Chapter 02

ACE

The elevator doors parted and I stepped through them with a sigh. I knew Gunnar was here because he wasn't at home, neither was he at his office. As much as I wanted to go off the grid for some time, I didn't want to make things obvious for whoever was watching me. If he or she suddenly found me changing my routine then they would catch on that their cover had been blown. I had to do what I usually did. That included pitching up on certain days just so my older brother knew I was still alive and kicking.

My footsteps were cushioned by the plush cream carpet that lined the hall, the dry walls were painted a deep brown and had artwork strung from them. It was a nice place - a little too extravagant for my liking but nice nonetheless. I didn't expect anything less from my brother. He had the money and wanted Quinn to live in comfort. This place was definitely designed with comfort in mind.

I made my way to the door I knew belonged to Quinn's apartment, my hand hovering over my gun at the small of my back. It was a habit that would die hard - or would probably never die. I was trained not to trust my surroundings and to be prepared for any threat. It had paranoia infesting every nook of my mind. That was the reason I slept with a gun under my pillow.

Shaking away my thoughts, I brought two fingers to the rich black wooden door and knocked twice. I heard the lock turning aggressively and then the door swung open bringing me face to face with my scowling brother. His scowl only deepened when he realized it was me.

"Fuck," he breathed, shoulders falling forward, "I thought you were Quinn. Come in," he strode into the apartment, leaving the door open for me.

I entered, closing the door and letting my hand hover above the lock. The mind was a cruel thing that loved to play tricks on me. Even when I knew I was safe, I couldn't stop taking the precautions I usually would. Without a second thought, I turned the lock on the door.

"Where's Quinn?" I asked more abruptly than I intended to, turning to face my brother who stood with one hand in his dress slack pocket while the other scrolled through his phone.

His jaw ticked and I could hear his teeth grating from where I stood, "At a frat party," he spat, quiet bitterly might I add, "Miranda thought it would be nice for her to get out more." My brother gestured to the handwritten note that was crumpled on the coffee table.

"You wanted her to live her life," I pointed out, shrugging a shoulder, "doesn't having the full college experience fall in the 'live her life' category?"

"It does but—"

"But what? You don't trust her not to do something stupid, is that it?" I cocked my head to the side and brought two fingers up to my lips, tracing the seam. It was a nervous trait of mine that I developed over the years. I usually only did it when I was in deep thought.

"That's not it. I trust her, implicitly," Gunnar sighed, running a hand through his already snarled hair, "I don't trust whoever is at that party. I know I can't stop her but that doesn't mean I like it."

"It's just one of those things you're going to have to get used to," I muttered, moving to sit on the couch, "it comes with the age gap, doesn't it?"

I swear, my brother could have been a wolf in his past life because his growl was one note away from being primal, "Yeah," he then pinned me with a hard glare, "And where exactly have you been these past few days? I've been trying to get ahold of you."

"I've been trying to lay low," that was all the information I was willing to share with him, "I'm here now."

"Why?" He crossed his arms over his chest and widened his stance in an attempt to intimidate me — that worked when I was younger, not so much now.

"Don't stress yourself about it. I can handle my own business. You don't see me butting my nose in your business, do you?" I clipped, rolling my eyes when his frown only deepened.

"Fine, but if you need my help..."

"I know how to find you, brother."

"That reminds me. I need back up on Monday with a shipment I'm receiving. Up for the task?" My brother looked at me expectantly, waiting for my response.

If I had a choice, I would have willingly gone ahead and confirmed that I would be there. I may not have acted like it but I cared if my brother lived or died. He and Jericho were the only family I had left. I'd probably go insane if I had to lose either of the two.

I realized I hadn't responded to my brother and with a heavy heart, I shook my head denying him my skills for the first time, "I can't, Gunnar. I've got a full schedule. If it's just back up then maybe use Quinn. Baby girl's got great aim."

My brother all but glared at my use of a nickname for his girl but the asshole in me enjoyed getting under his skin sometimes, "I always knew you were psychotic, cub, but that has to be one of your worst ideas as of yet."

I shrugged a shoulder, repeating the process of tracing the seam of my lips with two fingers, "You know, the idea isn't half bad. She can be at a vantage point. No one has to see her. All she has to do is point that little red dot in the right place. What's the odds of you actually needing her to pull the trigger?"

"I'm not taking any chances," Gunnar snarled, his protective instincts for Quinn clearly showing, "she still has nightmares about...everything that happened."

"She's weak," I muttered, "is it wrong of me to expect more from her."

"She's not like us but that doesn't make her weak."

"You thought she was weak at one stage," I reminded him, thinking back on the time he could barely admit that he couldn't harm a single hair on her head.

"I've learned from my mistake," Gunnar sighed, "I love her, Ace. I'm not going to put her life in danger, again."

"Hey, it was just a suggestion. If you don't want to take the advice then that's on your own head," I realized I was being a bit blunt with my brother. He didn't deserve to be given such a hard time. If I loved someone as much as he loved Quinn I'd have probably said the exact same words as him, "look, just be careful. Don't come back with a bullet stuck inside of you or some shit."

Gunnar offered me a less than impressed look before dead-panning, "Thanks brother, I'll keep that in mind."

"You're wel—" my ringtone blaring cut me off mid-sentence. I fished my phone out of my pocket and scoffed when I saw the name that popped up on my screen, "why is your fiance phoning me and not you?"

"What?" Gunnar yanked the phone out of my hand, answering the call and putting it on the loudspeaker so we could both hear.

"Ace?" Quinn sounded breathless, "no, no, no, come on. Stay awake," she said frantically and I could make out the sound of her lightly slapping somebody.

"Baby girl?" I sat forward, all signs of amusement leaving me, "where are you? What's going on? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she sniffled — she was crying and by the look on Gunnar's face, I could tell he didn't like it one bit, "I've sent you my location. Please get here as fast as you can and..."

"And?" I waited for her to continue with bated breath, thinking she had some sort of terrible news to disclose to me.

"Don't tell Gunnar, please..." I could hear the plea in her voice but it was too late.

"Sorry baby girl, he already knows," I gently murmured, "but I'll be there as soon as I can. See you in a bit, okay?"

Her gulp was audible, "Yeah, see you soon," the line went dead after that.

"I'm coming with you," Gunnar snapped, throwing my phone at me before storming toward the front door.

I caught my phone, quickly pocketed it, and then yanked my brother back by his collar, throwing him onto the couch, "Listen to me, she doesn't want you there because she probably already knows you're mad at her. Cool the fuck down before you do something you'll regret. Let me fetch her. You can talk to her when I bring her home."

"Cub, don't test me," he growled, standing to his feet and rearranging his suit jacket, "I need to see her and I need to see her now."

"Jesus Christ, Gunnar," I breathed, "she's clearly scared and there's a reason she phoned me and not you. It's not like she's not coming home to you so shut the fuck up and sit here. You can trust me to bring her home safely."

He ran a hand through his hair, then shrugged off his jacket and loosened his tie, "Fine, but if she has even one scratch on her."

"It won't be my doing," I held my hands up in mock surrender, "and I'll gladly kill the motherfucker who hurt her the moment he sets foot in front of me."

Gunnar offered me a stiff nod, accepting his fate. I backed away slowly, making sure he wasn't following me before bolting out of the apartment as fast as I could. Every second wasted in the elevator felt like a lifetime. I had pulled up the location Quinn had sent me. It looked like they were still at whatever party they had left to earlier in the night. It wasn't that far from the apartment. I guess it was a good thing I decided to pay my brother a visit tonight.

Once in my car, I drove as fast as I could to my destination, giving less than two shits about anyone else on the road. Quinn was in trouble and I wasn't about to let people who drove as good as snails stop me from getting to her.

I knew I was close when I could hear the throbbing music from down the street. Cars lined the road, drunken students laughing and even falling on the sidewalk. I groaned deeply. This wasn't my scene. I wanted to make this an in and out thing.

Parking the car off to the side, I switched to the tracker app I had so I could track my ring — which I hoped Quinn hadn't taken off or lost during the course of the night. I tracked it all the way to the frat house that was hosting the stupid party, the tracker leading me toward the side of the house.

"Ace!"

I heard someone hiss in a low whisper. My head instantly picked up and my hand flew to my gun at the small of my back as I searched my surroundings.

"Ace, over here."

The voice called again. It had to have been Quinn's. My eyes landed on a rustling bush off to the side. Because of the darkness, it was difficult to make out the two girls behind it — one of which was half asleep against a tree trunk.

"Shit," I cursed when I recognized the pixie cut hairstyle of the girl that was so close to passing out. Closing the distance between us, I dropped to my knees and began patting Miranda's cheek, "baby, what the fuck happened to you?"

"Ace?" She slurred, struggling to turn her head to look in my direction, "I swear I only had one drink," her words were barely audible.

"She did," Quinn confirmed, "I never took anything to drink because I wanted to take care of her but then this happened," she gestured at Miranda, "I had no idea what to do so I called you."

"Good call," I commended, gathering Miranda in my arms. She grumbled, trying to get me to put her down but I simply held the stupid woman tighter, "baby, I'm going to need you to behave and so I can help you."

"No..." Came her soft voice.

"How do you still have a smart mouth while being on the verge of passing out?" I groaned but she had somehow fallen off to sleep. She would probably be okay, she just needed to sleep it off. I turned to Quinn, "I'll take her home, can you get to your apartment on your own, or do you—"

"I've got this. Please take care of her. If anything happens to my best friend I'll kick your ass," Quinn threatened, pointing a finger in my face to emphasize her point.

"I'd like to see you try," I chuckled, trying to picture her doing so. She could probably be capable of it, "She'll be fine. I'll make sure she calls you up in the morning."

And I meant the words because it wasn't the first time I had watched over Miranda Grant and I had a feeling that it wouldn't be the last.