Chapter 22 #2
She spoke to each person on the list, mentally crossing off each name. With every stricken out name, she moved closer and closer to her goal — so close, she could taste it.
She was deeply entranced in a conversation with a Texas businessman, bonding over progressive legislature and their football team’s playoff run when she felt hot eyes boring into the side of her face. When she turned, she found Ace staring, the heat and possession in his eyes unmistakable.
She turned, putting him and his distracting eyes and energy out of her mind, before wrapping up the conversation.
She walked away with one more contact in her arsenal and a renewed resolve with the encouraging realization that she hadn’t lost her spark.
Two down, Two to go, she thought as she scanned the room for her next target.
The sound of night insects buzzing, grass rustling, and the deep bass of the music from the backyard reached Ace’s ears. He sat in the rose garden at the front of the estate, shrouded by the tall hedges with a blunt between his fingers facing the garden as he enjoyed a few moments of solitude.
The crisp night air wrapped around him but it was a welcome reprieve from the heat of bodies packed on the dance floor and watchful eyes.
The sound of footsteps crunching on the gravel path disturbed the sounds of nature.
Ace looked up from his spot on the bench and watched with a smirk from a few feet away as Joy walked deeper into the garden. He observed her heave a deep breath, then tilt her head up to the sky for a brief moment.
As if feeling his eyes on her, she turned and their gazes immediately caught.
Wordlessly, Ace beckoned her over to him with a tilt of his head and Joy followed.
Taking a pull of the blunt at his lips, he watched her wide hips sway and her full breasts bounce as she walked towards him and his dick immediately bricked with the memory of how her curves felt pressed against him when they danced.
“What’s good, Rose? You hiding?” Ace greeted as she approached.
“Looks like you the one hiding to me,” Joy quipped.
Ace chuckled. “You got me there.”
“Why are you hiding?” Joy asked as she lowered herself to sit beside him.
“Got tired of talking,” he shrugged.
Joy’s mouth formed an ‘o’ as she made to move. “You want me to leave you alone?”
“Nah, I want you right here,” Ace said, putting a hand on her thigh to stay her movement. “I’m tired of talking to business partners and shit. It’s suffocating being surrounded by people and still feeling like you’re on an island.”
Ace had never verbalized what he felt before but now that he had, he didn’t try to retract the words. He hadn’t realized until recently just how lonely it was.
Joy nodded, understanding. “Do you feel alone with me?” she asked.
Ace turned to her, his gaze bouncing around her face. He shook his head. “Nah. I don’t feel alone with you, Rose. Quite the opposite.”
Joy smiled and Ace did too. He didn't speak on the inexplicable connection he felt to her but something told him he didn’t have to because she felt the same.
Ace extended the blunt in Joy’s direction. Without hesitation, she took it.
She put it to her lips and Ace’s own lips tingled in anticipation of putting his mouth where hers had been when he got the blunt back. She took a long pull, holding the smoke for a moment before releasing it.
She coughed a little, the strength of the substance burning her throat and settling in her chest.
Ace chuckled beside her and she shot him a mean glare.
“Why you out here?” Ace asked, taking the blunt back from her.
“I was looking for April actually to tell her I was leaving,” she said, her voice even raspier than usual now, thanks to the smoke invading her throat.
“Damn already? The night is still young.”
She nodded slowly, her eyes traveling around the garden before them. “Yeah… I’m done here.”
Ace could feel her subdued energy but he didn’t pry. They didn’t speak for a few moments, letting the silence settle between them. That was a norm for the pair. He was amazed how she could at once bring him calm and set him on fire.
She passed the blunt back and Ace accepted it, their fingers brushing slightly.
“You seemed to be enjoying yourself,” Ace said, breaking the silence.
The blunt had been smoked down to a roach and their eyes were low from its effects as Ace sparked another one.
He leaned back, resting his elbows on the back of the bench.
Joy’s stance mirrored his, both reclined comfortably basking in the moonlight and expert landscaping.
Joy rolled her head lazily to turn her gaze from the stars to the man beside her. He was already looking at her, his amber eyes low and sparkling. “You were watching me,” she said, rather than asked. The teasing grin on her lips revealed that she’d caught him.
“I was,” Ace answered, unashamed.
Joy chuckled. “This ain’t really my scene,” she said.
Ace’s smirk widened at her tone. He wasn’t sure if it was the effects of the weed or a reflection of her comfort with him, but her speech became more relaxed than he’d ever heard it.
The way her voice drawled on certain words, exposing her southern roots scratched a part of Ace’s brain just right.
He wanted to keep her talking so he could hear more of it.
“Couldn’t tell. You were working the room like this was your shit.”
Joy chuckled humorlessly.
“Muscle memory I guess… Shit like this is just triggering,” Joy whispered. Her body was present but her eyes were far away.
Ace raised an eyebrow. “How so?”
“Reminds me of the rooms I grew up in… Constantly performing in front of my dad’s colleagues. Having to prove I deserved to be in the room. To make him proud and earn their acceptance.”
Ace saw the shadows pass over her face.
“And did you?”
Joy chuckled mirthlessly. “Yeah. For a little while… And then they took it away.” She said the last part on a whisper, like she was still in disbelief.
Ace eyed her. His chest felt heavy as he watched the woman beside him, so beautiful and brilliant, become dragged down by sadness.
A stark contrast to the woman he’d seen less than an hour ago command the attention of the most powerful people on the east coast and beyond.
His trigger finger itched to take the life of everyone who’d made her this way.
A breeze blew and wafted Joy’s scent into Ace’s nose. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and a soft growl rumbled in his throat.
“God, you smell so fucking good,” Ace murmured, his eyes closed.
Joy giggled. “Thanks,” she whispered back. She turned her gaze back to him, and the sadness that was in her glossy, low eyes a moment ago was replaced with something else.
Ace admired her openly and Joy didn’t seem to mind, doing the same to him. He took the time to appreciate every feature on her face. Cataloguing it for his dreams later. “And you’re beautiful,” he let slip.
Joy broke their eye contact, looking at her fingers in her lap. “That’s twice you’ve complimented me tonight. I must’ve really put that shit on,” she chuckled.
“I bet that usually works huh?” he asked, bringing his hand up to stroke her cheek with his thumb. He felt her lean into his touch and inwardly glowed.
“Using your charm to deflect and distract…”
That pulled another chuckle from Joy. “I’m not charming.”
“Yeah… you make jokes, you flirt, …. But it’s all just smoke and mirrors.”
Joy gulped.
“You ain’t gotta do all that with me Rose. I see you.”
Joy scoffed. “Oh yeah? And what do you see?” She held his eye contact defiantly, challenge in her gaze.
“I see a brilliant, strong woman that’s trying to hide a lot of pain and anger… and loneliness.”