by Rhonda Lott
“A student from Carter Elementary was transported here, Tanya Dixon, I need to see her, now.” Alana said, leaning close to the glass, fingers tapping on the metal lip around the bottom of the high partition.
Stubby fingers typed on her keyboard. “There is no one here by that name.”
Alana waved her cell phone in front of the glass. “The school called me. Tanya Dixon. Check again.”
She huffed, typed on the keyboard with exaggerated movements. “No Dixon of any kind was brought to this hospital today. Now move on, there are people waiting.” She pointed to the couple in line behind her.
This was a trap, she didn’t know how Bates orchestrated the deceit, but this had to be his doing. Shit, shit, shit. She had to get out of there. Alana spun for the door. On the other side of the glass stood “date rape guy” from Club Solo, a nasty smile stretching his thin lips. She bolted, running down the hallway, no clue where she was headed. People were staring at her as if she was a mad woman, some she stumbled over while others jumped out of her way.
She didn’t dare ask for help. What would they do but call the cops and that was the last thing she needed. Pounding down the gleaming corridors, her shoes making loud clapping sounds. The wild thumping of her heart and the rush of her blood roared in her ears. Wide double doors of a service elevator waited at the end of the corridor, Alana picked up her pace, pumping her arms and legs harder. Could she reach it in time?
“Police, get out the way.” Pale face yelled, knocking people over as he barreled after her. Alana skidded and collided into the cold metal doors. Her fingers frantically pounding the buttons. He was close, too damn close. The door dinged and opened and she fell in, her shaking fingers pounding on the close door button. He was there as the doors came together, reaching out to stick his hand in. Alana pressed her back hard into the far wall, the handrail cutting into her spine. She sank to the floor as the door slid closed a moment before he could stop them.
The elevator swished down floor by floor, with every ping of the floor signal, Alana cringed. At the last stop, the doors slowly slid apart revealing an underground parking deck. Milky yellow pockets of florescent light bled into shadows, producing black hollows behind the parked cars. Alana ducked behind a line of cars, and flattened her back to the wall. Her mind was racing, her heart pounding. A door banged to her right, sounding like a distant clap of thunder, Alana crouched lower. She didn’t have anything to protect herself. Pebbles and trash littered the asphalt, nothing that could be used as a weapon.
Pounding footfalls were coming closer to her hiding place. Alana held her breath and squeezed her eyes closed, sending up a quick prayer. He was in her row of cars now, His steps loud and unhurried, a death toll ringing the end of her freedom and quite possibly her life. A coldness washed over her. If this was it for her, she wouldn’t whimper and cower. No, she would stand and fight, and keep on fighting. She wasn’t that quiet woman anymore, too much had been done to her. No more punk bitch, she vowed.
He was moving slower now. All other sounds hushed, condensed into one overriding sound. The cadence of her pursuer’s steps coming ever closer. Her breaths came harsh and rapid through her nose. The clogging odor of gasoline burned her lungs on each inhale.
Screeching tires broke her focus as a vehicle raced towards her. Alana debated if she should try to wave the person down or stay hidden. She didn’t have a chance to decide before the brakes squealed and gunfire erupted. The deafening discharges jolting her into action. Pebbles and debris on the ground poked and stung her knees as she inched from one car to the next back towards the elevator.
At the last car in the row she jerked up from the ground and on shaking legs, Alana dashed for the elevator. A body stepped in her path. She side kicked with power and accuracy. Her foot connecting with the dark figures midsection. He went down to his knees.
“Alana, stop!” Ace yelled. “It’s me.”
Alana had one leg drawn back, preparing to plant her knee in his face, she pulled up short at the sound of Ace’s voice. She threw herself onto him, toppling them to the grimy ground, arms and legs clamping around him. Her relief so profound, it made her dizzy. He was the one safe thing in her life right now. She clung to him tighter.
“I got you firecracker. It’s alright now, I got you.” Ace’s voice, deep and soothing helped to bring her heart rate down a bit. His hands stroked her back, calming her nerves, but adrenaline still pumped like a wildfire through her veins.
Pulling back, Alana scanned the area. “Where is he?”
“He opened fire on me. I clipped him in the shoulder, then he took off down the exit ramp.” Ace rose to his feet, pulling her up into his arms, carrying her with long quick strides to his truck. “Let’s get out of here before more cops show up.”
“It was stupid of me to come here, I fucked up.” Alana admitted, as Ace got behind the wheel.
“You love the girls. When we love, we fuck up sometimes.” Ace reached over to squeeze her hand, stroking his calloused thumb across the back of it.
Alana felt the warmth of his touch dissolving the coldness inside her. She considered the man next to her. Ace watched the street as he drove. Strong, handsome face so dear to her now. He was more than a picture from a background check. The living, breathing Ace Jackson was a man of immense courage, warm, and funny. The woman who won his heart would have herself one unbelievably great man. Alana knew her time with Ace was brief but she longed to be that girl. The winner of Ace’s heart.
ACE
Ace slammed his foot on the brake at the sight of an unmarked police sedan in front of his house. Mason Bates rested against it, ankles crossed, finger sliding across the face of his cell phone. Bates didn’t bother to acknowledge their arrival. The nerve of this fucker, showing up at his house. After finding out about the chief and then Alana’s attack, Ace was teetering on the edge of blind rage. He had the door open and one foot on the ground before he even knew it.
“Ace,” Alana touched his arm. “I’m not afraid. He’s here for me and we both know that. I’d rather go to jail than have him do something to you.”
Ace jerked his gaze to her. She sat stiff as a signpost, head held high, taking quick deep breaths. “Hey, that’s not going to happen. You’re not going with him.”
“Keep this safe just in case.” She took his hand and placed the flash drive in his palm, closing his fingers around it.
Brushing his thumb across her cheek, Ace studied her. Warm hazel eyes glazed with unshed tears stared back at him. A trembling smile pulled at her sexy lips bringing his attention to the sparkle at her dimple. His heart swelled, the roaring rage in him tempered by his need to protect Alana.
Ace kissed her hard and quick. “Stay here, I got this.”
Bates didn’t acknowledge him when he approached. “Are you brave or stupid?” Ace asked. “This isn’t your MO. You slink around in the dark, threatening and killing women.”
Bates lifted his hate filled glare to Ace. “You not a cop anymore, Jackson. You’re a civilian harboring a murderer. In consideration of your years of service I’ll give you twenty four hours to hand her over. If you don’t, we’re coming for her.”
Fire shot through Ace’s veins. “There is no way you could have found me on your own. The chief sent you. Well, you can crawl back and let him know that I’ve got proof that both of you were involved with Blanco.”
“Don’t count on that ever seeing the light of day, Boy Scout. I’m not the type to give in or give up. You’re the reason my brother is dead and by God, you’re gonna pay for it.” Bates spat, shoving past Ace. He stopped for a second to glare at Alana in Ace’s truck.
Lightening quick, Ace’s fist connected with Bates’ jaw, rocking the man’s head back and sending him sprawling across the hood of the squad car. Ace grabbed him by the arm, spinning him around.
“I’m not a cop any longer so that means I don’t have to follow the damn rules. Alana belongs to me now, and there is no limit to the things I’ll
do to keep her safe. If you want me, come for me. You did enough damage to her by killing her friend and sending her to Esteban.”
Bates struggled. Ace’s hold on his arm didn’t budge. Fear slowly crept into his blue eyes as the truth of Ace’s words sunk in.
Ace shoved him against the car, stepped into Bates face. “You tell Lewis this. Leave Alana alone, period.” He turned to walk away, then stopped and threw a dark scowl over his shoulder. “You gave me twenty four hours, I’ll return the favor, in twenty four hours I want you out of Atlanta. Hell, leave Georgia, because when next we meet, you’re a dead man.”
“I’m not that easy to kill, Boy Scout.” Bates yelled to Ace’s back.
Ace barked out a laugh. “You’ll never see it coming, Asshole. You’ll never see it coming.”
ALANA
The heavy wooden door closed with a bang. Ace clicked the lock in place, then turning to her held out his arms. Alana rushed into their safe haven. She wasn’t in the back of the police car on her way to jail. She nuzzled her face into his shoulder. Ace gathered her close and soothed her with slow caresses between her shoulder blades. He smelled of coffee and spice. She slid her arms around his waist and breathed him in. He was her savior; fucking Ace Jackson was beginning to be her whole world. She would be at the mercy of Bates, or sold into the sex trade by the cartel, or dead if not for his protection. He saved her over and over again, without complaint, winning her battered heart and giving her the one thing she hadn’t felt for a long time. Hope.
“Alana…”
She didn’t let him finish, not wanting to waste another minute on words, on worries. She placed her lips against his and let all of the blossoming love she felt for him come through. Heat pulse through her veins. She pressed her breast to his chest, deepening the kiss. Ace threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled her head back, searching her eyes for an eternity. Whatever he read there pulled a groan from deep within him. Angling her head for better access, he took control of the kiss. With desperation, he ate at her lips, his tongue dancing across hers.
Alana’s body vibrated with an astonishing hunger so strong it made her drunk on the pure decadence of her need. A bone deep longing cried out to feel him in every part of her, to taste him until she was full of him, to affirm that she was free. To show him with mouth, hands, and body what her heart was screaming out. I’m in love with you Ace Jackson. She couldn’t vocalize it. Her emotions were too volatile at the moment. Physical expression would have to suffice.
Alana dropped to her knees on the cold hardwood, as her hands unzipped and tugged his jeans down. His thick cock sprang free, hard and long, its head glistening, beckoning.
“I want you.” She demanded. Her eyes locked onto his manhood, unable to look away from the smooth hardness inches from her lips.
“I’m all yours.” Ace growled, tugging at her hair, causing a delicious sting and lightning bolts of pleasure to ripple in her moist, clenching center.
Alana licked the head of his dick, the salty masculine taste of his pre-cum hit her taste buds wringing a lusty hum from her throat. Craving more she wrapped her hands around his slick thickness and took him in deep then pulled slowly back, as she grabbed his ass pulling him in closer. Ace’s body felt like solid stone, brawny thighs and rigid tightly constricted abs rough against her questing fingers. A tremble coursed through him on each downward plunge of her lips. His breaths sounded loud and sexy as fuck as he rocked into her, encouraging her with grunts and a raspy song of “Fuck, fuck, fuck,”
Power surged through her. She had this formidable man ensnared by lust. His desires in her hands. Excitement filled her from toes to scalp. A resounding plop sounded as Ace pulled away, her world spun for a heartbeat. With quick, jerky movements, he tugged off his jeans and shirt. Lifting her with one arm, he ripped her pants and panties off in a blur. Spinning them, he pressed her back against the door as he pushed her shirt and bra up. His liquid brown eyes licked across her breast zoning in on her nipples. Alana felt them pebble under his ardent gaze. Ace drew one nipple into his mouth, stroking it, shooting sensations zipped through her. A cry left her lips at the feel of his hot caresses. She threw her head back, arching her body inviting Ace to take more, suck harder.
Ace smiled around her puckered berry. Picking up on her needs, he bit down hard enough to pitch her into melt down. Goosebumps washed her body as he stripped away her clothes with quick, sure hands. Scorching her trembling frame with his burning brown gaze. Rough fingers found her clit, stroking circles around the pulsing nub. Alana instinctively grabbed his jutting erection, giving it rapid up and down strokes, matching his rhythm.
Their moans and gasps of pleasure danced in the air around them as sticky wet fingers glided in and across each other’s sex in an ever-increasing pace. Alana panted, her hips smacking against the door in time with the plunges of Ace’s thick fingers in her pussy. Her breast ached from the friction of his chest, her cunt rippled around his driving fingers, and her skin burned from his hot wet kisses. Ace was serving her pleasure in abundance, flooding her senses and catapulting her into mindless rapture.
“Dann, baby.” Ace grunted, pulling away an inch. His chest heaving, face set in a fierce mask of lust. He placed one large hand in the center of her chest. Alana’s mind was enveloped in a sexual fog. She wasn’t certain if he was holding her in place, holding her up, or if he simply needed to remain connected to her.
Bending, he pulled a condom from his pants, ripped the foil and rolled the latex down his cock with practiced ease. Ace spun her to face the door. His hands spreading her butt cheeks wide. Alana groaned loud and long, nails digging into the wood, heat coiling in her gut. She opened her thighs in invitation as anticipation zinged across her nerve endings causing her to jerk at his touch.
Ace plunged in to the hilt. Her juices making a slick glide for his deep penetration. Alana bit her lip so hard that the coppery taste of blood overwhelmed her taste buds. Ace doubled over onto her back, his hips jerking as he pumped. He bucked with tremendous force, hitting hard in the right spots. Alana rose up onto her toes tilting her ass up, and screamed out her pleasure as he went deeper still.
“Ahh, shit.” Ace groaned out.
Alana exploded in a blinding, unstoppable blaze. She screamed his name as quake after quake ripped through her, shaking straight to her very soul.
Ace’s body cemented, his fingers biting into her hips, head back, muscles bulging, he came with a long deep groan. He didn’t move for the longest time, buried deep inside her he placed his sweaty chest on her back and stilled, connected to her. The sweat of their bodies cooled and their labored breathing evened out.
Ace gathered her lax body into his arms. She rested her cheek on his warm, damp chest. Far too soon her body sank into his mattress. Watching with lowered lids, Ace’s thick thighs and tight firm ass flexed as he took long strides to the bathroom. Alana fought a losing battle to keep her eyes open. Fucking Ace Jackson could sex a girl into a coma. Wet warmth soothed her well-used girly bits. Ace was cleaning her up and Alana smiled a secret smile. The hulking badass cop was surprisingly gentle and considerate. Her heart melted.
The bed shifted as he settled in beside her. “Hey, sleepy head.” Ace brushed strands of hair from her face and kissed the stud in her dimple. “You are amazing Alana.”
“I was thinking the same thing about you.” She snuggled in, head on his arm. “Is it this situation we're in Ace? I know I’m not the type of woman you usually get involved with.”
“I don’t get involved with any women. I fuck, period.”
“That’s just sad.” Alana searched his face. What a lonely way to live. She understood lonely. “I’m not a relationship type either, and not by choice. Men find me boring after a while.”
“Firecracker I can’t imagine you being boring. You're funny, smart, totally dedicated to the ones you love, not to mention your killer sidekicks.”
“Oh, about that. Sorry I kicked you.
Ace lifted
one brow. “I found that sexy as hell.”
Alana laughed. “OK. Weird man. You crave a little pain with your pleasure don’t you?”
“True. And I crave you Alana. Other women didn’t inspire me to spend more than one night with them. I want to spend time with you, know everything about you. It’s not the situation, even though it brought us together, there’s something here.” Ace moved her hand up to his chest, covering it with his bigger one. Alana felt his strong heart beat against her palm and the corresponding pull of her own heart.
“I care for you Ace, a lot, but I’m afraid that once this is all over, you’re going to get a lot less interested.” Alana bit her lip. All her other boyfriends did, the jerks.
Ace kissed her, biting her lip in the same spot she had. “I want to be with you, no strings, and no pressure. Let’s see where this takes us. Neither of us are familiar with long-term relationships. This is new territory, but I want to try with you. Even after we put Bates and the Chief away.”
“The Chief of Police?” Alana pushed up, both palms on his chest. Her brows furrowed deeply. “You got to be fucking kidding me.”
“Unfortunately, no. Chief Lewis was the man behind the ring. I saw it on his finger this afternoon when I resigned my position.”
She flopped back on the bed. “Hold on. You resigned, the chief of police is after me and my girls, and dirty psychotic cops are chasing me all over God’s green earth. Alana covered her face with her hands and screamed. “I’m so mega screwed.”
“You’re under the protection of McAdam’s securities. You have a former cop slash soldier who’s free to be dirtier and a hell of a lot more psychotic than any of the fuckers that are after you.” Ace kissed her shoulder, running a hand down her tummy, and deftly stroked her clit.
Alana trembled, involuntarily lifting her hips.
Ace leaned down licking a nipple, then gave her a lopsided grin. “You ain’t screwed yet Baby, but you’re about to be.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
