Ace of Hearts

by Goode, Ella

  “Yeah.” I don’t have time for Carter’s attitude. Not today. “Tell me where Billy is and you can go.”

  My quarterback narrows his eyes at me. “Why do you want to know?”

  “Because he tried to lay hands on my girl.”

  Carter makes a face and climbs out of the car, pushing me out of the way and then pulling down on the door to close it. “Come on. I’ll help you find him. He’s probably trying to con one of the cheerleaders into going home with him.”

  “Great. Tell me where he is.” I don’t need Carter’s help.

  “Sorry. You’re worked up and primed to do some major damage so I better come along to clean up after your mess. You scored four touchdowns tonight so I can’t have you getting suspended.” He heads in the direction of the fieldhouse where track and other sports I don’t care about practice, but he’s moving too slow. I push him aside and race forward. Once I get to the front doors, I grab the first person I see. “Yo, where is the cheerleaders’ locker room?”

  The girl jerks a thumb over her shoulder. “Inside, but almost everyone is gone. Who are you looking for?” A smile curves her lips. “Because if you don’t find her, I can take you home tonight.”

  “Go on, Claire,” orders a voice behind me. “He’s taken.”

  I hurry inside, but catch the tail end of her response, which sounds a little like, “Doesn’t hurt to try.”

  Another guy probably would’ve taken her up on it, but the only girl I want is Ace. I can’t believe Billy tried something with her. What in the actual fuck? Halfway down the hall, I see a sign that says GIRLS CHEER SQUAD. The door bangs open as I slam my fist against it. There’s a high-pitched scream and then a lower-toned growl from around the corner. I already have my fist cocked when I see the dark shoulders of Grant Tones, one of the defensive backs, hunched forward as he braces himself against a locker.

  “Get out,” he snaps, his hand on the head of the girl kneeling in front of him.

  “Where’s Billy Crenshaw?”

  “Don’t know. Don’t care.”

  “How about her? She know?”

  “She’s busy,” he replies tersely.

  Carter appears at my arm. “Come on. Leave the two lovebirds alone. Billy’s in the parking lot. I got a text.” He shows me his phone screen which shows a grainy photo of Billy leaning against a white sports car.

  “Sorry, man,” I yell over my shoulder as I start sprinting out of the room. Carter grabs me before I can reach the door. “What do you want?” I demand angrily.

  “We gotta talk.”

  “Do it fucking outside,” Grant roars.

  Carter opens the door and hustles me out. With barely leashed impatience, I ask, “Is this about team cohesiveness?” The quarterback is always preaching team first, everything else second, which might be his motto but it ain’t fucking mine.

  “Yeah, it is. Look, go ahead and put Billy in the hospital. I don’t give a shit, but you don’t do it in public and no one else knows about it.”

  I shake my head. “No way. He owes my girl an apology. He laid hands on her and opened his trash mouth in front of her. I don’t stand for that.”

  “Billy’s a piece of shit, for sure, which is why I’m saying punish that trash can. All I’m asking is for you to keep it quiet. If you make a big fuss, you could get suspended and your chances of your D1 scholarship are gone.” He snaps his fingers. “And so is our season. Think about it.”

  He shoves his hands in his pockets. As he’s walking away, he says, “Also, don’t hurt your hands.”

  I don’t like what he said, but he has a point. If I get kicked off the team, then there’s no D1 school and no big draft day and my chances of providing for Ace in the way that she’s used to are gone. So that sucks. On the other hand, if I keep it quiet, I can do whatever I want and Carter will look the other way. I’ll figure out how to get Billy to apologize to Ace. I’m not letting that go, but I don’t need to publicly humiliate the worm. I just need to teach him a lesson.

  When I arrive at the parking lot, though, there’s only the silver car. Billy’s nowhere to be seen. I punch my fist against my palm. I guess someone else is showing up on my kill list.

  A dude I don’t know peels away from the side of the car and walks over to slap a key in my hand. “Carter said you needed a quiet place. Storage shed at eleven o’clock.”

  Okay. Carter can live. I thank the dude and leave. The storage shed is dark when I get there, but there’s enough exterior light that I can make out Billy sitting on a bench. He jumps to his feet as I open the door.

  “What—where’s Lisa?” He peers around me. “Carter told me to stay here because someone wanted to see me.”

  “He was saving you for me,” I tell him through clenched teeth.

  “That you, Fast? What do you want?”

  “Your dick in your throat, but I’ll settle for your face looking like you’re a Picasso painting.” I stroll up and punch him in the nose. I hear the cartilage crack and smile. “Feel good?”

  “What the hell?” he cries, stumbling backward. Blood spurts down his chin and onto his T-shirt. “What’s this for? We’re teammates!”

  “So?” I punch him again. He reels to the side and falls to his knees. I grab his hair and jerk his head back until his Adam’s apple nearly pops out of his neck. “I’m going to bring Ace to you on Monday and you will get down on your knees and apologize to her.”

  “Damn, man, all this over pussy? Every pussy’s the same.”

  Still holding his hair, I punch him right in the Adam’s apple. He chokes and slumps to the ground. Fuck. I didn’t realize I’d make him pass out. I look around for some water to throw on his face and find a stale bucket of some dank liquid. Good enough. I toss it on his inert form. He sputters to life with a sad moan.

  I jerk him upright again. “Do I need to repeat myself?”

  He shakes his head. I toss the snake back down. Only three punches. I’m disappointed. The anger’s still running hot inside me. Maybe it won’t go away until Ace gets her apology. We’ll see on Monday how I feel. Until then, I’m going to spend every second with her. It makes my stomach roil to know that she was in danger while I was cleaning up after the game. The secrecy pact I made with Carter gnaws at me. If no one knows what Billy did was wrong, will other guys make moves?

  Frustrated, I pull out my phone to see the text from Ace that she made it home safe. I spin on my heel and leave. At least Billy knows not to look in Ace’s direction again. That should be enough.

  17

  Alice

  “It’s not enough,” I moan into Owen’s neck, breathing him in. I swear the smell of him sometimes is just as erotic to me as his touch. He’s got his hand inside my panties as I ride the fingers he has deep within me. I’m trying to be quiet but failing. My parents aren’t home but they could be at any moment. I am too lost to care at this point. My body is on the verge of an orgasm. I am having a difficult time trying to listen for the sound of the garage door or their car over our heavy breathing.

  “Ace.” Owen groans out my name, knowing what I want. He wants to give it to me. I know he doesn't enjoy telling me no. He might not be verbalizing the word no but we both know that this isn’t going to lead to him taking my virginity tonight. My hopes of him tossing me down onto the sofa to take it would not be happening. Pretty soon I am going to be the one tossing him down and taking his instead. I am growing more impatient as the days drag on. I do find it sweet that he keeps telling me there is no rush because he isn’t going anywhere. He keeps saying we have a lifetime together. He’s made it crystal clear that he is in this for the long haul.

  Owen is very fond of my parents. I know he respects them and it matters to him what they think of him. Because of this, I know that there will be no virginity losing going on tonight. He won’t risk my parents catching us. In this moment with how worked up I am, I might risk it, but Saint Owen over here isn’t having it. I don’t know how he keeps his control but he does.
/>   I want to go all the way. My body is aching for it but I know we don’t have the time. He told me that when I crawled into his lap, tossing his book away. He warned me when we started making out. I said we’d only mess around a little. He laughed at that one. Now I am asking for more, like usual. I can’t help it. He does these things to my body that would drive any normal person insane. When I am near him it has a mind of its own, which I know is impossible. Still here I am seeing that impossibility. He is the only one it acts this way around.

  “I don’t wanna come on your hand,” I lie. Right now I want to come anywhere but I really want it to be with him deep inside of me. Us both finding pleasure in one another.

  “Sorry, Ace,” he says as his thumb adds more pressure to my clit, moving faster to send me over the edge. I bite down on his neck as I come. I don’t know if I’m doing it to be a brat or because I’m still trying not to cry out. Either way, from the sound Owen makes I’m thinking he likes it. He holds me close as I enjoy the afterglow of my orgasm. I kiss the spot I bit. “Sorry.”

  “Liar.” He chuckles, making my whole body shake. He pulls his fingers out from my pants and I hear him lick them clean. My body starts to come back to life, wanting another orgasm, but I want to take care of my man. He is always taking care of me. It isn't often enough that I get to return the favor. He always tends to me first. Often we run out of time. Our time together will be rushed or someone will be coming so he has to stop. Tonight I am determined to return the favor. I just have to get him to agree.

  “Your turn.” I lift up to look at him, putting my hands on his chest, still straddling him. His big hands go to my ass, where he picks me up for a moment, putting me back down onto the sofa.

  “Sorry, Ace, time’s up.”

  I grab for him, but like his name he’s freaking fast and I miss. He darts into the bathroom, leaving me where he placed me. I sit impatiently waiting for his return. He may think he’s escaping to the bathroom but I’m still determined to give him pleasure. He’s not sidestepping me that easy.

  “We might have time.” I sit up on my knees. What is happening here? Do girls really have to beg their boyfriends to give them blowjobs?

  “Your little bite took care of me.” He walks over, dropping down onto the sofa next to me and pulling me back into his lap. “Had to clean up.” I love that he openly admits that I made him come in his pants. That admission has me feeling sexy. Most men would probably be too macho to admit something like that and the fact that Owen does makes me love him more.

  “You give orgasms and you clean up. I’m a lucky girl,” I tease, leaning down to kiss him. I get lost in the kiss until we are both breathless. I pull back, knowing how quickly things escalate between us. My parents really should be back soon. They went out to see a movie a few hours ago.

  “Will I see Billy tomorrow or will he go missing like JJ?” I try and make light of what happened. I can tell Owen is still stewing over it. Both of us have been distracted with each other for the past few hours, neither one focusing on what happened with Billy. Now that it’s quiet, I can tell Owen is getting lost in his own head. I’m almost positive Owen got his licks in on Billy if his hands were any indication. He stopped by my house saying that he needed a goodnight kiss. I think both of us wanted to see one another. I needed to know that he was okay and he needed the same for me.

  “JJ?” He tries to tease back but I can see saying the guy’s name leaves a bad taste in his mouth. JJ has up and disappeared from my first period class after the dick punch day. I’ve seen him around school a few times but he’s kept his distance. I don’t know if he moved classes on his own or if they were changed for him. Either way I didn’t care. I don’t think Billy would be so easy to get rid of though. He is on the football team. If I’ve learned anything about my new school it is that the football team is untouchable. The girls all said to stay away from the players. It’s a warning I’ve received more than once.

  I didn’t know what they were talking about. That was before Billy, though. The only football player I talk to is Owen and he’s been nothing but sweet and respectful. That said, I keep my nose in my books or pointed at my man. There isn’t enough time to pay attention to other things. Now, I see what some of the other girls meant. They didn't outright say why but it made me wonder if there was some kind of unspoken rule around Franklin U High. You never mention what the boys on the team do; you just stay away from them.

  “They both got what they deserved.” I have no guilt over either of them. I could only hope they actually learned a lesson. I can only make assumptions of the football team since I haven't been around long enough to be in the know about them. When I watch the games my eyes are always on Owen. There has to be more to the story, though, because I can’t imagine Owen would be friends with a bunch of boys who treat women like trash. He isn't built that way. He has manners when it comes to women. That’s where my mind keeps getting stuck. All of it doesn’t add up to me.

  “Wasn't enough.” Owen shakes his head. Yeah, it’s still eating at him. Melody sent me a picture of Billy. I hadn't told her what happened but she’d asked me. She probably assumes that Owen would have told me since they were teammates. I knew exactly who Billy got that busted face from but I kept my answer casual to Melody. It looks like his face met a fist is the only thing I said. It was the truth. She’d seen him at the store and snuck a picture. It might not be enough in Owen’s mind but it was damn close from the look of Billy’s face. I’d say the score had been evened but Owen would disagree, based on his expression.

  “I love you.” I say the words that have been on the tip of my tongue for days now. When he said them to me it felt so right. I wanted to say them to him then but I didn't want him to think I was only repeating them back. Those are powerful words to say to someone and I wanted them to come in the right moment. He needs to know that I mean them with all of my heart. His head jerks back, causing his eyes to lock with mine. The emotion I see in them brings tears to my own. His hand reaches up to caress my face while his lips gently kiss mine. The kiss is sweet and tender, just like my Owen always is with me.

  “I love you too, Ace,” he says against my mouth. “It’s about time you admitted it,” he adds, making me laugh. He gives me one of those dimples.

  “I know. I give in.” I fake an eye roll. This time he does toss me down onto the sofa, but he tickles me.

  “This was not how I thought I’d find you two on the sofa.” Mom says standing with Dad in the entryway to the living room.

  “Don’t just stand there. Help me!” I shout at them through my laughter. They both only stare at us in amusement. I think it is safe to say my parents are a little in love with Owen too. I can’t blame them. He is easy to love and I am lucky to be the one that gets to do it.

  18

  Owen

  I hadn’t realized that JJ disappeared. I search for him on Monday but don’t see him. When afternoon practice rolls around, I corner Carter by his locker first thing.

  “Whatever happened to the dude JJ?”

  “Anderson? The basketball player?” Carter shrugs. “Heard he transferred over to Jefferson.”

  “Why?”

  Carter gives me a look. “You don’t know why?”

  I don’t budge. “No. I don’t. I’m a dumb football player. I need things explained with pictures and bold type.”

  “You’re in three honors classes,” Carter says with annoyance. “I thought he’d fuck with your performance. He sucks at basketball so I suggested he leave and he left. End of story.” He pushes by me.

  I hadn’t thought of driving Billy out of school, but I like that option. I crack my knuckles. The best way is to just beat him up every day. I don’t have money to threaten him with, which is the tool I bet Carter used, but I am capable of punching Billy in the face every time I see him. In fact, that idea makes me pretty damn happy.

  “No.”

  I turn to see Carter frowning behind me. “You talking to me?”

&nb
sp; “Yeah and I see what you’re thinking. You can’t get rid of Billy.”

  “The fuck I can’t.” Carter’s beginning to annoy me. “He’s a third string running back. A freshman could play his part.”

  “It’ll mess with the team dynamic. We’re two games away from the end of the season. Do what you want after the playoffs, but until then Billy stays on the team.”

  “Why? He’s a shit player. Adds nothing to the team chemistry. Is literally more useless than the waterboy. Unless he’s blackmailing you, why shouldn’t he be forced off the team?”

  Carter throws his pads over his head. “Because I’m superstitious, that’s why,” he huffs impatiently. “Dance with the girl you brought and that shit. You know? Fuck. Newbies,” he mutters under his breath and stomps off.

  “You didn’t know?” Grant asks. “Home boy puts on his shoes in the same order every day. Left foot first and then right foot. He always eats a quarter of a Snickers bar and then tucks the rest of it away until after the win.”

  I rub my head. “First, I never watched him dress and second, I thought he only ate a couple of bites because Snickers are terrible candy bars and he kept forgetting about it because of all the hits he takes on the field.”

  Grant snorts. “You’ve got good hands, Fast, but sometimes you’re as oblivious as fuck.”

  He means off the field. On the field, I’m razor sharp and even though Carter is irritated with me, he still throws me the ball and I still catch everything.

  After practice, I make my way to sewing class. Ace is already in her seat with a bunch of girls huddled around her. They scatter when I step inside.

  “Did I interrupt something?”

  “Nope.” Ace smiles sunnily up at me, but I see the furtive way that Melody tucks her phone away.

  “You guys looking at porn? Pillowcases? Trig formulas? I can take it.” I slouch down in the seat next to my girl.

  “Tampons. We’re talking about which ones have the best leak protection,” Melody says with a tiny defiant tilt of her chin.