Page 41 of Ace of Spades

"I'll always be Levi Steele’s greatest disappointment."

I look at Levi's retreating form as he fills the darkened hallway. A man of shadows and secrets. A man with a past. A man who I definitely shouldn't care to get to know better. Theo would know him better than anybody.

I should heed his warning.

And still, there's something about him that pulls me. I can't help it.

As much as I really want to.

"Anything I can help with?"

He hesitates before he finally says, “You wouldn’t happen to know what to do with a drowned bike?”

"A drowned bike? As in–"

He nods.

“It may have ended up in the ocean.”

I purse my lips.

"A bike from SKC?"

He reaches his hand nervously behind his neck.

“I borrowed it. Was at the beach with some of the guys from the tattoo studio and…”

I wait for him to keep going.

“Look you can’t tell him any of this. Okay?”

I make a locking motion on my lips and throw away the pretend key.

I may be his unwanted assistant, but that doesn’t mean I’m required to also be his personal informant.

“I may have had a bit to drink and passed out.”

“On the beach?” I ask for clarity.

He nods.

“Your friends just… left you there?”

“They told me to sleep it off before I got back on the bike. They were looking out for me."

His story doesn’t quite check out.

"I know I just got here. But even I can tell that a friend that leaves you drunk and alone on a beach, probably isn’t a very good friend, Theo.”

He looks me up and down, studying me. “Well now you sound likehim.”

I roll my eyes.

“Who? Your dad? Oh my God. No, it’s just common sense.”

When Theo seems to close off. I add, “But what do I know? Like I said, I’m new here.”

“So what's your deal anyway?"

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