Chapter 35
THIRTY-FIVE
AINSLEY
The aroma of fresh coffee wafts to my nose, waking me out of one of the hardest sleeps of my life. I'd like to pretend last night was all a twisted nightmare, but I know that's not the case. How could I be so stupid? Ace and Morgan warned me. I'm not sure they were warning me about something this traumatic, but I should have listened to them, regardless. Maybe if I had, this wouldn't have happened.
Ace's room is still shrouded in darkness, easing the tension from my pounding head. Next to the steaming cup of coffee are a couple painkillers and a glass of water. I take the pills, chasing them with a large gulp. I lay back down, waiting for the headache to subside, when the bedroom door opens.
"Good morning, princess." He looks beautiful standing there in his briefs, carrying a tray of breakfast.
"Morning," I greet as he places the tray on the bed. He cooked bacon, and made me avocado toast just the way I like it. He lays down next to me, propped up on one elbow.
“I need you to tell me what happened, baby,” he says after I’ve taken several bites.
Last night went terribly wrong, and I know I still haven’t processed any of it. The way Jackson almost…I can’t even say the words. I know he's been acting differently lately, but that was a whole other level of crazy. I can't wrap my head around why he would bring me to that place. I've been making him wait, I know that, but I didn’t feel ready. Did he really think bringing me to a sex club was the push I needed?
I thank my lucky stars I didn’t waste that part of me on him. He turned out to be such a disappointment.
The red flags were there, and I refused to acknowledge them. The hard part is that he wasn’t always like this. A lot of the reason I was drawn to him was because he was so sweet and attentive. Was that a ruse to get me into bed? I would like to think I’m not a horrible judge of character, but after last night, it tracks.
Ace watches me slip into my thoughts—Jackson, the weird sex club, then the cops. I know I need to tell him, but the words are hard to find. How do you tell the one person you wish you could be with that the one you chose over him ended up hurting you?
I make a small cough to clear my throat, then proceed to tell him the night’s events. He listens to me intently, and rubs my arm as I get upset. He tries to hide the anger I know he's struggling with. If I didn’t plead for him to take me home, he might have killed Jackson. The fury in his eyes told me everything.
He doesn’t give me an “I told you so.” I went through enough last night, hearing how sadly mistaken I was to give Jackson Davis any of my time won't help.
Jackson's cries pound in my head. He was on the floor crying when Ace stormed in. I know I would’ve gotten out based on the severity of his injury, but Ace being there was the comfort I needed. I needed a familiar face to feel safe again. I've never felt so alone and scared.
When Ace recognizes I’m done recounting what happened, he reaches his hand to my face and cups my cheek.
“How could I be so stupid? I knew he was turning into someone else entirely, but I chose to look past it. I wanted him to be good for me. I needed him to be,” I say honestly.
“Ains, how could you have known this would happen? He laid the charm on thick. I should have pushed further to intervene, but knew you needed space from me. I thought I was doing the right thing.” He’s disappointed in himself, and that makes two of us. I'm disappointed I didn’t break up with Jackson sooner.
“If you pushed more, I would have continued to do the complete opposite. This isn’t on you, it’s on me.” My lips pull up in a soft smile to ease his regrets. Then a thought pops into my head, and I’m surprised I didn’t think to ask sooner.
“Ace…Why were you at that club?” He stares down at the bedding covering us, picking invisible lint. I'm not having it, enough of the half-truths. If I can tell him everything, so can he.
"Morgan and I work for the owner. I swear nothing like last night has ever happened." He sighs, but continues. "Denny owns the main club, Sanctuary, and the attachment club you were at was Sanctuary Upstairs. It's a members-only sex club. When people apply to become potential members, Morgan and I perform extensive background checks to clear them. Denny will ask us from time to time to dig deeper into their backgrounds, looking for anything he can use as blackmail. Before you ask, I'm not sure of the reason, I've never asked." He doesn't break eye contact, and I know he's telling the whole truth.
"This was what you were warning me away from when you said you do bad things? You work for a sex club owner, and—" My mouth closes, not wanting to finish that sentence. I wait with baited breath to hear what he has to say.
"Yes, I'm a member of Sanctuary Upstairs,” he says slowly. He doesn’t drop his head or make any excuses. “It's been a way for me to explore with women experienced in what I like."
"What do you like?"
"Control."
"Do you use the club regularly?" I ask, not really wanting the answer. I'm trying to look unbothered, but picturing Ace with other women makes me feral. I've always wanted to be the one he explores with.
"I haven't used the club for sexual reasons since before you got to town." I search his emerald eyes for any hint of dishonesty. When I don't find it, I unintentionally sigh with relief. So does that mean he hasn't had sex in four months?
"That's, um, wow. How come?"
"Do you really need me to answer that? It's you, princess. It's always been you. I made the wrong choice in letting you go. Morgan will eventually get over it, we've been friends for far too long to end it over me being with the woman I love—whether it's his little sister or not." A glint of light touches his eyes. My insides dance in excitement at the words I've always wanted to hear.
He chooses me.
* * *
TWO WEEKS LATER
Telling Ace everything that happened over the last three months with Jackson took a weight off my shoulders that I didn’t know I was carrying. I won't lie and say what Jackson did doesn't affect me, it does, but I'm choosing to move on. I refuse to dwell on the past. What happened to me was horrendous, but I made it out safely. Not everyone is that lucky in an attempted sexual assault.
I never found my phone, and felt I needed a new number anyway. When Ace and I left for home the next day, he took me to the store to buy a new one. Everyone flooded me with questions about Jackson. I chose to keep the details to myself—with the exception of Ace and Cass. All I said to everyone else was that Jackson and I mutually decided our relationship had run its course, giving away nothing more.
Every year on New Year's Eve, the Maddoxes and Cassie come over for dinner and cocktails. The fireplace blazes with red and orange flames, warming the family room where we’re all gathered. We’ve been playing Liverpool Rummy for hours now, and our parents have bowed out of this last game since they’re leaving soon.
“Last hand, bit—” Mom smacks Morgan upside the head before he can finish the sentence.
“Morgan Copeland, so help me God.” I can’t help but laugh as she scolds him.
“Sorry, Mom. Didn’t know you were there.”
“Ooo…Momo said a bad word,” I tease, grinning.
“Shut it, Mini Copeland.” He launches a piece of popcorn at my face, his grin spreading wider.
“Alright kids, we’re leaving. Please behave yourselves, and call if you need us,” my dad’s thunderous voice echoes through the room.
A friend of theirs throws a party every year on New Year’s; they started attending when we became teenagers. They hang with us during the day, then check into the hotel the party is hosted at. Morgan and Ace were ecstatic the first year they did that, figuring they could go party with their friends. When they realized Cass and I were going to be home alone, they stayed, and now every year the four of us spend the holiday together.
“Dad, I’m pretty sure we should be saying that to you.” Morgan smirks, leaning back in his chair. “We’re just your innocent kids, playing card games and watching movies. You’re the ones heading out to party.”
“Alright, let's go, we are already pushing fashionably late. Happy New Year kids, we love you!” My mom ushers my dad and the Maddoxes out the door. Once we hear the lock click, the game resumes.
Ace has barely left my side since we got back, and when he's not with me, Cassie is here. She’s been sleeping over every night since we got home. My brother knows something bad must have happened for Ace and Cass to coddle me like they have been. He doesn't know the details of what happened back in Boise—I didn't want him to act irrationally toward Jackson. I know he deserves anything my brother and Ace would do to him, but they don't need to get into trouble. Jackson is the son of a well-connected, wealthy man, and that's why I chose to not press charges. Despite having witnesses other than Ace, I'm sure his dad would manage to get him out of any legal trouble, so as not to harm their family image.
I haven't heard from Jackson since leaving Boise, most likely due to my new number. I'm not mad at that, I hope I never have to see him again.
The other day, I overheard a phone call I shouldn't have that Ace and Morgan were on with their boss Denny:
“Hey Boss Man, what’s the word?” Morgan asks.
“Boys, it’s a shitstorm here. Three women ODed from drugs they were dealt at the club.”
“Oh shit!” Morgan says with shock in his voice. I know Ace isn’t surprised, he was there.
“Yeah, the son of my competitor found a way in, using another member's key card.” Their boss sounds exhausted. I’m sure after that night he has been dealing with a lot.
I continue to listen to their conversation. It turns out Denny’s main competitor is none other than Levi Davis, Jackson’s father. I wasn't wrong to think the work Jackson was doing for his father was less than legal. Levi was having his son push his drugs to kids on campus. We weren't there that night to get intel on club business, we were there for Jackson to cause a scene and have the cops show up. I don't think his dad was aware he was getting high on his supply, though.
“I’m shutting the club down until everything gets dealt with. I know you guys are on vacation, but I could really use your help with this.”
“What do you need from us?” Ace asks.
“I need updated background checks on every member. Make sure you are including all close known relatives. The senator’s private party was a setup to get me off-location during the masquerade. Levi orchestrated all of it, knowing the club’s biggest event of the year—where members are required to wear masks—was the perfect opportunity for his son to get in undetected.” I’m thanking my lucky stars Denny hasn’t said Jackson’s name.
“Yeah, no problem. Are the women that overdosed okay?” Morgan probes.
“Yes. Lucky for them, they were taken to the hospital in time. They’ll make a full recovery.” His voice is flooded with relief. If the girls didn’t survive, this would be way worse.
Jackson's erratic behavior makes sense now, knowing he was on drugs. I'm not making excuses for him, the drugs didn't make him a bad person. He's a bad person, and the drugs made it harder for him to hide that. I feel like an idiot for falling for his charm.
“Hey guys, I have to run, but I’ll be in touch. If you can fast track those member checks, I would appreciate it. Let’s plan to meet when you get back into town.”
“Sounds good, we’ll start working on it right away,” Ace says, and the call ends.
You'd think this shitshow would make news headlines, but we haven’t heard a peep. From what Ace told me, Denny has a lot of the force on payroll, including the chief of police. I'd like to think Denny is one of the good guys, but I'm skeptical. He seems to be in the same world as Jackson's dad, and that man is awful.