“I’m okay. You?”
“Okay.”
We glance at one another, and understanding passes between us. He pulls me closer and kisses the top of my head. I exhale a long breath, and my muscles relax a fraction.
“I wonder if Jack has found out anything more about my family,” I say. “I want them here, with me, but I can’t see him letting that happen. It would put the club in the crosshairs of the cartel, even more than it has already. But they’re so vulnerable where they are. Long term, they can’t stay in Mexico. They need to come to the US.”
“I think Jack would take the moon out of the sky for you, to be honest, Camile. Talk with him.”
Talk with him,like Jack isn’t a scary force of nature.Even after what happened between us last night, I still find him intimidating as hell.
“Shall we get out of here? Take a walk and go find Ace?”
I nod. “I’d like that. I’m so glad you and he are cool with this setup we’ve got. I know it’s not usual.”
Rook chuckles. “Me and Ace go way back, and he’s my friend. I don’t mind sharing with him, and it means I don’t have to hurt the woman I love by making her choose.”
My breath stalls in my throat. I know we’ve kind of danced around our feelings and how they’re deepening but … did Rook just tell me he loves me?
“Come on.” He shifts me off his lap then stands and holds his hand out for me to take and helps me up off the couch. “Let’s go find that reprobate.”
We find Ace in the barn, just as Rook had said. I thought he’d be with the kittens, but he’s not. He’s got a rectangular glass box in front of him, and he’s placing plants and what looks like rotten vegetation inside it.
At the sound of our steps, he turns and flashes me a blinding grin. “Hey, Camile, how are you feeling?”
“Um, good. What’s going on?”
“Oh.” His face falls. “I fucking stepped on a group of four snails this morning.Four.” He looks at me with big, imploring eyes. “Felt a crunch under my foot and lifted it immediately, but one was completely smooshed. Serious snail jam. Anyway, three of them weren’t too bad—I must have just knocked them with the side of my boot—so I scooped them up into a plastic tub, and then I went to buy the things they need. Their shells can regrow if the damage isn’t too severe.” He’s speaking fast as he gestures at the stuff around him. “See? I’ve got the terrarium Ineed from the pet store. And I went to the kitchen and got some veggies for them to eat. You guys have great timing. I’m just about to put them into their hospital.”
His gaze darts over me. “That’s why I haven’t been to see you yet, sorry. I’ll make it up to you later.”
“You… you made a hospital for snails?” I stare at him.
“Yeah, of course. I stood on them. I murdered their friend in cold blood, or at least cold snail goop. It’s the least I can do. You’re not mad, are you? I didn’t mean to put some snails first.”
This is the guy who fucked Ledger up the ass with a broom handle. I can’t wrap my head around it. A laugh bursts from my mouth. “No, Ace. I’m not mad. I think it’s sweet that you’re trying to save the snails. I think any gardeners around might question your loyalty, though.”
He puts the lid on the terrarium so they can’t escape. “Every living creature deserves to eat.” Then he seems to think about what he’s just said. “Actually, scratch that. Spiders don’t deserve to eat anything. They can all starve to death, for all I care.”
Rook joins in. “Spiders are nature’s pest control. We’d all be eaten alive by mosquitos without them, and we need them to protect agriculture.”
Laughter erupts from me again, and I find myself bent double as I try to speak. “Why do I feel like I’ve ended up in a nature documentary?”
Ace starts bopping around, humming a song. His head nods side to side and his hips swivel.
“What the hell are you doing now?” Rook asks.
“It’s like how that song goes…” He hums a little more, then breaks out with a famous line from a song from the 90’s about doing it like animals.
I giggle. “You’re certifiably nuts.”
Maybe I was wrong to say Ace was well adjusted to Ghost, because he is kind of certifiable, but at least he can communicate his feelings.
He picks me up, so my legs automatically hook around his waist, my arms around his strong neck.
“I mean, let’s fuck like animals.” He grins, displaying his dimples.
I ruffle his mop of curls. “Not right now, we’re not. I’ve got a friend and one of her guys coming to the compound to hang out. I do not want to look or smell like I’ve been banging two men in a barn.”
