Ace of Spades (Underground Affair Series Book 1) (18 page)

“Uhh, ok. Then what?”

“He only asked me for a date because my father asked him to. He never wanted a date before. He only wanted to fuck me all over the house. Oh and get this, when he realized I was upset, he blurted out that he loves me. What a loser.”

“Lucy, did you ever think that maybe he does love you?”

Lucy thought for a moment before she answered.

“He’s a player. He just wanted to kiss up to my father. I was just an added bonus.”

“What if you’re wrong and he really does love you?”

“How long before you’re here?”

“I’m coming down the block now.”

Lucy hung up and placed her phone in her pocket. She didn’t want to discuss Ace anymore.

All Declan wanted was a drink and some sleep. He was both mentally and physically exhausted. Not to mention in pain at the moment. He poured himself a drink and immediately drank it. He brought the glass into the kitchen, placed it in the sink and turned to head to the bedroom when he saw Shane standing in the kitchen doorway.

“Shit! You scared the fucking hell out of me.”

“I’m sorry. I let myself in.”

“Well you can let yourself out.”

“Dec, I need you. Please, please let me stay.”

As much as Declan wanted to wrestle Shane to the floor and beat him senseless for breaking his nose, he also knew his friend was hurting and he couldn’t turn his back.

“Fine, but don’t think that when your face and head heals that I’m not kicking the crap out of you for breaking my nose.”

“Deal.”

Shane walked over to Declan and hugged him. Declan could feel how tense Shane was at first and then as they hugged he started to relax. Shane pulled back after a few minutes.

“You’re the only person who really cares about me. Even my own parents never could.”

“Shane, your parents love you. They’re just close minded and cannot accept the fact that you’re gay.”

Shane leaned over and kissed Declan. Declan kissed him back until he had to pull away from the pain in his nose from pressing against Shane’s face.

“You alright?”

“I think another drink will do the trick.”

“Didn’t they give you pain killers?”

“Yes, but I choose not to take them. I much prefer one hundred year old Scotch.”

“Why don’t you go lie down and I will bring you a drink.”

Declan went into the bedroom and got undressed. He was just about to get into bed when Shane walked in with their drinks.

“Sit down.”

Declan sat down on the bed and Shane handed him his drink. After Shane downed his own drink he dropped to his knees. He took hold of Declan’s cock and then sucked it into his mouth.

“Oh God, I forgot how good you are. You put all those women to shame.”

Shane looked up and smiled, which in turn looked like a wink with his still swollen face. Then he doubled his efforts until Declan came.

“I think you’ve just redeemed yourself for breaking my nose.”

Shane stood up and kissed Declan on the lips. Then he undressed and got into bed with Declan.

I
T HAD BEEN ALMOST
a week since Ace and Lucy had seen one another. Lucy wanted to call him and apologize. She knew deep down that he was being truthful about taking her on a date and not just doing it to earn brownie points with her father. Ace scared her when he said he loved her. She loved him too but instead of telling him, she panicked. Tom told her he loved her and she believed him. She loved him and then he broke her heart. She just wasn’t ready to commit to that, not just yet.

“Miss Jenkins, can I erase the blackboard today?”

Lucy looked up, she had been so deep in thought about Ace that she never noticed little Timmy approach her desk.

“Why sure you can. Thank you.”

Timmy was beaming from ear to ear as he grabbed the eraser and went to work, erasing all of the day’s lessons from the blackboard.

“Class, I know you will be very upset but I have decided since you have been working so hard that there will be no homework this weekend.”

The class erupted in, “YAY! YES! and YOU”RE THE COOLEST MISS JENKINS!”

Lucy smiled. At least her class would have a great weekend.

Ace was at the firehouse cooking dinner. He hadn’t been in a kitchen cooking since last week when he was with Lucy. He missed her but there was no way he would allow himself to be hurt by a woman again. No how, no way. He’d had enough bad relationships to know that once it goes bad there’s no hope of turning it around. Lucy walking out on him after he told her he loved her was enough for him to realize he was a damn fool and needed to move on.

“What’s cooking, Dean?”

“Salmon, spinach and brown rice.”

“You watching your weight?”

“No Jorge, I’m not watching my weight. What’s wrong with a healthy meal for a change?”

“Calm down boy, are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I haven’t been sleeping much.”

“Sounds like more than lack of sleep.”

“Maybe a little more than that.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“Just something I need to work through.”

“You know I’m always here if you want to talk.”

“I know you got my back.”

“You want to go tell the Chief and the guys that dinner will be up in five.”

Jorge turned to walk away and the tones went off indicating that there was a working structure fire and also that dinner would have to wait. Ace shut off the stove and ran to the truck along with his crew.

Shane walked around the examining room looking at all of Luke’s diplomas and certificates hanging on the walls while he waited for Luke.

“Hey, sorry I’m running late. I had a three year old that was in a car accident and got tied up in surgery.”

Shane turned around and smiled.

“You’re worth the wait.”

“Gee thanks. I see you can smile now without looking like you’re winking.”

“Didn’t notice, I haven’t smiled much this week.”

“Come over here and sit down. Let’s get those stitches out.”

Shane walked over and sat down on the table.

“So can I get back to training again?”

“Would you mind lying back, it will be easier for me to remove those stitches.”

Shane stretched out. Luke put on his gloves and grabbed forceps and surgical scissors.

“You alright, Doc?”

“Fine, thanks.”

Shane laid there while Luke removed his stitches. Neither of them spoke. Shane could sense something was wrong but it was clear that Luke didn’t want to discuss it. After the last stitch was out, Shane sat up.

“So can I get back in the cage now?”

“Anymore dizziness?”

“Not much.”

“How much is not much and when was the last time you were dizzy?”

Luke walked closer to Shane and was now flashing a light in Shane’s eyes.

“A few days ago.”

“Alright, you can get back in the gym to workout but no fighting. I don’t want to take a chance at you getting hit in the head for another few weeks.”

“A few weeks?”

“You’re free to get a second opinion.”

“I trust your opinion, I’m just anxious to get back to my old routine.”

“Understandable.”

Luke pulled off his gloves and washed his hands. By the time he turned around Shane was standing behind him.

“Any chance you’d want to come by the Underground for a drink sometime?”

“After the day I’ve had I could use a few.”

“I’m headed over there now, stop by on your way home.”

“Which bar? That place is huge.”

“The Arena Bar, that one’s mine. I’ll let Big Joe know I’m expecting you. When you arrive he’ll come find me.”

“I’ll probably be here another hour.”

“I’m covering for my manager tonight so I will be there until at least 2am, so whenever.”

Shane smiled and walked out. Luke found him even more attractive now that his face was almost completely healed. He did however miss that cute wink he had when he smiled with his swollen eye.

Ace could see the smoke from blocks away and as the fire truck got closer he could see flames shooting out from the windows. As soon as the truck came to a halt Ace and his crew leapt from the truck. A woman came over screaming that her son never made it out of the house. Ace and Jorge headed inside to search for the child.

“Fire department, can you hear me? Call out.”

Ace shouted out a few times but no answer. He was afraid the child may be hiding or even worse, already dead. They crawled from room to room blindly searching through the thick smoke. Ace was about to leave the room and pull the door shut when he felt a small lump in front of the door. It was the child they had been looking for. He signaled to Jorge that the child was against the door. Then he pulled his mask from his face and placed it over the child’s face. He scooped the child into his arms. Jorge pulled his mask from his face to share his air with Ace as they tried to make their way out of the house. The flames were chasing them. As they reached the bottom step the ceiling began to collapse. Ace pushed Jorge out of the way and shielded the child with his own body.

A second crew had entered the first floor and heard the crash of the ceiling. They signaled for help. Jorge was able to get out with little assistance but Ace and the child were buried under debris. The Chief entered and helped the crew pull the child from Ace’s arms but the lower half of his body was buried. The house was starting to fall around them.