Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Being interested in things was never good for a man like Ace. Interest quickly turned to obsession if he didn’t take control of it fast enough.
Having an obsessive personality was helpful professionally.
His ability to hyper focus had helped him reach personal achievements that otherwise wouldn’t have been obtained had he relied on motivation and discipline alone.
That obsessive personality however, was not helpful when trying to keep his mind and interest off of a certain brown skin associate toting a fat ass and a pistol.
For the third time that day, Ace pulled up the camera in Joy’s small office a floor below him.
Her curly hair had been slicked back into a bun at the nape of her neck with a few strands sticking out of the bun and framing her face.
The blue light blocking glasses slid to the tip of her nose as she read whatever she had pulled up on her screen.
He watched her chew on the tip of her pen in concentration as she read before her manicured fingers began flying across her keyboard. Ace got lost watching her work.
He leaned back in his seat watching Joy in her zone and thoroughly enjoying the show before his entertainment was interrupted by Jrue and Von strolling into his office without knocking. Swiftly, he closed the security camera window and turned his attention to the unwanted intrusion.
Ace watched with an irritated scowl as his brothers made themselves comfortable in his space — uninvited. Jrue walked over to the bar cart by the window and began pouring two glasses of the scotch that took residence there. He opted for whiskey.
He passed both brothers their glass before stretching across the couch by the window and sipping his own. Von took his glass and plopped down into one of the chairs across from Ace’s desk. He kicked his feet on top of it, earning another scowl from Ace.
“If you wanna keep that funky ass foot you better get it the fuck off my desk,” he warned through gritted teeth.
The oldest and youngest Kings locked eyes in challenge for a moment before Von conceded, sliding his foot off the desk. But not before making sure the cup of pens and plastic plants came with him, making them clatter to the floor.
“Aw shit,” Jrue mumbled into his glass.
Jovon erupted in laughter but it got lodged in his throat when Ace hopped over the desk and wrapped his hands around his throat. Hardly able to stand with laughter, Jrue peeled himself from the couch he was draped on to break up the conflict between his brothers.
“Aye man, let him live,” Jrue urged between cackles simultaneously trying to peel Ace’s hands from Von’s throat and steady Von’s hands from throwing anymore punches or reaching for his knife.
After a few more moments, realizing the two were beyond words, Jrue landed a solid punch to Ace’s temple and another one to Von’s chest making them both halt their assault on each other and turn their angry glares on him.
Jrue picked his glass back up and reclaimed his spot on the couch taking a sip. “Y’all niggas be cool. Too damn old for that shit, " he chastised.
Even at their grown ages, no one was able to get under Ace’s skin the way Von did and he enjoyed doing so.
“The fuck y’all doing in here anyway?” Ace asked, straightening the sleeves of his suit jacket as he sank back into his chair. His hand was itching to navigate back to the security feed and see what Joy was up to.
Before they could answer, a series of soft knocks sounded at the door. After Ace instructed whoever it was to enter, as if he’d thought her up, Joy glided in.
She wore a long black body hugging skirt with a long sleeved black satin blouse tucked in showing off every fucking curve even though she was nearly completely covered.
She halted at the door once she noticed the other two King brothers’ presences. “My apologies Mr. King, I didn’t realize you had guests. I can come back if now isn’t a good time,” she said. Her alert eyes bounced around the room assessing the three of them.
“You’re fine,” Ace waved her off. “You haven’t met yet, but these are my brothers, Jrue and Jovon.”
Jrue and Jovon stood, extending their hands for Joy to shake.
She stepped further into the room, taking their outstretched hands and giving Ace a full view of her body.
While they made introductions, he took a moment to slowly rake his gaze over her.
He did his best not to focus too long on the swell of her hips and the sweet scent that assaulted his nose every time she was near.
Her skirt was long but didn’t cover her ankles and was so tight, it made Ace rake his eyes over her body trying to guess where she had her gun hidden today.
“Nice to meet you Ms. Thibodeaux. Welcome aboard,” Jrue said politely. Falling seamlessly into the refined politician persona.
“Very nice to meet you,” Jovon echoed with a smirk, unabashedly giving Joy the same once-over Ace had. Ace suddenly had an overwhelming desire to choke out his little brother for the second time that day.
“Nice to meet you both,” Joy replied, putting on her pretty smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “What do you do here?” she directed to Von.
“Oh nah baby, I don’t work here. I own a club in Brooklyn.”
“Oh that’s nice,” she smiled then turned back to Jrue. “I may have a few policy related questions. I’d love to pick your brain about a few things if you have the time.”
“Absolutely. I’m not in the office much but here’s my card,” Jrue said, pulling a business card from inside his jacket.
Ace watched with green eyes and a tight jaw as Joy smiled up at his younger brother, pocketing the contact info.
“What did you need, Rose?” Ace cut in.
Three pairs of eyes swung to him, two amused and one blank.
Lowering the stacks of files she was holding from her chest, Joy turned to Ace.
“I found that information you needed for Blue’s case and also took the liberty of suggesting a few precedents to strengthen your case based on the direction it looks like you’re going with evidence.
Everything important is tabbed and highlighted.
I can send you a digital version of all of this if you’d prefer,” she explained.
“I’ll take the physical copies,” Ace answered, motioning for her to bring him the files.
She stopped in front of his desk beside Von and extended the files to him.
Ace motioned again for her to come closer and she slowly rounded the desk standing beside him before shoving the files in his direction.
Ace took a discreet whiff of her, appreciating her closeness. Her sweet aroma temporarily intoxicated him and he had to fight to keep his eyes from rolling to the back of his head. Joy made a move to leave, but Ace halted her with a gruff, “Hold up.”
He wasn’t ready to relinquish her yet. Joy remained where she stood while Ace unhurriedly flipped through the files in silence, sometimes briefly stopping to read notes she left in the margins.
Joy was brilliant and to say that she’d only just started practicing and hadn’t acquired any legal experience in the past three years, she was sharp.
Following his quick assessment of her work, he snapped the files closed and placed them on his desk.
Finally he looked up at her. Even though she was standing and wearing heels, she was barely taller than him.
“Good work, thank you Joy,” he said. His eyes raked across her frame again and the close proximity afforded him a view of the smallest glint of silver peeking out at him from the unbuttoned portion at the top of her blouse.
Without hesitating, he pinched the bit of steel and slid it out revealing the switchblade she’d had tucked in her bra.
Joy gasped at his intrusion but didn’t make a move to take it from him. Ace grinned and licked his lips looking from her to the blade in his hands. “No desert eagle today, Ms. Thibodeaux?” he asked with a teasing tone.
Joy smirked back. That fire in her eyes flickering and gifting him with that familiar warmth. “Nowhere to put it,” she answered simply, gesturing to her body hugging outfit.
She didn’t need to point it out to him, he’d noticed. His brothers noticed. Hell, the young nigga delivering mail almost ran into a wall because he was noticing. It had taken everything in him not to think about why the thought of so many eyes on her made his blood boil.
”You know, I’m starting to worry about you, Rose.”
”And why is that?” Joy folded her arms over her chest, lifting her already perky breasts even further but strangely, it didn’t take Ace much effort to keep his eyes on her face.
He enjoyed that view even more and if he ever got her in his bed, he’d make sure every position he took her in made her piercing eyes and pretty face visible.
Stop thinking about having this woman in your bed, he chastised himself.
”You always coming to this office strapped like you’re going to war. Bringing weapons to the office isn’t necessary,” Ace playfully admonished. He sat back and began rolling the sheathed blade between his fingers.
“Maybe not, but unless the handbook has changed in the past 30 days, it’s also not against the rules,” she fired back. “I thought I told you my name is Joy, not Rose.”
Ace’s dick twitched at her attitude. The flickering flame that she’d been trying to keep extinguished was slowly growing and he wondered if he reached out and touched her if she’d burn him.
“You did,” he replied simply. “But at no time did you say that you prefer that’s what I call you.”
Joy was silent, her jaw tight, and Ace decided to poke the bear some more. “Would you like me to stop calling you that?”
Joy’s nostrils flared and she bit onto her bottom lip so hard, Ace thought she might draw blood.
Her silence was her answer and her expression was Ace’s confirmation that he was successful. He could see the restraint in her eyes and the internal coaching to remain calm. He didn’t want her calm.
Let it out, baby, Ace silently urged her, watching her war with herself.
Ultimately Joy’s coaching prevailed. She released her lip from the captivity of her teeth and the fire in her eyes fizzled out a bit. She gave a closed mouth smile before sticking her palm out.
“May I have my property back, Mr. King or is it being confiscated?” She asked.
Ace almost handed it over but decided he hadn’t had his fill of her for the day. So instead, he slipped the blade into the front pocket of his pants right next to the bulge he couldn’t hide if he wanted to and Joy couldn’t ignore.
“I think I’ll hang on to it. You can come pick it up when you’re on your way out for the day and we gon’ have a talk about why you feel the need to be armed in our building.”
“I don’t see why that matters.”
“It matters because I want to ensure all employees feel safe and comfortable while they’re here,” Ace answered and Joy answered with a scoff. “We’ll discuss it when you come to retrieve your property later on.”
“No need. They didn’t stop making knives when they made that one,” she replied, turning on her heels and storming out before Ace could stop her again. Her hard steps made her behind jiggle, and Ace was glad she was already halfway out the door—too far to hear the groan that slipped.
Once the door clicked closed, the other two men released the chuckles and low whistles they’d been holding in. Ace had completely forgotten his brothers were even there. Much to his annoyance, once she stepped in his space, she became the center of his universe and everything revolved around her.
A month ago, he would’ve found that fact unacceptable but now, he couldn’t bring himself to care.
“Where did she come from?” Jovon asked, his eyes still on the closed door Joy had just walked out of.
“Texas. Why?” Ace replied.
Von shook his head, serious in a way that only came out when he was talking about business. “You think it’s normal to have an attorney walking around strapped like she G.I. Jane or some shit?”
All three men’s hackles rose, the earlier playful camaraderie gone.
“Whatchu thinking, Von?” Jrue asked.
Von shook his head. “I don’t know. Just too much going on lately to be letting weird shit slide, feel me?”
Ace shook his head. “I’m looking into her,” he assured them.
Von grinned. “Yeah, I’m sure you are.”
Jrue chuckled into the glass at his lips. Ace’s nostrils flared, but he made no moves to get up from his seat, already knowing the game his brother was playing with him.
“Out. Both of you. Out,” he demanded. He’d had enough roughhousing with his brothers for the day and the impromptu visit from Joy had him wound up.
With a smirk, Jrue and Von both stood from their respective seats.
“Ace has a crushhh,” Von sang as he passed by the desk. Jrue cackled, almost spitting out the drink he’d been chugging.
Ace picked up the plastic plant Jrue had just knocked over by the leaves and chucked it at Von, hitting him square in the chest. “I’m a grown ass man, I don’t have no damn crush. Get the fuck out.”
Laughing, Von and Jrue made their way to the door. Before Jrue could exit the room fully, Ace called him back.
Ace wasn’t one to babysit grown men, nor did he think it was his responsibility to manage others’ alcohol consumption but he always kept an eye on Jrue during this time of year.
The two oldest Kings weren’t very close growing up but they bonded over the unfortunate necessity of sacrificing for the sake of the Family.
Whereas Ace had never experienced certain things, Jrue’d had to give up something he held dear.
Ace figured that was worse. To taste the forbidden fruit and have it ripped from you was cruel.
Ace saw his brother broken as a result of his loss and attempt to numb it with alcohol, work, and women.
He didn’t understand Jrue’s pain but he empathized and that alone was enough to make him check in.
“You good man?” Ace asked.
Jrue looked up and nodded. “I’m straight, Boss. You good?”
Ace shook his head. “Nah. I’m asking as your brother right now. You good?”
Jrue simply stared at his brother with glassy eyes from the whiskey. “I’m good…”
“You know if you wanna… you know…” Ace cleared his throat of the discomfort. “Talk about it. I can listen.”
Jrue smiled. “How sweet. I’m good. That’s all you wanted?”
“Yeah.”
“Aight.” Jrue stood.
He followed the same path Von had taken moments before but paused at the door and turned. “How is she?”
Ace sighed deeply. “She’s good.” He didn’t offer more than that and Jrue didn’t ask. He simply nodded and left.