“Hello.”
“Hi.”
“What’s up, Lucy?”
“I’m wondering if you have a number for Ace?”
“Lucy, don’t you think you should back off?”
“Yes, but after I apologize.”
“For what? Sleeping with him?”
“No. Mary you don’t understand, Ace is my dad’s co-worker and I ended up at my parents having dinner with him tonight.”
“Oh lord, girl.”
“Oh, and Tom.”
“Thank goodness I lead a boring life.” Mary laughed.
“My life was boring until a few days ago.”
“Got a pen?”
“Yes.”
Declan was finishing his drink when Shane walked up behind him.
“Can I buy you a drink?”
Declan turned around and smiled at Shane.
“Nah, it’s ok, I know the owner and my drinks are free.”
“Look, I know you never liked Robert but…”
“Shane, he’s your business not mine.”
“You know how I feel about you, Dec. You’re the closest thing I have to family. I don’t like that Robert upsets you but I can’t just stop loving him either.”
“I know. I’m sorry. I just want you to be happy, even if it means you go back with that prick.”
“Thanks, man.”
Ace and Chace were talking to two beautiful blondes when one of the wait staff came over and told Ace that he had a phone call. Ace got up to answer his call.
“I will be right back. Chace, take good care of our girls.”
Ace walked over to the bar and picked up the phone.
“Ace Dean.”
“Please don’t hang up.”
“Lucy?”
“Yes.”
“I have nothing to say to you.”
“I called to apologize. I’m so sorry. It’s like when I am around you, I can’t think.”
Ace wanted to be mad but instead he smiled. Lucy really did like him. Then reality hit him, she was with Tom.
“I have to go. Thank you for calling.”
Ace hung up before Lucy could say a word. Then he headed back to the table before Chace left and took both girls home without him.
SHANE WAS WORKING OUT at the gym while he waited for Ace to arrive.
“Shane.”
Shane turned around and Robert was standing there.
“Hey.”
“I miss you.”
“I miss you too, Robert, but I…”
“Five minutes.”
“Fine.”
Shane followed Robert into the locker room. Once they were inside Robert pushed Shane up against a locker and started kissing him. Shane pushed back at first but then gave in. Robert dropped to his knees and untied Shane’s shorts, pulled out his cock and started sucking on it. Shane let out a moan just as Declan walked in.
“Really, Shane!”
Shane opened his eyes and Declan was standing there staring down at Robert who still had his lips around Shane’s cock. Shane pulled back, Robert released his cock and then stood up.
“Hey, Declan.”
“Robert.”
“Dec, Robert came by to talk to me.”
“Well, then I will leave you alone so you can…umm, talk.”
Declan turned and walked out.
Ace taped up his hands and started punching a bag while he waited for Shane. It felt good to release some tension. He was up most of the night thinking about Lucy. Damn that woman. He wanted to hate her so bad but he knew there was little chance of that happening any time soon.
“Hey, want to go a round or two?”
“Tom, hey. I already have a friend meeting me here to do just that. Maybe some other time?”
“Can I ask you something?”
Ace was afraid of what Tom was going ask. Could he suspect something happened between him and Lucy? Well better to just deal with it if he had.
“Sure.”
“How can you stand to work with Lucy’s dad, he’s such a dick. If I had him for a boss I’d transfer.”
It was official, now Ace really hated this guy. He took a deep breath before answering.
“Chief Jenkins, Todd, well I actually admire and respect him. He has gone above and beyond to help me further my career and I think of him as a father figure. Did you ever consider the fact that maybe he acts like a dick around you because he doesn’t like you?”
Tom stood there and just blinked a few times. Then he finally answered.
“Did he tell you he didn’t like me? Was he talking shit about me?”
“No…so calm down.”
“I don’t get it, I tolerate her brothers, and I spend holidays there to make Lucy happy and…”
“Stop, I don’t know why you’re telling me all of this and honestly, I don’t want to be pulled into it either.”
“So, you’re just going to take their side?”
“Tom, I’ve know you for less than a day. I don’t even know why you’re telling me any of this.”
“I’m desperate, is why.”
“Desperate?”
“I don’t want to lose Lucy. I was a jerk the other night and poor Lucy, she thought I was going to ask her to marry me…”
“But you did.”
“Yes, the next morning. But the night before I told her that we should see other people, Lucy was so torn up about it. She stayed out all night drinking and then she fucked some loser she met at a bar.”
Ace didn’t know if he was hurt or angry at this point. Lucy just used him. Yup, she used the loser stripper.
“I really don’t need to hear this about the Chief’s daughter.”
“Please, what I’m trying to say is, that when Lucy came home and I found out she was with someone else, I realized I didn’t want her to be with anyone but me. I need your help.”
“My help?”
“Can you talk to Lucy’s dad and maybe tell him how much I want to marry her. You know that we hit it off last night and you think I’m cool?”
Cool? This guy was an asshole. Ace wanted to throat punch him. He quickly decided the only way to get rid of him was to agree to help.
“Ok.”
“Thanks, I really appreciate it. Now I just have to convince Lucy.”
Lucy sat at her desk grading papers. All she could think about was how the one time she did something wild and stupid and it ends up to be with someone she can’t forget who is also a
co-worker of her dad’s.
“Miss Lucy, why do you look sad?”
Lucy looked up and one of her students, six year old Jaime, was standing there staring at her.
“Oh, I’m not sad at all. I was just concentrating very hard while I am grading your spelling tests.”
“Good, because I don’t like when people are sad.”
“I don’t either, Jaime.”
“I’m going back to play with my friends now.”
“Ok, I will see you after lunch.”
Jaime smiled and then ran out the door. Lucy tried to figure out how she was going to fool Tom into believing everything was fine when even a six year old could tell she was upset.
Shane and Robert walked over to Ace.
“Sorry, I’m late but I had a visitor.”
Ace looked up and Robert was smiling and holding Shane’s hand. Ace was annoyed. He liked Robert as much as he liked Tom right now.
“So are we still doing this or what?”
“Yeah, I just need some tape.”
Shane kissed Robert goodbye and then grabbed the tape and began wrapping his hands.
“Ace, what’s up? You still upset about that girl?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Fine but if you do…”
“I know and thanks, man.”
“Ready for me to kick your ass?” Shane laughed.
“Not if I kick yours first.” Ace smiled.
Declan was waiting in the parking lot for Rober
t to come out of the gym. He had a few words for that sleaze. When he saw Robert walk into the parking lot he got out of his car and walked towards him.
“Robert, got a minute?”
“Yeah, sure.”
“If you don’t love Shane, let him go.”
“My feelings for Shane really aren’t your business.”
“They are when I see my best friend miserable.”
“Shane didn’t look miserable to me a few minutes ago.”
Declan grabbed Robert’s arm and leaned in his face.
“Listen up, Shane is my best friend. He deserves someone who loves him. Not someone who just wants to keep him around to use at his convenience.”
Robert shrugged Declan’s hand from his arm and stepped back.
“Stay the fuck out of this or I will tell Shane about our little talk and I’m sure he will side with me when I tell him that you threatened me.”
“You may think you’ve won this battle but trust me, you will not win this war.”
Declan walked over to his car, got in and tore out of the parking lot.
CHACE AND HIS PARTNER pulled up at the scene of a murder. He walked over to where the body was only to find some blonde woman hanging over the body. For Christ’s sake, there were police all around and nobody noticed this woman. Chace shook his head in disbelief. She could be the murderer or she could be tampering with evidence.
“Police…now get up nice and slow.”
Chace waited but the woman continued to lean over the body and apparently she was choosing to ignore him. He walked over and pulled her up by the arm.
"Get your hands off of me!"
“I asked nicely but you refused to obey my orders.”
“Orders? Listen, I don’t take orders from you, understood!”
“No, you listen, I’m the detective here investigating this crime scene and what I say goes.”
“Chace, I see you’ve met our new medical examiner.”
Chace looked down at the little blonde who was practically growling at him and he quickly released her arm.
"Why didn't you tell me that you're the new M.E.?"
"I would have if you shut up for a damn minute."
Chace gritted his teeth. Out of the corner of his eye he could see his partner Kyle trying to hold in his laughter. Chace exhaled.
"I'm sorry. I didn't…"
"Didn't what? Think?"
"I didn't know that we had a new M.E."
"Well guess what? You do! I'm going to get back to work now, Detective. Might I suggest you do the same?"
Kyle patted Chace on the shoulder.
"Why don't you head inside Chace, I will look around out here."
Chace was more than happy to distance himself from Little Miss Sunshine.
Ace walked into the station and grabbed his gear. It was his day off but the Chief had called him and asked him to come in and help out with fire prevention visits at the local elementary schools.
"Ace, thank you for coming in on your day off."
"Anything for you, Chief."
"Why can't my daughter fall in love with a good man like you, Ace? I hate to see her with that jerk Tom."
"Speaking of Tom, Sir."
"Must we speak of him?" The Chief grumbled.
"Tom approached me at the gym, he asked me to talk to you on his behalf."
"He did what?"
"Seems like he really wants Lucy to accept his proposal and he wants me to put in a good word for him with you."
"Are you serious?"
"Yeah."
"Let me ask you something, Ace. What do you think of him?"
"Well, I only met him twice, Chief."
"Ace, I've known you long enough to know that you can read people after only meeting them once, so fess up, Kid."
"I think the only reason he wants Lucy to marry him is because although he doesn't want to be married, he doesn't want anyone else to have her. I also don't think he cares if you like him but figures if you give Lucy your blessing, then she will say yes."
"Exactly what I was thinking."
"Maybe Lucy has his number and that's why she hasn't accepted his proposal yet?"
"I can only hope so."
Declan walked out of his bedroom to find Shane sitting in the living room.
"Hey."
"Robert came home drunk again last night and he smelled like cologne."
"I’m sorry."
"What the hell is wrong with me?"
"Nothing, it's not you."
"Well, clearly I'm lacking in looks or performance. I can't seem to keep Robert satisfied."
"Shane you're hot as hell and I never found you to be lacking…"
Shane stood up and kissed Declan.
"I need you."
Declan wrapped his arms around Shane.
"Shane, you need to talk to Robert and figure this out. Being here with me will only complicate things even more."
"You're right, Dec, I'm sorry."
"Hey, you know how much I care about you. No need to apologize, ever."
"Thanks. You’re going to be at my fight Saturday, right?"
"Of course, have I ever missed one?"
"I thank God every day that I have you in my life, Dec."
"Me too, Shane, me too."
"I'm going to go talk to Robert."
"Text me later and let me know how it went. Good luck."
Declan wanted to tell Shane to dump the loser but knew that Shane needed to figure that out for himself. So he remained silent.
Ace, Chief Jenkins and Jorge walked into the classroom and were greeted by excited little six year olds.
"This is my favorite class."
"Why's that, Chief?"
The Chief pointed, Ace and Jorge looked in the direction of his finger to see Lucy standing there.
"She's why." The Chief smiled.
Lucy…of all the classes, he had to get Lucy's. Ace's stomach knotted. Well at least she'd be too busy teaching to talk to him.
Lucy walked to the front of the classroom and addressed her class.
"Class, this is my father, Fire Chief Jenkins, Lt. Dean and Lt. Rivera. They are here today to teach us how to stay safe in the event of a fire."
Lucy picked up her camera from her desk and began snapping pictures of the children interacting with her dad, Ace and Jorge. Then she found herself just taking pictures of Ace. She couldn't seem to keep her eyes off of him.
As much as Ace told himself that he wasn't going to look at Lucy or pay her one bit of his attention, he kept finding himself sneaking peeks at her.
"The Chief has got one hot daughter."
Ace looked up and Jorge was watching Lucy.
"I didn't notice, too busy doing my job."
"Did I hit a nerve?"
"You’re crazy."
"You got the hots for the Chief's daughter?"
"No way."
“You do.”
“Even if I did, it wouldn’t matter. I’m not her type.”
“Why do I think there is more going on here…”
“Jorge, drop it, ok?”
“Yeah, sure.”
Shane walked into the house and heard the blender. Robert was in the kitchen making a smoothie. Shane walked into the kitchen and sat down. Robert turned around.
“Shane, I didn’t hear you come in.”
“We need to talk.”
“Ok.”
Robert grabbed his glass and sat down.
“Is everything ok?”
“No, everything isn’t ok.”
“Shane, what’s going on?”
“Robert, do you love me?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did you cheat on me…again?”
“What are you talking about?”
“Robert, you came home drunk and smelling of cologne, cheap cologne, not mine.”
Robert got up and walked over to Shane and reached for his hand. Shane pulled his hand away.
“Don’t touch me.”
<
br /> “Shane, please I’m sorry. I was so upset after Declan threatened me that…”
“Declan did what?”
“Don’t blame him, he was worried about you. But I was afraid he was going to break us up. I started drinking and some guy hit on me, in fact he kissed me but I didn’t kiss him back. I love you.”
“Declan threatened you?”
“Shane, forget it. I only told you so that you’d understand why I was so upset.”
“No, I won’t forget it. I want to know what happened.”
“Declan said that he didn’t like me and that he was going to find a way to break us up. That I’m not good enough for you.”
“No, you must have misunderstood. Declan is the one who told me to talk to you and work things out.”
“I knew you’d take his side.”
“No, I’m not taking anyone’s side.”
Robert walked out of the room. Shane got up and followed him.
“Robert, I love you.”
Robert turned around and looked at Shane.
“So you believe me?”
“I never said I didn’t, I just thought maybe there was a misunderstanding. All that matters is that we love each other.”
Robert grabbed Shane and kissed him. Shane pushed him up against the wall and started stroking his cock. Then Robert pulled Shane down on the floor and within minutes was inside him pounding away.
“I love you, Shane. You know that right?”
“I do.”
Shane’s body may have been taken over by Robert but he couldn’t get his mind off of Declan and what had really transpired between him and Robert, but he sure as hell was going to find out.
Ace stood in the corner with a group of children who were practicing their stop, drop and rolls. Lucy was across the room with her father. Every time he looked up Lucy was watching him. He even spotted the Chief watching Lucy as she watched him.
“Picture time!”
Ace looked up and the school Principal was standing there with a camera. Lucy and her class assembled for the picture.
“Nice, very nice class; now if we can just get these brave and if I do say so myself, handsome firefighters in the picture and, of course, you too, Chief Jenkins.”
Ace of Spades (Underground Affair Series Book 1) Page 3