Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
M aggie woke with a smile, sprawled in the middle of Ace’s bed. She stretched.
The bed was comfy, but the man was missing, though.
She thought of the night and shivered. She felt so good she wanted to get up and dance.
Then thoughts of the drone attack and Ace’s injury intruded—dark and ugly. Her stomach did a sickening throb.
She turned her head and spotted crackers and water left on the bedside table.
Fighting back a smile, she took her time, nibbling at the crackers.
She liked that he was looking out for her.
She’d always demanded to do everything for herself.
Her mom liked to tell stories about Maggie being a willful toddler, but the few times when she’d really needed support, they hadn’t helped her.
Her father had forbidden it, and Maggie’s mom rarely went against Maggie’s dad.
Like when Maggie had needed help securing a loan for her business. Like the night before her first deployment when she hadn’t wanted to be alone. Like when she’d broken an arm during training and needed help for a bit.
If you didn’t toe Leo Lopez’s line, then you were on your own. But a part of her wanted to trust that Ace wouldn’t let her down.
Eventually, Maggie rose and found her panties. She tugged on a T-shirt of Ace’s, and it covered her butt. Just.
She went looking for him.
No surprise, she found him in his home office. The screens lit his face in a wash of blue light. He was shirtless—yum—and in jeans.
His head swiveled. “Hey. Feeling all right?”
She nodded. “The crackers helped. Thanks.” She slid an arm across his shoulders.
He tugged her onto his lap. His quick, but thorough, kiss left her humming. Then her gaze fell on the bandage on his bicep. She pressed a kiss to it lightly.
He touched a hand to her belly and the look that crossed his face made her face still.
“You’re afraid?” she murmured. “Of the baby?”
He blew out a breath. “Afraid I’ll do this wrong. Screw it up. Hurt it.”
Her heart clenched. “Ace—”
“My dad, he’s actually my stepfather.”
Maggie heard the dark undertone to his voice. “Okay.”
“My biological father is an asshole. He’s a criminal drug lord in Rio de Janeiro. He used to beat my mom. And worse. He treated her like a possession, a thing.”
Sympathy hit Maggie. “She escaped.”
“For me. She was pregnant and afraid that he’d kill us, and that I’d grow up like him if we stayed.”
“Ace.” Maggie cupped his cheeks, loving the scrape of his stubble. “She got you out. You’re a good guy. You served your country, and you help people.”
A muscle in his jaw flexed. “I have it in me, Maggie. His blood. I had his temper as a kid, but I learned to lock it down. But sometimes, I look at things and I see ways to skirt the rules. I’ve done some pretty illegal things.”
She snorted. “You mean hacking. You aren’t running drugs or selling weapons, Ace. You see ways around things because you’re smart and skilled, but that doesn’t mean you’ve got criminal-mastermind leanings.”
He stared past her at the computer screen. “My brother, Rodrigo, he OD’d on drugs at a party. He was only fifteen.”
And had suffered a brain injury as a result. Maggie’s chest tightened. “I’m sorry.”
Ace’s hand formed a fist on the desk. “He came with me to a party. My mother didn’t want him to go, but he really wanted to.
” A sad smile. “He had a crush on some girl, and I was hooking up with this older girl. I wanted to get laid. I promised I’d take care of him.
I was supposed to be looking after him.”
Oh, no . So much guilt. So much pain. She stroked his cheek. “It’s not your fault, Ace. He made a terrible choice, and he paid a terrible price. But even if you’d been right there, it might still have happened, or if not then, another time.”
“I was busy getting laid. Making time with a girl I knew would put out. I left him alone.”
“Ace, you can’t keep punishing yourself.”
“I know he’s happy. He likes gaming, he makes models. But he’ll never have a career, or fall in love. He hadn’t been with a girl before the overdose, and now he never will.”
Her heart broke for both Ace and Rodrigo. She hugged him.
“What if I can’t keep our baby safe?” he said raggedly.
“Ace, you’re keeping me safe.”
“You got shot at yesterday.”
“And the bad guys are to blame for that. And you got shot protecting me.” She kissed him softly. “Our baby will have both of us. Not to mention the entire team of badasses you work with and call friends.”
He kissed her, but there were shadows still in those eyes.
She realized he’d been carrying around the guilt for a long time.
And the shame of who’d fathered him. It was a toxic combination.
Maggie made a promise to herself that she’d one day help get him to a point where he wouldn’t worry about being a bad father.
It would take time, but she’d get him there.
“Sorry.” He fiddled with her hair. “Hunt called. He wants me to take you down to the police headquarters. He has some questions for you.”
Maggie blew out a breath. “I don’t know anything.”
“I know, but maybe you know something without realizing it. Hunt’s questions might help pry it loose.”
She nodded. “You’ll come with me?”
“Yes.”
They showered, dressed, and had a quick breakfast. Soon, Ace was driving her to police headquarters in the Public Safety Building in Mission Bay.
She looked out the window, at the people on the street. Any of them could be her attackers. She looked up at the sky, her pulse jumping, but she didn’t see any killer drones.
Ace parked at police headquarters. He was vigilant as they walked to the front door. They spoke to an officer at reception.
“Detective Morgan is expecting you,” the woman said from behind the glass. “I’ll have an officer escort you up.”
A young man in uniform greeted them and showed them through a door. Ace pressed a hand to Maggie’s back as they walked down the corridor.
There was a lot of concrete and glass, and the entire place had a modern feel. She knew the Public Safety Building was quite new, and also housed a fire station and the arson task force.
Their guide led them into a large area covered in open plan desks.
Large windows let in light, and there was a row of offices at the back.
Phones were ringing and people were talking, or striding through the space with purpose.
She spotted Detective Morgan, talking with a man and woman whom she guessed were other detectives.
Maggie was head over heels for Ace, but the woman in her totally acknowledged that Hunter Morgan was hot.
If she had to guess, she’d say he’d been the star quarterback at high school—athletic, good at school, and dating the head cheerleader.
But now he was all grown-up and it only enhanced his appeal.
Hunt wasn’t wearing a jacket, and there was something about a man in a crisp shirt and a shoulder holster. His ex-military background was stamped all over him, in the way he held himself. She saw it in Vander, and the others who worked at Norcross Security, as well.
The other man with him could have answered a casting call for “middle-aged detective”, carrying a few extra pounds around the middle, his shirt creased, with a weathered face, and a dash of gray hair at his temples. He had a cynical, resigned look about him.
The woman was younger. Maybe a few years older than Maggie. Her thick, brown hair was in a ponytail, and her white shirt was tucked into black pants, showcasing a fit body. A gun was holstered at her hip.
She elbowed the older man, and he scowled. Hunt smiled, then looked up and spotted Maggie and Ace. He said something to his colleagues, then headed across the room toward them.
The woman caught Maggie’s gaze and smiled. If the older guy was middle-aged, jaded cop, this woman was competent, energetic, girl-next-door cop.
“Ace, Maggie.” Hunt shook hands with Ace. His green gaze fell on Maggie. “How are you holding up?”
“Well, having someone trying to kill you sucks.”
“I’ll bet.” Hunt waved toward a doorway. “Let’s talk in this interview room.”
Maggie looked around with interest. It wasn’t nearly as intimidating as in the movies. The room was empty, with the exception of a simple table and chairs.
As she sat, Ace squeezed her shoulder.
“Maggie, Ace is keeping me informed, but I want you to talk me through everything that happened. From the moment these men posing as scientists hired you.”
Maggie took the detective through everything. Hunt was methodical, asking her lots of questions. Then the detective sat back in his chair.
“We have the men who attacked you yesterday locked up. They’ve been charged with assault and I’m pushing for attempted murder. They maintain no knowledge of the drone.”
“Bullshit,” Ace muttered.
“I know that, but I need this pesky thing called evidence. None of them are talking about whoever hired them.” Hunt leaned forward. “Whoever it is, they’re afraid of him or her.”
Ace bit out a curse. “I’ll give them more to be afraid of.”
Hunt shot him a thin smile. “I’m a cop, remember? Look, we’re tearing these guys’ lives apart. They’re low-level scum.”
“Thugs for hire,” Ace said.
Hunt nodded. “They’ve not got the expertise to organize the drone.”
“But they know who did.”
“I’m not giving up.” Hunt met Maggie’s gaze. “I promise you that.”
“Thanks, Detective Morgan.”
“Call me Hunt. These other Norcross troublemakers do.” He nodded at Ace.
Ace took her hand. “We’re heading to the Norcross office today.”
“I canceled this morning’s flights, but Ace, I need to work,” she said.
He squeezed her fingers. “I’ll help get you sorted out, gatinha .”
She wasn’t alone, and for once in her life, she liked having someone to lean on.
* * *
The Norcross Security office was busy when they arrived.
Vander regularly hired a few trusted contractors for certain jobs. Ace nodded at Ben Ryan, a former Navy SEAL, who sometimes helped them out.
“Need a drink or anything?” Ace asked Maggie.