Page 24 of Grace of Spades

"They'll love you." She assures me taking my hand. I smile but don't really feel it. I am a fucking nervous wreck today. Between The Heirs and meeting my family, I could reasonably have a stroke at seventeen and no one would blame me.

"Grace." I look up to see Liam. Oh fuck. "Can I talk to you?" I nod and follow him out into the hall. This is it. He knows and I haveno idea what I'm going to do about it. "So... I talked to your uncle yesterday. He said that we could date." Um... that's not what I was expecting. What the hell, Andras? Did he say yes to a date for me? I don’t fucking think so. Rich people are so fucking weird.

"Andras said what?" I ask. I see the fear in his eyes at my tone.

"I... uh... I asked his permission. We have his blessing." He assures me digging him and Andras a grave.

"Well, you don't have mine!" I state and walk back to Kennedy. Her eyes go wide at the sight of me storming over.

"What did he do?" She sighs.

"Get this. He asked Andras for permission to date me and Andras said yes. I've been here three days!" I am pissed.

"Hold up. Like he asked for his blessing to ask?" She asks.

"No. I quote, I talked to your uncle yesterday. He said that we could date. Like it's already a done deal."

"Oh, dude, no." She says with disgust.

"Right? I told him he doesn't have my blessing and walked away."

"Good."

"So, you were talking about this party that we're going to..." I ask getting back on track.

"Yes! One of the guys has parties every so often. It will be fun! We can hang out all day and get ready together. It will be great!" She beams. I gotta admit. I am excited.

"My place or yours?"

"Let's do yours. I saw you have a pool."

"We have a pool? How did I miss that?" Making her laugh.

"It's okay. We'll find it together."

"Deal. I haven't been swimming in forever." I sigh.

Keir

"Ace is a good woman. You need someone like her. Fearless."

I can still hear my dad telling me this as I watch the familiar woman walk away after torturing and killing two full-grown men. I stopped dead when I saw her. She lookedso different. Harder. All business.

And that outfit all decked out in blades. My brain is having a difficult time connecting beautiful, funny Grace and hardened hitwoman Ace as the same person. But I remember that tattoo. I thought Alek was having a laugh when he told me after gym class. It couldn’t be!

I could have killed him when he confronted her in the hallway in front of her locker. She didn't deserve that. Even if I do want to see her other tattoos. I thought he might have scared her off. I was ridiculously happy when she still showed up to the movies and treated us normally.

I watch her as she runs laps in gym with a new appreciation. She's not just a beautiful girl with knives. She's a goddamned warrior. She's everything.

I heard McConnell asked her out and she shot him down. Probably because she recognized us last night. I know all The Heads are pressuring their sons to woo Ace. I'm the only one who will though. All because I know the secret. I know that the lethal Ace is my sweet Grace.

I just have to be careful about how I broach the subject. I really don't want to die.

10

Christian

Well, I royally fucked up asking Grace to lunch. I got all flustered after seeing that motorcycle outside. I totally thought she brought someone home last night.