by Diana Gardin
He nods, holding my gaze hostage. “Yeah. Just slept with a girl. And all night.”
And just like that, there’s a running movie in my head of all the things Ace has probably done in bed with a girl without sleeping. My stomach rolls, a sudden nauseous feeling taking root.
“Naima…it’s good. I liked it. Too much. I’m supposed to be staying away from you…I shouldn’t even be here.”
The expression in his eyes is intense, like saying these words are tearing off a tiny piece of something inside of him. He looks tortured.
Shaking my head, I return his caress, my hand cupping his cheek. “I’m glad you’re here. I’m not scared.”
Sighing, he pulls away and sits up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He runs agitated hands through his mussed hair. Which is super sexy after he’s slept on it all night. “You should be.”
Standing, he moves until he finds his boots on my side of the floor and pulls them onto first his right foot, then his left. I take my time, sitting up and climbing out of bed while I stretch my tingling arms and legs.
When I’m done, I glance at Ace to find his eyes locked on me. They’re on fire, burning with desire and affection. The expression warms me and sends a fresh wave of tingles to my limbs.
In a step, he’s in front of me, one arm wrapped around my waist and the other cupping my neck. Everything he does has purpose. Every movement he makes is for a reason.
“You should be scared. Whoever this shark is hurts people who owe him money. What do you think he’s going to do to a couple of twenty-somethings who saw his guys murder someone? We’re loose ends, Naima.” His voice is somber, his eyes going dark as he stares down at me.
He’s searching for understanding in my gaze, and he’ll get that. What he won’t get is agreement.
I lift my chin, a stubborn motion I got from my father. “I understand that, Ace.”
He nods, still holding onto my gaze. “And so that means you need to stay away. Hell…I need to stay away. It was me who found you last night, and I shouldn’t have.”
“You should have! Last night was…” My voice trails away.
I don’t know the right word. Wonderful? Life-changing? Amazing?
He blinks, those long lashes brushing against the skin beneath his eyes. “Yeah. It was.”
And then his arm tightens around me, because I’m staring into his eyes and then I’m falling into them.
“Shit.” It’s the only word he says right before his mouth crashes against mine.
We’re both breathing heavy when he pulls away, and then he’s walking toward my bedroom door. Just before he reaches it, he curses again and turns around, striding back to my nightstand. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he practically growls at me.
“Tell me your number.”
I recite those ten little digits while his fingers dab at his screen, and then he drops a kiss on my forehead. It’s gentle and soft, a direct contrast to his rough and hard demeanor right now. It draws a sigh from me.
He steps toward the door again, but I pull his arm around and force him to stop.
“Wait a minute. We need to be careful.” Some of these girls get up early, and Rose might be around.
I peek out my bedroom door, and when I’ve determined the hallway is clear I pull his hand and tow him down the hall. Peeking around the corner to the landing where the stairs are ,I hear Rose humming somewhere below. Placing a finger to my lips and holding out a hand for him to stay, I hustle down the stairs. When I reach the bottom and look down the hall, the sounds of Rose bustling around the kitchen send me racing back up the stairs for Ace. Grabbing his hand, we rush back down before I practically shove him toward the front door. He presses one last hard kiss to my lips.
And then he’ gone, leaving me staring at the spot where he stood.
I take my time getting ready for campus, thinking about little else other than Ace while I shower, pick out preppy, vanilla clothes and drag them on. Even Rose comments on the absent way I’m moving through the motions this morning as she hands me my English muffin stuffed with egg and bacon.
“Everything okay?” Rose leans on the countertop after passing me my breakfast.
“Huh?”
I’ve been checking my phone. Like a stupid girl. I don’t know why Ace asked for my number, but he made it clear he and I aren’t going to be a thing.
It’s not like I have trouble with rejection. If I’d been rejected by any of the guys on campus, I wouldn’t give a shit. But I care that Ace doesn’t want to see me anymore.
It hurts.
“Hmm?”
Glancing up, I find Rose staring at me, like she’s waiting for the answer to an unknown question. “What?”
She shakes her head, her short blond hair whipping around her chin. “Never mind, sweetie. I’m pretty sure whatever’s on your mind is gonna stay right there. And I’ll be here when you get home later today if you want to talk about it.”
Shooting Rose a quick smile, I offer a small wave as I head toward the front hallway and the door. “Thanks, Rose.”
The bright glare of early morning sunshine forces me to squint as I step out into the warm Southern fall air. It doesn’t get cold in Charlotte until December, and even then it’s not freezing temperatures. I turn my face up to the sun, letting the rays burn away my uncertainty and frustration about Ace. Our house sits on a wooded lot. The sunlight sprinkles through the trees, illuminating the brown leaves littering the brick path below the porch steps.
And standing in that dreamy, filtered light is Noah Locke.
He leans with a lazy, relaxed stance against his gleaming SUV, an easy smile lighting his face when he sees me. I have a WTF moment, coming to a stop to stare at him as my mouth falls slack.
“Noah?” My confusion coats the word as I stand frozen on the top step.
Pushing off the car, he wears a confident smile as he meanders toward me. “Surprised to see me?” His voice is light as he jogs up the steps, grabs my hand, and tows me toward his car.
My keys are frozen in my hand because I was planning on driving myself to school. Noah, movements smooth and sleek, opens the Escalade door and places his hands on my waist in order to hoist me up to the passenger seat.
Bracing myself so that my legs stay outside of the car, I face Noah and frown. “Stop. What are you even doing here?”
He situates himself between my legs and settles heavy hands on my shoulders. When he brushes a piece of hair out of my face, I stiffen. After last night, it’s blatantly clear that his hands aren’t the ones I want touching me.
“I want to get past the fact that you ditched me the other night. And I apologize for the stuff I said.” He stares at me, sincerity brimming in his eyes.
Guilt tugs at my stomach. I did go to the G-Ring with Noah. I can understand if he feels like I ditched him because I decided to stay and hang out with another guy rather than going home with him. Maybe he had a bad reaction, but his feelings could have really been hurt.
I never thought Noah had real feelings, and that was wrong. I hang my head.
“Sorry.” My voice is a whisper. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, Noah.” I glance up at him again. “But you and me…we’re not going to work out. You know that, right?”
Something flashes in his eyes, but it’s gone so fast I can’t get a handle on exactly what emotion it was.
“Ny,” he begins. “We’ve known each other for years. Don’t just write us off because you met some new guy. You and me are good together. How much do you know about him? You know he runs an illegal gambling ring, right?”
His voice, even though it’s earnest, irritates me. Maybe it’s his condescending tone, or maybe it’s the fact he’s trashing Ace.
And then the little voice inside my head speaks up. Is he trashing him? What he said is only the truth. You don’t know much about Ac. And he does run an illegal gambling ring.
Noah pulls back from me and grabs the side of the car door. “At least let m
e give you a ride to campus today. We’re still friends, right?”
I take a deep breath and release it with a slow stream of air. “Yeah, Noah. We’re friends. Thanks for the ride.”
He gives me a quick smile, and the cockiness in it pulls an eye roll from me.
I instantly compare it to Ace’s confident smile. Where Noah grins like he knows he’ll get his way no matter what, Ace smiles like he’s won every battle he’s ever fought. Like there’ve been a lot of them. And he knows he can come out on top.
It’s funny how clear the difference is.
Fourteen
ACE
My phone burns my leg through my jeans. At least it feels like it does. Since I added Naima’s number to my contacts this morning, I’ve wanted to call her, text her, something.
When I woke up this morning with her beside me, it was the best feeling. More than the best. It was perfect.
She’s perfect.
And that’s how I knew I needed to walk away. I can’t bring anything good into her life, at least not right now. Not while being with me puts a target on her back.
So me grabbing her number? Not part of the plan. It was just a compulsion, something I had to do.
But the whole ride home, I promised myself I wouldn’t use it.
As I stopped at the coffees hop down the street from my condo, I imagine her walking around her campus. I wonder what kinds of classes she’s taking, what she wants to do with her life when she graduates. From what I can tell, she has the whole world at her fingertips.
I have goals, too. I’ve always been driven. When I was younger, I was motivated to get the hell out of that trailer park. And then I wanted to attain the things I’d never had before: a real home and a career that allows me to make something of myself. A life I can be proud of.
Right now, my main goal is to stay alive. Naima doesn’t fit into any of it.
But she’s also not the kind of girl I spend one night with. She’s more. All I want is more. It’s a contradiction I can’t wrap my head around.
My phone buzzes in my pocket as I’m sipping my black coffee, and the vibration makes me jump. I know it can’t be Naima, because I didn’t give her my number.
And that makes me freeze, because I didn’t give her my number.
What if they find her? What if she needs me?
Pulling my phone out I scan the identity of the incoming caller.
Carson.
“Uncle C.”
His voice is gruff when he responds. “I’m at the condo. You’re not. Tell me there’s a good reason for that, Ace. Because from what I remember, you agreed to stay put until we had more information on who could be looking for you.”
I switch the phone to my other ear as get up from my table. Walking down the street in the sunshine with Carson reminding me what I’m up against makes me feel like a target. My gaze keeps constant movement as I walk toward my building, scanning my surroundings with purpose.
“Yah, I said I’d lie low. But I don’t want to hide, Carson. Plus, how do we know they don’t already have my address? In that case, staying at home is being a sitting duck.”
Carson sighs on the other end. “I can stay with you until this is over. You won’t be alone, Ace. Never.”
My chest tightens as it does every time Carson treats me like I’m his to protect. Never had it from my parents, but I’ve always had it from him. Without that guidance, I don’t k now where I’d be right now.
I swallow hard as push through the revolving front door of my building. Carson and I are both tough; we’ve been through a lot of shit together. But knowing that he’s there for me changes everything.
“Yeah.” Pressing the button for the elevator, I glance up to watch the digital numbers dropping. “I’m downstairs. You find out anything?”
A sigh travels through the phone, and my jaw tightens in response. I close my eyes briefly as he clears his throat.
“Found some leads, but nothing’s adding up, man. I don’t know where we go from here, but we’ll come up with a plan.”
I give a curt nod, realize he can’t see me, and speak into the phone. “See you in a minute.”
Ending the call, I pull up Naima’s number right away. My fingers fly as I type out a text.
Hey, angel. You OK? Use my number if u need anything.
By the time I step off the elevator, there’s a text waiting for me.
A puff of air escapes me at the same time my stomach flips as I see Naima’s name flashing on the screen.
Don’t need anything right now, but later? Maybe :-)
My mouth curves into a smile as I read her words, my body heating at the memories of lying in her bed with her last night. Women turn me on; that’s just a fact. A flirty text from this woman is all it takes to have me ready and willing to turn right around and head back for that college campus.
The fact that she’s flirting with me and it’s making me feel, is brand-fucking-new. The only question I have has to do with what I feel. It’s so foreign to me I can’t figure it out.
I unlock my condo door and stride into the foyer, sliding the deadbolt behind me. Walking into the living room that opens up into the kitchen, I drop my keys on the small, granite-topped island.
True to form, my uncle ignores the barstools and sits right on the island counter. He’s never been the kind of guy who does what’s expected, who follows the rules. A slightly older version of me, we’re a lot alike that way.
Physically, we’re both tall, broad-shouldered, and tan-skinned. Where my sandy hair is long, his is almost buzzed. He doesn’t crack a smile as he watches me approach him, but the relief on his face doesn’t slip past my notice.
“Sorry I worried you.”
He slips off the counter and opens his arms and I walk into them, savoring the hard slap his hands make on my back as he hugs me.
“I’m just glad you’re all right. When I walked in this morning and you weren’t here…” He frowns. “Where were you?”
I step away from him, heading for the sliding glass door at the other end of the living room leading to the terrace. It overlooks the football stadium, and even though my condo is tiny, it’s my piece of Charlotte and I love it.
“I needed to go check in on Naima.”
“Naima?” The confusion in Carson’s voice is clear without me having to turn and look at him.
“The woman I was with when everything went down at the ring the other night. It’s my fault she’s caught up in all this. I just wanted to see that she was safe.”
Now I hear the doubt and frustration in his tone. “And that took how long exactly? The entire night?”
Changing the subject completely, I turn to face him. “I’m going to call Kevin Taylor. You know, my buddy who helps me out with technology at the G-Ring. I want him to look into the Suit’s background…see what we can find out about him. What’s where we need to start. I’m going to see if I can meet him at his place as soon as I shower and get ready, since he runs his graphic design company from home.”
Carson nods slowly. “That’s a start. I’ll text you the names of the three loan sharks that I know of so you can see if they have any connections to him.”
“Thanks, Cason.”
Carson turns to head for the door. “Watch your back, nephew. I love you.”
“Same to you, uncle.”
An hour later, I’m showered, dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved t-shirt. I’ve just parked the Harley in the garage beside Kevin’s condominium building a few streets over from mine. Phone in hand, I’m smirking at a selfie Naima sent me. In it, she’s wearing a light pink t-shirt with sorority letters on it and a string of pearls. Her makeup is light, her hair pulled back into a high ponytail. She looks completely different than she looked either time I’ve seen her before. The caption reads:
Recognize this girl? I don’t. This is my camouflage for my sorority sisters, my parents, and anyone else who doesn’t really know me.
I’m so damn sucked in by he
r words that the first clue something’s not right hits me right before it’s too late.
Fifteen
ACE
The SUV approaches slowly, so slowly I can almost imagine the driver moves in slow motion. Windows dark, an illegal level of tint only used by those up to no good. Moving toward me, where I’m sitting like a tool on my bike, out in the open, reading a text on my phone with a stupid grin on my face.
It takes two heartbeats. Two squeezes of the muscle inside my chest, two rapid thumps against my ribs before I move. Sliding my leg over the bike, I toss my helmet down and sprint.
Running toward the stairwell, which is about thirty feet away in the corner of the garage.
Too far.
Did they follow me from my condo? My brain was caught up, twisted in thinking about Naima and her safety that I hadn’t even remembered to worry about mine. I drove all the way from my house to this block without checking over my shoulder or in my mirrors for a tail.
Stupid.
Stupid.
Stupid.
Beyond idiotic.
But I run now, thanking God for the fact that I’m athletic. I played football growing up; doing sprints isn’t new to me. But the stairwell is so far away when you could be running for your life.
I don’t look behind me, but the sounds are amplified in my ears. The acoustics of the parking garage boosting every sound until it feels like my eardrums will explode from the noise. A car horn blares on a floor below me; a door closing somewhere in the garage ripping the air like a gunshot. Wait…or was that an actual gunshot?
Fuck, fuck, fuck!
I push my feet to move faster. My boots slam against the pavement and the errant thought that I wish I were wearing track cleats crosses my mind.
I don’t glance behind me, only press on toward the large gray metal door with the white block letters scrawled across the front of it.
Stairwell B