“Ace has some guys angry with him. Bad guys. It has to do with the G-Ring.” Keeping my voice low, I glance around to make sure we’re not being overheard. “I think last night was just someone using me to send him a message.”
Bryn’s eyes grow wide. “Ny! Then you have to stay away. I don’t want you hurt.”
Nodding, my eyes flit toward the floor. “That’s what Ace says, too. He won’t see me again until he figures out who it is and handles the situation.”
Bryn nods. “Well that earns him some points. But still…I don’t like it. Whoever that person was knew you’d be at the fraternity house. How the hell would they know that? Are you going to be safe until then?”
I let out a breath. “I hope he and I are both safe until then.”
Bryn’s face grows even more serious as she grabs her coffee. We walk out of the Student Center and down the steps. “On another note…tell me how he was in bed. I need to know…the boy is smokin’ hot.”
I drop my voice to a whisper and wait for her to lean in further before I answer.
“Spectacular.”
She squeals and I glance around me as curious eyes glance in our direction. “I knew it!”
Turning, I head toward the Chemistry buildings, while Bryn, a journalism major, walks toward the English cluster. “Let’s grab tacos around noon.”
It’s impossible to concentrate that morning. All I can think about is Ace, what he’s planning, how he’s going to deal with our situation. He let me in on the fact that he was going to try to get information about who keeps sending dangerous men after us from the dead man’s brother. But he wouldn’t give me any more details than that. I fully plan to pump his uncle Carson for information after class.
By lunch, I’ve fought against texting Ace so many times that I’ve strung myself into a nervous pretzel. Bryn sees it immediately, narrowing her eyes as I meet her at the Mexican restaurant across the street from our campus. Noah and Jaxon are there, talking to a few of their friends from the fraternity at the next table.
“What’s wrong?” she demands as I sink into a chair.
Glancing around to make sure no one is paying attention to us, I snatch a chip from the bowl in the center of the table. “Nothing.”
“Bullshit.” She leans closer. “You worried about Ace?”
Shaking my head, I munch. I pray she’ll just drop it, but I know her well enough to realize she won’t.
“Ny.”
Sighing, I pick up a menu. “I haven’t heard from him and I want to. The stuff he has going on scares the shit out of me. Leave it at that, okay?”
Her eyebrows knit together. “Okay.”
Wow. That was easy. I must really be on edge for her to leave me alone that fast.
Glancing over from his conversation with the guys, Noah’s eyes fasten on me. “What kind of stuff?” His gaze tracks my movement as I put dip another chip into my mouth and chew. I’m using the moment to mull over my options for an answer. I trust Bryn, Jaxon, and Noah, but Ace doesn’t’ know them. The last thing I want to do is break his trust by telling them too much.
At that moment, our server comes to the table and collects our orders. After we’ve all given them, Noah focuses on me once more.
“Come on, Ny. You’re obviously upset about it. I just want to help you.” Noah’s coaxing thaws me just a little, and I fold my hands in front of me on the table.
“It’s not my story to tell, Noah. But thanks for being concerned. He’ll work it out.” I plaster a smile on my face, hoping that’ll help soothe his worry.
He cocks his head to the side, evaluating me. “I heard he was running the Ring tonight. Whatever he has going on can’t be that bad.”
I blink. Noah might as well have just punched me in the gut, and it must be registering on my face, because his brows shoot up. “You didn’t know?”
I glance from Noah, to Bryn and back again. She’s watching me, and I know there’s no point in trying to fool them. “No, I didn’t know.”
Noah studies me. “Yeah. I was planning on checking it out. You want to come with me?”
When I look at Bryn again, she shrugs. “You should go. You look worried about him. I would totally come with you guys, but Jaxon and I are going to dinner with my parents. It’s my mom’s birthday.”
Should I? Ace made it clear that he didn’t want me to leave Carson’s side tonight. But he didn’t’ tell me it was going to be business as usual at the Ring.
Why didn’t he tell me?
Shame colors my face because Noah knew something I didn’t about the man I’m…what, dating? Whatever we are, it’s not enough for him to fill me in on what’s going on in his life.
That thought settles my decision. “Yeah. Pick me up at The Corner later and I’ll come with you.”
A smile crosses Noah’s face, and a shard of doubt slices through my mind.
Am I doing the right thing?
I guess I’ll find out tonight.
Twenty-Four
ACE
I dismount my bike in the suburban neighborhood, placing my helmet on the seat. Staring up at the white house covered in vinyl siding, blue shutters and matching front door, I’m struck by how unassuming it all is. It’s about as far from what I’d expect someone caught up in gambling bullshit to come from as you can get.
The door cracks open about ten seconds after my knock. Marcus’ brother squints out at me. His hair is a mess of greasy spikes shooting out in all directions. He’s still in his clothes from the night before, only now they’re all wrinkled and crooked. His face is creased
