Filed to story: Uncategorized
I couldn’t believe all the information he was freely giving up. Usually, he was so good at hiding things he didn’t want me to know. He was a master at changing the subject or distracting me.
But maybe what he had said to Madoc downstairs was true. Maybe he finally wanted me to know…everything.
“Ace,” I breathed out, “what did you do?”
His throat shifted. “I didn’t… It wasn’t… It’s not what you think.”
His phone was still ringing nonstop behind us.
“Then what is it?” My voice quavered. “Tell me what happened. Please. That man, Gulius, hurt me. He grabbed my head and”—I searched his expression—“and you held me down while I screamed.”
His eyes bore into me. My stomach plunged to the bottom of my feet. He wasn’t denying it.
I kept going. “This has something to do with the secret you’re keeping, doesn’t it?
The thing you can’t tell me until I’m eighteen. I heard you talking to Madoc. I…
heard you say you want to tell me.”
I put my trembling hands on his stomach, and sparks raced from my palms and up my arms. We both needed the physical contact. It helped calm my racing heart and made Ace’s heaving chest ease slightly.
“My birthday is in less than a month. Why can’t you tell me now? It’s my right to know. There are things that I can’t make sense of, words that people keep using—
heat, mates, alpha, omega…”
I took in a shaky breath, the back of my head pounding with a strange sort of pressure. “You told Madoc that you had a…a wolf. What does that mean?”
Ace’s nostrils flared. His eyes darkened again—not completely black this time but a noticeably deeper blue.
So, I wasn’t making it up. His eyes really can change color.
He didn’t respond, but I could see the wheels turning in his head. I could also see his resolve was breaking. He wanted to tell me the truth. I was so close.
Ace’s eyes momentarily swerved to his phone as it started to ring yet again. He growled.
Desperate to have his attention back on me—seriously, whoever was calling had the worst timing—I grabbed his chin and turned it until his gaze was forced on me.
“It’s time to tell me, Ace,” I stated. “This is your chance to explain everything to me before I leave this house and go figure it out on my own, without your help.”
His muscles stiffened beneath my palms.
He doesn’t want me doing my own investigating. Good to know. I can use that to my advantage.
“Maybe I’ll start with tracking down whoever this Gulius Mallor is,” I continued.
“I’m done being left in the dark. I’m done waiting for you to fill me in on what’s happening in my own life.”
Strained silence ensued as I anxiously waited for him to speak.
“You’re right,” Ace replied. He spoke slowly, his tone even and controlled although still tense. His calmness surprised me. “You deserve to know.”
I blinked. “So, you’re going to tell me?” It can’t be that easy, can it? After all these years of keeping secrets from me?
He nodded. “Yeah. I’m going to tell you.”
I let out a breath of relief. Oh, I guess it can be that easy. ?“Right now?”
He hesitated. His phone began ringing again for what felt like the millionth time.
“For fuck’s sake,” I muttered under my breath, glaring back at the stupid thing.
Ace growled when I swore.
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, get over yourself. Given the circumstances, I think it’s perfectly acceptable for me to swear. I’m allowed to feel frustrated right now.”
He let me push him away from me.
“Go put your phone on silent. Then we’re going to sit down, and you’re going to tell me everything. You don’t get to decide anymore.”
“Doe, I…I don’t know. Maybe we shouldn’t… Maybe…”
“No,” I snapped. “You’re not backing out now. You have to tell me.”
Ace dragged his hand down his face and took another step back. He paced at the front of the bed, clearly thinking over what to do.
I nearly screamed. I was more than ready to walk home alone and never talk to him again if he thought he was going to get out of this.
While he started to pace the room, I crawled up the bed to his phone.
I picked it up and read the name flashing on the screen. “Who the heck is Grayson Stoll, and why is he calling you a million times at two in the morning?”
“What?” Ace snapped his eyes at me.
I squeaked in surprise when he suddenly appeared in front of me, crossing the room so fast that he was nothing more than a blur.
He snatched the phone from me, and his nostrils flared when he read the name.
“Fuck.”
“What? Who is it?” Although I didn’t recognize this Grayson person, he had Ace’s last name. Could they be related?
“I have to take this, baby.” He swallowed hard. “I’m sorry. So sorry. I can’t ignore this.”
“Right now? We’re kind of in the middle of something here.”
“Yes. I’m sorry,” he repeated. “I’ll try to make it quick. Just stay here, okay?”
Whatever this phone call was about, it obviously had to be important. There were very few things on this earth that could make Ace panic the way he was at that moment.
But that didn’t mean I was going to let him use it as yet another excuse to avoid talking to me.
I grabbed his arm when he tried to walk away. “Ace, you are not getting out of this conversation. Don’t you dare leave.”
Ace let out a sigh and reached down to cup my face. “I’m not trying to get out of anything. This conversation between you and me needs to happen. Now more than ever. And it will. I promise.
“But Grayson wouldn’t call me unless it was important. Please, just let me take this call and then I’ll come back and we can talk.” He pressed a firm kiss to the crown of my head.
I tried to will him to stay, and I dug my fingers into his wrists as he held my face.
His phone continued to ring loudly in my ear.
“Ace, please,” I whimpered. Tears of frustration pooled in my eyes. “Don’t go.”
He placed his forehead against mine. His dark-blue eyes felt like they were piercing straight into my soul. “I’ll be right back, okay? I promise.”
He released me and stepped back. Then I watched him race out of the room.
***