Ace nodded and shrugged. “You left off the part that I’m successful and I have money coming out of my ass. You’ll never want for anything. You might feel suffocated from having bodyguards at times, but I’ll make you happy if you let me.”
Jasmia smiled. “I don’t think you’re a freak, but they would.”
Ace frowned. “I don’t care what people think of me. I’m no Princess Charming. I like my vodka, I cuss too much, and I can be a control freak. I know who I am, and I’m proud of what I’ve done with my life.”
“I’m proud of my career although I thought I’d be married with kids by now.”
“No kids right now, Mia,” Ace told her.
“I know.” She shrugged. “I don’t think I’m ready. It’s going to take time to get settled and deal with the changes.”
“Once we’ve taken down The Hatter it’ll be safe,” Ace told her.
“No. It’s okay. I’ve always wanted to travel, and I haven’t even done a fraction of it. Maybe now that I have a mate who’s rich I can.”
Ace laughed. “I guess I’m going to be good for something besides pissing you off.”
“Yeah. You’re going to be good for making my heart so full of love I can barely breathe,” she said softly.
“I’m going to be very happy myself,” Ace answered gently and leaned toward her. She kissed Jasmia softly and caressed her cheek. “You’ve brought so much into my life already. I can’t wait to experience things with you including raising a child.”
“Then, you’re going to make all of my dreams come true, Axana Baker.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
Ace found it hard to sleep that night even with Jasmia snuggled against her side with her head on her pillow. Her scent barely calmed her, and she doubted herself. Two weeks ago she’d have known this was the right move, but now she wasn’t sure.
The woman next to her was counting on her, and she supposed that’s what terrified her so much. One wrong step and she could lose Mia to The Hatter. She’d come up against some of his men before, but they’d never gone against him. If they had, he’d be six feet under right now. There were some enemies she didn’t let live, and Ace had the feeling The Hatter was one of them.
Tomorrow’s act would likely piss him off if they were able to pull it off the way Ace wanted to.
Jasmia moved against her and nuzzled her jaw. “Baby, what’s wrong?”
“Nothing.”
“What did you say?” she asked sleepily. “Because I swore I heard you lie.”
Ace grunted. “You can’t hear a lie.”
“You’re tense.” She rubbed Ace’s stomach. “You’re not trusting me to be your confidant.”
“I’m just worried I made the wrong decision about tomorrow,” she admitted as she rubbed Jasmia’s hair.
“Is it because of me?”
“I have more to lose than my life,” Ace told her.
“Would you be this worried before me?”
“No.”
“Then, relax, and don’t start doubting yourself now. I’m sure Cattail and Devin would have let you know if they thought you were being reckless or something.” She nipped at Ace’s jaw.
“Devin’s not known for holding her piece in times like this,” Ace admitted.
“Okay, then.” She straddled Ace and ran her hands up her chest to cup her breasts hidden beneath a tank top. “What’s the worst that can go wrong?”
She put her hands on Jasmia’s hips. “Absolute worst?”
“Exactly.” She pushed Ace’s tank up and stroked her warm skin.
“Instead of The Hatter losing something important in his drug trade, nothing happens,” she said. “Well, that’s not true. He’s losing seven kids either way.”
“Seven kids won’t be sold?”
“Right.”
“Then, you’ll have done something good still,” she murmured and leaned down to kiss Ace.
Ace moaned. The kiss was a sweet balm to her fears, better than vodka. She pushed her fingers into Jasmia’s curls and held her in place as their tongues stroked against each other.
“Sweetheart,” Ace said roughly and rolled them over. She braced one hand on the bed instead of allowing Jasmia to take her full weight. With her muscle she was heavier and didn’t want to crush her.
She pushed the thin gown up. The matching panties were purple scraps of lace with a dark satin that covered her hairless mound. She ran her fingers over Jasmia’s pussy. She’d ordered several items from a local store while Jasmia had slept, and they’d all been delivered this morning.
She’d known she’d love this color on Mia. The purple brought out the red undertones of her skin.
Ace moved against her. She was already so wet she could come right now. Instead, she slapped the curve of Mia’s breast before pinching the nipple. Jasmia hissed.
Ace raked the taut dark peak with sharp teeth before licking over the abused flesh.
“Mmm.” Jasmia moaned.
Jasmia arched up pushing her nipple deeper into her mouth. She sucked hard and Jasmia purred softly. The sound made her clit throb. She lifted her head and bit a line from one nipple to the other. Her lover’s sighs and soft sounds of pleasure told her she wasn’t put off by the habit she always fought to restrain.
“Ace,” Jasmia cried, her breathing rough.
Ace drew her tongue around the dark areola before biting the nipple. Jasmia cried out, tangling a leg around hers. Ace loved the feel of Jasmia’s silky skin against hers. She luxuriated in the softness and the ripe green apple scent of her mate’s skin.
Her cat growled, and she sucked the nipple into her mouth, humming as she enjoyed the taste of her. Everything about Jasmia made her hunger for more.
Ace trailed bits over her stomach to the band of her panties. She pulled them down before gliding her tongue down the damp slit of Jasmia’s womanhood. She kissed her inner thigh, nipped, and drew a harsh groan from her mate.
She swatted Jasmia’s pussy with her open hand, and watched her face. Her eyes were already aflame with passion, her face aglow with her hunger. She was beautiful.
Ace delivered another tap and another and then leaned away from her to open the bedside table drawer. She grabbed a vibrator and rolled back into place. She removed the protective cap, and turning it on, she placed it against Jasmia’s clit.
Jasmia screamed and bucked. “Ace,” she cried. “Ace!”
She massaged her pussy with the toy knowing the pleasure it was giving her.
“My Goddess, my Goddess!” She writhed, head thrashing on the bed as the toy pushed her over the edge quickly. “Ace, baby.”
Ace set the toy aside and licked the cream from her outer lips and then caressed the nubbin of pleasure with her tongue tip.
She pulled Ace’s hair. “Yes, oh, please.”
Ace drew her tongue around Jasmia’s clit and flicked it. She teased the swollen button until Jasmia began squirming beneath her. She knew her lover’s pleasure was building again. In minutes she’d have her ready to explode and that was just as well. She kissed back up Jasmia’s body and collapsed onto her back.
Jasmia straddled her and began grinding against her. “Ace, I need you so bad,” she said urgently. “I need you.”
Ace sat up, braced her hands on the bed behind her and thrust to meet Jasmia’s wet pussy as it ground against hers. The feel of her was bliss and she closed her eyes. Savoring the, sliding of clit against clit, she gripped Jasmia’s hip and growled harshly as she gave herself over the sensations tearing through her.
“Oh, my Goddess! Ace!” Jasmia came hard. Her juices were sticky as they damped her groin.
Ace let out a harsh cry, hips bucking as she came. “Mia, Goddess, Mia.” She pulled Jasmia against her and fell back onto the pillows. “Mia, I think I love you.”
****
The next morning, Jasmia woke curled in Ace’s arms. A smile tugged at her lips. Love.
She was in love and even better Ace loved her back. She rubbed
Ace’s side, but didn’t attempt to wake her. Lying with her like this was perfect.
A rap on the door and a second later it was opening. “Ace, he’s moving them.”
Ace groaned and kissed Jasmia quickly before rolling out of bed. “Sorry, sweetie.” She was into the bathroom before Jasmia could reply.
“Sorry,” Cattail said giving her an apologetic look.
Ace emerged less than five minutes later dressed in fatigues, dark eyes hard. She was perched on the bed wearing a robe.
“Be safe.”
Ace cupped her cheek and gave her a quick kiss. “Always now that I have a reason to come home. A couple of the cleaners will be here to protect you. If anything happens get to the safe room.”
She’d shown her where the safe room was after dinner last night. “Okay.” She watched Ace go wondering how many other mornings would there be like this. She hoped not many. Jasmia wanted to wake up in her mate’s arms, make love, and just enjoy the gift of another day with her.
****
Ace was surprised at this tactic, but not unprepared. She would have changed the times too just for kicks. You never knew who knew what.
She was silent through the tense drive to the shelter. Cattail checked in with Alexi and Blade to make sure everyone was in place. When they reached that side of town, she parked a short distance away noticing a Hummer up ahead.
“They might have spotted us,” Cattail said as Ace cut the engine.
“Yep.” She climbed out quickly and moved for the trees at the side of the road. Ace jumped and caught a limb rather than changing.
Below her Cattail vanished into a copse just as a man came creeping through. Cattail took him down quickly as Ace moved closer to the shelter. She knew Cat would follow.
“The feds are moving in on the shelter and the airport,” Blade said in her ear.
The communications link was small and embedded in her ear. “Cattail?”
“Right below you.”
They remained silent until they reached the shelter. A Hummer was parked outside the building that served as the office.
“I was expecting Black Jack.”
“He’s unavailable,” Patton told the man speaking. “That doesn’t change the fact that the weapons are exactly what you asked for and the drugs are all there. We even threw in a trial of our new fire candy.”
“The sex drug?”
“Exactly. It’ll get any woman you give it to so aroused for hours she won’t be able to do anything but fuck, but be careful with the dosage. It’s lethal if you use too much and if mixed with meth.”
“Right. Where is the test subject I was promised?”
“The boy’s over there. Take him and dump him when you’re done,” Patton said.
“Here’s your money.”
The sound of movement and then, “Okay. We’re good to go,” Patton said.
That would get the shelter seized and Patton put away for a long time. The question was would he rat out Black Jack?
She could hear the feds moving in. Shots were fired inside as well as outside of the shelter. She climbed out of her tree and hurried to back up the feds. She wasn’t going to allow Patton to get away and The Hatter to continue to use this building to pimp out kids and sell drugs.
Cattail was already moving toward the scene. She shifted and leaped onto the back of a man preparing to fire a rocket launcher.
Ace kicked a second man in the back of the thigh, causing him to pitch forward and his shot to go wide. She broke his neck and quickly moved forward allowing him to fall to the ground as if he was last week’s garbage.
She spied Patton running for the Hummer and raced toward him. She reached him as he jerked it open.
“Going somewhere?” she asked.
He jerked around, and she punched him. He snarled and threw a punch that glanced off her jaw. She grimaced. It rattled her teeth, and she stomped on his foot before punching him again.
“Ace of Spade, I should have known.” He shoved her backward and climbed into the vehicle. Ace lunged for him and grabbed a handful of his shirt and pulled him back out. He came around swinging and Ace blocked the punch and kicked him in his knee. He roared in pain and anger as she drove her fist into his jaw. His lip split, and she hit him again.
“What’s The Hatter’s real name and who is Black Jack?” she demanded though she didn’t expect him to actually divulge anything.
He struck out and she blocked the punch. “From here I just go to jail if I’m caught.”
She threw a right cross and he blocked it before striking out at her again. She caught his arm, and he threw his weight forward causing her to stumble. Falling backward, Ace took him with her. She landed on the ground with a dull thud and he pinned her.
“You have no idea what you’re doing,” he snarled. “You’re in over your head, Spade. The Hatter isn’t the kind of man who takes interference in his business lightly. And your girlfriend is no longer the center of attention. He knows she can know nothing. It’s you he wants dead.”
“Then, he’ll have to come and get me,” she told him as she strained up bearing teeth. “Who is he?”
“Black Jack is a real piece of work,” he said and laughed. “You should enjoy working with him and his merry band of traitors.”
“Who is he?” she whispered and something in the trees made her go hunting still. She picked up the faint scent under the leaves and dirt. He was using them to mask his true scent.
The first shot missed them but the second graze her ear, hot and windy.
“Get off me,” she ordered and pushed him off her. Rolling to one side, she just got out of the way of a barrage of bullets.
“You fucker!” Patton screamed. “I told her nothing.”
“Can’t let you go to jail,” a voice retorted. It was low and indistinguishable.
“You can’t kill me,” he screamed and started to run.
“Your negligence cost us too much. The Hatter sends his regards. Goodbye, Patton.”
Two bullets hit him, one from different directions and he slumped against a tree trunk, arms around it. She fired into the trees and heard a hard grunt. Leaves rustled and a man fell to the ground.
Ace moved to him. “Seymour,” she growled. “You bastard.”
His breathing was labored as he looked up at her. “Same to you,” he said weakly. “The game’s just beginning. I was just a pawn.”
“You were the one that tried to kill, Mia?”
“Just doing my job,” he said. “I did take some pleasure in it since she’d chosen a fucking woman over me.”
“Who’s Black Jack?” she demanded knowing he was an integral part of finding The Hatter and defeating him.
He gave her a smile. “You should know. You’ve worked with him. He fears you’ll realize who he is that’s why the feds are looking at you for those murders.”
“Who—”
“If you don’t know, you’re dead because you won’t see him coming.” A faint wind blew around him and she glanced up as leaves rustled. Looking back at him, he stared up at her eyes open and unseeing, expression oddly peaceful.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Ace had only hung around to make sure all of The Hatter’s men had been taken into custody before heading back to her truck. Alexi fell into step beside her, her eyes cold.
“The kids are safe. The shelter is going to be closed down until this can all be sorted out.”
“That’s unfortunate,” Ace murmured.
“Yeah, well, there’s nothing to be done,” Alexi said but regret simmered in her voice. “You should try to get this place. You could finish the renovations.”
“No,” Ace replied. “It’s too close to the brothel site. I’ll find something farther away.”
Alexi smiled. “We’ll talk later, and congratulations on your mating.”
“Thanks.” They shook hands and Alexi was hurrying away. “Let’s get home.” She turned to look at Cattail who’d been standing behind them.
>
“Not a problem. Blade’s sticking around a little longer at the other site to make sure things are handled and one of the cleaners is doing the same here,” Cattail told her.
“I don’t think anything of value will be found, but good,” Ace said quietly.
“It’s too bad about Patton and Seymour. One of them had some answers.”
“They both did,” Ace checked her truck for explosives before climbing in. “Seymour told me that I’m a target and Black Jack is someone I’ve worked with.”
“We’ll find out who he is,” Cattail told her. “And then you can destroy him.”
****
Ace was treated by one of their cleaners once she’d gotten home. The girl was also a healer with decent skills which made her valuable to the team. She showered and called Devin who picked up on the first ring.
“How’d it go?” Devin demanded tightly.
“Well, I got the hitter put in charge of killing Jasmia and Patton,” she told her friend. “The shelter is closed for now.”
“Good. We’ll get the kids some lodgings until we can get a building renovated. I think you should have someone talk to the kids and find out what they plan to do with their lives. We can get them educated.”
“I’ll get to that in a few hours,” she agreed. “The Hatter wants my ass on a silver platter for interfering in his plans.” She looked up to see Jasmia coming into her study. Her first instinct was to tell her to leave, but she reminded herself that their relationship was a partnership too. She had to work at it the same way she’d worked at her relationship with Devin.
“Great. The trial starts in a few days. I’ll take a break later and let Darice babysit.”
“We do need to talk face-to-face,” Ace agreed. Jasmia stroked the back of her neck after moving around behind her. She reached up to caress her arm.
“I’ll see you later this afternoon,” Devin murmured.
She ended the call and urged Jasmia onto her lap. Her green eyes were filled with warmth and welcome. Ace hugged her and kissed her.
“Is it over?”
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