Page 189 of The Fire We Make

A heavy silence hung over them with the weight of what this meant. Just as fast as he’d let it come though, Zachariah shook off the emotions that settled on him.

He tapped the ash from his cigar, then looked at Ace again.

Zachariah turned to Ace. “How is your young lady doing?”

Ace couldn’t help the smile that came at the mere mention of Joy.

“She’s good.”

Zachariah nodded. “Good. I’m glad you have her.”

“Why is that?” Ace asked with a tilt of his head.

Ace watched his grandfather take another slow puff of his cigar then put it out.

“We all need somebody,” he said finally.

“I didn’t do a good job of teaching you and your father that,” he admitted.

“I taught y’all how to lead. How to survive in two worlds. How to put the family above everything… Your father found your mama, but I was beginning to think maybe I failed you in that area. This life is tough but having someone to make it home to makes it easier.”

Ace’s jaw tightened slightly. He didn’t know how to respond. He’d spent a lifetime thinking that this was all he’d have. That menaces didn’t get happily ever afters.

He thought of Joy.

Covered in blood and looking like something the world would call broken.

And yet, the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen.

His.

“I’m glad you found someone to share this life with in spite of that,” Pops continued.

Ace nodded and stood. “Yeah… Me too.”

Chapter Forty-Two

The door to Ace’s office flew open, slamming against the adjacent wall from the force.

His cup of coffee paused halfway to his mouth, preparing for whatever bullshit had come to interrupt his morning when Joy stalked in. He could practically see the steam coming out of her ears with each heavy, purposeful step she took towards his desk.

“Where were you?” she barked in greeting.

Ace set his cup down on his desk. “Good morning to you too.”

“Good morning my ass,” Joy scowled. “You abandoned me last night without a word or fuck you. You didn’t ride home with me yesterday, and when I woke up, you were gone.”

Ace’s dick instantly turned to steel as she stood before him, hand on her hips, venom flying from her lips and fire in her eyes.

“I didn’t abandon you,” he chuckled. “I had some stuff to take care of.”

“And you couldn’t have sent me a text letting me know? An email? Letter? Smoke signal? Something! You just vanished and left me here alone.”

Ace’s brow rose as understanding sunk in.

“Come here, Rose,” he said, his voice soft.

“No.” She folded her arms over her chest in defiance, trying to keep up the facade of anger that Ace saw through.