Page 4 of Ace

“And the Littles? How do they feel about a bunch of bikers running the place?” She sighed and looked at the ground. “They probably are all over you guys, huh? Their Daddy-material radar probably goes wild when they look at you.”

It had been so hard to get that sentence out, but Ace’s reaction was worth it as his entire body turned to face her.

“What do you know about it?”

She shrugged and turned the question back on him. “What do you know about it?” Her breath hitched in her throat as she waited for his answer.

“Not much. It’s not my thing. Or at least, It never has been. Being here… seeing them… well, it’s hard to not get curious.” He shrugged. “I don’t know what the other guys think, but Carol loves it. She jumped right in. Convinced Baze to open a nursery and put her in charge of it.”

“Carol?”

“Slim’s mama. He lived with her, but after the fire… well, it wasn’t safe. Baze said she could live here too. And well, she loves it.”

“That’s cool.” She’d never met Slim’s mom, of course, had never even heard of the woman, but the mental picture of her running a nursery full of adult Littles made her smile. It also made her insanely jealous.

“You seem to know a lot about this place.”

Oh thank god. He was the one asking the questions now. It relieved her but was also terrifying. Instead of answering, she drew a deep breath and went for it. “Can I come inside with you?” She swallowed thickly. “It’s just… I’ve always wanted to see the place, and I don’t know when I’ll get an opportunity.”

His gaze shuttered. “Depends. How do you feel about it all? The Daddy and Little thing? Because these people… they’ve become friends. I don’t want to expose them to someone who’s going to judge them.”

“I would never!” It was on the tip of her tongue to say, “I’m pretty sure I am one of them,” but she wasn’t quite ready. “No judgment. Just curiosity,” she assured him.

He looked like he was going to say no, but instead he held out his hand. When she took it, he wrapped her fingers tightly in his and turned toward the entrance, walking fast.

The inside was… pink. Tasteful, and not gaudy, but still pink. It wasn’t at all what she had been expecting, not that she had known what to expect. Light pink marble spread out beneath their feet through a massive lobby and down long hallways. Spiral staircases with rich mahogany banisters curled around the lobby. The casino was to their left, lit up with machines sounding with bells and whistles and lights. Large colorful signs and murals covered the walls, boasting of their many attractions.

Chandeliers illuminated the space. Designed from thin glass, they looked like bouquets of bubbles suspended in air.

“Wow,” she breathed, hurrying behind Ace as he rushed up the stairs. She wanted to linger behind, taking in every detail, but he still had a hold of her hand.

“It’s something,” he agreed.

He pulled her to the side as a young Latina woman in a pink pinafore, long curly pigtails adorned with sparkly pink ribbons rushed by them. “Hi, Ace!” the young woman cried.

She stopped when she spotted Lizzie, her wide, curious gaze taking in her ripped jeans, work shirt, and worn boots. Lizzie had never felt so self-conscious or out of place as she did in that moment.

The woman’s gaze hopped from Lizzie back to Ace, and she gasped. “Ace! What happened to your face? You should go to the nurse!”

Ace smiled warmly, his white teeth sparkling. “I’ll be fine, Luna. I’m just gonna run up to my room and get cleaned up. I’ll see you at dinner, okay?”

“Okay!” She smiled brightly but didn’t move to pass them. “Who’s your friend?”

Ace gripped her hand tighter, pulling her close to his side. “This is Lizzie. She’s gonna help me get cleaned up, then I’m gonna give her a ride home.”

The young woman’s expression said she didn’t exactly buy the simple answers and that she had a thousand more questions, but she just shrugged and continued on her way, calling out as she hurried down the stairs, “Okay! Be safe! Wear your helmet! Love you!”

The love you would have made Lizzie jealous, but there was a simple innocence in the way it was said, almost like an afterthought.

Ace turned to her. “That was Luna. She’s the owner’s… wife.”

And his Little girl.

Ace didn’t say that, but it was obvious.

Lizzie smiled. “She’s cute.”

“She’s a handful. Give it ten minutes. Every Little in the place will know I brought a girl here and they’ll probably be hovering outside my door, trying to listen and hoping to catch a glimpse when we leave.”