Filed To Story: Kidnapped by My Mate Novel (Belle & Grayson)
I snorted. “I tried to help. You never let me pick anything up! You said the patio furniture was too heavy and I could hurt myself.”
Ace hadn’t changed much since childhood.
He chuckled. “So, it was a good dream?”
“Yeah. It was a good dream. Except that when it came to sleeping under the stars, you weren’t there for some reason.”
That’s how I knew it had been a dream and not a memory. Ace would never have let me camp outside on my own. Neither would my parents.
“Late into the night, a wolf came into the fort. He ate all my popcorn, licked my face, and then snuggled with me until I fell asleep.” I yawned again, my eyelids feeling like rocks. “It was sweet.”
I frowned as Ace’s hands paused on my back. “Why did you stop rubbing?”
Instantly, he pressed his fingers into my muscles once again, only higher this time, massaging the skin of my neck and the base of my skull. I sighed in bliss.
“That is a weird dream,” Ace murmured as he rubbed, his voice quiet and just a bit tense.
“Mm, probably just because I saw that wolf in your backyard yesterday…”
His addictive touch felt so good, it was hard to concentrate on anything else.
Ace had been right about me needing rest. I slept for another five hours, not waking until a little before eleven, so we didn’t arrive at school until after the end of fourth period.
With a hand on the small of my back, Ace ushered me through the crowds of students in the hallways and toward my locker so I could grab my books for our English class.
I was nervous, with anxiety wrapped around my throat. Would I see Ben today?
Would he try to speak to me, or had Madoc made sure he learned his lesson?
“Stop worrying,” Ace whispered into my ear. “Ben isn’t here.”
I looked up at him. How does he always know what I am thinking? ?“How do you know that?”
He shrugged, offering no explanation, and attempted to lead me forward once again, but I dug my heels in, forcing him to stop.
“Ace,” I started slowly, “please tell me you didn’t do something to Ben.”
I wouldn’t put it past him. He had gotten into fights over less.
Ace scoffed as if that were the most ridiculous question in the world. “Of course not.”
He tried to push me forward again, but I remained still.
“What did you do to Ben, Ace?”
His shoulders slumped. “I didn’t do anything. Madoc was the one who beat him to a pulp. I know Ben’s not here because I saw the condition he was in yesterday. He’s no doubt in hospital—”
“Hospital?” I gasped. “Madoc put Ben in the hospital?”
“Motherfucker deserved it for what he said to you. And besides, it’s time he learned his place around here, his standing.”
“What is that supposed to mean? What’s his ‘standing?’”
“No more questions, Doe.” He pressed his hand on my lower back again.
“Hold on, we haven’t finished,” I continued, ignoring the warning in his eyes. “You can’t just say ‘no more questions,’ and expect that to be the end of it. I’m not having it anymore.”
Ace let out a frustrated puff of air. “Look, I only meant that Ben is new here and obviously didn’t understand that he can’t talk to girls that way and get away with it.
Now he does. Problem solved.”
I narrowed my eyes at him. I had a strange feeling he wasn’t telling me the whole truth. It wasn’t the first time.
He gently nudged me toward my locker. “You should grab your books. We’re going to be late for class if we don’t hurry, and I know how much you hate being late.”
I huffed but did as he said, turning and unlocking my locker. Ace leaned his massive form against the wall beside us, watching me closely with those deep blue eyes of his.
He reached out and played with a strand of my hair, twirling it between his fingers.
My stomach fluttered.
Shit. I need to get a handle on how I react to him.
As I took out my first book, I noticed Ron Edwards approaching us. I wanted to thank him for defending me when Ben called me all those horrible names.
Plus, I was glad to see he was okay. He could have easily gotten caught up in the fight with Madoc.
“Ron,” I breathed out, smiling at him over Ace’s shoulder.
Ace didn’t turn to look at Ron or even move, though I noticed him stiffen. I held myself back from rolling my eyes. He was so weird about other men talking to me.
“Hi, Dorothy.” Ron threw a nervous glance at Ace. “A-Ace.”
“Not now, Edwards,” Ace snapped.
Ron’s face fell. “I, uh, just wanted to make sure Dorothy was okay after everything that happened yesterday.
“And to…” He looked nervous enough to puke. “And to apologize for not stepping in sooner. I should’ve done more when Ben—”
Ace whipped around and stepped into Ron’s space so they were mere inches apart.
Ron gasped but somehow managed to hold his ground.
“Ace!” I grabbed his arm, trying to yank him back. “What are you doing?”
Ace didn’t move. He just stood there, staring Ron down, not saying another word.
Ace made Ron look tiny, and Ron wasn’t a small man. He was well over six feet, with broad shoulders and a muscular form. Ace was just bigger than life.
Ron blinked up at him, his face paper white.
“Ace?” I asked quietly.
What the hell is going on? What’s with the staring contest?
I tugged on Ace again, and he grabbed my hand and squeezed it in reassurance, silently communicating that everything was okay.
After a few more seconds, Ron jerked his head up and down. “U-understood.”
Ace finally took a step back and hauled me to his side, wrapping his arm tightly around my waist. The air returned to my lungs. I could’ve sworn their weird stare-down was going to end in a fight.
Ron swallowed and looked at me. “I’m happy to see you’re doing okay, Dorothy.” He gave me a smile that didn’t quite meet his eyes.
He glanced at Ace, who gave him a singular nod. “I-I’ll see you around, okay?”
Before I could respond, Ron turned and marched down the hall.
“What just happened?” I murmured. I peeked up at Ace. “Did you say something to him?”