Page 44 of Wild Card (Advantage Play 1)

“Hey,” Ace seethes while snapping her fingers in the guy’s face. “I’m fine. Everything’s fine. It’s allll fine.” She drags out the word while bouncing on the balls of her feet. “See?” Raising her hands into the air, she does a cute little twirl like a ballerina. “It’s all good, so you can let Jack go now. I was uh…I was just going now, so….”

With a tilt of her head, she motions toward the exit. “See ya around, Jack.” Her gaze is glued to the guy behind me before he lets out a low grunt and releases his hold. Satisfied, she turns on her heel and disappears through the exit, leaving me alone to fend for myself.

Cautiously, I glance over my shoulder to see a guy the size of a bear with a curled upper lip.

Diece. Motherfucking Diece.

“Yeah. See ya around, Jack.” Diece’s voice is laced with venom as he spits out my name like it’s a curse, and I know I’ve just put myself on the Romano’s radar all because I was trying to help a girl who looks like she’s knee-deep in an organization I assume she knows nothing about.

I’m so screwed.

Chapter Twenty-Five

Ace

“So, are you the one that’s been following me today?” My voice sounds rusty. It’s probably from the nerves. A few feet ahead of me is the giant who confronted Jack in the casino. The giant whose hands are inked as they swing by his sides. The giant who has a cold stare as he scans the area like it’s a natural habit. The guy who, I have no doubt, has killed before. Probably more times than I can count. I cough softly in an attempt to clear my voice as the cool night breeze brushes across my cheeks. I’d rushed out of the Charlette like a bat out of hell only to turn around thirty seconds later to find the giant following behind me while adjusting his suit.

“Naw.” The behemoth shrugs. “That’d be Reggie.”

Who the hell is Reggie?

“Oh, I thought you looked a little familiar.” Looking closer, I take in his eyes, mouth, and nose, but I can’t put my finger on where I’ve seen him before. It’s probably just from my time at the Charlette. That’s all. “So, where’s Reggie?”

“He was on break when the fucker started bothering you, but Kingston refused to wait a second longer before rescuing your ass, and he’s not ready to put a bigger target on your back by claiming you in front of so many witnesses, which left me to save the day.” His sarcasm is thick as though he can’t believe the ridiculousness of the situation he just found himself in––namely babysitting me.

Grimacing, I tuck my thumbs into my back pockets while following my new bodyguard toward Dottie’s. However, there’s one term there that made my ears perk up like a little bunny.

Claiming me? Is that even possible? He won’t even tell me what he’s feeling. I can’t imagine him making a statement like that in front of every eye witness in the casino. Diece is probably just blowing things out of proportion. He seems like someone who might appreciate the occasional dramatic flair, right?

However, curiosity is still getting the better of me, and I can’t help but ask, “So, Kingston saw that, huh?”

That same cold stare connects with mine. “Are you asking if he witnessed that asshat touching you?”

My cheeks burn, along with my forearm where he touched me, as I give him a single nod.

“Yeah. He did. You’re lucky your little friend is still breathing.”

A lump the size of a golf ball gets lodged in my throat, but I suck my lips into my mouth and keep walking on my merry way like he didn’t just scare the crap out of me. Like Jack’s nickname for Kingston didn’t just flash through my mind. Like the fact that I’m kind of, sort of, maybe dating a mafia boss isn’t a big deal at all.

Nope. Just another day in the life of Acely Mezzerich.

Due to my new bodyguard’s massive size, I can barely see around his ripped back as I follow in his steps. His feet slapping against the cold pavement is the only sound that accompanies his not-so-subtle threat.

“He’s not my friend,” I mutter under my breath, feeling the need to defend myself.

“Sure he isn’t,” the giant returns before giving me a quick glance over his massive shoulder. “He likes you, ya know.”

“Who?”

Jack or Kingston? The guilt swirls in my stomach that I even have to ask that question. If Gigi could see me right now, she’d be laughing her ass off. Two good looking guys who might be interested in me? Especially when I’m only interested in the mob boss who could kill the other guy with a flick of his wrist? I shake my head. Ridiculous.

“Both,” he grunts, answering my question. His legs eat up the distance with ease while I struggle to keep up with his pace as he adds, “I’m Diece, by the way. You can call me D.”

“Ace,” I return, speaking to his back. “Nice to meet you, D.”

“Wish I could say the same.”

With furrowed brows, I mutter, “What’s that supposed to mean?”

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