Beware 2: The Comeback (17 page)

Promises – Wiz Khalifa

To my surprise, we arrive at Bianca’s hotel, a room full of pizza, beverages, and liquor on the countertop. Aden rushes to Bianca’s side, asking for a slice. I step inside, Ace following close behind. He closes the door, eyeing me briefly and smirking before stepping past and making his way to Maurice.

I hide my blush, excusing myself to the bathroom to freshen up. Once I fluff my hair and adjust my skirt, I step back out. Ace and Maurice are sitting on the sofa, sharing beers and laughing over something I’m sure I won’t understand, and Bianca has Aden at the counter, eating his pizza. I decide to join Bianca, but as I pass by, I feel a heaviness weighing on me.

His gaze.

Craving.

Wanting.

I fight a smile, meeting up to my son and his auntie. “How’s the pizza?” I ask, tousling his hair.

He nods, not daring to speak with a full mouth. I place a kiss on his forehead then make my way around him to Bianca’s side. “Here,” she says, handing me a glass cup filled a third of the way with clear liquid. “We’re gonna need it after I tell Ace my plans.”

I grab the glass but stare at her for a moment. She looks away. “You’re sure about this, Bianca?”

She looks at me again but doesn’t speak, proving she isn’t sure.

“I really think he’s trying to change,” I whisper. “I really do.”

“Of course you’d think that, London. He has you dick-whipped. Not to mention the fact that you’re in fucking love with him. Blinded by it. I still see that old Ace in there. I’m serious about this.” Her voice is stern, and it hurts my heart to hear, but I keep my face straight, picking up my glass and downing the whole third. The alcohol burns my throat as it runs down, and I’m glad. I need something to distract me from all the feels.

Bianca’s phone vibrates on the counter, and with a sigh, she picks it up and steps away. “Gotta take this.” She walks towards the balcony and opens the door, stepping out and answering the phone.

I watch her step to the corner, but when I look to Ace, he’s already looking at me with furrowed brows. He places his beer bottle down and stands, striding towards us.

I don’t blink as he sits on the stool beside Aden. “Have fun today, kid?” he asks him.

“I did. That tornado water swide was awesome!”

Ace smiles, capping his shoulder. “We’ll have to go again.”

Aden nods, returning to his pizza.

I stare at Ace, his head turning to look at me. Standing from his seat, he makes his way towards me, grabbing my arm and dragging me to the corner. Pointing his thumb in the direction Bianca just went, he asks in a quiet but gruff voice, “What the fuck is going on?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You know what I’m talking about. I know when something’s bothering her. Don’t play games with me.”

“It’s not for me to tell, Ace.”

His nostrils flare, his jaw ticking. He steps back, and his head tilts up as he looks towards the balcony. In an instant, he storms for the balcony door, shuts it behind him, and snatches Bianca’s cellphone out of her hand, ending the call.

Maurice hops up, frowning as he peers through the French doors. He then looks at me, but I shake my head, telling him with my eyes that it isn’t wise to go out. Not right now. He remains still, but his shoulders are tense, fists clenched. He loves Bianca so much. He took on the role of loving her, protecting her, defending her after we thought Ace died, making sure nothing or no one ever hurts her like that again.

I focus on Bianca and Ace. Bianca snaps at him, her hand out, demanding for her phone back. Ace steps forward, his chest poked out, asking a question. When he asks, Bianca looks away, scoffing. Ace asks again, another step toward her. Maurice walks around the sofa, knowing he shouldn’t go out but unable to control the need to protect her.

“Aden, why don’t you go watch some TV,” I say, helping him off the counter. He walks away, completely oblivious to the heated argument going on outside between his father and aunt.

I make my way to an upset Maurice, placing a hand on his shoulder. “They need to talk,” I tell him. “Ace won’t hurt her. He never would. You know that.”

“No,” he breathes raggedly, “I don’t know that. He’s changed. We all see it. I’m not sure what he’s capable of anymore.”

I blink at him, my eyebrows drawing together. “How could you say that? He’s your best friend.”

“
Was
my best friend.” He steps away. “Things aren’t the same. We all know it. He still clings to the past. We’re trying to move forward, but he’s focused on the past. Everything was going good before he returned and made it all complicated again. I thought he was here to change. I was wrong. He told me what he wanted to do—how he wants to go back, build Crow back up again. I didn’t say anything to him, but it’s a terrible idea, and I know it was dumb on my behalf, but I only told Bianca to protect her. She doesn’t want to be involved with that again and neither do I.”

“H-he told you that?” I ask in a whisper.

Maurice doesn’t nod or speak. He just stares at me.

“I don’t believe that. That was probably before. He’s changing, Maurice. He’s not going back because he loves us, and he doesn’t want to lose us—”

“He loves you.
You
, London. You’re the only reason he came back. He didn’t do it for his cousin or for me. He did it for
you
.” Maurice’s brown eyes bore into mine before he looks at Bianca and Ace again. I look with him as well, and Ace is up close and personal. Bianca is crying, tears staining her face.

“Fuck this,” Maurice snaps, marching for the door and yanking it open. He forces Ace back, but Ace doesn’t budge, not until he wants to.

With the door wide open, I can hear him clearly now. “I’m the fucking reason you’re still alive and you want to forget about
me
?!” Ace barks in her face. “I’m the reason you fight! The reason you want better for yourself! I helped you get there! Who was there when your father beat you senseless? Who picked you up, Bianca, huh? It damn sure wasn’t your dad or mine! It damn sure wasn’t Maurice! It was me. I was fucking there every step of the fucking way!” Maurice shoves Ace back a little further, telling him to calm down. He yanks away from Maurice, who is about the same size as Ace but not nearly as muscular. Ace breathes hard, glaring down at his friend, looking at Bianca, and then turning to look at me.

Tears fill my eyes, not only for him, but for Bianca as well. I know how much this hurts them both. Not having family stick around in your life. Having one member tell you right to your face that she doesn’t trust you. Ace won’t show it, not now, but he’s hurt. There are only a few people in this world that can truly break Ace’s heart—me, the son he’s getting to know, and Bianca.

Pissed, Ace spins around, shoving Maurice out of his way and storming around me, snatching his keys off the coffee table. “Ace?” Aden calls, standing just as Ace reaches the door.

Ace stops immediately, turning in his direction and looking down. Aden meets up to him, and Ace bends on one knee, giving him a forced smile. “Yeah?”

“Are you coming back?”

My throat thickens with tears begging to be shed. I press folded fingers to my lips, unsure of what to do. Before responding, Ace looks up at me, and then to Maurice and Bianca, still out on the patio. Maurice holds her in his arms, cooing and whispering in her ear.

Ace’s eyes flicker to mine again, a very brief moment, and then he looks down at Aden. Capping his shoulder, he says, “I’ll be back. I promise.”

A promise? I’m not sure whether to believe this one or not. He’s promising his son. He wouldn’t break it, would he?

Smiling, Aden wraps his arms around Ace’s neck, and, shocked, Ace awkwardly holds his arms out, looking around with wide eyes. Finally deciding to show affection, he hugs Aden back, and when Aden pulls away, he stands to his feet. “See you soon, kid.” He points his gaze at me then turns for the door, pulling it open and shutting it behind him.

Just like that, he’s gone, and I’m not sure where he’s going.

An Ace that’s been hurt is a dangerous one. He doesn’t know how to control himself.

I sit Aden on the sofa and tell him to stay there until I get back, then I speed for the door, pulling it open and hurrying down the hallway, capturing his elbow in my hand. I spin him around, and before he can speak, our lips meet, my arms bolt around his neck, and I sink into him, moaning.

He releases a soft groan, clutching me in his arms. Feeling the moment. Living it. He should know we care, that he doesn’t have to go out and do something reckless in order to forget about the pain he feels deep inside.

Clasping my face in his hands, his tongue slips between my lips, dancing with mine, getting tangled. This goes on for… I don’t know how long. Ace suddenly yanks back, eyes dark, lips swollen and red. My face is expressionless, but my eyes, I’m sure, are giving it all away. Desperate. In need of him. I never want to let him go again.

“Should get back to Aden and Bianca,” he says, swallowing thickly.

“Where are you going?”

“Just need a minute.”

I step forward, diminishing the gap between us. “Don’t do anything crazy,” I whisper.

He laughs a little, which causes me to smile. “Know me too well.”

I grab his chin, looking him hard in the eyes. “Nothing crazy. Promise me.”

He brings a hand up to stroke my cheek. “I won’t if you promise to come to me tonight.”

“Tonight?” I frown.

“Tonight.”

“I—I can’t do that.”

“Then I can’t promise I won’t do anything crazy.”

I can’t believe him. Is he really pulling this stunt with me? An old Ace Crow trick? He smiles, still caressing my cheek. I know what he wants. I know he likes to feel as if he’s won. I know he wants me to be with him tonight instead of Greg. Truthfully, I want to be with him too, but…

“Aden,” I whisper. “Greg might not even be home at a decent time.”

He shrugs. “Leave him with Bianca for a few hours. I’m sure she wants to spend a little more time with him before she disappears.” The last sentence seems to sting as it rolls off his tongue. I can tell by the way his eyes lower and depress.

“I will let you know.”

“No.” He holds onto my upper arms. “Tell me now that you’ll be there.”

“What do I tell Greg?”

“Tell him you’re staying with Bianca tonight since she leaves out in the morning. I don’t know. Make up some shit.”

I lower my head. “I hate lying to him, Ace.”

He tips my chin. “Who do you want to be with more?”

“You… you know that.”

“Okay then. Come to me tonight. Stop pretending. Let that motherfucker go.”

“I told you to give me time...”

He raises his hands in the air, as if innocent. “Fine. Time.” He steps back, sighing, then turns and while walking away, he says, “It’s me, London. You want me. Get rid of him. Tired of begging.” Several seconds later, he’s gone, leaving me standing in the hallway, defeated.

***

I arrive at Ace's hotel an hour later.

After calming both Bianca and Maurice down, they agreed to watch Aden for a few hours. But before I left, Bianca said something that has been bothering me ever since.