Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Ace had almost declined when Von had asked them to join him at the club tonight. The moment he saw Joy though, skin on display and arguing down Cedrick at the door, he’d known he made the right decision, though.
Ace still felt buzzed in a way that had nothing to do with the blunts and bottles that made their rounds in their section.
With his fingertips on Joy’s back, all of the awareness in his body was zeroed in on the spot where their skin connected.
The sight of her in that dress and those heels under the brighter street lights sent a rush of blood flowing to his manhood.
As if she felt him staring, Joy looked up at him with a slight grin and he returned it.
“You had a good time?” he asked.
“I did actually,” she answered, eyes bright and slightly glassy.
She opened her mouth to speak again but was cut off by a voice from across the parking lot.
“Aye Ace!” The man’s voice cut through the night. All eight of them turned to see a man across the street leaning against a blacked out Lamborghini. Ace’s entire body stiffened and his eyes darkened with fury when Isaac came into view.
“Boy, you got some damn nerve bringing yo ass over here,” Ace growled.
Isaac had been on a tour, running his mouth to anyone who would listen since he got kicked out of the meeting several weeks ago. He’d been loud with his discontent and bordering on disrespectful, not seeming to care who it got back to.
Anyone else would've been put down for the audacity alone, and Ace’s first mind was to do just that, but their family history afforded him a unique grace.
Ace hadn't paid Isaac any mind so long as he stayed out of his way but showing up to one of their establishments on some bullshit was bold, even for the youngest Kincaid.
“Damn, y’all got the whole family out tonight huh? That’s sweet.” His gaze slid lazily over the group before pausing. “Hey April baby, you looking good,” Isaac said, licking his lips.
“Fuck you,” April spat with an eye roll.
“Shit, just let me know when,” he grinned.
August stepped forward, his hands clenched tight in a fist. April put a hand on her twin’s arm.
“I wouldn’t fuck you with another bitch’s pussy,” April shot back with disgust written all over her face.
Isaac shrugged with a grin. “Suit yourself.”
His eyes moved to Ace then down to where Joy stood tucked into his side.
Interest lit his eyes before they darkened, as they settled on Joy.
“Oh,” he chuckled. “Now it’s making sense. The rumors are true, you’ve got yourself a lil distraction. I’d be happy to take her off your hands for a little while. Help you clear your head. I heard she’s a lil feisty, you know I like that shi–”
He didn’t get to finish as Ace closed the distance between them in a blink. He choked on his words as Ace gripped him by his throat.
“Ace,” Jrue called out sharply. “Not here.”
Ace didn’t look at him or reply. His focus stayed locked on Isaac, looking down into his smug face with a scowl.
In an attempt to free himself, Isaac swung but the punch never landed.
Ace slipped it then returned it with three of his own. The hits were swift and precise, making Isaac slump against his car in a daze.
The two men who’d been standing on a half step behind Isaac, Marco and another Lieutenant Ace barely recognized, stepped forward, but a symphony of guns cocking halted their movements immediately.
“Either of y’all move and that’s yo ass,” Ace warned.
Joy looked around to see that Remy and all of the King siblings, April included, had their pistols out, cocked, and ready to fire.
Mel’s eyes were wide as she reached for Joy but Von had one arm protectively around her shoulder with the other holding his gun at his side. Joy looked to her side at August who had moved to stand slightly in front of her. Sensing her gaze, he looked down and smiled reassuringly.
“Man this is some bullshit,” one of the men muttered. “Everybody bad with a starting five behind ‘em. You ain’t shit without yo people. None of y’all are.”
Collectively, the Kings chuckled and the harmony of their sinister laugh gave Joy goosebumps.
Who the fuck are these people?
“Word?” Ace looked up, releasing Isaac and letting his body hit the ground.
He turned slowly, directing his attention and fury at the man. He took slow steps towards him.
“I ain’t shit?” he finally asked once he was close enough for the tips of their shoes to touch. He stood there, silently daring him to repeat it to his face.
The man’s fear was clear as day but to his credit, he didn’t cower. Even from this distance, Joy could see the sinister look on Ace’s face. She could only imagine what it looked like up close.
Like Isaac, his companion swung first and like Isaac, it didn’t produce a good outcome for him. Within seconds, Ace had the man pinned and despite Isaac’s attempts to jump in, had them both down with Isaac’s neck squeezed in one of his hands and his flunky’s neck under his Jordan.
Joy marveled at the rawness of Ace’s fighting. There was no technique or finesse. Just pure rage that fueled a terrifying display of violence.
Ace kicked the unconscious man beneath him away and returned his focus to Isaac. His teeth were gritted so hard Joy feared they would pop out of his mouth.
“Rose!” Ace called out.
He had Isaac hemmed up on the hood of his car with a hand around his throat. “You still got that knife on you beautiful?” he asked. His honey colored eyes were blazing with fury and if Joy thought he couldn’t get any more beautiful earlier, she had been mistaken.
She nodded. “Yes,” she answered.
Marco spoke up for the first time, stepping up again in his defense. “Man fuck th-,” he started but didn’t get far as a gunshot cracked through the air.
Without moving his grip from Isaac’s throat or his eyes from Joy’s, Ace sent a shot tearing through the man’s shoulder. Mel shrieked and jumped into Von but Joy didn’t move.
As Marco choked on his cry of pain and crumbled to his knees, holding his shoulder, Ace turned to him and kicked him in the chest. “Didn’t I tell you not to move, motherfucka’? You think I’m playing with yo ass? Why y’all niggas testing me tonight?” he barked down at him.
“Lemme get that knife, Rose,” he requested, his tone softened slightly as he addressed Joy.
Without hesitation, Joy walked toward him and slowly pulled the blade from her bra, extending it in his direction. Ace took it and immediately created a long, deep slash across Isaac’s face eliciting cries of agony from the man.
“I can't kill you, so throw some steaks on the altar for your grandfather tonight and thank him for saving your life. But, let this scar serve as a reminder for you every time you look in the mirror that you’re on thin fucking ice with me. The next time you walk up on my family or fix your lips to disrespect me and mine, you gon’ get a matching one across yo neck.
Feel me?” Ace warned, pointing the bloody blade at Isaac as he spoke.
Ace didn’t wait for an answer, just released him, letting him slump against the hood of the car then fall to the concrete. He took Joy’s hand leading her away from the broken and bloodied bodies. Without looking back, Ace returned his gun to his waist and gripped Joy’s hand, tugging her along.
“Let’s get y’all home.”
He led her by the hand to an all black Rolls Royce waiting nearby. Mel and Von trailed closely behind them.
Ace helped her into the backseat, avoiding eye contact as he ensured she was situated. Von did the same for Mel before they closed them inside the car.
Joy didn’t move or look around.
Not when she heard the muffled crack of a gunshot through the car windows.
Not when Ace and Von slid into the front seat.
The car was quiet. Mel, exhausted from the night of work, partying, and the eventful ending of their night, had dozed off, her head falling to rest on Joy’s shoulder.
Von was typing furiously on his phone. Ace was driving but his eyes kept drifting to find Joy in the rearview mirror, and Joy kept her eyes on him.
He eyed her warily like he was trying to gauge her reaction to it. A silent question of whether whatever had been brewing between the two of them for the past few months had been snuffed out by her new view of him.
Silently, Joy hoped her eyes conveyed that it hadn’t. Quite the opposite, in fact.
Discovering this side of him. Seeing his darkness and violence on display.
It made Joy want him more. It became clear to her as she watched him put her blade to Isaac’s cheek with a smile on his face that the pull she felt to him wasn’t that of opposites attracting but of sameness.
What she saw in his eyes wasn't judgement but recognition.
She no longer saw him as a cure but a kindred spirit. A twin flame who burned just as fiercely as she did. She didn’t know the extent of his dealings outside of the firm but context clues were painting a picture for her that showed they were more alike than Joy had originally thought.
She smiled at him through the rearview. One that she hoped said, I see you and I still want you. All of you.
He smiled back and it told her, I see you too. You can have all of me if I can have all of you.
And for the first time since Joy was released, she considered it.
Halfway through the ride, Ace summoned Joy to sit up front with him, sending Von to the back with Mel. They said nothing, just listening to the hum of the engine, the whistle of the wind and the faint whispers of Mel and Von in the backseat.
When they finally made it to Mel’s apartment, she and Von hopped out immediately with him holding her purse and duffle bag. Joy moved to open her door to do the same but was stopped by a hand on her thigh. She paused and turned to Ace.
“What you saw tonig-,” he started.
“-I didn’t see anything,” Joy cut him off.
The corners of his mouth tipped up in a grin. “Is there anything you want to ask me?”
“Is there anything you want to tell me?” Joy responded with a raised brow.
Ace chuckled, diverting his eyes from her for a moment then bringing them back.
“You talk about me, but I don’t think I’m the only one with secrets, Mr. King,” Joy said. There was a teasing lilt to her tone but her words were true.
Ace nodded, conceding her point. “I’ve got a temper,” he explained away with her words.
Joy couldn’t help but chuckle.
“Yeah, aight,” she rolled her eyes.
Ace grinned and opened his mouth like he was going to say something else but closed it. “Goodnight Rose,” he said instead.
“Goodnight,” Joy responded then reached for the door handle but was once again stopped from exiting.
“Hold up,” Ace halted her with a light grip on her elbow.
When Joy turned, she was met with Ace’s lips descending onto hers. She moved her hand from the door handle to Ace’s chiseled jaw, holding his face while their lips married and tongues danced.
After a few moments that felt like both hours and just a second, Ace pulled away with a satisfied smirk.
Joy grinned, wiping the remnants of her lipstick from his mouth. Without a word, she exited the car quickly and hurried inside on wobbly legs.