Page 9 of Ace's Ascension

We took a longer route to avoid traffic and were pulling up to Liz’s apartment complex. She relaxed her grip a little and looked around while we were riding. The laughter that bubbled from her lips sent a shot of lust straight to my dick. No woman has ever had this effect on me and that scares the living fuck right out of me.

Butch, Tex and I park our bikes in front of her building and turn them off. Liz hops off the back of my bike and struggles with the helmet. I put my kickstand down, climb off my bike and help her remove it. I’ll have to teach her someday how to take it on and off, but not right now. I like having her rely on me.

“Thanks for the ride, Ace. I’ll see you around.” She hands me the helmet and I push it away.

“Keep it for now.”

“Oh, uh... OK.” She starts backing away, not taking her eyes off me. I follow her and she turns on her heels and heads up the staircase to the third level. Her ass looks perfect in these jeans with every step she takes and I want to peel them off and cherish the body underneath.

Liz pulls out a set of keys from her purse she had strapped around her chest and starts unlocking the door when we stop at 24C. The security here is cheap and old. Looking at the flimsy door and raggedy deadbolt, my blood is boiling. Someone could easily break into her apartment and she’d never know. The gates at the front were open and anyone could come in here. It’s not safe for her to even be here. My mind is made up once she has the door unlocked and I push her inside. I text the prospect and tell him not to bring my pickup. She isn’t staying here.

“Grab your shit. I’m not letting you stay here.” I stalk inside and take a look around.

“What are you doing?” Liz asks.

“You’re not staying here. I’m not repeating myself. This place is a shithole and I’ll be worried about you the entire time I’m not here.” I take in her apartment. The door locking her in from the outside world is flimsy. She has little things here and there to make it homely, but from the stained walls to dirty carpet and dripping faucet, this place is a fire hazard waiting to happen. This landlord needs to be taught a lesson on security for young women staying here. Anyone can come in here and Liz would be in trouble.

“Ace, I can’t just uproot my life because you think this place is a shithole. I have classes, a job, and friends. I can’t just drop everything for you.” Liz throws her hands up in the air in exasperation.

“Liz, listen to me, please.” I grab the front door and almost take it off the hinges. “This door won’t stop anyone from getting in here. If some crazy psychopath has an itch, you’re an easy target.” I walk over to the window and throw back the curtain. Just as I thought, the lock doesn’t even work. I grab the window and show her how easy it would be to get in through the fire escape outside the window. “This lock doesn’t even work. If a rapist wants in, he will get in.”

I approach Liz cautiously, trying not to scare her, but I need her to understand. I rest my palms on her shoulders and she swallows hard. “I cannot, I repeat, cannot let you stay here alone. Please, pack some things you’ll need and come stay with me. Just until I can find you a safer place to live.” I run the tip of my fingers over her porcelain skin. Liz shudders under my touch.

Liz shakes her head, not giving me what I want. Her deep blue eyes mesmerize me and I lean closer until we’re a hair’s breadth apart. Liz’s breath catches in her throat and her eyes hood with desire. She licks her lips and I know I’m a goner. I need to taste her, breathe her in, capture her desire the way she’s captured mine.

I cup the sides of her face and press my lips against hers. Slowly, gently, but firmly our mouths fuse together. Liz grabs my cut in her hands and pulls me closer. I run my tongue along the seam of her lips and she opens them allowing me inside. The moment her taste lands on my tongue, I’m done for. Stick a fucking fork in me, I don’t want or desire anyone else. It’s like she cast a spell on me and I’m powerless to stop it.

A loud bang comes from Liz’s open front door. She jumps away from me and almost lands on her ass. Her face burns a deep shade of red when a man I’ve never seen before is standing inside, trying to look menacing. He stares at Liz and the hair on the back of my neck stands on end. I grab Liz’s hand and pull her behind me. If this fucking lunatic wants to try and do something, he’ll have to go through me first.

“Can I fucking help you?” I growl. Liz clutches the back of my cut with shaky fingers.

“Who the fuck are you?” His voice booms, trying to intimidate me.

“None of your fucking business, dickhead. What the fuck do you want?” My voice is deadly and I’m ready to knock thismotherfucker out. I clench and unclench my fists at my sides. My feet are shoulder-width apart, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice.

“I want to speak with Elizabeth.”

“Too fucking bad. If you want to talk to her, you’ll do it through me. Now what the fuck do you want?”

“Ace, it’s OK. It’s my boss.” Liz steps out behind me but doesn’t move very far. “What do you want Joe? I’m not due into work for another six hours.”

“About that.” Joe runs his hands through his hair and blows out a deep breath. “I figured you’d be alone and we could finish what we started a couple of nights ago.”

Liz stiffens beside me, her body frozen in place. “What we started a few nights ago?” Confusion is written across her face.

“Yeah, you know, in the supply room.” This slim ball motherfucker touched my woman.

I growl low in my chest, ready to pounce on this motherfucker and beat the shit out of him.

Liz lets out a tight laugh. “Oh, you mean when you grabbed my ass while my hands were full and I slammed you against the wall?”

That’s it. I’m done with this motherfucker. I step toward him and he takes a step back. “You touched her without her permission?” I see red. I don’t hear or see anything else when I take a swing and land a solid uppercut under Joe’s jaw and he falls to the floor like a sack of bricks. I hear a faint gasp from behind me and strong arms hold me back before I go after the ass wipe again.

“Bro, chill. You knocked his ass out.” Butch hisses in my ear.

I turn my head and see fear and admiration in Liz’s eyes. “I’m good. I’m good.”

Butch releases my arms and steps between me and fuckhead Joe to make sure I don’t go after him again. I carefully make myway to Liz, afraid of what she’ll say. I have my hands up, palms out. My adrenaline is pumping through my veins but I tamp it down.

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