by Skylar Ward
“Is this a joke?”
Ace shook his head.
“You haven’t said you wished it was a joke, Ace.”
Ace remained silent. Haley sniffed and stood.
Ace stood. He placed his hands over Haley’s arms. “We have had a mutually beneficial relationship over the past few years. Was I closed to asking you to marry me, I don’t know. Did it cross my mind? Absolutely.”
Haley leaned forward, resting her head on Ace’s chest. “Why does anything have to change between us. You can support your child. Lots of men do.”
Ace’s hands dropped to his side. “I am not most men, Haley. I don’t want to only support my daughter. I intend to raise her.”
Haley lifted her head, shooting daggers at Ace. Ace stared right back.
“Damn you, Ace Davenport, you owe me,” Haley said, jamming her red-manicured finger into Ace’s chest.
Ace held her finger, halting the stabs. “You are right.”
Haley lifted her brows and her lips raised at the corners. Ace let go of Haley’s finger, suspecting the news he was about to deliver would please her.
“Call my office and speak to Mary. She is expecting your call. She will put you through to the Marketing department. I am prepared to run an ad in your magazine.”
Haley’s smile broadened. “Ads for all of your Resorts?”
“Let’s not get greedy. I am giving you a continuous ad for our Vegas boutique hotel. You know that ad will raise the profile of your magazine exponentially.”
Haley chuckled. “True, but it is not the grand prize I had hoped for.”
“Take the consolation prize, Haley,” Ace said, hoping to get his point across. “There is a claim on the grand prize.”
“Why do I get the feeling you are talking about this kid’s mother.”
Ace kissed Haley’s forehead before strolling away. He stopped beyond the living room. “If I can help you with anything let me know.”
Haley stood with her hands on her hips. “Should I take a wait and see approach?”
“No,” Ace said. “I am off the market.”
Chapter 15
The holidays went by with much fanfare, making Ace Davenport a happy man. He had spent the winter recess with Yasmine where he showered her with enough toys and clothing to make up for the years of birthdays and holidays he had missed.
As the elevator climbed to Ace’s suite at La Travesta Grand Hotel, he chuckled as he remembered Efia’s happiness when she had opened her own belated birthday and holiday presents, consisting of luxurious bath and pamper products along with a beautiful platinum necklace with a diamond-encrusted heart-shaped locket with Yasmine’s photo embedded. His chuckle deepened as he recalled the moment Efia had opened the cards on her gifts which said, ‘To Mommy, from Yasmine.’
Entering his suite, Ace placed his briefcase on the desk and removed his coat and jacket, hanging them. Next, he opened the case and ran his hand over a handmade Christmas card before picking it up. He sat down, ignoring the sparkles that had fallen on his trousers.
“I love my daddy with all my ♥,” he read the card aloud.
It must have been the fiftieth time he had read the card since receiving it from Yasmine, yet, he wasn’t tired. He circled the heart that Yasmine had drawn. His little princess was quite the artist already. My first Christmas card from my daughter! Ace thought. It doesn’t get much better than this.
<>
After dropping Yasmine at preschool, Efia hopped on the 5 train and headed to work. Within fifty-five minutes, she was seated at her desk, following up on a batch of internal emails. As she addressed the last of the night manager’s concerns, her office phone rang.
“Efia Kwateng. Thanks, Madison, put him through.”
“Hi, Ace,” Efia said. God, he sounds sexy. She pressed her thighs together. She listened. “Your daughter is fine. She wouldn’t stop talking about you on her way to school.” Once more Efia listened before replying, “I know you miss her. You both bonded over the holiday recess.”
“1:30,” Efia echoed. “I have to be back here by two o’clock. Can’t this wait until after work? She exhaled loudly. “I don’t know, 1:30 is pushing it.” Efia massaged her forehead. “Fine, I will be there.”
Efia removed the handset from her ear and frowned at it. I can’t believe he hung up on me. The nerve of him! She placed the handset on its cradle. The phone rang again. She pressed the speaker. If this is Ace Davenport, he is in for a piece of my mind.
“Efia Kwateng,” she said.
“Efia, your daughter’s school is on the line.”
“My daughter’s school?” Efia repeated. “Put them through, Madison.”
A tremor crawled through Efia’s chest, and she whispered, “Hello!”
“Ms. Kwateng?”
“Yes, this is she.”
“This is Ms. Jackson, the assistant teacher for Yasmine’s class.”
“What happened? Did something happen to Yasmine?”
“Oh, no, Ms. Kwateng, Yasmine is all right. However, she refused to answer to her name at morning assembly. She wants us to call her Yasmine Kwateng-Daven …”
“Davenport,” Efia said. “It is her legal name. We are in the process of having her birth certificate change.”
“You have to send us an email with the details,” Ms. Jackson said.
“As soon as I am through, I will take care of it,” Efia said, thinking of her daughter’s stubborn streak. Tonight, she was going to have a word with that little lady.
“Once we get your email, we will make the change. You need to get the corrected birth certificate to us as soon as possible.”
“Thank you, Ms. Jackson.” Efia exhaled. “I am sorry for the inconvenience.”
“Yasmine is a lovely child,” Ms. Jackson said, “however, when she makes up her mind, good luck trying to change it.”
“I know,” Efia replied.
“Goodbye, Ms. Kwateng.”
“Goodbye, Ms. Jackson.” Efia hung up the phone and dropped her head in both palms. “Argh, these two are killing me!”
“Are you okay?”
Efia lifted her head, finding Viktor in the doorway.
“It’s my daughter. She is four going on forty.”
Viktor entered the small office and sat in the corner chair, crossing his legs. “I remember those days. Enjoy them. Before you know it, she will be off to college.”
“I don’t even want to think that far ahead,” Efia said. “And I thought the terrible twos were bad.”
Viktor rubbed his hands together. “You never display any pictures of your daughter. I often wondered if I had anything to do with that.”
“You?”
“Our rocky start,” Viktor replied.
“Oh, no,” Efia said. I have a ton of pictures on my phone.”
“You young folks aren’t like my generation,” Viktor said. “We plastered photos of our children on every available space. You are the techno babies.”
Efia laughed. “I guess we are fortunate to be the beneficiary of good timing.”
“Your daughter is lovely.”
Stunned, Efia said, “You saw my daughter?”
“I have to admit, I overheard the ladies at the front talking about your channel, so I checked it out. Now, even my wife follows you.”
Efia slid back in her chair. “You are kidding!”
“You are a star in our household, Efia. My wife and daughters talk about what little Yasmine is up to all the time.”
Even though Viktor had given up his so-called Friday meetings and was more amenable since his cancer diagnosis, this was not a conversation Efia expected to have with her boss.
“Before I forget, I need you to take Wednesday off instead of Thursday, one of the local galleries in our neighborhood is displaying a piece of my wife’s artwork.” Viktor stood. “She would kill me if I am not there.”
“I will be happy to,” Efia said, checking her watch. “I have to meet with my daughter’s father
at 1:30 today. I’ll likely be back a little late.”
Viktor waved his hand. “Take all the time you need.” He strode to the door and stopped. “Oh, is that the big-headed guy?”
Efia slapped her hand over her mouth, her eyes bulging in the process.
“You are the one who said it, Efia,” Viktor said. “I will let you get back to your work.”
As Viktor’s laughter reverberated throughout the hallway, Efia opened her intraoffice email and informed Madison that she would be back late from lunch. Next, she reached for her cell phone and sent Yasmine’s school an email.
Maybe I shared a bit too much of my life, she mused. Nope, I love my subscribers. They gave me strength when I didn’t have any. Heaviness lodged in the pit of her stomach, knowing that she would have to say goodbye to her subscribers. As much as she loved vlogging, she knew Ace’s lifestyle would require Yasmine to be less visible.
Chapter 16
At 1:25 P.M, Ace’s assistant ushered Efia into the 16th-floor office at La Travesta Grand Hotel where Ace awaited her arrival.
“Well done, Ms. Kwateng, I like your punctuality,” Ace said, taking Efia leather jacket from her arm. He stepped ahead of her and hung it. Next, he drew one of the chairs before his desk. “Come, have a seat.”
Ruffled by his nearness, Efia crossed the room and took a seat. She slid the chair closer to the desk and held her breath until he moved away.
Ace sat behind the desk. He eyeballed Efia. “What have you done to your hair?”
Efia ran one hand over her blown-out tresses. “Did you call me over here to discuss my hair?”
“You know that I prefer your curls.”
Efia scanned the time on her watch. “Can you get to the reason for this visit, please? I don’t have all afternoon.”
“I have never heard you say, please, before,” Ace said. “I must say, I rather like it.”
“Ace Davenport, I am warning you.”
Ace winked. “Very well, let us get to the business at hand.” He opened his desk drawer, removing a business card. He slid it across the desk. “Costos is expecting your call.”
Efia lifted the card, examining it. “Bank of America?”
“Yes,” Ace said.
“What is this about?”
He picked up a file folder and slid it in her direction.
She removed the single computer printout. “This is a bank statement with my name on it.”
Ace nodded. “I opened a joint account. You need to sign the paperwork.”
“One—hundred—” Efia coughed. “Thousand dollars! What is this?”
Ace leaned back in his executive chair, intertwining his hands behind his head. “I believe they call it child support, Efia.”
Efia shook her head as resentment welled up inside. She had worked her butt off to take care of Yasmine. She had gone without wearing expensive clothing so that Yasmine could have swimming lessons and ballet classes. The fact that Ace could throw his excessive wealth around was both distasteful and eye-opening. She placed the offending sheet of paper in the folder.
“Why the scowl?” Ace asked. “What’s wrong?”
“This is not child support, this is madness. This is a recipe for spoiling Yasmine. How is she going to learn the value of a hard day’s work?”
“Don’t be so self-righteous, Efia,” Ace leaned across his desk. “You need to remember who you slept with. I am wealthy, and by extension, so is my daughter.”
Efia searched her brain for a suitable comeback. She came up empty. Ace picked up another card and pushed it across the desk.
Efia reached for the card. “Dexter Sawyer, Esq.?”
“He is my attorney. He had suggested I get to know Yasmine before making too many demands. At this point, Yasmine is comfortable with me. Therefore, you need to give that to your attorney so we can expedite her birth certificate.”
Efia placed the card on the desk and pushed it back to Ace. “We are Yasmine’s parents. I don’t need an attorney. Just get the papers, and I will sign them.”
“Very well.” Ace smiled. “I will speak to Dexter.”
“And put a rush on it,” Efia said. “I don’t want Yasmine kicked out of Pre-K.”
“What are you not telling me?
“I received a call from Yasmine’s teacher. Your daughter refuses to answer to Kwateng. She wants to be called by her new name.”
“That’s my daughter,” Ace said. “She is a chip off the old block.”
“Don’t you dare encourage Yasmine in this. I don’t want her to disrespect her teachers.”
“How is it a disrespect if it is her rightful name?”
“Is that all?” Efia asked.
“For now,” Ace said. “Don’t forget that.”
Swallowing her bitterness, Efia placed the folder and the banker’s card in her bag.
Ace came around the desk, stopping beside Efia’s chair. “We have to find a private school for Yasmine and more suitable living quarters for both of you.”
Efia nodded.
One of Ace’s eyebrows shot up and the corners of his mouth curved upwards. “You are not fighting me on these issues?”
“I am not naïve, Ace,” Efia stood. “Once Yasmine’s name is changed, word will get around that you have a child. I have to think about our daughter’s safety.”
“I have never thought of you as naïve, Efia.” Ace tilted her chin. “You are wise beyond your years.”
Efia’s handbag dropped to the floor, the sound muffled by the plush carpeting. Ace tugged Efia’s waist, bringing her into his body.
A rush of heat coursed through Efia’s lower half. She pushed at his arm. “Don’t play with me.”
Ace nibbled her right ear. “This is not playtime, Efia. You do know how much I want you, don’t you?”
“Like last time, right?” Efia responded.
Ace lifted his head. “Back then, I wanted nothing more than to ravish you, but I had a few loose ends that needed closure. I had to go back to Massachusetts to do that. Now I am here for you and Yasmine.”
Efia yawned, feigning indifference. The thought of Ace with another woman wasn’t a topic she ever wanted to discuss.
She stepped aside and picked up her handbag. “Whatever! I have to get back to work.”
Ace grabbed Efia’s hand, turning her around. “Whatever? Is that all you have to say to me?”
“Yes,” Efia said, pulling her hand from his.
Ace’s eyes traveled over Efia’s neck, coming to rest on her heaving breasts. “Don’t lie to me, Efia. I know your head wants you to say no, but your body is screaming yes.” He took both of her hands, kissing each palm. “Don’t deny your body, Efia. Don’t deny us.”
Efia ogled Ace with longing. The gentleness of his lips against her palms and the huskiness of his tone pushed her libido into overdrive, making it hard to deny the inevitable. Maybe just this once! she reasoned. Standing on tiptoe, she pressed her lips to his.
Ace appeared caught off guard. He groaned and deepened the kiss. With their mouths still attached, he slid one hand around her waist, walking her backward. The bag fell from her hand, and she stumbled. Ace tore his lips from hers and lifted the hem of her top. Efia raised her arms, helping to speed the process. He removed the black uniform blouse, tossing it to the floor.
He gawked at her pink, lace bra for several seconds before palming her covered breasts. He flicked his thumbs across her beaded nipples. Efia rubbed her hand along his expanding shaft as he lifted her bra above her breasts. Lowering his head, he captured a darkened berry into his mouth, sucking furiously.
“Oh, God, Ace.” Efia’s body shook. She grabbed his head.
Ace moved to the next nipple giving it equal treatment.
“Oh, Oh, Oh,” Efia panted, and her body slumped into his.
Ace lifted his head, picked her up, and headed to the rear of the hotel suite. He placed her on the bed and proceeded to remove the remainder of her clothing before discarding his own. He cov
ered her body with his. Efia held her breath as he trailed kisses along the column of her throat. Her body shivered as his lips landed on her cleavage. Ace stared at her breasts, their fullness hard to miss. Efia smiled, suspecting that Ace knew he had his daughter to thank for their transformation. As Ace circled one areola, Efia’s body arched. He moved to the other nipping it with his teeth.
Efia groaned.
Ace ran his hands down her sides, pushing her thighs apart. He ran his finger along her seam, smearing her juices.
Efia raked her nails along his back. “Hurry up, darn it.”
Ace moved further down the bed. He inserted his middle finger into her body, swirling her moisture around. He added his index finger, opening her up. Covered in goosebumps, Efia pressed her inner thighs together. Ace pushed her legs apart, removed his fingers and sucked them into his mouth. He lowered himself to the floor, pulling Efia toward him. Lowering his head, he captured her protruding nub between his lips.
“Ace! Yes!” Efia called out as Ace applied the right amount of pressure she had never been able to achieve with her vibrator.
His fingers joined his mouth, delivering a pumping action. In and out, he continued as Efia’s body climbed the ecstasy roller coaster.
Arching upwards, she reached for a tuft of Ace’s hair, yanking it. “Oh, God, Ace. Oh God, No.”
Efia’s body reached the summit, and she bit down on her lower lip. Seconds later, she dropped back to the bed, slowly returning to earth. Ace swept his tongue over her wetness before rising. He opened the side table, and removed a condom, tearing it with his teeth. He sheathed himself and settled between Efia’s thighs. He grasped his clad cock with one hand while pushing her legs apart with his knees. He ran the tip of his shaft along her moisture. They both groaned.
Ace pushed forward, her snugness, holding him at bay. Thrusting with more force, he appeared to gain sufficient ground. Ace stilled for a few seconds before moving his hips back. He followed up with a radial movement before alternating between a slapping force and a deep spiral action. Each movement eliciting a louder scream than the previous from Efia.
“God, Efia, you feel so darn tight. Sooo good.”
“Ummm,” Efia moaned when Ace went subterranean. The burn, painful yet pleasurable as he stretched her insides to accommodate his sizeable cock.
