Ace & Ember (The Mavericks #2)

Chapter 1 Evie

I didn’t want to be here.

Which was ironic, considering Hellfire Bar was exactly my kind of place—loud, sweaty, full of reckless decisions waiting to be made. Normally, I’d be one of them.

Normally, I’d let the bass thrum through my bones, throw back a shot, and pretend my life wasn’t an absolute train wreck of bad decisions wrapped in sarcasm.

But tonight? It all felt grating.

The neon lights flickered too bright, the music pulsed like an irritating mosquito in my skull, and every drunken laugh around me felt like sandpaper against my nerves. Even my drink was wrong—just water, cold and tasteless, reminding me I was a fraud among the truly unhinged.

I leaned against the sticky bar, sipping my water and forcing a smile. People bumped into me, shouting and laughing, throwing back shots like their livers didn’t exist. I was supposed to be one of them. Evie Emberson—the fun one, the wild one. The one who never cared.

Beside me, my boyfriend—or whatever he was about to be—shifted closer. “You’re quiet tonight.” His voice cut through the music, warm and close enough to send his tequila-laced breath straight into my ear. “Starting to feel like I’ve got a different girl here with me.”

I plastered on a sarcastic smile. “Sorry to disappoint. Maybe call your ex? I assume she can fake it better than I can.”

He shrugged, a grin twitching like he had a winning comeback. “No need to drag her into this. She at least knew how to have fun.”

Any other night, I might have let his comment get under my skin.

But not tonight.

I took a long sip of my drink, the cool water doing nothing to settle the gnawing restlessness under my skin. Maybe I was just tired. Maybe I wasn’t faking it as well as I thought. My gaze drifted past him to the pool tables in the far corner.

Or maybe I was already too distracted.

He was all sharp edges and quiet menace—six-foot-four of muscle carved lean, broad shoulders filling the doorway. Ink climbed his arms in deliberate patterns, each line thought out, a story written in skin. His dark-blond hair brushed his temple as he bent forward.

Trouble—beautiful, reckless trouble.

Aiden.

He made a shot and stood, unfurling until he towered over the crowd around him, cue in one hand, his other tucked in his pocket. Watching. His blue eyes scanned the room, sharp and predatory, before locking on to mine.

I hated the way he watched me—like he cared. Like he gave a fuck when I knew he didn’t. Not in the way I wanted.

Aiden was my brother’s best friend. Off-limits. Untouchable. The one I couldn’t have, which only made me want him more.

I dragged my attention back to my boyfriend, his voice blending into the noise, something about fantasy football.

I didn’t care if a man had a hobby. Build a birdhouse, collect stamps, role-play as a medieval knight—fine.

But forcing me to memorize the rules of fantasy-fucking-football?

That was where I drew the line. I had my own hobbies—I didn’t need to add his to the list.

My gaze flicked back to Aiden. Only for a second.

Through the crowd, I caught a glimpse—he was leaning in, a girl laughing beside him.

They’d been playing pool for more than an hour now, and he hadn’t left her side.

She flipped her hair and he smirked. The kind that had no right being on his face while he was with someone else.

Heat crept over my skin.

“Evie,” my boyfriend demanded, setting down his drink. “Are you even listening to me?”

I sighed, cocking my head. “No? I’ve told you, I don’t care.”

His eye roll made me more annoyed. “Do you know how rude that is? You should care about your boyfriend’s hobbies. I care about yours.”

“First,” I paused, taking another sip of my drink, “you do not give two fucks about my hobbies. Do you remember the last time I showed you my computer and you wouldn’t stop checking your phone?

Or when I Bedazzled the knife handle? You couldn’t have cared less.

Second, there’s a difference between respecting your hobbies and being forced to participate. ”

“Oh, so it’s a problem if I do it, but Aiden makes you ride around on his damn motorcycle, and that’s fine?”

“Riding on the back of a bike isn’t a hobby. If Aiden drones on about the endless upgrades he does to his bike, I will literally shut his mouth for him. Maybe even with the Bedazzled knife.”

“Right. I’m sure that’s not the only mouth-related thing you’re doing for him.”

My stomach knotted, anger seeping into every nerve.

“Knock it off,” I said, not wanting to turn the conversation back to Aiden, but my gaze betrayed me. My eyes flickered toward him with another sharp pulse of heat.

“You’re staring at him again.”

I blinked back to him. “What?”

“Aiden,” he spat. “You’re always staring at him. Finding him in the crowd. It’s like you can’t help yourself.”

I laughed, sharp and humorless. “Maybe because he’s not droning on about things I have no interest in right now.”

His eyes sharpened, lips flattening into a hard line. “You’re obsessed with him.”

I opened my mouth to deny it, but immediately snapped it shut. Maybe because, deep down, I knew he wasn’t entirely wrong, but I wasn’t going to let him think he was right.

“And you’re obsessed with your imaginary team of men,” I shot back. “I’d say we’re even.”

My heart dropped at the sight of his face, but I didn’t show my sudden burst of fear.

It was the wrong thing to say.

He hadn’t been overly cruel to me, but I knew he had a temper.

His jaw tightened, and his hand shot out, gripping my arm harder than necessary. “You think this is funny?”

“No,” I said, my voice laced with venom. “But I do think you’re pathetic. You know nothing can happen between Aiden and me.”

“I’m pathetic? Yet you can’t even deny you are obsessed with him.

Nothing can happen? Do you hear yourself?

” His eyes blazed with anger, and for a second, I thought he might actually say something worthwhile.

Instead, he leaned in, his voice dropping to a low, sharp edge.

“You know what? I’m done. You’re not even worth the effort.

You act like this fun, carefree girl, but you’re actually crazy. And not in a good way.”

I knew I went overboard with my actions sometimes, but I also knew it was the fastest way to push someone out of my life when they had overstayed their welcome.

I stood up, my stomach dropping at the rejection. As if he could hear my thoughts, Aiden glanced over at us, the sneer on his face not helping tamp down my anger.

I lifted the barely touched drink I still held, tipping the cup until the mix of shots he thought I’d been drinking washed over him. The red hue on his face deepened, his fingers wrapping hard around my arm.

“You bitch.”

“I’m pretty sure crazy bitch would be more correct, according to you.”

I wiggled my arm free enough to reach into my small purse, pulling out a lighter, and tried to flick it on.

I hated this. Hated I was the one standing in the middle of a bar with this loser of a man breaking up with me, and worse, I hated that Aiden would see the whole thing.

I could feel the wheel of the lighter spin but couldn’t see if the flame took.

A flash of movement stole my attention, followed by a sharp grunt.

Aiden’s arm shoved between us, his elbow driving back and up. My ex stumbled, dabbing at the blood trickling from his nose.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” Aiden’s voice was sharp, cold.

My ex laughed, lips curling into something cruel. “Breaking up with the bitch. Funny enough, I did it because she’s obsessed with you. And you’re obsessed with her.”

Aiden’s hand shot out, grabbing my wrist hard enough to make a point.

“I’m obsessed with not letting her set you on fire, you fucking idiot.” His eyes flicked down to my fingers and the lighter still clutched there. “Did you seriously think you could grab her, and she’d politely wait until you were done?”

My ex glanced at me, his eyes wide. “Is he serious?”

I grinned with a shrug. “How lucky are you that the lighter isn’t working?”

“You’re insane,” he said, his face twisting, red and furious.

“And you’re boring.” I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “So let’s call it even.”

He shook his head, wiping at the alcohol dripping down his arms. “I’ve never made such a good decision in my life. We’re done, Evie.”

“Right.” I smiled, too sweet. “Don’t call me tomorrow when you regret it.”

His eyes flashed and he snarled, like he was about to say something truly awful, but one glance at Aiden standing next to me and his mouth snapped shut.

I didn’t even have time to attempt setting him on fire again before he stormed off.

I should’ve felt relief. Instead, something bitter crawled up my throat.

Aiden turned back to me, jaw locked. The glow from the neon lights carved shadows over his face, making him look lethal in his anger.

“What the hell were you thinking?”

I lifted my chin. “That he deserved it? And for the record, I wasn’t actually going to set him on fire . . . probably.”

“Probably?” Aiden repeated, his voice incredulous. “Fuck, Evie. Do you have any self-preservation instincts?”

“Not really, no.”

He raked a hand through his hair, shaking his head. “Let’s go. I’m taking you home.”

“No, you’re not,” I said, planting my feet. “I’m fine. Go back to your cute little game.”

“You’re not fine.” His voice was firm. “You tried to light someone on fire.”

“And he deserved it.”

“Maybe he did,” Aiden said, his tone shifting to something darker. “But you’re not staying here.”

Before I could argue, the girl Aiden had been playing pool with came over, her gaze flicking between us. “Aiden,” she said, her voice soft. “Are you coming back?”

“No.” There was no hesitation in his voice. “I mean, I don’t know. I have to take Evie home.”

The words sent a strange rush of satisfaction through me, but I shoved it down. I wasn’t going to read into this. Not tonight.

“Maybe you should stay here with your date and mind your own business,” I said, pushing off from the bar to head outside. I needed to get out of this suffocating room. I needed to be alone where my shame of being broken up with in front of hundreds of people wouldn’t sting so badly.

I made it outside to the line of bikes before Aiden caught up to me.

“I’m not minding my own business when your date is assaulting you,” he said, coming to my side.

“I don’t need a babysitter or a bodyguard. I can handle myself.”

“Oh, yeah. You were doing a hell of a job. Why are you mad at me when he’s the one who hurt you?”

I spun, my fists balling at my sides. I hated when Aiden made sense. I wasn’t mad he came to help me. I could appreciate that about him. But he didn’t rescue me because he cared—he did it because Rook would be pissed if he didn’t.

There were so many things I loved about Aiden, but his loyalty to my brother wasn’t always one of them.

“Because I don’t need you or my brother treating me like I’m helpless. Maybe I felt a bit helpless when I was younger, but I’m fine now. I can handle one asshole breaking up with me.”

“He seriously broke up with you?”

“Yeah, because of you, apparently.”

“Me? What the hell did I do?”

“Exist? Be around me constantly? Be my brother’s good little right-hand man and follow me everywhere?”

“Rook wants you safe, so I help keep you safe. It’s not like I’m stalking you.”

Stalking me would be better than this.

At least then he’d just be obsessed with me.

“Sure thing, Ace. Keep running around doing whatever my brother tells you.”

“Excuse me?” he asked, curling his lip. “Ace? Who the fuck is Ace?”

“You—my brother can always count on you, can’t he? Mister Second-in-Command, too afraid to do anything that might threaten his position.”

“And that’s a bad thing?”

“For me? Yeah, it is.”

The pool table girl appeared again, calling for Aiden. He took a step toward her, making my stomach twist.

I hated how bad I wanted him to stay with me.

“I told you I have to take Evie home,” he said, the slightly annoyed tone making me smile.

It wasn’t enough to stop the angry heat filling my chest.

“Oh, don’t worry about me.” I tossed my hair back, my tone so fake I knew he would hear it. “I would rather walk home in heels until my toes bleed before getting a ride from you tonight.”

“Don’t be a fucking brat. You aren’t walking home from here at one in the morning.”

“Brat? Are you serious? My boyfriend broke up with me because of you, and what happens to you now? You’re going to sleep with her and have a great night. You’re the damn brat. Leave me alone, Aiden.”

Aiden locked his jaw. “You really think I care more about going back inside than getting you home safe?”

I looked at him—really looked—and for a second, it felt like one of those movie moments. If this were one of my favorite rom-coms, this would be when the guy finally figures it out, grabs the girl, and kisses her like the world’s about to end.

But spoiler alert to me, this wasn’t one of those movie moments.

My life wasn’t the fluffy rom-com I secretly love where those moments actually happen. Mine was a drama—a horror-filled drama—with fast bikes and torture, and men who were so loyal to their friends they were blind to anything else.

There would never be a moment Aiden realized I was the love of his life. More like, there would be a moment he realized he couldn’t stand another second of me and rode off into the sunset alone.

Because no matter what I did to entice Aiden, his loyalty to my brother would always come first, and it’s the only reason he was standing here worried about me getting home safely.

I hated that I cared. Hated that I wanted to make him care.

A reckless idea bloomed in my mind. A stupid, dangerous, Evie-shaped idea.

I lifted my heel, pressing it against the closest motorcycle and pushed.

The first bike tipped and fell onto the next one. Then onto the next with a deafening crash.

Aiden’s head snapped toward me. “Evie—what the hell? Stop!”

I gave him one satisfied grin. “Aiden! Watch what you’re doing! Oh my god, what did you do?”

A loud round of gasps echoed around us as everyone outside turned to look at us, a roar of yells already starting.

Aiden’s face twisted, something between pure frustration and hatred. His jaw clenched, but I caught the flicker of amusement before he covered it.

At least our horror-drama movie wasn’t boring.

I waited long enough to see him grab the first of the fallen bikes before I slipped into the crowd.

Let him deal with the fallout.

I walked away, pulse steadying with every step that carried me out of the chaos.

But I felt his gaze on me—hot, heavy, and impossible to ignore.

I could run. I could hide. I could swear I didn’t care.

It wouldn’t matter.

Because Aiden would always be there.

And the worst part? I wanted him to be.