ACE (Defenders M.C. Book 4) (4 page)

5

Marty’s jaw dropped when Ace opened a door at the back of the clubhouse.  It was filled with books and monitors.  She counted four computers but thought there may be more tucked away.  A man she had met earlier looked up from a desk in the corner and raised his brows.

“Spec.”

“Ace.”  He looked back to the screen and continued working as if that was all the conversation Ace expected.

“Marty, this is Spec.  He’s the smartest sonofabitch I’ve ever met.  You two might find a few things in common and he might help you find something to do with yourself while you’re here.”

“We met this morning, thank heavens.  Hello again Spec.”

“Ms. Cross.”  Spec leaned back in his chair and adjusted his wire rimmed glasses on his nose.  “What can you do?”

“Anything.  I hacked into the hospital’s computers when I was ten, to help my mom get her treatments.  I helped a wealthy old fart who lived in Atlanta give my grandma a beautiful funeral.  I’ve done more…”  She shrugged

“Are you sure we can trust her Ace?  Sharing blood doesn’t make her trustable.”

“I stake my life on that.”  Ace said with more confidence than he thought he had.

Spec grinned like an evil scientist.  “Well I’m sure there are a few things I can let you help with.  It’s about time I get some help around here.”

Marty grinned.  Spec didn’t make her feel out of place.  She walked around the desk and sat where he told her to.

“We will be fine here Ace.  Go talk to Law about getting her a place to stay.  Can’t have her in the clubhouse like this morning.”

“You read my mind Spec.  It would be a good distance too I think.  Marty could run here in the mornings.”

“Yeah sounds great, unless it rains.”  Marty quipped, but she was already looking at the computer screen.

Ace wanted to laugh.  She and Spec already had their heads together and she already looked happier.  Now he had to go talk to Law and he wasn’t looking forward to that one bit.

His phone rang as he stepped out into the bright morning light and he answered.

“Hey Ace.  How’s my girl?” 

Ace heard the clank of dishes and knew that Janice was at the diner.

“She is doing alright.  Hit a snag this morning, but she seems to have found a place for herself.  I put her with one of the brothers working on some computer stuff while I try to find her a place to stay away from the clubhouse.”

“She caused any trouble yet?”

“Just a little.  Not all her fault from what I’ve been told.”  Ace wasn’t sure of that, but he didn’t want Janice to worry.

“Well how are you adjusting to parenthood?”

Ace heard the laughter in her voice and knew she was wearing that half grin that she wore when she poked fun at him.

“I’m learning.  She doesn’t mind pointing it out when I screw up either.  She is whipping me into shape.”

Janice laughed then and it was the kind that lit up her whole face.  For the first time he wished he could see her.  He frowned.  It wasn’t the sort of feeling he had ever had for Janice.

“You may be doomed.  She has it in her head what kind of father she wants and she will poke until you get it right.  She’s stubborn too.”

Ace felt that damned lump in his throat again.  He would be anything Marty wanted him to be.  Right then he made a decision.  He wanted a home for Marty.  He climbed on his bike and thought while Janice talked on about Marty.  He had money.  He could buy a mobile home and pull it in on the club land.  Preach wouldn’t tell him no.  Maybe even buy a piece of land close by so he could leave something for Marty when he died.  Something that would give her a connection to him and his home.

“Janice, how hard would it be for you to get away for a little while and come up here?”

“Well I don’t know.  What have you got in mind?”

“I want to do something for Marty, something I should have done years ago, but I may need some help with it.”

He told Janice of his plan and heard the tears in her voice when she agreed to make the trip.  He might not be able to give her much, but he would give her a home of her own.

He called Preach and was surprised when he agreed without question.  Preach knew of a piece of land that joined the club’s property and Preach had been looking at it for a while.  The owner had agreed to sell only a couple of weeks ago.  It would be no trouble to let Ace buy it instead of the club.  Shad had already looked it over and figured out how to protect it.

Ace sighed.  He could have it all done in a couple of weeks if he got to it and then he would have a home for Marty and a place for himself when things got down to it.  He didn’t want to spend his last days in the clubhouse.  He would spend them with his family, in a real home.

He cranked his motorcycle and drove out to Law’s house.  He would talk it over with him too.  He needed Law to agree to look after Marty when he was gone.  There was nobody he trusted more.

6

Janice was a nervous wreck.  She hadn’t been away from the diner for more than a few days since she’d bought it fifteen years ago.  She trusted her people and knew they would call if there was a problem, but she still felt like a mother leaving her child for the first time.  She had to do this though.  She needed to help Ace give this to Marty.

She had heard and urgency in Ace’s voice when he spoke about his plan that gave Janice a sick feeling in her stomach.  She had a bad feeling that the reason for this new homestead was something darker than just giving Marty a place to call home.  She hoped not though.

Janice climbed into her ten year old ford and pulled away from the diner.  It would take her all night to drive to West Virginia and she didn’t want to stop until she got there.  She had a thermos full of coffee and a cooler full of food.  The only thing she didn’t have with her was a toilet.

She picked up her phone and dialed Ace.  They had talked every day since he hatched this idea and she was starting to miss him when it had been too long between calls.  She wanted to have a reason though so she didn’t seem like a kid chasing a boy so she decided to let him know she was on the road.  He answered on the second ring and she felt herself smile until she heard the strain in his voice.

“Ace are you alright?”

“Yeah, I’m fine.  Give me a minute and I’ll call you right back.”

Janice hear the phone hit the bed, but it didn’t cut off.  She knew she should turn hers off, but she listened.

“Fuck Candy.  You could take it easy on me this once.”

Janice heard him grunt and wanted to throw up.  She heard the bed creak and a woman giggle.

“Oh Ace, you never want me to take it easy on you.”

She heard him grunt again.

“Mmmmm now how is that?  Does that feel better baby?”

“Fuck yes.   Damn it Candy you’re fucking amazing.”

“Mmhmm I am.”

Janice couldn’t take anymore.   She turned the phone off and tossed it to the seat beside her.  She was a fool to think Ace felt anything for her.  Just like Tank.  He was off fucking some woman while she made a fool of herself over him.  She wanted to turn the car around, but thought of Marty.  She would do this for Marty, but Ace could think again if he thought this was for him.

Ace had hated cutting it short with Janice.  He hadn’t wanted her to hear him being a pussy when Candy stuck him with that damned needle.  He hated shots worse than bullets and this one had to stay in while that damned medicine dripped into his veins. 

Candy wasn’t a nurse, but she was smart.  Lizzie had shown her what to do and Candy had worked with Ink too long to be afraid of needles.  She wasn’t gentle though and Ace always whined more than he liked anyone to know about.

Candy was fun though and Ace liked her.  She tried to take his mind off the pain too in the most unconventional ways.  When she saw him in pain she just whipped her shirt off over her head and gave him something else to think about.  Ace knew that if he reached out and touched her that she would probably stab him with the damned needle, but she would let him just look.

Before he knew it he was all hooked up and getting drowsy.  Candy had one hell of a bedside manner that was for damn sure.

She leaned down until her breasts pressed against his naked chest and kissed his cheek.

“Feel better Ace.  I’ll be back in a little while to unhook you.”

“You could stay for just a little while longer…”

“I could, but Toothpick gets out in a week and I don’t want to give him a reason to go back in.”

“You’re a good woman Candy.  Pick’s a lucky sonofabitch to have you.”

“He doesn’t have me yet, but I’m damned determined this time.”

Ace looked her over as she pulled her shirt back on.  Her tanned skin was flawless except for the tattoos she sported.  Her short blonde hair was tipped with hot pink similar to the way Ink’s was tipped with blue.  Even with her different style she was a beauty.

“A man doesn’t do what he did for a whore Candy.  You’ll be patched the minute he gets home.”

Candy’s smile lit up her face.  “I sure as hell hope so.  I love that man more than myself and that’s dangerous business around here.”

Candy left the room and Ace’s mind turned to Janice.  He picked up his phone and dialed her.  Janice didn’t answer her phone and Ace frowned.  He tried her three more times before the pain medicine kicked in and he fell asleep.  He hoped she was alright. 

7

Janice pulled into the gravel drive in Cool Creek, West Virginia.  She had avoided Ace all day and she knew she wouldn’t be able to avoid him much longer.  The problem was, she wasn’t any closer to understanding her feelings than she had been when she left home.  She would have to tell him something though and she sure couldn’t tell him the truth.

She rubbed her forehead and tried to think of something to say to him.  A tap at the window cut her thoughts short.  She looked up to find him standing in the darkness wearing a scowl that should have made her afraid for her life, but instead it got her dander up.  She rolled her window down and cocked an eyebrow.

“Can I help you Ace.”

His scowl worsened.  “You sure as shit can.  Why the fuck haven’t you been answering your phone?  I was worried sick and I’ve been in this goddamned trailer for the past three hours waiting for you.”

She rolled up the window and stepped out of the car.

“I don’t answer to you Ace.  It sounded like you were busy when I called.  There is no need for us to keep tabs on each other.  I’m just here to help you with Marty.”

“The fuck you say?  Are you drunk?”

She pushed past him.  “No I am not drunk.  What kind of question is that?”

Janice stalked to the front door and twisted the knob.

“You don’t have to stay Ace.  I’m sure you can yell at me tomorrow.  Right now, I’m tired.”

Ace didn’t say anything as she walked into the trailer and flipped on the lights.  He was silent as he followed her to the kitchen sink where she stopped to get a drink of water.  Janice had a queasy feeling in the pit of her stomach when he just stood and waited for her.

“You can go now Ace.”

He still said nothing and when she hesitated he placed his big hand on the small of her back and directed her to his bedroom.  He walked in and held the door for Janice.   As soon as the door closed behind them Ace pushed her against the door and bent so his eyes were even with hers.

“Let me get this straight.  You think you heard something on the phone today and instead of asking me so I could tell you what was up, you jumped to a conclusion and refused my calls today and let me worry all fucking day?  Does that about cover it Janice?”

Janice couldn’t breathe.  No man had ever treated her this way and it was setting her on fire.  She couldn’t speak and she was mortified to realize that her panties were getting wet.

“Answer the fucking question Janice.”

“I guess so.”  She said with as much spunk as she could muster.

He raised his brows.  “I don’t like games.  If you don’t have the balls to ask a question then I’m not real sure how you think you can handle being around me.”

“Who says I want to be around you Ace.”

He leaned down until his lips were a breath from hers.  “I do.”

Then his lips crashed into hers and she couldn’t remember why she had ever been mad at this man.  Before her next breath she was lifted and pressed against the door.  She wrapped her legs around his trim waist and her arms around his neck.  He devoured her and she loved it.  She was on fire and alive and she felt reckless and young for the first time in too many years to count.

“Say yes Janice.”  He panted as he sucked her nipple through the thin material of her shirt and bra.

He wanted her to talk?  How could she talk when she couldn’t even think?

“Janice, I won’t do anything else unless you say yes.”

“Yes.”  What had she agreed to?  She didn’t care as long as Ace didn’t stop touching her.

His hand found its way into her shirt as the other gripped her ass.  He pressed into the junction of her thighs and she felt him hard against her there.  Janice moaned as he pressed his rigid length or his dick against her as his hips began to move.

“Fuck.  Strip Janice and get on the bed.”

Her feet hit the floor and she started tearing at her clothes as she walked to the bed.  Ace was right behind her.  By the time they made it the few steps to the king sized bed they were naked.  He fell on her with a hunger that threatened to consume them both, but he wasn’t all for one thing, he planned to enjoy her before he claimed her.

“Hold onto the headboard Janice and don’t let go.”

She did as she was told as Ace found her hardened nipple and sucked it into his mouth.  Janice lifted her hips to rub against him and was rewarded with a sharp bite to her tender pink flesh.  He feasted on her.  His hands molded her breasts as his tongued toyed with them.  She was on fire and begging him to take her before his lips traveled south and he began tasting much more intimate flesh.

“Shit Janice, your pussy tastes like heaven.”

She moaned as he lapped at her feminine flesh.  He suckled her little bud and commanded her to let go and she had no defense.  She let go.  She gave him everything as she screamed his name.  Then she felt him there.  She hadn’t been with a man in years and Ace was no small man.  He pressed forward and she felt her body stretch to accommodate him.  It burned even as it felt good and she locked her eyes on his face.

“Fuck.  I didn’t expect you to be this tight Janice, fuck.”

His teeth were gritted as he tried to take his time.  Janice took it from him as she lifted her hips and took all of him into her body.  Ace cursed as he held still for a few seconds with his eyes closed tight.

“You feel so good Janice.  So damned good.”

His eyes opened and centered on her.  They moved with one mind, perfectly matched.  They didn’t speak as their bodies mated, but they shared each breath.  It was several long moments before Ace leaned down and kissed her lips.  Then he quickened his pace.  They were breathless as he began to pound into her body.  It didn’t take long before she was calling out his name again as she felt her body start to convulse around him.  Then she felt the heated jets of his release bathing her inner walls.

She accepted his weight and wrapped around him.  She kissed his head and stroked his back as he regained his breath.

She started to drift off so when he spoke it startled her.

“I don’t know what the hell you heard, but nothing happened with Candy today.  She’s pretty much an oldlady and I don’t fuck a brother’s woman.  Don’t you ever make me worry like that again Janice or might just spank that fine ass for you.”

Janice was speechless.  Spank her?  As if she would allow that…

“Oh baby, you might like it.  Your ass getting heated up.  Little bit of sting is exciting.”

“I think not.”  She murmured, but she was secretly curious.

He laughed.  “Janice, you can’t lie about being excited when I’m still inside you.  I feel you getting wetter.  I can feel your body pulsing at the thought of me spanking your sweet little ass before I kiss it all better.”

As he spoke he started to move again and Janice gave up.  This man could do anything he wanted to her and she bet she would love every second of it.

The sun was starting to filter through the curtains when Ace finally fell asleep.  Janice hadn’t been satisfied like that since Tank and that had been twenty years ago.  She felt tender in the most delicious way and exhausted to her core as only a night of passion could exhaust.  She lay in bed and listened to Ace breathe and slowly drifted off to sleep.