Ace of Spades (Underground Affair Series Book 1) (41 page)

“Shane, calm down. Please.”

“I’m going now, if you want to come as my boyfriend then come with me. If you can’t handle that then stay here.”

Shane reached down and grabbed his bags and walked off to catch his flight, leaving Luke behind.

Luke watched as Shane got farther and farther from him and in those few moments he realized the only thing that mattered was Shane and if the world couldn’t accept their relationship or him, then so be it. He picked up his bags and began to shout, “Hey, Shane Hart, wait up.”

Shane turned around. By the time Luke arrived to where Shane was standing there were people watching Shane now that he had been called out by Luke.

“Yeah.”

Luke dropped his bags and pulled Shane into a hug, then he kissed him while everyone watched and snapped pictures.

“I don’t want to lose you.”

“I feel the same way.”

“Let’s get going, Vegas awaits us.”

“Thank you.”

“Thank you?”

“For caring about me more than you care about what other people think.”

“I care about you, Shane.”

“Ditto. Now let’s go before Declan comes and kicks my ass for holding up the flight.”

Shane reached down and picked up both his and Luke’s bags and headed towards the plane with Luke by his side.

D
ECLAN REACHED FOR HIS
phone to see what time it was.

“It’s six o’clock.”

Declan turned his head and Shane was sitting on his bed.

“What’s going on?”

“I’m nervous, I couldn’t sleep, now I feel fatigued. I don’t think I’m going to win this fight.”

Declan reached out for Shane’s arm and pulled him down on the bed. He moved over and wrapped his arm around Shane and rubbed his belly.

“Ok, calm down. You’re going to win this fight because you’re Shane ‘Hartless’ Hart, remember. You are the champion, you work your ass off and you got this. Now relax, close your eyes and exhale.”

Shane started to relax as soon as Declan held him. Declan knew him better than he knew himself.

“Dec, what if I lose?”

“I don’t think you’re going to lose but so what if you do? You just train harder and you win the next fight.”

“Thanks, Dec.”

Declan hoped to hell Shane won because he couldn’t imagine consoling him if he didn’t. Shane had never lost a wrestling match in high school or college. Then when he decided to jump into MMA nothing changed, he just continued winning. Tonight better be no different.

“Shane, you awake?”

Shane didn’t answer. Declan pulled up the blanket to cover Shane, closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

Ace was running on the treadmill, it was all he could really do since his wrist was broken. He decided when he got back home he was going to resign from the fire department and move on. He needed to start over. He’d miss the guys but he couldn’t handle being in town knowing he could run into Lucy.

“Once a runner, always a runner.”

Ace looked up and Chace was standing there drinking a protein shake.

“Running was always my escape, sometimes literally. If it wasn’t for my Track Scholarship, we wouldn’t be here together now.”

“I can’t even remember what life was like without you guys. You’re my brothers.”

“Chace, I’ve been thinking and when we get back home I’m resigning from my job and…”

“Running away?”

“You don’t understand.”

“Don’t you think I wanted to run away after Kim broke up with me? But I didn’t, I leaned on you guys, we went out, drank, talked and in time life became bearable again.”

“I just don’t think I can do it.”

“Have you two seen Shane?”

“Hey, Luke.”

“Chace.”

“We haven’t seen Shane today. He’s probably just working off some nervous energy pacing somewhere.”

“If you see him, tell him I was looking for him.”

Luke walked off. Ace waited for him to get out of earshot before he spoke.

“I bet he’s with Declan.”

“Yeah, Shane always runs to Declan whenever he needs guidance or reassurance.”

“I’m going to go hit the shower, I’ll catch up to you later.”

Ace left and Chace headed for the weights.

Declan was lying in bed replying to emails while he waited for eight o’clock to come around to wake up Shane. He had texted Buddy earlier to see what time he needed to get him to the gym. Buddy said it was more important for him to be well rested than train so to give him a few hours to sleep. There was a knock on the door. Declan slipped out of the bed and went to answer the door.

“Luke.”

“I’m looking for Shane, have you seen him?”

“Yeah, come in.”

“I’ve been looking all over for him.”

“He’s been asleep for almost two hours now.”

“Asleep?”

Luke looked around and Shane wasn’t on the couch.

“He was anxious about the fight. He fell asleep while we were talking. Buddy said to give him a few hours.”

“You were talking and Shane fell asleep?”

“Right.”

“Where is he?”

“In my bed.”

“Where did he fall asleep?”

“In my bed.”

“And where were you?”

“I was asleep, I woke up to Shane sitting on my bed. He was upset, I told him to lay down and relax and while we were talking he fell asleep. Nothing happened, if that’s what you think?”

“I don’t know what I think or why my boyfriend couldn’t talk to me and had to come running to you?”

Shane woke up and heard Declan and Luke talking. He grabbed his phone and walked out of the bedroom.

“Thanks, Dec. Luke let’s go talk about this in our room.”

“Let’s talk about this now.”

“I’m going to go take a shower.”

Declan walked into the bedroom and closed the door.

“Luke, nothing happened. Dec has been the one who has always been there for me, for every fight.”

“I shouldn’t have come.”

Luke turned around to walk out. Shane grabbed his arm.

“Please don’t leave.”

“Why, you don’t need me.”

“I do need you, Luke.”

“For what?”

“This.”

Shane kissed Luke. Luke pulled away.

“I just want to be as important to you as you are to me.”

“You are important to me. I’ve never had a guy who actually cared. I’ve just always worked through everything with Declan. I’m sorry. I should’ve woken you up and talked to you. I never meant to hurt you. Please Luke, don’t leave me.”

“Come here.”

Luke hugged Shane.

“I’m sorry. I overreacted. I was upset that I couldn’t find you and then when I did, I got jealous. I know it was stupid. I want to be there for you, not Declan.”

“Don’t be jealous, he’s not the one I keep thinking about having sex with tonight after my fight.”

“I think I’m falling in love with you, Shane.”

Shane didn’t reply he just grabbed Luke’s face and kissed him.

Chace, Declan, Buddy and Ace were waiting for Shane and Luke in the lobby to go and eat. Shane would typically eat about four hours before his fight and then not again until after the fight.

“How’s our kid after his nap, Declan?”

“To be truthful, Buddy, I’m not sure. Luke showed up and I didn’t really get to talk to Shane again after that.”

“I hope Luke is as nice as he appears and he isn’t going to fuck our kid up.”

“I think he really cares about Shane but he’s struggling with being the outsider here.”

“Well then we just have to make a conscious effort to include him.”

“You’re right, Ace.”

“I ran a quick background check on him and I didn’t find anything.”

“Chace, seriously?”

“Hell yeah.”

“Here they come now.”

Buddy walked over to Shane and hugged him.

“How you doing, Kid?”

“Last fight, I felt off. I know it was because of Robert. But Buddy, I’m not confident I can win this fight. I couldn’t sleep last night. Once I did my weigh in…”

Declan walked over and rubbed Shane’s back.

“Shane, look at me.”

Shane looked at Declan. Luke stood there becoming jealous again. He hated that he couldn’t help Shane, he was a doctor for Christ’s sake.

“You can do this. We’re all here to support you. Luke’s going to be front row cheering you on and you’re going to show your man exactly what a winner is made of. Then later on you two can celebrate.” Declan winked.

“I love you, Dec. You always know what I need to hear.”

Shane hugged Declan and then turned around and kissed Luke quickly on the lips and held his hand.

“Thank you all for being here with me, now let’s go eat. I have a fight to win.”

Robert showed up at the hotel, he tried to find out what room Shane was in so he could pay him a visit. He knew if he tried hard enough that he could get Shane back, at least long enough to use him to his advantage and piss Declan the hell off. He was standing in the lobby pissed that the front desk wouldn’t give him Shane’s room number when he overheard some girls passing by.

“I can’t believe I got my t-shirt signed by Shane Hart.”

“I know, he is so fucking hot.”

“Excuse me, did you say Shane Hart?”

“Yes, we just saw him in the restaurant.”

“Really? I’m a huge fan. Which one?”

“Fiamma Trattoria & Bar.”

“Thanks.”

Robert headed off to the restaurant. He should have known Shane would be packing in the pasta and steamed veggies about now.