I smile as we take our round of salt, tequila, and lime. As the fire of the alcohol runs through my veins, I see Ace stand to his feet through the corner of my eye. Looking in his direction, I watch as he excuses himself from whatever conversation his guests are having. He meets my eyes, face stiff, glaring hard. He starts our way, his strides slow and measured. It’s as if he’s practiced that walk a million times. It’s sexy, with a bit of a lean to it.
When he finally reaches us, he smiles in Bianca’s direction, and she returns one. “I see you two have really hit it off,” he murmurs.
“We have. Love her already,” Bianca says, capping my shoulder.
“Good. Now she’ll have someone to keep her company when she gets lonely here.” Ace meets my eyes, head slanted. “Come with me. Let me introduce you to some friends.”
“Oh.” I seal my lips, looking from him to Bianca. I didn’t think I’d have to get around to meeting anyone, but it’d be rude of me not to go along.
Bianca rolls her eyes at him. “Way to kill my joy,” she grumbles.
“She’ll be back. Grab another shot in the meantime,” he tells her, a smirk on his lips.
She pokes her tongue out at him.
He fights a smile.
“I really don’t think I should meet them,” I say as he places a hand on the small of my back to help me off the stool.
“And why’s that?”
“I don’t want the sympathy.”
He looks down at me, stopping mid-step. “I haven’t told anyone who you are, and I won’t now. You’re London, a friend of mine. That’s all they need to know.”
I look up at his solid, rum-like eyes then nod my head. He continues making his way to the group of people, and as he gets closer, they all look our way, some with wide, interested eyes.
“Everyone…,” Ace says loudly. “This is London. She’s a good friend of mine.”
A few nod. Some give a small greeting. I lift my hand and wave. It’s awkward.
“Doesn’t she look great?” Ace asks, more to the men sitting on the sofa.
Gerrick looks away, shaking his head with a smile on his lips, but one of the men with short, curly brown hair and the only man in jeans nods and stands to his feet.
“Ravishing,” he murmurs. “Maurice,” he announces.
“Nice to meet you,” I say, in more of a whisper.
“Is she… yours?” Maurice asks, pointing his gaze at Ace.
“Mine?” Ace scoffs. “Dressed like this?” He gives a dry laugh, shaking his head. “A woman of mine would never wear something this revealing in public.”
Anger bubbles in my chest. I step away from Ace, glaring daggers into the side of his head. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
“Exactly what it sounds like,” he says, and just like always, only his eyes move to look down at me.
I narrow my eyes at him then look at Maurice whose eyes are broad but smiling. I turn to look at everyone else, but most of them clear their throats and return to their drinks. Some even start chatting again, avoiding the conversation.
My cheeks burn from embarrassment. My fists clench. I hate how I’m reacting right now, but I know it’s the drinks. The sober me would’ve just walked away, but no, I’m pretty drunk, so I run away, clobbering out of the yacht and back to the balcony. Bianca calls my name sympathetically, but I ignore her. I hear her curse beneath her breath, but I pray to God she doesn’t come after me.
I knew I shouldn’t have come. I just knew it. Fucking asshole.
Fortunately, I make it to a quiet area. There’s a bench, so I take a seat, placing my face in my hands. I don’t cry, though. I won’t. I don’t know those people; therefore, I don’t give a shit what they think. And I damn sure don’t give a shit what Ace thinks.
Then again… I wouldn’t have dressed up like this if I didn’t. I wouldn’t have worn this if I didn’t want his attention, and I wouldn’t have liked the fact that Bianca told me he wasn’t going to be able to keep his eyes off me for the rest of the night. I… enjoyed knowing that.
Sighing, I lift my head and turn my body, resting my leg on the cushioned bench. I stare out at the sea, past all the gentle waves where New York City lies. The faint lights are lovely, and after staring at them for a while, I seem to calm down. It doesn’t take much… just a little to get back to myself.
Less than ten minutes later, footsteps start a short distance away. I whip my head to the sound, eyebrows stitched. Moments later, Ace rounds the corner, hands in his front pockets.
I grimace at him, turning my attention back on the view behind me. “Go away.”
“It was a joke,” he says, voice deep.
“If that’s your idea of a joke then stop telling them. You’re terrible.”
He laughs quietly.
I roll my eyes.
“So you’re just gonna sit out here and pout?”
I look his way, eyes narrowed. “I’m not pouting. I just refuse to stay in there and get stared at after the way you’ve embarrassed me.”
“I embarrassed you?” he questions, eyes wide.
“Yeah you did.” I stand up, frowning in his direction. “How could you embarrass me like that? In front of people I don’t even know!”
“Me? Embarrass you?” he questions again, voice mildly heated. “This was a casual night out on a yacht. No one said anything about dressing up for a night club.”
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I say, sarcasm laced in my voice. “I just figured with the way you’re always so dressed up, that maybe I could look at least half as decent.” He shakes his head, his temper rising. He doesn’t say anything, and I know this is my chance to go in for the kill. To shut him up for good. “I’m not stupid,” I say. He looks up, face puzzled. “Yeah,” I breathe. “The only reason you’re upset about what I have on is because you find me completely irresistible right now.”
He quirks an eyebrow, lips thin. There’s a smile scratching at the surface of those lips. He’s fighting it.
“Yep,” I continue, fighting my superior smile. “Bianca told me how much you love a woman in pearls with silk or lace. And not only that, I see the way you look at me. Saw the way you looked at me when I walked in the first and second time.” I’m blabbering now, probably giving too much away. He probably knows I was looking just as much as he was now. But I want to knock him back a step. Let him know that he’s still a man that has desires. Needs. Weaknesses.
Silence fills the night air between us. By his agitated looks alone, I think he’s going to say something rude.
But I’m wrong.
Instead, he says, “I’ve noticed the way you look at me since graduation day. Couldn’t keep those big hazel eyes off me.”
“Oh, whatever. I was trying to figure out why the hell a man like you was with my brother.” I throw a hand in the air, flicking my wrist. “Besides, only a woman that isn’t in her right mind wouldn’t stare. It’s natural.”
Ace smirks, taking a wide step forward. “Let me ask you something,” he murmurs.
I stare at him—stare into his now hooded eyes.
Oh… shit. What have we started?
I know I should avoid this and run off like any sane woman would, but I’m too vulnerable and too damn drunk to think straight. So I ask, “What’s that?”
Taking the last step forward, he brings his hand to my cheek and cups it. Panting, I stare into his blazing eyes as he tilts my chin, forcing me to look at him. Then, his hand goes to my hair. Wrapping the majority of it in his large grasp, he softly yanks on it, tilting my chin even further. Our lips are a breath away. I can smell him, all of him, even the part that isn’t his cologne. So spicy. So sweet. So manly.
Leaning in, he tilts his head at an angle. For a moment I think he’s going to go for my lips.
He doesn’t.
He aims for my neck. And when he sucks, I tingle uncontrollably. My legs are wobbling, my body warm and limp but highly alert. His kisses are hot and wet, making me hotter and wett
er by the second. I grip onto the shoulder of his shirt, locking my fingers around it to bring him closer.
Grunting heavily, he pulls back and kisses my chin. And then my cheek. I release a sigh and a moan, craving for more. My body begging.
“Does this…,” he starts, kissing the corner of my mouth, “feel natural to you, Red?” His voice is husky. Purely intoxicating. My stomach rolls, and the delicate, sweet spot between my legs clenches with desire.
And as if I weren’t already turned completely on, he yanks my hair some more, causing me to open my eyes. His face is less than an inch away from mine. His lips are glistening, eyes lit on fire.
My goodness, he’s sexy. So devilishly sexy.
Like a snake catching its prey, he attacks my lips, crushing them forcefully with his own. I feel my mouth getting sore by the second, but I like this. I want more, and he gives it to me. Sliding his tongue in my mouth, I play with it, twisting and locking. He groans, lifting me up and locking my legs around him.
I can feel his cock as he lifts me up and down, rubbing me against him. He’s hard. Massive. So fucking massive.
Wetness builds between my legs, and as if he knows, he keeps one arm locked around me while the other reaches down. His finger crawls beneath my dress, our lips still locked. Once he finds the spot he’s been searching for, he thrusts a finger inside me. It’s not too hard or too soft. Just right.
“So wet,” he breathes.
I gasp, but keep the kiss going.
Stumbling forward, he lays my back on the bench but our lips never part, and his finger doesn’t slip out of me. He continues fingering me, grunting as he grinds his cock against my leg.
When he finally breaks the kiss, he stares down into my eyes. His are hooded, dark. He stares at me for a brief moment, finger still inside. Still pushing in and out. I can’t control myself. His eyes… they’re too intense. Too much. And now two fingers are inside me.
He pumps hard. Fast. His arm jerks forward and backward, and my moans fill the damp air. His eyes are saying something, and when he speaks, I know exactly what they’re saying.
“Can’t fucking handle me, Red. Enjoy this shit. ‘Cause it’s all you get.”
His voice is heavy… thick.
But I don’t care about anything he’s saying.
All I know is he’s horny.
He wants me.
I want him.
Why doesn’t he just do it?
Before I can ask any questions, he lowers his head to suck on my nipple. He doesn’t bother lowering my dress. He sucks through the silk, pebbling each one. He goes back and forth, and when the silk is damp, he yanks my dress down, exposing my breasts.
There’s no hesitation when he sucks on them. He does so, greedily. His fingers still thrust inside me, rolling over my clit occasionally.
And then I feel it coming. Brewing inside me.
A scream boils at the heart of my chest, my panting increases rapidly, and once he finds my spot and hits it repeatedly while circling my delicate nub with his thumb, I buck against him and scream to the sky. My back arches, my body trembles violently, moving up and down. I squeeze my eyes shut and imaginary fireworks explode around me. His mouth lingers on my nipple, sucking gently.
Sweetly.
Slowly.
When my body finally dies down and lowers to the bench, he pulls his fingers out of me, releases my nipple from his full lips, and then stands, straightening his pants and shirt.
I think he’s going to sit back down, but he doesn’t. He stares down at me, and what he says next leaves me utterly confused.
“That’s all you get,” he mutters. And then, he turns his back to me and walks away, doing the same casual walk he normally does, as if nothing ever happened.
Huffing, I sit up, and straighten my dress. I refuse to go back inside for fear that I’ve been heard, so I decide to remain planted on the bench until the yacht meets the docks. While I wait, I go over every detail. Every word of what just happened. That’s all I get? What does he mean that’s all I get? Why not more? I know he wants more.
Shit, I want more.
I don’t see Ace when I disembark. I don’t see him for the rest of the night. Gerrick escorts me to my condo, and when I make it back, I take a quick shower. I can’t help my train of thought. Liquor is still flowing through my veins, and I’m still horny. Wanting more. I slowly run my fingers down my chest, toying with my nipples. I pant as I run the palm of my hand over my mound and through the slick folds, but after a few minutes of teasing myself, I can’t seem to finish myself off. I want him.
Damn.
I’m starting to think he did that on purpose. Said that so I’d come running for more.
Well, he’s wrong, and two can play at this game.
After I dry off, I curl up beneath my blankets, and oddly, for the first time in a while, I sleep like a baby. No crying. No weeping.
I’m glad.
I had a few things to do this morning, meetings to attend, shopping for certain attire for upcoming events. So it takes me by surprise to see Bianca standing in front of my condo building. As the wheels of my car pull up to the curb, she folds her arms, a smirk on her lips.
Damn. It’s her all-knowing smile… again.
Grabbing the door handle and pushing out, I shut the door behind me and start her way. “What the hell do you want?” I ask, exasperated.
“I was bored at the loft. Decided to stop by… only you weren’t up there.” Her pink lips stretch, forming a wide smile. “I thought we could catch some lunch or something. I’m starving.”
“No thanks,” I mutter, entering the building.
She clomps after me in her bright yellow high-heels, rushing to my side. “Oh, come on, Ace,” she whines.
“You decided to come here unannounced, Bianca. Now, had you told me you were coming, I would’ve planned ahead for some time off.” I push the button for the elevator. “But you didn’t, and I’m not rearranging my schedule. So, I guess you’ll have to stay bored.” I straighten my tie and she sucks her teeth, looking me in the eye.
“You act way busier than you are,” she says, rolling her eyes.
The elevator shoots open, and I laugh, stepping inside. “Or maybe I just don’t want to be around you today because I know you have something on your mind.”
She turns in my direction, arms folded again. “And how would you know that?”
“Because you have that look…”
“What look?”
“You know what look—that nosey, curious look.”
Her laughter bounces off the glossy wooden walls of the elevator, her arms unfolding. “Well, I can’t help but to be the least bit curious. You told me nothing was going on.”
“Nothing to be curious about and nothing’s going on,” I say, looking up at the ascending neon red numbers.
“Really? Nothing?”
“Nothing at all.” The elevator doors shoot open, and I march out, starting toward my room at the end of the hallway.
“Just let me ask this one question,” she says, hurrying after me.
“You’ve asked plenty of questions already,” I mumble, pulling out my keys.
“Okay, well let me ask this final question.” She steps to my side, watching as I unlock the door. When the door is open, I walk in and she follows after me.
“What is it, Bianca?”
“Why did you bring her up here? London?”
I sit my shopping bag down, glancing her way. “Keeping her safe.”
“You mean protecting her?”
I nod.
“But… from who?”
I turn in her direction, loosening my tie. “Men that want to kill her.”
“Who do they work for?”
“Can’t tell you all that. Your mouth is too big.”
“You know I can just ask her all these questions, right?”
“But you won’t. I don’t need her worrying while she’s up here. She already has a lot on her mind. A lot g
oing on.” I look away, picking up my bag.
Bianca clears her throat behind me, and when I glance over my shoulder, she sneers. “You’re really… protective of her.”
“I made a promise.”
“To?”
“Jonah.”
“You’ve made a lot of promises, Ace. But protecting someone, keeping them safe, giving them a bodyguard and even buying them expensive things has never been in your nature. Ever. Not unless they’re family.”
“Well, I need her here. This is important.”
“What is?”
I frown, turning completely. “You’ve asked more than one damn question.”
“Wait…” She takes a step forward, looking me in the eyes. It’s not like me to look away. Unfortunately, I have too much pride to remove myself from a confrontation or even a mini stare-down with my little cousin—or anyone. “Wait… Ace. You want something from her, don’t you?” she asks.
“Not your concern.”
“Oh my God!” she squeals. “Wow… you’re using her,” she says, pointing a manicured fingernail at me.
“I’m doing what I have to do.”
“But… why? What does she have that you need?”
I draw in a deep breath, shaking my head. “Don’t worry about it, alright?”
“Fine.” She shrugs, pursing her lips. “Whatever. I won’t stress you. But… let me ask you this.”
I look up, eyebrows knitted.
“If she didn’t have something you needed, would she be here? Would you be treating her like this…?”
I shrug, swallowing hard. The guilt that I hate so much returns.
Fuck this guilt. Fuck the shame. I don’t care.
“I don’t know.”
“Of course not,” she mutters. “No, actually you wouldn’t because I know you. And as soon as you get what you need, you’re gonna toss her to the curb, just like you do to everyone else you don’t need in your life.”
“Look… just get the fuck out, Bianca. Please. I’m not up for this shit today.”
“Ace,” she says, her voice sympathetic. “Trust me, I’m not judging you. But… I like her. She’s sweet. And innocent. And hurting. I think the last thing she’d ever want to find out while she’s here is that you’re using her to get something—something I’m sure she has no clue about.”
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