Page 84 of The Fire We Make

“Mhm,” Ace confirmed with a hum. “I ain’t scared of crazy.”

Their eyes held as they swayed and the air between them crackled. Ace pulled Joy closer, bringing their bodies flush against each other, never breaking their eye contact.

“Are you?”

Joy shook her head. “Nah.”

Succumbing to her desire to be closer, Joy rested her head on Ace’s chest, inhaling his warm scent. One of Ace’s hands lazily rubbed up and down her back, the tips of his fingers barely touching the exposed skin there and sending shivers up her spine. The action was so soothing she was sure if she wasn’t standing that she’d fall asleep.

Chapter Twenty-Two

“You can’t hog me all night, Mr. King,” Joy teased, but with her arms wrapped around his neck and her breasts pressed against his chest, she made no moves to extract herself from his hold.

After five songs and three twirls around the dance floor, Ace had still yet to relinquish her. People circled and stared, silently petitioning for his attention yet too afraid to approach, but Ace paid them no mind.

As far as he was concerned, he and Joy were the only two people on the moonlit dance floor and he’d monopolize her time and attention as long as he pleased.

He quirked a brow. “Says who?”

“Says me,” she motioned in the direction of the group of women watching them. “And your little fan club over there.”

Ace spotted Dana and the rest of the usual suspects throwing them glares dripping with envy and anger.

“Fuck them,” he shrugged.

His eyes were solely for her.

Her eyes, however, had snagged on something over his shoulder.

Ace followed her line of sight to see what had snatched her attention from him. His eyes landed on Vincent Price, the former federal prosecutor turned consultant.

He could practically feel her vibrating and her eyes never left the spot where the man hugged the wall. Ace looked down at her then back to Vincent.

“Would you like an introduction?”

Joy looked up at him, seemingly snapping out of whatever thoughts had been running through her head. Her eyes were bright and sharp when she spoke. “Yes. Please.”

Ace nodded. He unwound his arms from around her waist and placed a hand at the small of her back.

He ignored the stares they received as they walked through the dance floor, the crowd parting for them as they cut through. He knew the unusual picture they painted. Ace was never seen with a woman on his arm at these things and especially not dancing with one. He could practically see the rumor mill beginning to turn but couldn’t bring himself to give a shit.

As they passed, Ace caught the eye of Senator Chad Thompson. Ace was prepared to ignore attempts for conversation but the Texas senator wasn’t looking at Ace, he was looking at Joy. His face was stuck and his eyes searching like he was trying to figure out where he’d seen her before.

Ace saw the moment clarity passed through his expression and fear flashed in his eyes.

He narrowed his eyes but before he could question it, Chad turned on his heels, nearly knocking over the man standing beside him, and rushed in the opposite direction.

With furrowed brows, Ace turned his attention back to Joy who walked beside him with her sharp eyes laser focused on Vincent.

He didn’t know what she was so intent on him for, but he knew he’d be sticking around to find out.

“Price,” Ace said in greeting as they approached.

Vincent looked up with eyes sharpened with age and knowledge. Like Jrue, Vincent dealt in information. Secrets. Like the Kings, he was able to move seamlessly between worlds and the things he learned along the way could make or break you.

Officially, Vincent was a political consultant. A crisis manager. A fixer.

Unofficially, he was a man who could make problems—and people—disappear. He was more enigma than man, but he was a valuable ally to have in Ace’s world.