Rival (The Aces Book 1)

by A. J. Macey

  It was slightly after midnight, meaning halfway through the guards’ shift when they started to take lunch. Their talking and eating would keep them busy long enough to hopefully get the girls out without any confrontation. I unwrapped the rope and handed it to Chase when we reached our destination, focusing on securing several harnesses together so I could take them all down at once. When the pulley was secured, I hooked the end and slowly started my descent into the large room. The smell was vomit-worthy since the girls hadn’t been given chances to use a proper bathroom. Thank fuck for my face guard.

  I unhooked the IV system from Maxine, making sure to grab her cut from the wall after placing her in the harness, and Chase pulled her up to the vent. I knew it was a major faux-pas for anyone else to touch the cut or ‘Property of’ jacket or having others wear it, but I figured the extenuating circumstances made it okay as I slipped it on the second girl.

  By the fifth and final girl, sweat was dripping into my eyes and soaking my long-sleeve shirt as well as my beanie. Who knew moving fully grown adults when they were like a giant sack of potatoes would be such a workout. I huffed and secured the rope to her harness. I looked around the room, taking in the details of the space as Chase wheeled her to the roof where the others were. The room was unlit; only the very slim window near the top of the room let the moonlight filter in. The cement floors held a few cracks, while the walls were half finished drywall. I should blow the fuck out of this place, I thought to myself. They wouldn’t be able to use it again.

  The sound of the guards shuffling on the other side of the door let me know they were going to be finishing up lunch soon. My watch read 12:45 AM. All right, 15 minutes to get the girls into the van and get the fuck out of here before they come check on them. Pulling out my signature card, I dropped the white cardstock with my printed paw print on the ground. I quickly hooked myself to the rope when it reached me, Chase huffing and sweating as much as me in the air vent. Making sure to grab all of our gear, I shut the vent and followed my assassin to the roof access.

  We went through the same process to get the girls down to the van, except this time Chase was on the ground and loading them up while I got them fastened to the pulley rope and down the side of the tall building. Once again checking to make sure I had all of our shit, I scaled down the building and disengaged the remote lock on the pulley anchor. Chase caught it, immediately throwing his hands in the air doing a little dance like he had scored a touchdown. Rolling my eyes, I couldn’t help but smile at his ridiculousness.

  We left the warehouse in a cloud of dust, all five girls safely secured in the back.

  Thank fuck…

  Chapter 10

  May 2nd

  Thursday Early Morning

  Chase

  Maxine was passed out in the backseat of the car, having woken up over an hour ago at the house. Kiera showed her the bathroom so she could shower and gave her a pair of clothes to change into before we would take her to the compound. Maxine was grateful, thanking us over and over to the point that my kittycat was severely uncomfortable. She wasn’t used to so much attention since she preferred to stick to the shadows.

  Speaking of, my little kittycat was staring out the window at the passing landscape, her eyes drooping with exhaustion. She was always tired and slept like a rock after our jobs, with me usually making the final drop and receiving payment, but she insisted on dropping Maxine off at the compound together. I think she just wanted to see a few certain officers, but I didn’t mention it, as I didn’t want to pop her bubble of success.

  The front gate club member let us pass having known we were coming ahead of time, and the stillness around the compound meshed well with the early morning sunrise. I pulled up right outside the door of the clubhouse before waking Maxine. She immediately started to cry as she shot out of the car to her husband like one of my bullets. Brooks stood off to the side backed by Garrett and Stone; the first two appeared somewhat happy, although the latter was very clearly ignoring looking at Kiera as she stepped out of the car. She was wearing her lounge clothes—a pair of baggy sweats that hung low on her hips— and a small bit of one of my boxers she had stolen peeked out at the top under her tight black shirt.

  “Thank you,” Maxine’s husband Kevin gushed. His furry mustache looked like a dark caterpillar on his upper lip, and I had a hard time not laughing as he talked. “Seriously, thank you so much. Whatever you guys need, whenever you need it, just let me know.” He emphatically shook my hand, his callouses rough against my palm before turning and doing the same to a very uncomfortable Kiera. My poor kittycat, I chuckled looking over at her, pretty sure she’d rather face her fear of nuns than be here right now. Kevin and Maxine went inside the bar and left the five of us standing in an awkward silence.

  “Your money was transferred to your account,” Brooks said, looking down at our girl. Her exhausted brain was slow to respond as she furrowed her brows.

  “What?” she asked after a few minutes. “I don’t understand.”

  “Wow,” Stone huffed rolling his eyes. His attitude was starting to grate on my nerves. I understood running from feelings you didn’t like, well I knew about it, I didn’t actually know since I really didn’t hate anything, but his rudeness was pushing me in that direction.

  “Leave my kittycat alone.” I curled my left arm around her, pulling her sagging body to me. She leaned against me as a crutch to hold herself upright. “She just did you a favor with the intention of not getting paid, might I add, and she’s tired, so keep your shit to yourself.” I buried my face in her hair to keep myself from getting angry. Kiera didn’t like when I wasn’t my usual happy-go-lucky self. She tended to worry then, and I didn’t want her to do something silly like that.

  “I don’t want your money.” I assumed Kiera directed her words toward Brooks, but I wasn’t sure as my eyes were closed while I nuzzled her, her shampoo’s berry scent filling my nose. “I told you that.”

  “Well, too damn bad,” Garrett bit out, “you did the job so we paid you. Why did you even come if you were so tired?” His question was filled with enough exasperation to have me peeking over at him. His green eyes were centered on my kittycat’s tired face, his jaw ticking in irritation.

  “Fuck off, Garrett.” Her words were slurred. “I should… punch you… asshole. Fuck, so tired...” she trailed off and leaned more and more into me. I immediately opened the car door right behind her and guided her into the passenger seat. Closing the door after buckling her in, I turned to the Aces’ officers. Every single one of them wore melancholy expressions as they stared at Kiera, knowing this was the end of the job, so me being me, I decided to stick my nose into the middle of it.

  “You know you guys don’t have to be so sad,” I added cheerfully, “you’re more than welcome around the house any time. Besides, pretty sure she’ll be around, but you know you could always see if she wanted to come to one of your parties.” I hummed, poking Brooks in the forearm that snugly crossed his chest in rapid succession. Brooks eyes lit up in laughter, getting what I was hinting at while Stone stormed off, his jaw tensing, but he couldn’t hide the erection in his jeans. Garrett ground his teeth, staring longingly at Kiera. He was the only one she hadn’t claimed, and I could read the hurt on his face plain as day. A plan forming in my head had me smiling slyly at him.

  “What?” he barked when he saw me looking at him. “Why are you making that face, assassin?” I just smiled wider before walking around the car and getting in. “Chase?” he called out as I sank into the driver's seat. His brows furrowed as he watched me pull away, and Brooks chuckled and patting him on the shoulder. He seemed to know I was up to something. Good, I thought to myself, by the end of the weekend my kittycat and Garrett will finally have to address their long-time-coming desire.

  May 3rd

  Friday Night

  Kiera

  I turned my bike off and remained seated on it as I eyed the door to the bar. It was once again propped open, loud music and
rowdy voices filtering out into the warm night air. I was only here at Chase’s urging, some bullshit story about how I needed to tell Garrett that we were moving in on Harbold’s files tomorrow night. Don’t see why I couldn’t have just texted him that, but whatever. My hair was down and unbraided for the first time here at the compound, tousled and windblown from my ride in. I decided to say fuck it and rode in my short shorts and regular band tee that I had cut to show off my sides down to my waist. Because this is the desert and it gets hot as fuck here.

  Attempting to not bump into anyone, I curved around couples and people, scanning the crowd for my asshole stepbrother. More glances turned my way than before due to the confrontation with Stone. Maxine and Kevin were among the crowd, and Kevin immediately darted over to me.

  “Kiera.” He shook my hand like he had the day before. “I just wanted to thank you again.” He leaned forward to whisper in my ear. “It’ll help take off some of the heat if it looks like a member accepts you, so go with it. Call me Dagger.” I nodded slightly, signifying I understood as I shook his hand.

  “No problem, Dagger. Anytime.” I nodded and gave a tiny wave to Maxine who waved obnoxiously at me, her smile bright. Glad to see she is doing better. I turned back to sweeping the crowd. Before I could find Garrett though, Brooks stepped in front of me.

  “Hey, baby”—he smirked down at me—“you lookin’ for someone in particular?” I cocked a brow, and the feeling that he already knew the answer crept over me. What are you and Chase up to? I mentally asked him. Damn troublemakers.

  “Yeah, Garrett. Seen him?” I decided to play along, suspicion pushed to the back burner as he hitched a thumb toward one of the chairs off to the side. Narrowing my eyes at the president, I inched around him and walked in the direction in which he pointed. I felt my chest tighten sharply and I ground my teeth. That same tramp that had been hitting on him the other day was straddling his lap. His hand rested on her thigh while the other held a lowball of alcohol. I took calming breaths to try and see through the red wave of rage at her practically smothering him with her breasts as her fingers tangled in his hair. I closed the distance between us with purposeful strides, but I might have been stomping. Who knows.

  “Garrett,” I bit out, feeling my heart beating painfully fast within my chest. His hard green eyes moved from her face, as she had been talking in some ditzy fucking girly voice, to me. I’m not jealous at all. Yeah, yeah, turn those judgy eyes on me since I’m clearly a fucking big green monster right now.

  “What?” His harsh tone matched my short one, and I focused in on his hands as he made no moves to dislodge her. I ground my teeth some more before answering.

  “I need to talk to you.” The tramp finally turned her attention on me, and her bright baby blues watched me as her bubblegum pink gloss covered lips tilted down.

  “He’s busy, bitch,” she snapped. Her ditzy voice rang in my ears as Garrett’s brows rose sharply in irritation at her words. Oh, hell no, she did not just call me that. I stormed up to her and grabbed a fistful of her bleached blonde hair.

  “I suggest you watch what you fucking say to me,” I hissed in her face. “I also suggest you find someone else to fuck because this Ace is mine.” I pulled her by her hair, and she flopped ungracefully onto the gross floor flashing an ungodly amount of weirdly shaved pussy before trying to come after me, but Garrett was faster. Stepping between us, he faced Princess Prissy No-Pants.

  “Bambi, I need to have a conversation with her,” he mumbled before grabbing my arm and dragging me down the hall.

  “Bambi? Seriously?” I huffed. Pretty sure I rolled my eyes hard enough for them to pop out of my head and roll down the street. “I thought you would have better taste than that.” Garrett stayed quiet until shoving me into one of the back bedrooms.

  “What the ever loving fuck was that?” he growled, getting in my face as I had done to Bambi. Cue the shudder. I mean seriously, who names their kid that? Crazy people, that’s who. “I was fucking busy!” His arm went out wide in the general direction of the door. I tried, really tried, to bite back my retort, but that stupid green monster I attempted to ignore, the one that liked to lurk in the background when it came to Garrett, barrelled forward.

  “Fine, go back to Bambi, I’m sure Brooks would be up for another round with me since you’re so busy,” I sneered, my chest heaving hard as I shoved him away from me and walked toward the door. Before I could make it there, Garrett slammed into me, pressing me back against the door, his seething face only a breath away. I opened my mouth to snap at him when he silenced me with a raw, passionate kiss filled with years of pent-up cravings, loathing, and temptation.

  Growling, his hands roughly cupped my face, fingers tangling in my hair as our kiss filled with battling tongues and nipping bites. My palms rubbed against the taut planes of his chest and sculpted abdomen. His shirt was soft under my fingers, but all I wanted in that moment was his skin against mine. Not giving a shit about the rules surrounding the cut, I shoved it down off his shoulders until I could toss it off to the side. I ran my hands up his tattooed torso reveling in the warmth that radiated from his tanned skin.

  His hands slid down my neck and over my breasts before ending on my hips. Gripping tightly, he started to walk us back toward the king sized bed in the middle of the room. He sat slowly, kissing and biting my jaw and neck until he was situated right in front of my chest. Hands skimming over my skin pushed up and bunched my shirt around my ribs for me to take off, and as soon as it was gone he immediately bit my left breast over the fabric of my bra. The sharp feeling of his teeth had me grasping his shoulders to stay standing and a breathy moan escaped me. Stripping me out of my bra, Garrett yanked his shirt over his head baring a chiseled chest and inked skin.

  “I think I make a better lap playmate than that fucking tramp out there,” I murmured, situating myself across Garrett’s powerful thighs in the same position Bambi had been and wrapping my hands into his hair. My breasts brushed lightly against his scruff making me shiver.

  “You think so?” Garrett stared up at me, his rough hands running down my back agonizingly slow until he reached my ass. I knew my arousal was soaking my shorts, but I couldn’t bring myself to care when all I wanted in that moment was for Garrett to fuck me. His damned, kissable lips curled into a devilish smirk right before he slapped my ass, the sharp sting melting into a warm pool of pleasure.

  “I should fucking punish you for interrupting me.” His harsh whispers caused his hot breath to wash over me, leaving goosebumps over my breasts in its wake, my nipples peaking against his strong chest. Another slap came right after and I couldn’t contain the soft moan that fell from my lips. His green eyes darkened as his pupils blew out wide, the smirk growing. “Liked that didn’t you, Kitten? Stand up.” My pussy quivered at the question and at the command. Fuck yeah, I did. Following his directive, I placed my booted feet on the carpet.

  “Strip,” he ordered. My skin flushed under the heated, yet leisurely, perusal as I bent at the waist to untie my boots, his eyes drinking me in. Kicking them off, I kept eye contact as I unbuttoned and slid the shorts down my legs. Power surged through me at the control at which I held Garrett’s attention. He shifted back further onto the bed until his calves rested against the edge of the mattress. Crooking a finger at me, he commanded me forward.

  “Get that sexy ass over here.” He patted his lap, but he stopped me before I could straddle him once more. I allowed him to move me, and he had me lying on my stomach over his legs, my knees resting on the ratty comforter with my ass perfectly angled up in front of him. A rough, calloused hand grabbed the back of my thigh lightly before sliding to my ass as his right arm rested on my back and gripped my hip tightly.

  “You’ve given me a lot of shit over the years, Kiera,” he ground out, desire thick in his words. I couldn’t see him directly, only out of the corner of my eye, and at the way he was eyeing me I felt a drip of my own wetness start to slide down my thigh and onto his jeans.
“You don’t know how many times I’ve envisioned you splayed over my lap like this so I could punish you for your fucking feisty mouth and your damned sexy attitude.”

  Without warning, his hand left my ass and came down in a stinging slap. I clenched my thighs together to keep from leaking anymore; my moan sounded slutty even to my own ears. Another slap, his right hand coming to my hair, tangling into the tresses in a tight, but not painful grip.

  Fuck me. I felt my eyes roll back at the position. I didn’t do submissive, but something about Garrett’s rugged, domineering personality had me aching for more.

  “Don’t fucking close those legs,” he demanded, delivering another slap, and the moan I released was even louder. When I was lost in the sensation of his punishment and not doing as he commanded, he pulled on my hair to angle my head up off the bed.

  “Open your legs,” he growled, tattooed fingers brushing against my wet thighs as I shifted my knees. “God damn,” he groaned feeling the near steady stream pouring from my greedy pussy, “you fucking love this, don’t you?” I couldn’t form an answer as he cupped my cunt and rubbed circles on my throbbing clit and slick entrance. He released the grip on my hair to bring another hit to my already tortured ass, his left hand never moving between my legs.

  “Fuck,” I mumbled in my lustful haze. At my response, he slipped in two fingers, his thumb rubbing over the tight bud of my ass. Wanton moans swiftly turned to cries of pleasure as he pushed me closer to the edge. One last spank sent me flying over into that blissful release, my eyes blackening for a split second with the intensity of my orgasm.