Chapter 21 Ace
Ace
Luciano has been growling at me like a bear with a thorn in its paw ever since he got here.
I had to literally push him out of my bedroom so I could use the bathroom and change into something more appropriate.
He was pacing in my living room when I came downstairs, and he hasn’t stopped, even though I’ve told him to sit down multiple times.
“Who the fuck is he, Lacey? Why did he answer your phone?” It’s the fifth time he’s asked since I discovered him in my bedroom. And once again, I ignore the questions.
He hands me a bottle of water, the cap already twisted for me, and the corner of my lips twitches as I take it from him.
Déjà vu.
“Drink all of that,” he demands.
Yeah, definitely déjà vu.
I take several dramatic sips just to appease him. When I set it on the end table next to where I’m sitting on the couch, Luciano glares at the bottle, but he doesn’t say anything about it.
Instead, he turns his glare on me. “I can’t believe you. You told me before you came here that you weren’t getting migraines anymore. You fucking lied straight to my face. That’s unacceptable, Lacey. Unacceptable.”
Fuck.
The last thing I want is to upset Luciano. All I have to do is look into his glacier-blue eyes to know that he’s more hurt than anything.
I drop my shoulders and flick my gaze to him apologetically, my eyes burning. “I’m sorry.”
He scrubs one of his heavily tattooed hands over his face before pressing his fingers to his eyes. “Jesus fucking Christ. What am I going to do with you?”
At least I know he can never stay mad at me for long.
“Love me forever?” I ask with my sweetest smile.
Mostly because I know it works on him.
Luciano groans. “You know that’s a given. Even if you do give me gray hair.”
I burst out into laughter because there isn’t a hint of gray in his dark hair.
The front door slams closed, startling me. I open my mouth to ask Luciano how many men he has with him, but before I do, he draws his gun as calmly as if he were drinking a cup of coffee.
“Ace,” Kian calls out.
My eyes bug out, and I leap to my feet.
Oh my God.
What is he doing here?
Luciano pushes me back when I try to pass him; meanwhile, my pulse pounds so hard I think I might have a heart attack.
This is bad.
Really bad.
Kian storms into the living room, his eyes darting right to Luciano, and before I even realize it, Kian also has his gun pulled.
“Who the fuck are you?” Luciano and Kian shout at each other almost in sync, demanding to know who the other is while pointing their guns at each other.
“Wait! Stop!” I scream, trying to get out from behind Luciano, but all he does is shove me back again. “Luciano, put it down! Kian, stop!”
Both men yell back and forth, neither of them listening to the other, and it feels like I’m in the middle of a movie.
My head spins as I try to focus and figure out how to put a stop to this, but they keep getting louder until finally, I move to the side so Luciano can’t reach me, and then I jump in between them.
Immediately, they both lower their guns slightly.
“Stop! Kian, please,” I beg as tears fill my eyes. “Luciano’s my cousin.”
I look toward Luciano, and his blue eyes flick to mine for a second before he scowls at Kian. “Please. Kian’s my friend.”
The word comes out smoothly, but it feels dirty on my tongue.
Both men go quiet as they stare at me, scowling. Almost at the same time, they tuck their guns into the waistbands of their slacks, and my knees go weak with relief.
Meeting Kian’s dark gaze, I take a breath. He studies me in his silent, assessing way for a moment that sends a tingle through me. He’s pissed. But he’s also concerned.
“Why the fuck is this asshole walking into your house like he owns it, Lacey? What the hell is going on here?” Luciano demands.
Good question.
I don’t remember giving Kian my door code, but I was also pretty out of it when I got home. Unless he watched me enter it and memorized it. That would be a little… unhinged.
“Why don’t you ask me the question directly instead of talking to her like that?” Kian growls as he steps toward Luciano like he’s ready to take him.
Luciano straightens and moves forward, and once again, I find myself jumping into the middle of them.
“Stop!” I cry out, shoving at their chests.
Kian glances down at me and stops trying to press forward. “You and I need to have a little talk about you getting in between two grown men, angel.”
My cheeks heat, both from the way Kian just scolded me and then called me angel. In front of Luciano.
“You know better than that, Lacey,” Luciano adds, his eyebrows pinched.
Looking between the two men, I let out a deep, dramatic sigh.
Then I turn to Kian. “What are you doing here? I, um.” I look down, my fingers twisted together, then peer up at him. “I didn’t think I’d see you again.”