Ace of Spades (Underground Affair Series Book 1) (38 page)

“I can sketch it if you get me some paper and a pencil.”

Declan looked at Chace and then at Kaylee.

“You’re an artist?”

“No, just a hobby, I couldn’t afford art school.”

Declan got up and pulled out a pad of paper and a pencil from his briefcase and handed it to Kaylee. She began sketching and in no time had a very detailed tattoo sketched out.

“Here.”

Declan and Chace both looked on in amazement.

“Wow, talk about hidden talent.”

“Yeah, our guy down at the station isn’t this good.”

Kaylee smiled. “Thank you.”

“I’m going to get this out to everyone. Kaylee, thank you so much for sketching this. I’m confident that this may be the break we are looking for.”

“See you later, Chace.”

“I think I need to rest now.”

“Ok, I’m just going to grab my laptop and I will be right here in this chair.”

“Thank you, I don’t know what I did to deserve you but you will never understand how much it means to me to have someone here with me. I’m so afraid.”

“Don’t be afraid, I’ll be right here.”

Kaylee closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Lucy started to moan. Her parents rushed over to her side.

“Lucy, its Mom, your father and I are here with you.”

Lucy started to blink and finally her eyes opened. She scanned the room but Ace wasn’t there. She thought she heard his voice but he wasn’t there. What if he didn’t make it? Now fear was setting in. She tried to pull at the tube but her mother grabbed her hand.

“No dear, that’s helping you breathe.”

“I’m going to let the doctor know that she is awake.”

Lucy’s father left. Lucy just kept looking around for something, some sign that Ace had been there but she couldn’t see a thing. She grabbed her mother’s hand and placed it over her heart.

“Your heart? Are you having chest pains?”

Lucy shook her head.

“Ok, so you’re trying to tell me something?”

Lucy nodded.

“Your heart, uhh your heart, oh ACE!”

Lucy nodded.

“He’s fine, well he will be. He snuck in to see you before.”

Lucy smiled and a single tear escaped from her eye.

“He saved your life and almost lost his.”

Lucy nodded.

“I will let him know you’re awake.”

Lucy nodded and smiled.

“Lucy, I’m so sorry. I know that if I…”

Lucy grabbed her mother’s hand and shook her head.

“I’m just grateful that you’re alive. I love you.”

Lucy smiled.

Her father walked back in with the doctor. All Lucy wanted to do was see Ace but right now that was impossible.

Shane was on his way to visit Ace since he was ordered to take it easy for the rest of the day. He got in the elevator and turned around and Luke stepped in.

“Hey, Hot Stuff.”

“What’s up, Doc?”

“You here to see Ace?”

“Yes. Buddy gave me the rest of the day off.”

“Yeah?”

“He wants me to relax and make sure I get a lot of sleep.”

Luke backed Shane into the wall and kissed him. Shane pulled away.

“I can’t.”

“Did I do something wrong?”

“No, no, you’re good. It’s me. I can’t.”

“Can’t or won’t?”

“Both. I’ve made it a practice never to have sex during fight week.”

“I thought that crap was a myth?”

“I don’t know. I’ve never done it during fight week and I’ve always won, so I am not second guessing my body or my theory.”

“I can abide by that.”

“You better be ready to fuck the hell out of me after my fight though.”

“That can be arranged.”

The elevator door had opened and closed three times. Finally Shane stepped to the side and kissed Luke on the cheek and stepped out.

“I will see you at the airport Thursday morning.”

“I’ll call you later.”

Shane walked into Ace’s room. He had just hung up the phone with Lucy’s nurse. She had called to let him know Lucy was awake and doing better.

“Now before you get angry with me, Buddy sent me home to relax and rest. So I decided I would relax here.”

“It’s good to see you. How’s training?”

“I feel pretty confident. You know I will be a wreck come Saturday. How are feeling? You look a world better.”

“I just found out Lucy’s awake and she is doing ok, so I’m definitely better.”

“Good.”

“I wish they’d let me out of this cracker box.”

“You almost died a few days ago, give it some time.”

“Come Thursday, I’m out of here. There’s no way I’m missing your fight.”

“Ace, man I don’t expect you to come to this one, there will be others. You need to be here for Lucy.”

“Her parents haven’t changed their minds about me. The only thing me staying here will do is just make me feel like an even bigger loser and I’ll be upset that I missed your fight.”

“Ok, but if anything changes, I understand.”

“Are you bringing Luke?”

“Yes, he’s so excited.”

“I’m really happy for you.”

“Thanks.”

“I have a few hours and I brought my iPad, let’s watch a movie.”

“Cool.”

Ace moved over in his bed and Shane climbed in with his iPad.

A
CE WAS DRESSED AND
more than ready to leave the hospital. When he texted Declan to tell him he got sprung Declan replied that Kaylee was getting released too and they could all go home together. Ace decided he would take the chance and check in on Lucy before he left. He stood outside her door for a few minutes before he got up the courage to finally open it. When he did he smiled because he saw Lucy sitting up in bed.

“Ace.” Lucy immediately smiled.

“I was afraid I’d never hear your voice again.”

“You wouldn’t have if you didn’t save me.”

Lucy’s mother came barging in.

“Lucy, your father and I, oh I didn’t know you had a visitor.”

“I just stopped in for a minute to say goodbye.”

When Lucy heard Ace say those two words her stomach sunk.

“Please don’t leave me.”

“Lucy…”

“Ace, no.”

“Take care of yourself.”

Ace leaned over and kissed Lucy on the cheek. Lucy grabbed him.

“Please, please don’t leave me. I don’t want to live without you, Ace. I love you.”

Ace grabbed Lucy’s hands and looked at her. She was crying. His heart was already broken. He had thought for a moment that Lucy’s mother was going to say something but she didn’t.

“Goodbye, Lucy.” Ace stopped in front of Lucy’s mother. “Take care of her for me.”

Lucy’s mother nodded. Ace walked out leaving Lucy behind yet again with another piece of his broken heart.

Declan opened the door to Kaylee’s suite and her eyes grew wider and wider as he wheeled her in further.

“My God, this is like a palace. All I need is a bed and a bathroom.”

“Nonsense, I want you to feel at home, not like you’re stuffed in a cramped hotel room. Besides, until you heal a bit more and can use crutches you need to be able to get around in this wheelchair.”

“Thank you.”

“Please, stop thanking me. All the thanks I need is for you to get better. Speaking of, I should get you into bed.”

Kaylee knew what Declan meant but her cheeks heated up in embarrassment anyway.

“I meant to say, you should rest.”

“I know what you meant to say.”

Declan helped her into the bed and brought her the cordless phone.

“Every restaurant and store we have at the Underground is programmed in here, security included. Order whatever you want and just tell them you are my guest.”

Kaylee felt like she hit lotto. The only thing better would be if Declan was in bed holding her…naked.

“I know you said to stop saying it but thank you.”

Declan laughed. “Get some rest. I will check in on you later.”

Chace had spent the last day talking to tattoo artists about the killer’s tattoo. So far nothing and he only had three left on his list.

“I’m Detective McQueen, can I speak to the manager?”

“I’m Dana, the manager.”

“I’m trying to find out if anyone here has seen this tattoo before.”

Chace pulled out the paper and handed it to the manager.

“Zeke, come here.”

“What’s up, Dana?”

“Is this one of yours?”

“Looks like it.”

“This is Detective McQueen, you do your best to answer all his questions, understand?”

“Yes. How can I help, Detective?”

“Do you remember anything about the woman you tattooed?”

“Sure, she’s blonde, blue eyes, five foot eight, she comes in here a lot.”

“Do you have a name or any contact information?”

“Charlene is her name and I might have a cell number. She always pays in cash so I don’t have any credit card receipts.”

“What other tattoos does she have?”

“Well, she has a dragonfly on the back of her neck, a snake up her leg and she has paw prints on her side. Let me go in the back and look for a number.”

Chace called Kyle who was at the gym for his kickboxing class.

“Hey.”

“I found the tattoo shop and the guy remembers the woman.”

“Did he give you a name or an address?”

“Charlene is her name and he is looking for a cell number. He did tell me that she has a dragonfly tattoo on the back of her neck, a snake on her leg and paw prints on her side.”