Page 3 of Ace

She said she’d followed him from the courthouse, so he turned at a light and headed back in that direction, only to have her squeeze tighter around his waist, and scream in his ear.

“Ace! Where are you going? We have to get you cleaned up! Go home, dummy! You just passed Utopia! Turn around!”

Shit. How did she know?

Chapter 2

Lizzie

Ace pulled up at the front of the resort, hopped off the bike, and handed his keys to the valet. She followed, her breath tight in her chest as she looked up at the building that had the potential to make all her dreams come true.

She was shaking with anticipation at the thought of seeing the inside of the place she’d heard about for months. She was also terrified to go in.

Her hands were balled into fists at her sides and she was working on controlling her breathing when Ace turned to her. “I’ll only be a minute. If you want to wait, I can give you a ride home after.”

Oh. Oh. Her heart sank.

She didn’t want to wait outside. She wanted to go in. Her very soul ached to see the place. Stalling, she pointed at his split lip, then his bloody knuckles. “You don’t need help?”

He touched them both, then grinned. “Nah. I’m a big boy. I can handle it.”

Stall. Stall some more. Not only did she yearn to see inside, she also wanted to help him.

“I…” She searched his eyes as he looked up at the stunningly renovated resort and back to her. From the outside, it looked like any other resort on The Strip. She could tell he was wondering if she knew what it was. His eyebrow crinkled and she thought that maybe he was wondering how to explain what she would see if she followed him inside.

Fuck. Go for it. Just go for it.

She took a step closer. “We could just go to your house.”

Ace swallowed. “Gave it up when I lost my job. I live here now.”

The plot thickens. Lizzie schooled herself to not react to the news that her crush, who she’d always thought could be a Daddy, was literally living in a resort for Daddies and Littles.

Daddies and Littles. Did that mean he was already attached? She pushed the thought from her mind. She may be a secret Little, but she’d never been a wilted flower. For the most part, if she wanted something, she went for it. Except Ace. She’d never gone for him, always content to admire him from a distance. Now she had to. Things had changed, and she had to know.

She had to let him know she knew.

“How’d you end up living here, in a resort for…” She swallowed before continuing, “Bigs and Littles?”

Act like you don’t care. Act like you don’t care.

Forcing a smile, she went on. “Isn’t living in a fancy place like this more expensive than an apartment? I would think it would be.”

Ace smiled, well not really. It was more like an amused smirk. The corners of his mouth turned up, and his eyes smiled. “Axel has connections. We have a bar here now, and jobs doing security. Well, the guys do security. I run the aquarium. The owner lets us live here for free and pays us well.” He shrugged. “It’s temporary.”

“Are you…” Her voice cracked, and she trailed off, clearing her throat before she tried again. “I can’t picture a bunch of big burly bikers working and living in a place like this.”

He shrugged. “It’s not a bad gig.” His head jerked in the direction of the main entrance. “I should really get inside.”

Stop him. Don’t let him go without you. Get answers. She still had so many questions.

When he turned to leave, she reached out and caught his shirt. “Wait!” she cried, then clapped her hand over her mouth as he turned to face her, his brows raised.

“Are you… do you… how are the guys managing in a place like this?”

“We manage okay. It’s been an adjustment, I guess and the regulars don’t quite know what to make of the place, but the boss is a good guy, and everyone has been really great.”

That didn’t tell her what she wanted to know.