Coming Up Aces (The Hounds of Zeus MC #9)

Chapter Two

Ace

Ace followed Ripper and Glory outside after the meeting. He searched for the female who had his Gryphon agitated. No, not agitated – intrigued. Melinda stood with the other females who were leaving Haven. Ace hadn’t missed how she sniffed the air. He had also inhaled, only more discreetly. When their skin touched as they shook hands, his Gryphon perked up, recognizing another predator as well as someone it wanted to get to know. She didn’t smell like a Gryphon, so what was she? And why would a shifter be at Haven? There was only one way to find out.

Rip touched his shoulder, getting his attention. “We’re going to ride to Providence with Glory’s family. Can you bring the Camaro to us?”

“What about your bike?”

“I’ll come back for it later. It should be safe for now at the campground.”

“Okay. I’ll meet you at Providence as soon as I can.”

“Thanks, Brother.”

They clasped hands, then Ace walked behind the barn where he wouldn’t be seen and entered the woods, locating his carry pouch. After removing his clothes and storing them in his bag, Ace took to his Eagle and flew to where he’d parked his bike. He searched the area to make sure he was alone, then shifted and got dressed.

As he rode back to New Troy, Ace couldn’t stop thinking about Melinda. The brunette was girl-next-door pretty. The way she moved gracefully reminded him of the female Gryphons when they were in their Lion form. He intended to find out more about the woman when he got to Providence. Granted, he needed to give her time to get settled, but he would speak to Lynette and Branson and have them keep an eye on her.

By the time Ace pulled up at Providence after trading his bike for Rip’s vehicle, the vans were gone. He parked the Camaro and angled out of the car. Since he was without wheels, he ordered a ride. Rip and Glory had both been through hell, and he wouldn’t keep them from getting back to the hotel any later by having to drop him at home. Instead of disturbing them, Ace texted Branson to meet him outside.

The Hound came out the front door a few minutes later, and Ace tossed him the keys. “Give those to Ripper, please.”

“Will do. You need a ride home?”

“Nah. I’ve called for one.” He hesitated before asking, “Uh, did Melinda get settled?”

“She’s not staying. She asked to borrow my phone to call a friend to come get her.”

Ace looked around, hoping to catch a glimpse of the female. “Isn’t that unusual?”

Branson turned his back on the house. “Yeah, it is. What’s more unusual is the person she phoned? She called him Sir. She also deleted the call and text. I wouldn’t say that’s unusual, but it did make me wonder what she’s hiding. She’s still waiting on whoever it is to pick her up.” Brick hesitated, then asked, “Ace, did you notice anything different about Melinda?”

“Like?”

“Like she doesn’t smell human.”

Ace twisted his neck, popping the tendons. “I did, which is all the more reason to keep an eye on her. Can I borrow your truck?”

Branson narrowed his eyes. “What are you going to do?”

Ace rubbed the back of his neck. “Something about this feels off. I want to follow her.”

“The man could be her father, or—”

“Someone higher up the chain. I don’t like this, Brick.” Ace had always trusted his instincts, and they were screaming at him that he needed to keep an eye on the female.

“Neither do I. Let me grab my keys. Meet me at the side of the garage.” Branson went to retrieve his key fob, and Ace walked around the house to where the detached garage was located. Branson met him a few minutes later, handing it over. “She said it would take about forty-five minutes for her ride to get here, and that was thirty minutes ago. I’ll call you when they arrive.”

Ace clapped the male on the shoulder, then entered the garage through a side door. He got into Branson’s truck and canceled his rideshare. While he waited for Branson to send the alert, Ace leaned his head back and pondered the female. His Gryphon took notice when he and Melinda shook hands, and that never happened.

Ace didn’t feel romantic stirrings until he’d formed a solid relationship with whomever he was dating, male or female. By the time that happened, his partners had written him off. Ripley was the only one who knew that about Ace. Not because the other Hounds were homophobic, but because Ace didn’t want the others looking at him with pity when each relationship crashed and burned. And they always did. Not that he was looking for something with Melinda even if she had his beast taking notice. There was something going on with the female, and Ace planned to figure out what.

It was half an hour later than expected when his phone pinged with a text from Branson. Ace started the truck, pushed the button to open the garage, and when the door was fully raised, he pulled out with the headlights off, then closed the door behind him. He eased his way around the house, catching sight of Melinda’s ride. The vehicle was a black SUV with tinted windows. Two factions drove such vehicles – the government and the mafia. Okay, maybe he was stereotyping, but Ace had a bad feeling about whoever was driving. Ace didn’t move until the SUV was almost out of sight. Keeping the headlights off, he followed from a distance. He kept them off until they were in traffic. The vehicle merged onto the onramp for the highway, and Ace kept several car lengths between them. They traveled west until they came upon the exit for New Latham. Ace was familiar with the town since that’s where Spyder’s mate, Charlie, lived and worked when the two first met. Ace and Rip had guarded The Blooming Boutique, or BB’s, as Charlie called her shop, when someone from The Ministry had targeted Charlie’s cousin.

Ace had to back off, as traffic was non-existent in the early morning. Speaking of BB’s, Ace pulled into the lot where he parked and got out. Knowing someone at Zander “Zero” Andino’s security company was monitoring the cameras, he waved, then skirted around the building and stripped. Calling forth his Eagle, Ace took to the sky and flew hard in the direction Melinda’s ride had gone. It took a bit of backtracking, but he spotted the SUV backing out of the driveway of a nice two-story house. Ace circled above the home. There was a kid’s play fort in the backyard, which was fenced in. There were tall trees and flowering bushes. Potted plants lined the covered patio. If this was her home, did she have kids? Why had she gone to Haven, and who had taken care of the plants while she was away?

There was only one light on in the house, and it was in a top-story room where the blinds were closed. Ace settled in one of the trees at the back of the yard and waited. Ten minutes later, the light went out, and the home was bathed in darkness. His beast urged him to remain in the tree until she rose later that morning, but he had no good reason to do so other than his gut told him something was off about the female. Instead, Ace flew to the front yard, took note of the address, then made his way back to the truck. After getting dressed, he climbed into the cab and sent off a text to Bishop, hoping he didn’t wake the Hound.

As he returned to New Troy, Ace turned the radio on and did his best to focus on something other than the woman. It didn’t work. Too many things didn’t make sense, and they all tumbled around his brain. Once he arrived home, Ace strode to his den, opened the French doors, then snagged a half-full bottle of tequila. He didn’t bother with a glass, instead opting to drink from the bottle. As a shifter, the clear liquor wouldn’t get him drunk, but the burn soothed his mood. Ace leaned against the doorframe and gazed at the crescent moon. It was something he did often; staring at the sky, wishing on stars, wondering why he wasn’t like others. He'd long ago given up on expecting an answer to that last one. His phone pinged with an incoming text. He should have known Bishop would research the house as soon as he got the inquiry.

Bishop: The house is owned by Joseph and Delia Edwards. Two kids, ages six and nine.

Me: Can you check if either have a sister named Melinda?

Bishop: Hang on a second. Ace tipped the bottle back and took a generous swig. Neither has sisters, only brothers.

Me: Okay, thanks for checking.

Bishop: Anytime.

Okay, so maybe they were friends of Melinda’s as she had told Branson. Or she could have gone into a different house. Either way, Ace needed to put the female out of his mind. She was safely away from Haven, and that was all that mattered. At that conclusion, Ace shoved the cork back in the bottle and set it on the bar before heading to his bedroom. He didn’t bother calling Branson since there was nothing to report.

The next morning, Ace drove by Providence to pick up Branson. They were helping Ripley at the house he and Glory were moving into. When he pulled down the driveway, Branson met him outside and dropped a toolbox into the bed. Ace opened the door to move to the passenger seat, but Branson waved him off.

“You don’t want to drive?”

“Nah. I like having a chauffeur,” Branson joked.

As they traveled across town, Ace relayed everything that happened after he left the night before.

Branson scrubbed his chin, looking out the windshield. “Maybe we have this wrong, and she was looking for something at Haven. When she didn’t find it, she opted to leave.”

“True, but why would a shifter go to Haven?”

“Why would anyone go there?” Ace tapped the steering wheel with his thumbs. When he glanced at Branson, the male was studying him. “What?”

“Did you feel a connection to Melinda? Is this why you’re so intrigued with the female?”

Ace squeezed the leather, then relaxed his hands. “No. I…” Ace cleared his throat. Branson was a good male. A good friend. “I don’t feel connections the way most others do. I have to get to know someone before I—”

“Oh, you’re demi, like our son, Brooks. Nothing wrong with that.”

“Except by the time I get to the romantic feelings, the other person has moved on.”

“Yeah, Brooks had that problem too. Always felt like there was something wrong with him. Luckily, Daniel, his partner, was willing to wait. Patient as a saint, that one.” Branson clapped Ace on the shoulder. “I hope you don’t feel the way Brooks did. Some of us are just wired differently, but that doesn’t make it wrong. When it’s right for you, he or she will be patient.”

Ace cleared his throat and blinked back the wetness forming in his eyes. “Thanks, Brick. I, uh, haven’t told anyone other than Ripper, and now you.” Ace gave the Hound a weak smile. “I’m glad I did.”

“I’m honored you shared that part of yourself with me.”

Branson had promised breakfast for those helping with the furniture, so they stopped and picked up the order he had called in at a local bakery. When they arrived at Rip’s, Ace pulled down the long driveway that cut through trees on both sides. The house was situated on seven acres with two of those being cleared for the house and yards. Ace couldn’t be happier for his best friend. Ripley, Conrad, and Sutton were waiting on them. After devouring breakfast, Rip gave Ace and Branson a tour of the house while they waited on the furniture to arrive. When it did, Ace helped assemble the king-sized bed going in the master suite, and Branson installed the washer and dryer. They had most everything in place by the time Glory and Ripley’s mom, Regina, arrived.

Ace found the two females in the kitchen. Glory was unloading the dishwasher, and Regina was folding dish towels. “What do you know about Melinda?” he asked Glory.

Glory pulled out the plates, stacking them in a cabinet. “Not much. She was only at Haven a few months, and she didn’t really talk about herself.” Glory closed the cabinet door. “What’s wrong, Asher? Why are you asking about her?”

“Who’s Melinda,” Regina asked.

“She was one of my cabinmates at Haven. I thought I saw her get in one of the vans last night, but when we got to Providence House, I didn’t see her.”

“That’s because she borrowed Branson’s phone and called for someone to come pick her up. She left while you were talking to your family.”

“That’s a good thing, right? It means she had someone she trusted to come get her.”

Ace ran a hand over his spiked hair. “Maybe.”

Regina stopped folding the towels and placed her hand on Ace’s arm. “What’s wrong, Son?” His heart warmed every time she and Conrad claimed him. His own parents had passed away many years ago, leaving Ace on his own.

“There’s something off about the female. She addressed the man on the phone as Sir, which Branson and I found odd, so I followed her after she was picked up. Since it was late, I couldn’t follow too closely, so I parked behind one of the mate’s floral shop and shifted to my Eagle. I saw the vehicle backing out of a driveway. I had Bishop check ownership of the house, and it belongs to a married couple with two kids. Neither has a sister, so maybe it was friends of hers?”

Sutton called his name, so their conversation was cut short. He followed the older Hound out the back door. “What’s up?”

“Since Viper is watching Abraham’s compound, I’d like you to keep an eye on Haven. Now that Josiah and Thomas are dead, I want to know if Abraham shows up or sends someone else in to lead.”

“I can do that. As soon as we’re finished here, I’ll head that way.” It had been almost five months since they began patrolling Oasis, the compound Abraham Goodman oversaw. Neither he nor his wife, Rhiannon’s grandmother, had been spotted, and that didn’t bode well for the Hounds. According to Rhiannon, her grandmother was aware of Rhi’s abilities to heal people with her energy. After her mom passed away, her father, David Spencer, had taken Rhi to Haven instead of Oasis. According to him, it was to protect Rhi, but Josiah had used her for the cult’s gain. He brought in new members who had health issues, promising to heal them if they lived at Haven and gave Josiah all their money. With Abraham knowing of her abilities, Rhiannon wouldn’t be safe until the man was found and taken out. Ryot wasn’t letting Rhi and their new baby girl out of his sight, sending other Hounds out on mercenary jobs. Ace didn’t blame him.

“You don’t have to go tonight, but I wouldn’t wait too long.”

“Will do, Boss.”

Sutton clapped Ace on the shoulder before heading to his SUV.

Ace spent a few more hours at Ripley’s, then when everyone left Ripley and Glory to enjoy their new home alone, Branson dropped Ace off at his house. Once inside, Ace called Spyder and asked if he could use BB’s as a hiding spot and why. The Hound assured him Charlie wouldn’t have a problem with it, but he promised to call her and fill her in. Ace hopped in his car and drove to the floral shop. He was cutting it close to getting there before closing time. As he drove, he also called Zander to tell him he’d be parking at BB’s.

The bell jingled when he pushed open the door to the shop. Kristoff was behind the counter, and when he saw who it was, his face lit up. “My Ace of Hearts! I’ve missed you.”

Ace grinned at the young man and sauntered up to the desk. “How are you, Kristoff?”

“Better now.” He fanned his face and batted his lashes. The male was cheeky and cute, but he was too young for Ace.

“Kristoff, what have I told you about flirting?” Charlie asked as she came from the back room where she put together her floral arrangements. She rolled her eyes as she approached, holding out a set of keys. “Here you go.”

Ignoring Kristoff who had his chin propped on his fist watching, Ace said, “Thanks. I shouldn’t need it too long.”

Charlie waved him off. “Use it as long as you want, and when you’re finished, you should come by for dinner.”

“I can do that.” Ace wrapped his fingers around the keys. “I’ll get out of your hair so you can close up.”

“Come back soon!” Kristoff husked. Ace grinned at the cutie, shaking his head. As he left the shop, he thought about the young man. Kristoff was a force of nature who couldn’t sing for shit. He was funny and talented in other ways, but Ace hadn’t given into the flirtations while he and Rip were guarding BB’s. It wasn’t that Ace didn’t find Kristoff attractive. He did, but he worried the man wanted that instant love, the kind he probably read about in romance novels where Ace would sweep him off his feet. Then again, maybe Ace wasn’t being fair. Either way, he had someone else he needed to focus his attention on.

Not wanting Kristoff to know Ace was hanging around, Ace got in his car and drove across the street, parking at the end of a strip mall. When Charlie and her assistant left for the evening, Ace returned. He parked around back, then went inside to wait until dark since he didn’t want to chance anyone seeing him shift into his Eagle. He sat in the breakroom until the other stores closed for the night, then locked up behind him. Once again, he stripped and shifted, heading to the house a few miles away.