Ace of Spades (Underground Affair Series Book 1) (15 page)

“Well, thank you. So how are you feeling today?”

“Like someone kicked my ass last night.”
Shane laughed.

“How’s the head?”

Shane looked down at the phone. He knew he shouldn’t, but decided to play.

“Didn’t get any of that last night.”

“Guess you went home with the wrong guy then.”

Now that threw Shane off. He remembered looking and Luke had a gold band on his ring finger.

“Guess so. Not that I had a choice. Those two were like mother hens.”

“I did notice that. Are they still there standing watch?”
Luke chuckled.

“Nah, after we got to the club Buddy took off for bed and Ace went in search of a piece of ass.”

“Club? You didn’t go straight home to bed like I told you?”

“It’s customary to be at your own victory party. I had to at least show my messed up face.”

“How did you get home then?”

“Chace brought me home and then my partner Declan came by and spent the night.”

“How many partners do you have?”

“Three.”

“Hey, whatever works for you, I guess.”

“It doesn’t always work but after fifteen years together, I can’t imagine my life without them.”

“Fifteen years? Wow, that’s impressive.”

“Impressive or insane?”
Shane laughed.

“Shane, hang on a sec.”
Luke covered the phone with his hand and yelled out, “I’ll be right out Sweetheart.” Luke put the phone back to his ear.
“Sorry, I’ve got to run. You have my number, you can call me if you need me. Thank you again for the clothes.”

“Thank you, for caring.”

Lucy saw Ace pull up and she fled from the house, hoping her father wouldn’t follow her out.

“Hey, I was going to come to the door like a gentleman.”

“That’s sweet but I don’t want my father to start in.”

Lucy buckled up her seatbelt and Ace took off.

“Start in? You don’t think he’d approve of us having dinner?”

“I’m his little girl, if the President was taking me out to dinner he would still have a million questions. I just wanted to avoid that scenario.”

“Lucy, I know we started off…in an odd kind of way but, well do you think if we met under different circumstances that…”

“You mean if I wasn’t drunk and you weren’t almost naked?”

“Yeah, do you think if we met somewhere else sober and clothed that you would have given me the time of day?”

“We can’t change it, so why question it.”

“So the answer is, no?”

Ace was visibly upset. Lucy felt terrible. It wasn’t what she meant but she honestly didn’t know what to say. So she decided she would just tell Ace how she felt and hoped it would make him feel better.

“No…let me explain.”

“Nah, it’s ok.”

“Ace, to be honest, I don’t know. I mean look how long you’ve known my father, we live in the same town and we never met. We have different lifestyles and different friends. It would have depended on the situation whether I would have approached you.”

“Would the situation have mattered if I approached you?”

“If you approached me then I’m sure I would have given you my time, day or night. I’m very attracted to you, if you haven’t noticed. Your eyes, well I feel like you can see my soul when I look into them.”

Ace started to smile and in turn Lucy smiled.

“You like my eyes?”

“And your mouth and hair and…”

Ace had parked the car by now and leaned over and kissed Lucy. When Lucy pulled back she spoke.

“Would you have approached me?”

“I probably wouldn’t have for fear that you’d reject me.”

“What? Why?”

“Let’s forget it. Come on, dinner awaits us.”

“Hey, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“I guess, I just can’t believe that a girl like you would…”

“A girl like me?”

“I’m not smart, I made it to college because I wanted to get away from home and I was given a scholarship. Declan pushed my ass and helped me pass. I like beer and you like wine. We’re…”

“Opposites attract. Don’t ever compare yourself to anyone. You are strong and so very brave. Every day that you go to work you’re a hero to me. Ace, I don’t care how smart you are or if you prefer beer. For the record I’m not a snob.”

“I think you’re right.”

“Oh?”

“We can’t change it, so why question it.”

Ace leaned over and kissed Lucy on the forehead.

“Come on. Let’s go eat.”

Chace showed up at the Underground to talk to Declan about Robert’s release and how to keep him away from Shane. As he walked through the many bars in the club searching for Declan, he saw Chloe and Taryn sitting with some guys having drinks. From what Ace said Taryn was a really nice girl, he couldn’t figure out why she was friends with Little Miss Sunshine. Who’d want to be friends with such a bossy, rude woman? As he stared at her he began to picture her bent over his knee while he smacked her ass. Great, now he was getting hard and Chloe and Taryn were walking towards him.

“Detective.”

“Doctor.”

“Hiya, Chace.”

“Hey, Taryn.”

“Ok, well Taryn and I were just leaving.”

“Alone?”

“I didn’t say that.”

Taryn smiled and waved on the guys from the bar they were just talking to. Chace just watched as they all walked out together. He couldn’t keep his eyes off of Chloe’s beautiful ass.

“I heard that you were looking for me?”

Chace turned around and Declan was standing there.

“Yes. Robert is out of jail and we need to make sure he stays away from Shane.”

“Do you really think he will contact Shane now, after all that has happened?”

“Yup.”

“Well then Shane needs to let him know that if he shows up he’ll have him arrested for abuse.”

“He won’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because he still loves that jackass and he doesn’t want the publicity.”

“Well I’m going over to Shane’s and I’m going to talk some sense into him then. Because if Robert so much as looks at Shane, I’ll kill him myself.”

Declan walked out before Chace got to speak another word.

A
CE HELD LUCY’S HAND
as he led her into the kitchen of the restaurant.

“Ace, where are we going?”

“You didn’t think we were just going to sit and eat dinner? Hell no, Lucy. Have you ever made pizza before?”

“No.”

“Well, today’s your lucky day then. Wash up and then we can get started.”

Lucy placed her purse on a nearby step stool and then began to wash her hands. Ace walked up behind her and kissed her neck, then her ear and cheek. Lucy turned around and splashed water in his face.

“Girl, if I wasn’t starved I would so drown you.”

“Oh yeah?”

Ace leaned forward and gave Lucy a quick kiss on the lips.

“Yes, I would totally drown you and then I would peel off your wet clothes and make love to you.”

Lucy looked away. Ace reached out his hand and placed it on her cheek.

“Hey, I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry.”

“I know you’re still in love with Tom and…”

“I don’t love Tom.”

Ace opened his mouth but before he got to speak Carlos came in carrying two bowls covered with a towel and placed them down on the counter.

“Unless you need something else, I’m going to get out of here.”

“I think I can find everything I need. Thank you, Carlos. Have a good night.”

“You too, Boss.”

Lucy lifted the towel up and then touched the dough.

“I made the dough this morning and left it to rise.”

“You really do know how to make pizza?”

“Yes, Ma’am.”

“Ace, that guy called you Boss, do you own this place?”

“Technically, I am part owner. However, I only come by to cook or eat every so often. I’m really more like a silent partner who loves food.”

“How do you know the owner? Is it a family member?”

“No, it’s a friend who deserved a second chance and I thought it might be a good investment. Now let’s get cooking, woman!”

Lucy had the feeling Ace wasn’t telling her everything about the restaurant’s owner but she decided now wasn’t the time to push it, as she too was starving.

“So are we going to toss the dough like they do on TV?”

“Are we going to toss the dough…of course we are.”

Ace shook out some flour and then grabbed the dough and a rolling pin. He took Lucy’s hand and walked her over to the counter. He stood behind her and placed his hands over hers to roll the dough out.

“The last time I used a rolling pin was when my cousins and I played with play dough.”

“Less talking, more rolling.” Ace laughed.

“Yes, Sir.” Lucy giggled.

“Ok, now we are going to pick up the dough and twirl it around on our fingers, well my fingers first. Then when I get it going I will start tossing it.”

Ace picked up the pizza dough and in no time he was tossing it up in the air. Lucy watched with amazement as Ace put on a one man pizza tossing show.

“Now we place the dough on the pan, add some sauce and then into the oven.”

“What about the cheese and toppings?”

“The dough needs to cook a bit before we add the cheese. What do you usually eat on your pizza, Miss Lucy?”

“I love mushrooms and olives.”

“Then mushrooms and olives it is.”

Ace walked over to the fridge and pulled out both mushrooms and olives and then began to slice them up.

“Can I help?”

“Why don’t you start rolling out that other dough for me.”

“Ok.”

Lucy rolled out the other dough. Then she picked it up and tried to get it twirling but instead it hung over her hand.

“Here, let me help you.”

Lucy was determined to get the dough up in the air by herself. Before Ace could grab the dough Lucy tossed it up in the air with all intentions of catching it, but instead it hit the ceiling and then just stuck there for a moment before falling and landing on Ace’s head.

“Oh no, oh dear. I’m so…” When Lucy saw the dough falling, the noise of it hitting Ace’s head and then Ace pulling a hole in the dough to see out of what had become a mask of dough, she began to laugh hysterically. Ace couldn’t help but laugh too and before they knew it they were both laughing so hard they had tears rolling down their cheeks.

“I love your laugh, Lucy. It makes me feel alive.”

Lucy pulled a hole in the dough to expose Ace’s mouth and then she kissed him.