Ace of Hearts (The Cursed Ravens MC Series Book 1)

by Chantal Fernando

  What is it about a bad boy? A biker. A wild man. A powerful man.

  I don’t know, but I forget my line of thought as Ace starts to kiss up my neck, slowly, deeply, his soft lips tingling my skin. I squeeze my thighs together and close my eyes, and when he turns my face toward him and tastes my lips, I move to straddle him. I can feel how hard he is, and soon the kiss turns frantic, our hands everywhere at the same time, our moans overlapping. My fingers move to his nape, holding on as he gives me the most sensual kiss of my life. I purposely push my center against him.

  “What if someone comes looking for me?” I ask him against his lips.

  He cuts me off with another kiss. It’s like he’s not bothered if someone catches us anymore. Has something changed? That’s my last thought as he stands with me in his arms, and I hold on to his shoulders.

  “Ace?”

  “Mmmm?”

  “What are you doing?” I ask breathlessly as he pushes me back against the door and starts to place openmouth kisses on my neck.

  “Shit,” I whisper, arching my neck to give him easier access. I gasp as he bites down on my sensitive flesh, feeling heat starting to spread in my lower stomach. “Ace?”

  He moves me again, this time back to the bed, where he lays me down and looks at me, those gray eyes pinning me in my place. “So beautiful,” he whispers, gaze roaming across my face before landing back on my lips. “Your lips turn pink when they are kissed.”

  I push at his chest. “I better go.”

  I don’t want him to regret this if things go further. He’s usually the one who backs away, and I have to wonder what has changed.

  “Why?” he asks, being all affectionate and nuzzling my cheek. “I’m not done with you yet.”

  I arch my brow. “It’s normally you being the cautious one, why does it seem the roles have changed?”

  “No one is playing any roles,” he replies, studying me closely.

  I narrow my eyes, returning the favor. “What did you have in mind?”

  He brings his lips to my ear, and whispers, “I’d like to taste your pussy, if you’ll let me.”

  “Oh,” I whisper, blinking furiously. “What about—”

  “Can I, princess?” he asks again, waiting patiently for me to reply, gray eyes filled with heat and want.

  I nod once, and his fingers begin undoing the button on my jeans. I lift my hips up and help him slide them down until they’re thrown onto the floor somewhere and I’m left in a cotton white T-shirt and red lace panties. I’m the type of girl who always has nice, sexy underwear on, for me more than anyone else, and I’ve never been more thankful for that than right now. He kisses my mouth, then down to my collarbone, and my nipples through my T-shirt, which soon rides up, exposing my stomach. His lips trail down, past my belly button and to the top of my panties. He takes his time, kissing, licking, and biting, which has me squirming, unable to keep still.

  “Stop teasing me,” I whisper, groaning in complaint. “I need more, Ace.”

  “And you’ll get it,” he rumbles, slowly pulling down my panties, exposing my bare pussy. He makes a deep sound in the back of his throat, then continues his exploration, kissing my hips bones and playfully biting them before spreading my thighs to run his tongue along the inside of them. I grit my teeth and lift my head, watching his every move, turning me on even more. Then his mouth is on my pussy, and his hands are holding my thighs apart. He moans at the first taste of me, and I don’t know how much of this I’m going to be able to handle.

  My head falls back as pleasure consumes me, the magic of his tongue and the fact that it’s him, it’s Ace with his head between my legs right now, has me already on the verge of coming. It’s been so long since I’ve had an orgasm, and even longer since it hasn’t been me giving it to myself. I’ve fucking needed this.

  “I’ve fucking needed to give you this since the moment you walked through those doors,” he rumbles, lifting his head.

  Shit.

  I really need to stop talking to myself out loud.

  He starts to suck on my clit, and I know it’s about to be all over for me, especially when he reaches up and starts to stroke my nipples through my clothing. To assist, I lift my top up and pull up my bra, baring my breasts for him to play with as he desires. He doesn’t disappoint, rubbing then flicking his thumb across the pointed peaks, and increasing the speed of his tongue as he flickers it with precision over my clit.

  “Ace,” I whisper, my thighs starting to shake. He starts to moan again, like he loves what he’s doing to me, maybe even more than I love receiving it. I never knew men like him existed. I feel like my pleasure is his own. Maybe that’s the definition of a real man. He delves deeper with his tongue, which sends me right over the edge. I come saying his name, my fingers gripping the bedsheets and making sounds louder than anticipated. I try to quiet myself by biting down on my hand, and let the waves consume me.

  “Oh my god,” I say, as I move my hand, lifting my head to look down at him, feeling both dazed and sated, satisfied but also more than ready for more. “That was—”

  He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, the look in his eyes stopping my words. He looks like a wolf, eyeing its prey. He’s about to say something, when there’s a knock at his door. I jump and grab my jeans and panties, trying to throw them on as quickly as possible, but Ace doesn’t seem too fazed.

  “Yeah?” he calls out, voice husky.

  “We’re going on a run, leaving in an hour. Pack your shit,” Mac calls out to him.

  “For how long?” Ace replies, looking frustrated with this new revelation.

  “Just a night.”

  “Who is staying behind?” he asks Mac through the door.

  “You volunteering?” Mac asks, sounding amused.

  “Fuck yes, I am.”

  “The prez is staying behind, so don’t worry, Erin will be fine,” he says, and I hear his footsteps down the hallway as he walks away.

  “What’s a run?” I ask him, fully dressed, which he doesn’t look too thrilled about.

  “It just means we all gotta be somewhere,” he says, moving to sit next to me. “And we will all ride there together. Must be a bit of a ride away if we’re going to stay the night there.”

  “What do you do on a run?” I ask him, reaching out and pulling him closer to me. “And we still have an hour, right?”

  He makes a sound of frustration. “That’s club business, Erin. And I need to pack and get myself ready. Make sure my bike is good, so no.”

  I glance down at his crotch. “So I don’t get to return the favor?”

  “Fuck,” he grits out, sighing heavily. “I’m going to have to take a rain check. If I’m late, the men will kill me.”

  He adjusts his painfully hard-looking cock.

  “What a waste,” I murmur.

  He groans and looks like he wants to kill me.

  I guess sexual frustration will do that to you.

  15

  Ace jumps in the shower, gets ready, then rides off with the rest of the men, leaving the clubhouse deserted, but at least I’ll get to spend more time with my father while they’re gone. I’m in the kitchen making some pancakes from scratch when Knuckles walks in.

  Also shirtless.

  Did I miss a memo or something? Is it like no-pants Thursdays, except no-shirt Tuesdays? “You didn’t go with the rest of them?” I ask him.

  “Nope,” he replies, standing behind me to peer into the frying pan. “Those smell good.”

  “Grab a plate, I’m making plenty,” I say, flipping the one currently in the pan. “Why not?”

  “Westley is getting an award in school today and I don’t want to miss it,” he explains, bringing a plate over to me and then sitting down at the table. “Plus, it’s just Prez and a few prospects here. Better to have a little extra backup, considering recent events.”

  “It’s like a ghost town in here now,” I say, piling four pancakes on his plate and bringing it over to him. �
��I think I need to put a TV in my room. I can spend tonight binge watching a series on Netflix.”

  He runs his hand over his bald head with a smirk playing on his lips. “Sounds productive.”

  I slide him the maple syrup and glance up as my father walks in. “Unless someone wants to give me my first riding lesson.”

  “I was just about to ask you if you wanted to go for a ride,” he says, rubbing his hands together. “I checked your bike; she’s looking good.”

  “My bike isn’t a she, it’s a he,” I let him know. “Do you want some pancakes?”

  He nods and takes a seat next to Knuckles, who is inhaling his own pancakes. “So can my girl cook? Or are we all going to die?”

  I consider making a poison joke but decide against it.

  “My pancakes are the best,” I tell him, watching Knuckles. “Look at him, he’s loving them.”

  Knuckles swallows his last bite. “They’re pretty fuckin’ great.”

  I beam. “Told you.”

  I hand him his plate and serve my own, sitting down with the two of them.

  “Before we start your training, we need to go to the shops first,” Dad says as he takes his first bite. “Oh fuck, these really are good.”

  “Are there any more?” Knuckles asks, looking hopeful.

  I nod and point to the frying pan. “Yeah, a few.”

  He stands up and helps himself while I ask, “Why are we going shopping?”

  “You need riding gear,” he explains, pouring maple syrup on his stack. “Your own helmet, jacket, and boots. You can also buy more clothes so you don’t need to do laundry at five a.m.”

  “I tried to be quiet,” I tell him, wincing. “But that washing machine is like a hundred years old.”

  “We can buy a new one of those too,” he announces, devouring the rest of his pancakes. “You were right, Erin. Best pancakes I’ve ever tasted.”

  “I’m glad,” I reply, watching him with satisfaction. “And no, we don’t need to buy a washing machine. Just the riding gear and a few tops will be fine.”

  And some more panties—how the hell am I meant to buy them with him around? I’ve only ever gone underwear shopping with my mom, Eden, or Celina. Never with a man, especially not a father I only just met.

  Veronica storms into the kitchen before he can reply. “Oh, there you are.” She leans over to give him a quick kiss. “Good morning. I was going to make you some breakfast, but I see you’ve already eaten.”

  Oh shit.

  Does my being in the kitchen step on her toes? Jesus, I was actually just making myself some food, I wasn’t trying to make this some pissing contest over who is the woman in charge around here. I hope I’m reading into this too much and she actually doesn’t mean anything by it, but I didn’t miss her tone when she spoke.

  “Best pancakes we’ve ever had,” Knuckles adds, and I feel like he’s shit stirring, going by the crinkle in his eyes.

  “I see,” Veronica huffs, sounding a mixture of disappointed and slightly annoyed. She takes a breath though, and puts on a smile. “Are you free now? I feel like I haven’t spent any time with you in forever.”

  Dad stands with his plate. “I’m taking Erin to the shops to get her some riding gear, and then for a riding lesson. I’m free after that though.”

  Knuckles and I share a look. This is a really awkward conversation, so I stand up with my full plate and head to my room to eat. The place feels different without Ace, as stupid as that sounds.

  I miss him already.

  And his mouth.

  I’m going to need a little more of that too.

  I finish my breakfast on my bed, then return to the kitchen to wash my plate. Veronica is sitting at the table as I walk in, alone. I wonder if I should offer to make her breakfast, or whether that will just make this situation worse. I decide to try to give her a chance, for Dad’s sake.

  “Did you eat anything?” I ask her, walking to the sink and turning the tap on. “I can make something for you, if you like.” The offer falls out of my mouth, but I regret it the second it does.

  She makes an hmmmph sound and declines my offer. “No, thank you. I’m fine. I’m just going to have some coffee and then do some gardening until you and Gage return from your adventures. Someone has to keep this place maintained.”

  Is she just in a shitty mood because Dad isn’t giving her the attention she wants right now? As if listening to my thoughts, she continues.

  “You know, Erin, you seem like a really sweet girl, and this environment isn’t for everyone. I know that we don’t really know each other, but if you ever want to talk, or need advice, I want you to know I’m here. And I know how to keep a secret.”

  I nod a few times, considering her words. “Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind.”

  Maybe she’s not so bad after all?

  “We should have lunch, or something, sometime,” she also offers.

  I’m about to reply when two girls walk in, none other than the “meth chic” girl and one of her friends.

  “What are you two doing here?” Veronica asks them, scraping her chair against the floor as she slides back to face them. “The clubhouse is in shutdown mode. No one is meant to go in or out.”

  “I know,” Meth Chic says, looking sheepish. “I didn’t realize, and I came to pick something up. Knuckles said I can go in to grab it but then we have to leave.”

  “Well, you better hurry up. The men won’t be back until tomorrow, and you know exactly what they’re going to get up to tonight . . .”

  Wait, hold on just a second. What are they going to get up to? I thought they were just going on some run thing?

  The girl raises her eyes to me and clears her throat. “So you’re the girl Ace has been spending all his time guarding.”

  I shrug and murmur, “I guess so. You have me at a disadvantage. While you’ve heard about me, I have no idea who you are.”

  “I’m Paulina.” She smirks, and it’s pure evil. “Ask Ace, I’m sure he will tell you. Although he’s probably extremely busy right now. The men love to . . . indulge whenever they visit another chapter. What do they say? ‘Change is like a holiday’? Well, going by their comments, different women are like holidays, too.”

  Oh, hell no.

  Is Ace going to fuck someone else tonight? I literally thought he was going on a work trip. Biker trip, whatever.

  And I sent him on his way with blue balls.

  Fucking hell.

  He may not be my man, but I’m not going to share him. If he wants to fuck others, that’s fine, but I’m not going to touch him then. I’m no one’s side bitch. I might be younger and I might not have the life experience others have here, but I do know something.

  My worth.

  And no man is going to treat me any less than I deserve.

  My nails dig into my palms. “Thank you for your . . . advice, Paula.”

  “It’s Paulina,” she says and glowers, uncrossing her arms and exposing her thin frame.

  “Right. Well, you better get going. I’ve been told it’s only family who’s allowed to stay here tonight, because you never know who you can and can’t trust these days unfortunately,” I say with a deep sigh. I turn my focus on Veronica. “They should probably tighten security, they seem to be letting anyone in here these days.”

  “Okay, Trouble, sheath the claws. These two were just leaving,” Knuckles says as he walks in and takes in the scene in front of him. He looks to Paulina. “I said five minutes, now hurry your asses out of here.”

  The girl with Paulina steps to Knuckles, an exaggerated sway in her hips. “Are you sure you don’t want me to stay? You might get bored in here tonight with no one else around.”

  Knuckles eyes her, steps away, out of her reach, then looks at me. “I’m hanging with her tonight. We’re going to have a great time, aren’t we, Erin?”

  “Totally,” I reply with a cheeky smirk. I give Paulina and co. a sarcastic wave. “We’ll be sure to tell you all about it, Pau
la.”

  Veronica stands up and gives me a look. “All right, that’s enough. Girls, you best be going.”

  The two of them leave, and Veronica follows.

  “And then there were two,” I say, shrugging and hopping up on the counter. “What do you know about that girl?”

  “Fuck no, I’m not being dragged into this conversation,” he tells me, holding his hands up in surrender. “She’s one of the club girls, so she comes for parties or whatever, that’s all that I know.”

  I consider this. “Do you guys share these ‘club women,’ or how does it work? I know Ace has slept with her, I’m just trying to figure this whole thing out.”

  “What’s that? Oh, fuck, Prez is calling me,” Knuckles says, escaping the conversation and walking away.

  Shit.

  That’s not a good sign.

  16

  I send Ace a text message saying:

  If you even touch another woman tonight, don’t bother looking in my direction ever again.

  Straight to the point, and now the ball is in his court. My phone pings almost immediately with his reply.

  Who have you been talking to? I’m not going to do anything, don’t worry. No one is going to satisfy this craving except for you, princess.

  Good. Can’t wait for you to get back. I miss your body next to mine.

  Trust me, I can’t wait either.

  Slightly mollified, I tap my fingers on the car door, staring straight ahead as we make our way to get my riding gear and clothing.

  “Everything okay?” Dad asks, and I turn my head to him at the sound of his voice.

  “Yeahhhh,” I murmur, dragging the word out. “Can I ask you something?”

  “Sure.”

  “The women I saw today at the clubhouse, Paulina and some other girl . . . Do they just hang around hoping to get with one of the men? Why are they allowed to be at the clubhouse all the time?” I ask him, fiddling with my seat belt.

  “Okay, wasn’t expecting that one,” he utters, sighing. “Being in the Cursed Ravens, Erin, comes with many things. One of them is the women. Women love coming to the clubhouse to party, and there are a few who come all the time to party with the men and have been for a long time.”