Chapter 25
Ace
Jordyn: Hey, girl. I hope you’re feeling better. Take today off. The team can practice without you. I’ve already let them know. Do you need anything? I added Quinn to this chat so we can all talk here.
Quinn: Kian told Xander you had a terrible migraine. That sounds horrible. We can bring you soup.
Grinning down at my phone like a fool, I type out a response.
I can’t remember the last time I had a friend check on me.
When I was the prima ballerina at the dance studio in Seattle, I was too busy practicing to do anything outside of work.
Forming friendships is impossible when you don’t even have time to text anyone back or meet for lunch once in a while. It’s nice to talk to other women.
Ace: I’m feeling better. Thank you for checking in. I’m definitely well enough to come to work today.
Jordyn: Well then, enjoy a surprise paid day off because you’re off today. Maybe you should do something fun today. Like go ride Kian’s dick or something.
I’m giggling out loud when the front door closes, and Luciano’s familiar stride enters. When he walks into the living room, I drop my phone and leap up from the couch. “Oh my God, what the hell happened to you?”
Everything about him is pristine. His suit is unwrinkled, his hair is slicked back, but there are fresh cuts on his face, and one of his eyes is swollen shut.
“Don’t curse,” Luciano scolds as he looks me over. “How are you feeling?”
My jaw drops as I make my way to the kitchen and yank open the freezer. I grab one of the frozen bags of corn I use to ice my leg and wrap it in a hand towel.
“Put this on your face. What happened, Luciano? Where did you go?”
He tosses the bag of corn on the table instead of using it. Stubborn man.
My phone pings from the couch, and when I go over and see that it’s a message from the girls, a smile spreads.
Quinn: Oh, I agree with Jordyn. Go have some fun with Kian.
Jordyn: We should plan a girls’ night. One where the guys aren’t allowed.
Guilt swirls inside me. I need to talk to Jordyn.
“I’m making an appointment for you to see a specialist about the pain,” Luciano tells me when I look up from my phone. “I’ll have them flown out here.”
Narrowing my gaze, I take a step toward him, and even though Luciano is a head taller than I am, I jab my finger into his hard chest. “I never told you I was still in pain. So who did?”
Because there’s only one person who knows, and that’s Kian. And Kian didn’t say anything about it last night when he showed up. Which means…
Snapping my head back, I study Luciano’s face. “What did you do?”
My stomach turns, and my knees go weak as all the scenarios play out in my mind. Luciano’s alive, which might mean… No. Luciano wouldn’t do that. Right?
Oh my God.
Of course he would.
My cousin is known for his ruthless ways in the criminal world.
“Luciano,” I say, my voice cracking.
His eyebrows pinch together, and he shakes his head as he reaches for me, but I take a step back, nudging his hand away.
“I didn’t kill him,” he tells me. “I just warned him.”
“You what?” I screech. “Oh my God. I can’t believe you! Where is he?”
Luciano scowls and throws his hands into the air. “I don’t fucking know! I didn’t kill him. I’m not holding him.”
Closing my eyes, I take a breath, trying to calm myself. I love my cousin. I really do. He’s been the most important person in my life ever since my dad died. But he’s also a pig-headed, stubborn, pain in the ass who I want to strangle sometimes.
As soon as I open my eyes, I grab a small glass candle and hurl it at him.
“You are an asshole, Luciano Ricci!”
He dodges and somehow grabs hold of it before it crashes to the floor, then scowls at me. “Hey! What the hell?”
Picking up the TV remote, I chuck it at him next, and then a ceramic coaster. Both hit him, and he curses while I look for something else to throw.
“I love you, but you’re an asshole! I’m twenty-five years old, and I’ve lived under my mother’s thumb all my life, and now you’re being a controlling dick!
” Then I pick up the almost full bottle of water I’d been drinking from and launch it at him, irritated when it falls before reaching him.
The smug smile he shoots my way only infuriates me more.
Within a minute, I stomp upstairs to my bedroom and slip on a pair of flip-flops, not caring that I’m wearing yoga pants and a baggy crop top.
Then I grab my purse and storm down to the first floor and out of the front door, slamming it behind me.
The last thing I hear before it closes is Luciano roaring my name.
And as I pull out of my driveway, I watch in my rearview mirror as he strides out to the porch looking like a pissed-off bear again.
I don’t care, though. He can be mad because I’m mad, too.
As soon as I’m out of my neighborhood, I pull off the road and slump over the steering wheel for a second, taking several deep breaths.
Then I get my phone and type out a message to Kian.
Ace: Are you okay?
I need to talk to Jordyn. If she chooses to fire me for lying about my last name and the level of dance experience I actually have, I’ll accept that. It’s not like I need the money. But she’s been so kind to me, and the last thing I want to do is hurt her.
After tossing my phone into my purse on the passenger seat, I shift into drive and head toward Emerald Palace.