“I want you to come,” he growls in my ear. “I want to hear you scream my name.”

“Ace,” I whimper, feeling the pressure build, taut and electrifying. He’s relentless, his fingers work their magic, teasing, probing, circling with just the right pressure, pushing me closer to that sweet release.

“Louder,” he urges. “Let me fucking hear you.”

I can’t help but obey, my voice rising as the pleasure intensifies, each stroke sending me higher and higher. The firelight flickers, casting shadows as I surrender to the pleasure, letting my voice spill out. “Ace! Oh God!”

He lets out a soft chuckle, clearly pleased with my reaction, his fingers quickening, more demanding. He leans closer, his lips grazing my ear. “That’s it, baby. Let go. Come for me, Scar.”

With each movement of his fingers, I feel myself nearing the brink, the world around us blurring. Then, with a final wave of pleasure, I shatter, my body quaking as his name escapes my lips, swallowed by the overwhelming ecstasy that takes me over entirely.

Chapter 34

Ace

Iwas a bundle of nerves planning that date, running everything by Xander to make sure I had it right. He told me women love that romantic shit, and the sex that follows is always off the charts. He wasn’t wrong. Last night, when we got back to the hotel room Scarlet blew my mind. This morning, in the shower, I tried to recreate that intensity, my hand moving fast on my hard cock as I relived the feeling of her.

Nate's flying in today, and Scarlet’s not here with me. She and Theo went to pick him up at the airport. I’m worried about how things will go with Nate around. Even though he thanked me for handling Beck, we haven’t really talked much since. I’mnot sure if he’s still pissed about me being with his sister. If he brings it up, I’ll set the record straight. I don’t give a damn if my feelings for her are out in the open. They’re as clear as day, and I know exactly what I want—her.

If I have to prove I’m different with her than the guy Nate thinks I am—the fuck-them-and-leave-them type—I’ll do it. I’ll show him, day after day, that I’m not like that with her.

We’re heading to the stadium right now for sound check, and Xander’s with me. He’s on the phone with Poppy, clearly missing both her and Alex.

My phone vibrates in my pocket, and I pull it out, a small smile tugging at my lips when I see it's Scarlet.

Scarlet:We just got here. You close?

I fire off a reply, my fingers flying across the screen.

Ace:Yeah, just pulling up now.

I shove my phone back into my pocket, open the door, and step out. I wait as Xander slides across the seat, still on his phone. Once he’s out, I shut the door and we head into the stadium.

We make our way through the long corridors, me leading the way. As soon as Xander hangs up with Poppy, he catches up and falls into step beside me.

“You ready to face Nate?” he asks, clearly concerned about how things will go when I see him again.

“Yeah,” I mutter.

“Just be straight with him, Ace, no matter how hard it is. He’ll see it’s different this time, that you’re different with her. We’ve all seen it.”

"Fuck, you're making me sound like a giant pussy," I groan, not even sure where this real talk is coming from between us. We used to joke about women, comparing who gave the best head or who could fuck better. We were naive assholes back then, and yeah, I sometimes miss the cocky little shits we used to be. But I don’t want to go back to that broken mess who kept everyone at arm’s length. Hiding behind walls was easier, but fuck that—Scarlet’s worth every bit of this vulnerability. So, yeah, maybe it’s different now; maybe I’m different now. If it means letting her in, then I’m all for it.

I shove open the door, and Xander and I step into the green room. Nate's sprawled out on the couch between Theo and Scarlet, both caught up in whatever bullshit Theo's spouting this time. The second they hear us, their heads snap our way. My eyes immediately land on Scarlet, and that smile of hers hits me. I can’t help the grin that spreads across my face. She gets up and walks over, wrapping her arms around me like she’s been waiting for this all day. As I pull her in, I notice Nate and Theo watching us, until Xander steps in front of them.

“Hey, how's the shoulder?” Xander asks.

Nate pushes himself up from the couch, and I can tell his movements are still a bit stiff. He extends his arm and pulls Xander in for a brotherly hug. “Getting there,” he replies, his voice steady, even if his body hasn’t fully caught up yet.

I move over to Nate, knowing I need to face him, leaving Scarlet by the door. When Xander steps back, I pull Nate in for a hug, careful not to hurt him.

As soon as we’re close, he whispers in my ear, “We need to talk.” He’s quiet enough that no one else hears, and I know he’s serious.

I nod, acknowledging that we need to clear the air about everything that happened when he first found out about me and Scarlet.

I take a step back, giving Nate some room. Xander stands beside me, his arms crossed, and the tension starts to ease as the conversation shifts. Nate scans the room, that familiar spark lighting up his eyes once more.

“Man, I’ve missed this,” he says. “Being away from this is driving me crazy. I can’t wait to get back out there. It’ll take a while, though…I can’t keep up with the fast stuff yet. My shoulder’s still a little stiff. But I’ll get there.”