Ace of Spades (Underground Affair Series Book 1) (34 page)

“I know but you’re not alone. Chace, Declan and I will always be here for you.”

“I know, you guys will. You’re all I have now.”

“Should I be worried that you have your arm around another man?”

Shane was smiling before he even turned around and saw Luke. Just the sound of his voice made him smile.

“Hey.”

“I didn’t mean to interrupt. I’ve been so busy I’ve barely seen you and I don’t have any patients this afternoon so I thought I would stop by.”

“I’m going to go hit the shower. Thanks again, Shane. You take good care of him, Luke.”

“Don’t worry, I will.”

Ace hadn’t gotten two steps away before Shane grabbed Luke and kissed him.

“I’ve missed you.”

“Me too, Shane.”

“Maybe after the fight, we can spend a few extra days in Vegas together?”

“You want me to come to Vegas?”

“I, I uhh…I guess I shouldn’t have assumed you were coming?”

“I guess I shouldn’t have assumed I wasn’t?”

“As my boyfriend, I guess I…”

“Your boyfriend, Shane?”

“You know forget it. I was stupid to think…”

Luke grabbed Shane by the back of his head and crashed his lips down on Shane’s. When Luke finally released Shane he looked into his beautiful dark eyes and spoke.

“I think I’m in shock here. I, I never expected you to refer to me as your boyfriend.”

“Seriously?”

“Yes, seriously. I knew we had great sex a few times but I didn’t think…”

“Don’t think…know this, I really like you and I’d be a very happy man if you would be my boyfriend and accompany me to Vegas.”

“I guess I’m going to Vegas then.”

Luke smiled and Shane picked him up and spun him around while hugging him.

“How about we take a celebratory shower?”

“Sounds good to me.”

Shane and Luke headed off to celebrate.

Lucy’s class was decorating hearts to send to the senior home. She had been so depressed she missed Ace so much. Luckily, her parents had stopped with the questions and lectures and for the most part left her alone.

“Miss Jenkins, my heart is broken.”

Lucy looked up to see a very sad little boy with a heart torn in two. She smiled and grabbed the tape and taped it up for him.

“Not anymore.”

“Thank you, Miss Jenkins.”

The little boy smiled and ran back to his desk. Lucy sat back down at hers and wished mending her broken heart could be so easy.

Chace and Kyle had finished work and were heading to their cars when the Chief called out to them, “Chace, Kyle, head back.”

“Ah fuck, now what.”

“I’m starting to feel like I live here. I haven’t seen my kids in days, they are always asleep when I get home.”

“Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve gotten my dick wet?”

Kyle laughed and shook his head. They barely got the door open and the Chief tossed them the keys to their car.

“Newland and Fourth, our killer struck again but this time he didn’t finish the job. The victim is unconscious and is headed to the hospital. After you swing by the crime scene I want you at the hospital to question her as soon as she regains consciousness. I am also sending over a few uniforms to stand guard in the event that the killer decides to come back and finish the job.”

“Hot damn, maybe she can put an end to this.”

“Let’s go, Kyle.”

Shane headed back to the gym after Luke left. He knew that this was going to be a tough fight and he wanted to make sure he was ready.

“Shane, are you sure you aren’t pushing yourself too hard?”

Shane looked up and Buddy and Andy were standing there. He hated that guy. He had no idea why Buddy insisted on bringing him into the gym.

“I’m good.”

“Do you want to go a few rounds with Andy?”

Shane wanted to go a few rounds but do damage to him not just spar.

“Yeah, sure.”

Shane got up from the weight bench and followed Buddy and Andy to the cage. Once his hands were taped up and his mouth guard in, he started swinging.

“Shane, take it easy on the kid.”

“I got this, Buddy.”

Andy started to give back what Shane was putting out. He even managed to drop Shane to the floor and pin him until Shane rolled him and almost stopped him from breathing.

“Shane, Shane, what the hell is wrong with you?”

Shane looked down at Andy and then at Buddy.

“I’m sorry, Kid.”

Shane got up, climbed out of the cage and headed to the shower.

“You alright, Kid?”

“I’m fine. I’m going to go hit the shower too.”

“Make sure you use the showers on the left, Shane’s locker room and shower is on the right. At this point he may try to drown you.”

“We just got caught up in the moment, Buddy. No worries. Catch you later.”

“Take care, Kid. See you tomorrow.”

Andy walked into Shane’s locker room and followed the trail of Shane’s clothes on the floor. He undressed and walked in. Shane had his back to the door. Andy stood behind Shane for a minute and then kissed his neck.

“Didn’t we just do this a few hours ago?”

Andy kept kissing his neck as he wrapped his hands around Shane and touched his nipples and then one hand grabbed his cock. Shane moaned and turned so he could reach what he thought were Luke’s lips. After kissing for a minute or so Shane’s mind caught up to his body, he had a bad feeling and opened his eyes. Andy smiled. Shane pushed Andy away.

“WHAT THE FUCK!”

“I want to fuck you.”

Shane couldn’t believe his ears. He stood there just blinking the water out of his eyes. He wasn’t even sure what to say.

“You’re joking?”

“No, I’m attracted to you. I want you so bad.”

“We don’t even like each other?”

“No, you don’t like me. Shane, give me a chance, get to know me.”

Suddenly all this hate Shane had built up for this kid diminished. He was right, Shane never got to know him. He was jealous that Buddy brought him around and that the kid could fight. But he had Luke now and wasn’t about to mess that up.

“Andy, I have a boyfriend.”

“I won’t tell.”

“I would. I can’t cheat on Luke.”

“I understand. I’m sorry.”

Andy looked like a sad child who left the bakery without a cookie.

“Andy, if Luke wasn’t around it would be different.”

“Can we not mention this to Buddy, I’m really embarrassed.”

“Nobody has to know.”

“Thanks.”

Andy left. Shane couldn’t believe he was so quick to judge the kid and did a bad job of it as well.

Chace made his third trip to the desk in the ER to see if there was any news on the victim that had been brought in. This time the nurse gave him some information, which he found to be quite upsetting. He knew the victim. It was Kaylee Brennen who had worked for him at the Underground.

“You ok, Chace?”

“I just got the name of the vic and it’s the woman who used to run the business office at the Underground.”

“Shit.”

“Declan’s going to freak. He really liked her.”

“She isn’t dead, thank God.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Did they notify her family?”

“To be truthful, I don’t think she has any. I never saw anyone and she always volunteered to work the floor on holidays so that others could have off.”

“That sucks.”

“I’m going to call Declan and ask.”

“I don’t know if that is a good idea. I mean we shouldn’t be discussing this with anyone else.”

“True, but if I can do anything to help her, I will.”

Chace pulled out his phone and called Declan.

“King.”

“Dec, I have a question. Do you remember Kaylee?”

“Of course I do, she hasn’t been gone that long. Why?”

“Do you recall if she has any family?”

“Chace, what happened to Kaylee? Is she dead?”

“No, but she is in the hospital and…”

“I’ll be right there.”

Declan hung up.

“Well, he was no help.”

“He’s on his way isn’t he?”

“Yup.”

“I figured since the conversation ended so abruptly.”

“He always has to take care of everyone.”

“Hey, be lucky you have someone like that in your life.”

“I am. Declan has done more for me than anyone else, ever has.”

“I’m going to go grab a cup of coffee, want one?”

“Black, one Splenda. I’m going to wait here for Declan.”

Kyle took off down the hall while Chace continued to pace impatiently.

Ace spent a long time thinking about what Shane said. He decided that he was right and the only way he was going to be able to move on was to just deal with his feelings. So instead of drinking himself numb and then bedding the first woman he saw he decided to bundle up and go for a walk. On his way back home he stopped at the Café to grab some soup to warm up. He sat down with his soup and looked up and there was Lucy with her mother. He pushed his soup away and got up and walked out.

“Ace, wait.”

Ace knew he should keep walking but he couldn’t resist the opportunity to talk to Lucy. He turned around and there she stood, as beautiful as ever.

“Hi.”

“I miss you.”

“Lucy, don’t do this.”

“I love you, Ace and I can’t stop.”

“A part of me will always love you but you need to move on, Lucy.”