Page 87 of The Fire We Make

“What are you doing, Rose?” he asked, unable to hold in his curiosity any longer.

“It’s called networking,” she said. “What are you doing?” Her eyes flicked to the place where they connected then back up to his face.

“Trying to figure you out.”

“I thought I told you to stop that.”

Ace shook his head. He wanted to probe her some more and opened his mouth to do just that when Jrue approached.

“Ace. There’s someone that needs to speak to you.” His tone held no room for refusal or delay and Ace understood the severity and importance.

Reluctantly, he unwrapped his fingers from her arm .

“I’ll see you later,” he promised. “Save me one more dance before you leave.”

Joy smirked, licking her lips. His eyes dropped to the movement with a hunger that he hadn’t been able to satiate no matter how hard he tried

“I’ll think about it,” she said before turning on her heels.

Joy retrieved her clutch from April and turned her attention to the rest of the dance floor. She scanned the crowd, dispelling the buzz from Ace’s touch and the power of having the most influential man’s number in her bra.

The room was full of money. And power. Joy inhaled like she could pilfer some of it out of the atmosphere and into her lungs for herself.

She was back.

She felt it. Her blood felt alive and her mind felt sharp.

This was only the start of her comeback and it would be sweeter than anything her father could ever imagine. He would have no choice but to allow her back after seeing the things she had up her sleeve.

She pulled her phone out, taking a look at the rest of the names she’d written in her notes and pinpointing each face around the room. With a fresh glass of champagne and sway in her step, she moved on to her next target.

She made her way through the crowd smiling when necessary, speaking when it was advantageous.

She spoke to each person on the list, mentally crossing off each name. With every stricken out name, she moved closer and closer to her goal — so close, she could taste it.

She was deeply entranced in a conversation with a Texas businessman, bonding over progressive legislature and their football team’s playoff run when she felt hot eyes boring into the side of her face. When she turned, she found Ace staring, the heat and possession in his eyes unmistakable.

She turned, putting him and his distracting eyes and energy out of her mind, before wrapping up the conversation.

She walked away with one more contact in her arsenal and a renewed resolve with the encouraging realization that she hadn’t lost her spark.

Two down, Two to go, she thought as she scanned the room for her next target.

The sound of night insects buzzing, grass rustling, and the deep bass of the music from the backyard reached Ace’s ears. He sat in the rose garden at the front of the estate, shrouded by the tall hedges with a blunt between his fingers facing the garden as he enjoyed a few moments of solitude.

The crisp night air wrapped around him but it was a welcome reprieve from the heat of bodies packed on the dance floor and watchful eyes.

The sound of footsteps crunching on the gravel path disturbed the sounds of nature.

Ace looked up from his spot on the bench and watched with a smirk from a few feet away as Joy walked deeper into the garden. He observed her heave a deep breath, then tilt her head up to the sky for a brief moment.

As if feeling his eyes on her, she turned and their gazes immediately caught.

Wordlessly, Ace beckoned her over to him with a tilt of his head and Joy followed. Taking a pull of the blunt at his lips, he watched her wide hips sway and her full breasts bounce as she walked towards him and his dick immediately bricked with the memory of how her curves felt pressed against him when they danced.

“What’s good, Rose? You hiding?” Ace greeted as she approached.

“Looks like you the one hiding to me,” Joy quipped.