Page 35

Ace

I’m still waiting for regret to invade and take over. For at least one, if not both of us. But it hasn’t even been a full day since we agreed to a roster of rules for a strategic, on-paper marriage, and I keep thinking about how our chess game felt like foreplay.

I swipe my hand across my mouth and stare at the land deeds and properties that I’ve just purchased.

It’ll be worth it in the long run, but I’ve gone ahead and made sure my lawyer has the papers drawn and ready so that all of mine and Hadley’s assets are joint and shared as soon as we sign on the dotted lines.

My phone buzzes next to me, and I glance over, almost expecting it to be him.

THE JEWELER

I heard an interesting rumor

ACE

I never took you for a gossip

THE JEWELER

It’s only gossip if it’s about other people. This one was about a fox. Specifically, one who’s getting married.

ACE

I thought Griz was stepping away from things regarding you and our collaborations.

THE JEWELER

Gossiped with my dad. Secrets when it comes to women were never their strong suits.

Need a ring?

Julian is the person I call when Lincoln or Grant aren’t an option.

There are plenty of uses for a jeweler, but I usually call on him for his other talents.

Grant or Lincoln believe that Julian and I went to university together and they’ve only ever had a couple of random interactions over the years.

Before that, his father had worked with Griz on occasion, and we’d been told he was an old boyfriend of our nana’s who he enjoyed playing cards with every now and then.

Without warning, Lincoln bursts into my office, looking slightly unhinged. Shaking out his wrists and tilting his neck from right to left, he bounces on the balls of his feet as if he’s ready to start a fight.

Ah, fuck. She told him.

“Alright, I’m just going to say this. You probably don’t know this, but Hadley’s actually really soft in the center, like those fruit snacks we had as kids—gummy and sour as fuck on the outside, but a big, squishy mess on the inside.

So I’m going to do my job here and tell you,” he says, slowing down and pointing at me. “Don’t fuck this up, Ace.”

I raise my eyebrows at him, putting my phone down and leaning back in my chair.

“I asked her point-blank if this is what she wants and, without missing a beat, she said, ‘more than anything’.”

I stop what I’m doing at those words. An admission that makes my chest feel light.

“You don’t do relationships, but you just decided to marry her? Skip the dating part and jump straight into a massive commitment. Explain that to me.”

Blinking, I try to keep from laughing. “Should we pour a glass before you keep talking?” I ask, standing up.

Walking down the hallway, I head toward the sliding wall that opens to the hidden room at the distillery.

If there’s anyone lingering around, they don’t need to hear any of this.

He follows me in as I pluck a bottle of the 1928 Prohibition Bourbon from the wall that houses bottles from floor to ceiling.

I pour out a heavy three fingers in each glass.

“Sit down,” I tell him when he begins pacing.

“I’m good standing.”

I stare at him without saying anything for long enough that he takes a seat. And then I tell him exactly what’s happened that he’s missing. About the men on her property, the meeting with Wheeler, and a few other details that I need him to keep to himself.

“What aren’t you telling me?” he asks. It’s an out-of-character moment for him. Lincoln rarely asks too many questions.

I hate keeping anything from him, including the role that his wife is playing in all of this, but some of it needs to be quiet until the timing is right. I settle on, “There are a lot of moving parts. But I promise you that I won’t hurt Hadley.”

“Not intentionally,” he says, brow furrowed as he looks at me intently. “But this isn’t a business deal. Regardless of how you’re approaching it.” When I open my mouth to speak, he holds up his hand and cuts off my rebuttal. “I will punch you in the dick if she ends up crying over you.”

Quirking my eyebrow, I rest my fist under my chin. “You done?”

He nods, slapping his hands on his thighs as he stands. “Done.”

I’m going to get punched for the few secrets I still need to keep from him, but it would be worth it, providing everything worked out. My phone vibrates in my pocket. I’m instantly distracted when I see it’s a call from Del.

“Yeah, Del?” I answer as Lincoln watches.

I hold up my finger to keep my brother from leaving, but he stands anyway.

“Ace, we couldn’t get a confirmation on the men you reported at Finch & King stables, but the plates we pulled from the security footage were registered to a stolen vehicle up in the Tri-State area,” Del says from the other end of the line.

“My guess is old associates of Finch, and based on what you said, they don’t seem friendly.

I’ll make sure my guys on the house arrest detail do a sweep between shifts. ”

It isn’t a surprise that Del didn’t find much. I appreciated his support, but oftentimes, Fiasco PD got in the way instead of helping.

As soon as I hang up, I throw out a text to someone who will get this done.

ACE

I’m going to need you to do a little hunting.

THE ARCHITECT

Sounds fun. I’m in.

ACE

Two men walked into Finch & King horse stables.

THE ARCHITECT

I don’t do jokes so I’m assuming I get to deliver the punchline?

ACE

That would be ideal.

I crack my neck. I know she’ll find them. She should have been my first call.

“I’ll take the fact that you’re distracted now as your way of telling me you’re done with this conversation,” Lincoln says, and I glance up just in time for him to add, “Don’t hurt her, big brother,” as he’s walking out.

That’s exactly what I’m trying to keep from happening.

This goes beyond some pissed-off trainers and other workers left without jobs and paychecks.

There’s only one other time in my life when I saw her scared like that, and I’m not going to allow it ever again.

Her father is going to pay heavily for putting her in front of his mess.

And it starts by making her my wife.