Ace of Spades (Underground Affair Series Book 1)

by Iannarelli, Michelle

  Shane was barely half way through his pasta. He couldn’t believe how many people had approached him for autographs and asked to take pictures. He picked up his fork to attempt to finish eating.

  Chace looked up and saw Robert walking in the door and heading straight for Shane. Before he could stop himself he blurted out, “What the fuck!”

  Everyone looked up at Chace. Before Chace got to reply, Robert was at Shane’s back.

  “Hey, Baby.”

  Shane was barely able to swallow the food in his mouth after hearing Robert’s voice. Declan stood up.

  “He’s not your baby and you’re not welcome here.”

  “I see you haven’t changed Declan.”

  Luke turned to Shane, “What’s going on?”

  “Give me a minute, ok?”

  Luke nodded. Shane pushed his chair back and stood up.

  “What are you doing here?”

  “I came to see you fight. I thought maybe after, we could celebrate. After fight sex was always the best.”

  Luke bolted up from his chair. He extended his hand to Robert, “I’m Luke, Shane’s boyfriend.”

  Robert looked him over and then shook his hand. “I’m Robert, Shane’s ex.”

  By now Declan and Chace were at Robert’s side in the event that he even raised a hand to Shane or Luke for that matter.

  “Robert, I don’t have anything to say to you so we are all going to get back to eating.”

  “You’re not going to ask me to join you?”

  “I’ll be right back.”

  Shane motioned for Robert to follow him away from the table.

  “Look, I don’t know what you’re trying to do but it’s not going to work.”

  “Baby, I miss you.”

  “I miss you too sometimes but not enough to let you back into my life.”

  “Is it because of the new guy or Declan?”

  “It’s because I deserve better than you. You never cared about me, you only wanted my money and to toss around my name. You were going to stand there and watch me die after my last fight.”

  “I know, I hate myself for that. I did some lines and I was drinking and I still have nightmares about you lying there bleeding. I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

  “Yeah well, I won’t forgive you either.”

  “Baby, wait.”

  “Robert, I am not your baby. Back off and leave me alone.”

  Shane walked back to the table and sat down.

  “I’m sorry everyone.”

  Luke placed his hand over Shane’s.

  “Are you alright?”

  Shane smiled at Luke, “I am as long as you are?”

  “I’m ok.” Luke smiled back.

  Lucy couldn’t believe how the conversation went that she just had with her parents. Tears were rolling down her cheeks. She was a mess. Her brothers walked into her room.

  “So?”

  “So, I’m packing.”

  “Need help?”

  “No. I’m ok, Jake.”

  “Sis, we love you.”

  “I love you both so much. Thank you for everything you’ve done for me. I’ll never forget it. I wish you two could come with me.”

  “Us too.”

  “Jon, can you carry my suitcase to the car for me?”

  “Yup.”

  Jon walked over to grab the suitcase but instead he hugged his sister.

  “Promise to come back home for Sunday dinner?”

  “Promise.”

  Jon grabbed the suitcase and walked out.

  “So this is it?”

  “Guess so.”

  “Stop crying already. Next time I see you there better be a smile on that face.”

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too, Sis.”

  Lucy grabbed her purse and headed out the door.

  LUKE SAT THERE WATCHING Shane as he paced while praying the rosary. Finally he was finished. Luke walked up behind him, kissed his neck and wrapped his arms around him.

  “Thank you for being here with me, Luke.”

  Shane turned around.

  “I know you have to go in a minute but I want to say something first.”

  “Oh, ok.”

  “I told you yesterday that I thought I was falling in love with you.”

  Shane nodded.

  “Well that wasn’t really the truth.”

  “Oh.” Shane looked disappointed.

  “Truth is, I’m in love with you. I love you, Shane. I wanted you to know that before your fight. I want you to win but I will love you no matter what. I’m in love with Shane, not Hartless.”

  “I don’t know what to say. I wasn’t expecting that.”

  Now it was Luke that looked disappointed.

  “I see.”

  “No, you don’t. I have very strong feelings for you. I do, believe me. It’s just…well once I say those words everything changes and then I end up hurt. I don’t want to lose you.”

  “You won’t. I understand. Maybe one day you’ll be able to believe in us enough to…”

  “Shane, let’s go.” Declan was banging on Shane’s door.

  “Good luck.”

  “I’ll see you after the fight.”

  Shane leaned over and kissed Luke.

  Buddy was waiting for Shane and Declan to arrive. He wanted so badly to ask Shane what the hell happened that made Andy quit but he didn’t want to do or say anything to upset Shane with his fight coming up. He would definitely ask him tomorrow though.

  “Ready, Kid?”

  “It’s do or die time.”

  “Let’s skip the die part, shall we.”

  “Fine by me.”

  “So, what did you think of Akai?”

  “He’s good, real good but you’re better, Kid.”

  “He weighed in at 224, I’m 208.”

  “What’d I tell you about weight, doesn’t matter if you can’t fight?”

  “Buddy, I want it so bad.”

  “Then go out there Kid and get it.”

  Buddy gave Shane a slap on his ass on their way into tape up and to see the judges.

  Ace, Chace, Declan and Luke were all sitting waiting for the fight to start.

  “I don’t know about you guys but I’m a nervous wreck.”

  Declan laughed.

  “Then you’re in good company because that’s how it is until Shane starts swinging and you hold your breath and get caught up in it until it’s over.”

  “Declan’s right, your adrenalin starts pumping and everyone is yelling, it gets loud in here.”

  “Thanks for the warning, Chace.”

  Declan looked over at Ace who was staring into space.

  “Ace, you alright?”

  “I have this strange feeling and I can’t stop thinking it has to do with Lucy.”

  “Ace, it always has to do with Lucy. Try to focus on Shane kicking ass and stop thinking about her for a few minutes.”

  “Yeah, I’ll try.”

  Shane was ready to go, gloves on, mouth guard in, he closed his eyes for a minute to focus. When he opened them it was time, he wanted this win and he was going to get it.

  The crowd was chanting for both “Hartless Hart” and “Killer Akai”.

  Luke just kept his eyes glued on Shane. He was in awe, as it was his first live fight and not watching it on a big screen.

  The bell rang and Shane and Akai headed towards one another. They knocked fists and then the fight was underway.

  Shane managed several blows to Akai’s lower body with his knees before Akai gave Shane a blow to the head causing Shane to stagger back a few steps.

  Luke couldn’t handle watching Shane get hit. The longer the round went the sicker he felt.

  Declan, Ace and Chace were yelling. They were all pumped up as usual.

  Buddy watched as Shane dropped Akai to the floor, climbed on top of him and started to ground and pound. Akai managed to get his leg free and slam his knee into Shane enough times to give Shane re
ason to jump up, allowing Akai to stand back up as well.

  “This is it. I’ve seen Shane practice this before.”

  “What, Dec?”

  “He’s going for a knockout this time, Ace. Watch.”

  Ace tapped Luke and pointed for him to look up and watch. Chace smiled as the crowd roared.

  Shane glanced over at Buddy who gave him a nod and Shane landed a spinning back kick to Akai’s head. Akai dropped to the floor. Shane knocked him out.

  Shane was so excited he started jumping up and down. He ran over to Buddy and hugged him and then he jumped up on the fence.

  The referee came over and grabbed Shane’s wrist and raised his arm declaring him as the Heavyweight Champ, yet again.

  Shane stood there with a mix of literal blood, sweat and tears running down his body. He dropped to his knees and thanked God by making the sign of the cross. Then he stood back up and waved to the crowd who were all cheering his name, “Hartless”.

  Luke, Ace and Chace were all waiting in Shane’s locker room for Shane and Declan. Declan was technically Shane’s manager so he was able to sneak inside ahead of them. Shane still had a press conference to sit at before he could celebrate but he needed to see his friends first before he got checked out and cleaned up.

  The door opened and Shane walked through smiling from ear to ear. He walked right over to Luke and he picked him up in a bear hug and spun him around while he kissed him. Ace and Chace walked over. Shane put down Luke and hugged his friends.

  “Thank you all for being here.”

  Chace smiled, “Congrats!”

  Ace nodded, “So I may have lost count on how many wins but I know this was your first knockout. You did good man.”

  Luke reached for Shane’s hand. His fingers were bloody, he wasn’t sure whether it was even Shane’s blood or not.

  “I’m so happy for you.”

  “Maybe you can help me get showered and cleaned up, Doc?” Shane winked.

  “I can do that, with pleasure.” Luke gave Shane an evil grin.

  Buddy walked over. “Akai is conscious and his doc said he’s going to be fine.”

  “Good. Now, my doctor is going to check me out and I will shower quickly and meet you outside the press room, ok?”

  Buddy looked at Luke, “Do what you may but he only has twenty minutes. Understand?”

  Luke nodded his head.

  Declan walked over to Shane and handed him a bottle of water and a banana.

  “Thanks, Dec.” Shane hugged Declan. “We will see you at the party.”

  Ace was walking through the lobby headed towards the room they had rented for Shane’s party with Declan and Chace. He thought he heard someone yell his name. He stopped and looked around but didn’t see anyone trying to gain his attention so he kept walking. Then he thought he heard it again but this time it sounded like…Lucy? No, his mind was playing cruel tricks on him. There was no way Lucy was here.

  “Ace, I think I heard someone yell out your name.”

  “You heard it too?”

  Declan shook his head, “It almost sounded like Lucy.”

  “You guys fucking with me?”

  “ACE DEAN!”

  “Does that sound like we’re fucking with you?” Declan turned around and there was Lucy running toward them. He grabbed Ace and pointed him towards Lucy and shoved him.

  “I can’t.”

  “Ace, she came all the way here, now get your ass over there and talk to her.”

  Ace walked towards Lucy. When Lucy was finally in front of him she held out her hand.

  “Lucy, why…”

  “Ace, give me a minute, please.”

  “Ok.”

  Lucy walked over to a nearby couch and sat down with Ace.

  “Ace, you told me the only way that you would marry me was if I had my parents blessing and they were by my side.”

  “Yes, and that hasn’t changed. Lucy, I love you but…”

  “Son.”

  Ace spun around in his seat. The Chief and Lucy’s mother were standing there. Ace looked over at Lucy who was smiling.

  “We are so sorry and ashamed for the way that we behaved. All that should have mattered was that you loved our daughter and made her happy.”

  “I do love her, more than life itself.”

  Lucy grabbed Ace’s hand. Ace squeezed it tight.

  “Lucy said that you promised to marry her if we gave you our blessing and stood by her. So what do you say? Still want to marry my daughter?”

  Ace dropped to his knee right there in the hotel lobby, in front of Lucy’s parents, his friends and every onlooker.

  “Lucy Jenkins, I don’t want to spend another second of my life without you by my side, I love you, Sweetheart. Will you marry me, right here, right now?”

  “I love you, Ace. Yes, I will marry you right here, right now.”

  Ace stood up and grabbed Lucy and kissed her. The whole lobby broke out in applause.

  Chace turned to Declan, “Looks like it’s just you and me from here on out.”

  “Looks like it.”

  Shane and Luke walked into Shane’s victory party. Shane had some bruised ribs and Luke glued a gash above his eyebrow closed but for the most part Shane was feeling pretty good, especially after the quickie Luke gave him in the shower.

  “Shane, Ace and Lucy are getting married.”

  “Chace, what the hell are you talking about?”

  “Lucy showed up with her parents and they are in the chapel about to be married.”

  “Without us?”

  “That’s why I’m here. Come on, it will only take ten minutes.”

  Luke, Chace and Shane headed to the chapel.

  Ace stood at the front of the chapel with Declan at his side. All the guys were like brothers to him but Declan is the one who always kept him on track, so to speak.

  As soon as Chace, Shane and Luke arrived the minister took his place and hit the tape recorder to play the wedding march.

  Lucy’s parents walked her down the three foot aisle while she held her paper flowers. She didn’t care as long as she was Mrs. Ace Dean when all was said and done.

  Lucy handed her mom the paper bouquet and kissed her. Lucy’s dad shook Ace’s hand. Then he kissed Lucy on the forehead.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too, Daddy.”

  Ace grabbed Lucy’s hand. They looked into each other’s eyes and it was all a blur until Declan handed Ace two beautiful white gold bands. Lucy’s was adorned with diamonds. Ace and Lucy slid the rings on one another’s fingers and then those words they waited the last six minutes to hear, “I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss your bride.”

  Ace and Lucy kissed and kissed until finally they realized everyone was standing around them staring. Lucy pulled away first.

  “We have the rest of our lives to kiss. Tonight is Shane’s night, let’s celebrate.”

  “Always thinking about everyone else, I love you, wife.”

  “I love you, husband.”

  Lucy and Ace were showered with hugs and kisses. Ace never thought he would have a family but these people right here were his family and with Lucy by his side as his wife, he felt like the luckiest man in the whole world. He thought about what Coach Nichols told him at his first track meet, ‘It isn’t where you start out, it’s where you finish,’ that didn’t just apply to his races but life too.

  THE END

  Keep reading for an excerpt from Jack of Hearts – Underground Affair Series – Book 2.

  Shane couldn’t wait to see Luke after being away. The whole flight home all he thought about was being in Luke’s bed having sex and more sex. He was hard just thinking about it.

  Shane decided he would surprise Luke since he came home a day early. He stopped on his way and picked up dinner from Luke’s favorite restaurant, a bottle of wine and a box of cannoli for dessert.

  Luke’s car was in the driveway but when Shane rang the bell he didn’t answer the doo
r so Shane used his key and let himself in. He figured maybe he was asleep or in the shower. He put everything down on the table and headed for the bedroom when a man he didn’t know, wearing only a towel, stepped in front of him.

  “Who are you? Where’s Luke?”

  “You’re Shane Hart, my husband is crazy about you.”

  Shane’s heart sunk when he heard the word husband.

  “Husband?”

  “Yeah, we were in the shower…”

  Shane couldn’t breathe, he needed to leave. Luke lied to him just like everyone else had.

  Jack of Hearts is Shane’s story…Releasing, Summer of 2016

  Also by Michelle Iannarelli

  The You Series

  Intoxicated by You

  Craving You

  Crazy Over You

  Taming You

  I would like to thank my family, especially my husband, children and my mother. I love you all so much. Thank you for being a part of this journey with me for the fifth time…and counting!

  Taryn Broussard, the best Beta reader ever, you mean the world to me xoxo

  To my friends who have supported me through this yet again, you know who you are and I love you “more.” Thank you!

  Ex- Fire Chief John Paul – JP, thank you so much for the loan of your fire gear. My model looked amazing on my cover and in the teasers. Thank you for being a friend. You’re the best!

  Nathan Tetreault – Nathan, I came up with a whole book series overnight it seemed, just to ensure the fact that I had a cover with your handsome face on it. Meeting you was awesome and I look forward to seeing you again. I am honored to have you as part of my “Book Baby” family!

  Christopher John/CJC Photography – Christopher, being at this shoot was amazing and I enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you for your friendship. I look forward to working with you again. Thank you for everything!

  To the talented designers at Dynamic Design Team who designed another awesome book cover. We are 5 for 5 now. Thank you!

  To my Street Team – Thank you for all of your support.

  To my readers, I thank you all from the bottom of my heart, your kindness, friendship and constant support means the world to me. You all bring a smile to my face every day. Thank you!