
nbsp; She pretends to think about it. “I don’t know…strange guy showing up at my house in the middle of the night? Probably shouldn’t be alone with him.”
She smiles like she’s got all the time in the world, like she holds all the cards.
And she does. But I don’t have to let her know that.
Shrugging, I brush my hands off and turn away. I head for the walkway. Biting my tongue so I don’t laugh.
“Wait! Ace!”
My name from her mouth is all it takes for me to turn around. I lift a brow, cock my head to one side.
Naima holds up one finger, giving me a serious glance, before she disappears from her window.
I’m pacing the ground beneath the live oak when the front door opens. Naima appears, shutting the door quietly behind her.
Smirking, I wait underneath the tree, watching her walk toward me. She’s wearing black leggings. I’m so damn jealous of those leggings. They cling to her long legs, disappearing into the black Ugg boots she wears. The long gray shirt she has on also clings to her curves, and no woman should be allowed to look that sexy without even trying.
At the Ring, I see different women every single night. All various ages, all scantily clad in outfits made to seduce. But Naima, dressed down in leggings and a sweater?
She eviscerates every single one of them.
She saunters toward me, her stroll lazy and relaxed, and stop pacing and meet her halfway. Our eyes lock, and I’m pretty sure letting her go at the end of the night is going to wreck me.
“Where can we go?” My voice is low, sounding like I just swallowed a handful of gravel.
Her lips roll between her teeth as she scans me from head to toe. There’s hunger in her gaze. Like maybe she’s been thinking about me the same way I’ve been thinking about her.
What am I doing?
“Park.” She finally says. “Down the street.”
Nodding, I grab her hand. Her warm fingers curl around mine, and I’m struck by the fact that the last time I held her hand was the only time I’ve ever held a girl’s hand.
We pass my Harley as we walk to the park, Naima giving it a wistful glance as we stride by.
“I miss him.” She runs her fingers across the leather seat, her voice full of longing.
I squeeze her hand. “Pretty sure he’d be happy to take you for a ride.”
She glances at me, heat uncurling in her dark, dark gaze. My body warms, my dick going hard and stiff in my jeans, just staring into her eyes.
Her tongue darts out, flicking across her top lip. “Pretty sure he’s not the only one.”
Damn.
When we reach the park, she sits on a swing. I make a slow circle, turning and checking out every inch of our surroundings before I sit down on the swing beside her. Our backs are to the scenic street behind us, and I don’t like it. I turn and face the opposite way on my swing.
Naima watches me with quiet curiosity. “So you’re still in trouble?”
Her shrewd intelligence shouldn’t surprise me, but it does. She’s observant. She sees things. It’s something I noticed about her from the jump, and it’s a serious turn-on because it’s another reminder of how different she is from other women I’ve encountered. Different from anyone I’ve ever met.
I try for casual. “I’m all right. Just keeping my eyes open.”
Because I don’t want to bring my shit storm into your territory.
I glance around once more, and she doesn’t miss it. Does she miss anything?
Her thick black hair whips around her face as she absorbs our surroundings, too. It’s wavy tonight, spiraling in gentle ripples down toward the middle of her back. Th style fits her so well that I smile as soon as the light catches it. I reach over and grab a few strands, letting the silky softness fall between my fingers.
She freezes, staring at me.
“I like this.” Trying again for casual. Failing...again.
“Thanks.” Her voice is slow and unsure, like she doesn’t know what to do with my compliment.
“Naima…guys tell you all the time that you’re beautiful, right?” There’s a note of curiosity in my voice, threading with the admiration.
She glances down, a faint blush staining her cheeks and neck.
“Um…the guys I’m usually around? They’re fraternity guys that mix with my sorority. They don’t need to give compliments. They always get what they want, and they know it.”
My voice is firm, almost rough. “You’ve been spending time around the wrong guys. They’re all assholes.”
Her laughter is full and distinct as it rolls from her. Another piece of her that’s just so totally her. It echoes inside of me, rearranging things. Changing me.
“Ace.” Her voice flutters around me, soft and low. “Are you okay?” She leans her head against the swing’s chain, her eyes peeking over at me as she evaluates my expression.
Sighing, I search for the truth. “I’m okay. I was…worried about you. Needed to check on you. You haven’t been approached by anyone, right? Haven’t noticed anyone strange hanging around?”
Her deep eyes study me as she shakes her head. Confusion mars her beauty. “I thought you said they wouldn’t know about me?”
My words tumble over each other in their rush to escape. “They won’t. I mean…they shouldn’t. I just…shit.” I scratch my head, searching for the right words. “I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”
A slow smile crosses her face. “Well, that’s good to hear. Because you’ve been on my mind, too.”
Grabbing her hand, I tug her off her swing and onto my lap. She straddles me like it’s the most natural thing in the world. Her hair hangs down in a curtain of black around us, and her cherry-vanilla scent coats me like a second skin. Inhaling, I just let her presence wash over me.
She leans in, her forehead resting against mine. “You’re carrying too much weight on your shoulders, Ace. I can feel it.”
Her warm sweet breath whispers against my face, and my body reacts to her.
“Yeah. Kinda. It’ll get better, though.”
Pulling back, her brows knit together. “I want to help. What can I do?”
I glance around us. Being out in the open is making it hard to concentrate on her, giving me a bad feeling.
My eyes sink closed as I shake my head. “Not dragging you into this, Naima. I just wanted to see you.”
“Why, Ace?”
Her voice has the power to drive me crazy. Breathy, sweet gravel, a break every few words. It’s seriously the sexiest sound I’ve ever heard, and just adds to the list of things I can’t get enough of when it comes to this woman.
Sighing, I tilt my head back so I can meet her steady gaze. “I don’t know.”
Honesty’s the best policy.
I really don’t know why I’m here. It doesn’t make sense. I met Naima three nights ago. We spent a few hours together. And yeah, we shared a really traumatic experience, so maybe that has something to do with it. But I swear I felt this pull toward her before any of it went down with the Suit. And now it’s too strong to ignore.
Maybe it was from the beginning.
Pushing against my chest, she stands, wedging into the space between my knees. She brushes some of my hair out of my face and tucks the corner of her bottom lip between her teeth.
So damn pretty.
“Do you trust me, Ace?” She holds out a hand to pull me to my feet.
Standing so close a breath wouldn’t fit between us, I stare down at her. The truth is, I’ve always had a hard time trusting people. Counts and Carson are the only people who’ve made it past that barrier.
“Yeah.”
I don’t know why. But it’s true. And I just promised myself I’d never lie to her.
“Then stay with me tonight.”
I start to shake my head, opening my mouth to tell her no, when she puts her index finger against my lips and gives me a quick toss of her head. “Ace…I’m not ready to let you go yet.”
She’
s dangerous.
Maybe more dangerous than the loan shark. Because at that moment, I know I’ll never say no to her.
Twelve
NAIMA
I don’t know why I asked him to stay. It was out of my mouth before I really thought it through. But I couldn’t not ask him to stay.
Maybe part of it is the growing feeling of dread creeping over me. His wary glances all around us cause it to settle deep in my bones, warning me that danger is imminent.
It’s not because I feel sorry for him. I know Ace is a guy who can take care of himself. He doesn’t need to stay with me to be safe. But I’ve been worrying about him for two days straight, wondering if I’d ever see him again or if he was all right.
So this is just for my own peace of mind.
And because he’s so damn beautiful. I just want him in my bed.
All night.
And I’ve never, ever felt that kind of desire before. It’s eating me up, swallowing me whole.
Leading him through the downstairs foyer, we head up the thickly carpeted stairs. I’m not even worried about being seen, but Ace’s apprehension is clear in the way his muscles have tensed up and from the cautious expression on his gorgeous face.
We’re not allowed to have male overnight guests in our sorority house. Rose lives with us, her bedroom downstairs in a separate suite. She doesn’t hound us at night, checking to make sure we’re following the rules, though. She treats us like the adults we are, but the rules of our sorority are clear: appearances are everything, and propriety is to be upheld at all times in the public eye.
Once we’re in my bedroom, I shut and lock the door before leaning against it. Ace surveys my room, his eyes bouncing everywhere like he’s trying to see everything all at once.
“You don’t have to worry.” My tone is soft and gentle. So unlike me, but with Ace I naturally adopt the softer role. With other guys, I was always on my guard. Even with Noah I never felt safe enough to relax. I was tough and in control.