Chapter 11

11

ACE

I stare at myself in the mirror, hating that I’d taken it too far with Libby. My hold on the sink tightens, making it groan. “Shit.” I step back and pace inside the bathroom. It does nothing for my dick that is still hard as a fucking rock. When did I lose all self-control?

I’d come right along with her. The hardest I ever have in my whole damn life, but my dick is still demanding more. Hell, my whole body is. I roll my shoulders, trying to get myself in check. What I need is a long run or a few hours in the gym.

A mission. Something to keep me occupied.

I shake that thought from my head. I’m not going fucking anywhere. But missions are how I always burn off steam. I can forget about the rest of the world and focus on it. That’s how my brother and I have always been different.

The silence suits him. I have never been comfortable with it, especially since my mom passed away. I was always the one to make everyone laugh. I was easy with a smile, but that shit could be wearing. Except with Libby. I enjoy those compatible silences with her.

I flip on the shower to clean myself up. I’m not surprised I came all over myself. Not with how easily Libby can work me up. I don’t know how she does it. There’s this mix of sweet naivety that comes from her and the curiosity in her gaze that gets me going. I want to be the one to show her all the pleasure that could be had. Watch her light up as she experiences it all.

When I step out of the shower, I realize I don’t have any clean clothes with me. I dry off before wrapping the towel around my waist. I take a deep breath, trying to get my shit together. That’s what Libby needs. Not someone to paw all over her while she’s trying to heal. I can’t lose control again.

When I step out, I don’t see Libby anywhere. My heart sinks, but I know she couldn’t have gone anywhere. Not without me knowing. My alarms would have triggered. This place is on lockdown.

I tilt my head and listen. It’s light, but I follow the sound of her voice into my closet. When I step inside, I see her sitting on the floor, her knees pulled to her chest with the phone in front of her blocking her face from my view. I hear a sniffle. A fist wraps around my heart at the sound.

“Libby?” I step closer so that I can see her.

My blood turns to ice when I see the tears in her eyes.

“I’m talking to my sister. Do you mind?” There is a snippiness in her voice that she has never had before with me. I did that. I made her feel upset.

I want to tell her that I do mind, but I only nod, grabbing some clothes and leaving her be. Even if it kills me to do so. Now is not the time to push her. Even though that’s exactly what I want to do. I want to lift her up and cradle her in my arms until she’s smiling, laughing, and looking at me as though I’m the best person she’s ever laid eyes on. The fuck is wrong with me? I took it too far. Now I've screwed it all up. Here everyone is always saying I’m smooth. Yeah, not when it counts, I’m not. I have no clue what the hell I’m doing.

Not sure what to do, I go into the safe room, seeing a few alerts on my system. This is what I can do. What I should be doing. I need to get more shit together so that I can finish taking down Heaven’s Temple. That is what Libby needs. Then she can leave that all behind. She and Winter can be free of that worry for the rest of their lives.

I dig into the information I’ve been sent. I reached out to a few outsiders from my mercenary work. One of them, Zero, sent me over a treasure trove to go through. He got into their systems and started tagging and linking lines. Even to people who weren't living inside their caged fort at Heaven’s Temple. They have people on the outside—as my brother and I both figured. None of the names, however, raise red flags as people in any sort of power. Which works in our favor.

“These assholes.” These Heaven’s Temple assholes won't let their followers—no, scratch that— victims near technology while they are using the fuck out of it. I guess they think we can’t get to it because they keep off the grid as much as possible. Nah, that’s not how shit works anymore. They too are na?ve in their own right.

When I catch sight of the time, I curse myself. How the hell did four hours pass? I glance behind me. Libby never came to check in. She always pops her head in when I am in here. It doesn't matter if it had only been twenty minutes; she always checks in, asking if I need anything. A heaviness fills me thinking about when she leaves. That there will be no more check-ins from her.

I have really fucked this up. I run my hand down my face, not sure how to fix this, but I have to talk to her. I flip on the cameras outside to see what is going on. Several streets have already been plowed. I really am running out of time. I close everything up before going in search of my Libby.

She’s not difficult to find. She's spread out on the bed, exactly where she belongs. From the sounds coming from her phone, it sounds like TikTok. Some of the jokes she doesn’t often get, and I have to explain them to her, but it gives her a peek at how the rest of the world lives. Libby is getting a crash course.

“Babe.” I sit down on the side of the bed. She drops the phone, rolling to her side to face me.

“I’m sorry,” she whispers, catching me off guard.

“You’re sorry?” The hell is she apologizing for? I detest her belief that she must always apologize. It's been ingrained in her.

“I pushed and made you do something you regret.” I bark a laugh that has no humor because that statement is the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.

“Libby, you gotta be kidding me.” I stand back up.

“What?” She too moves, sitting up.

"I should be the one to apologize. I took it too far. You aren’t ready.” I run my fingers through my hair, giving it a small tug. Keep it together, Ace .

“I asked for it, though.” Her little nose scrunches. Even when she does that, it turns me on. I want to lean down and kiss the tip of it like some sap and not a trained killer.

“Yeah, because I worked you up and got you needy for it. I knew what I was doing when I sat you on my dick.”

Pink blooms in her cheeks. It’s the same flush but a few shades lighter than when she comes. I’ll never forget the sounds or her expression as she came undone for me. It was the hottest thing I’d ever seen in my life.

Why were those dumbasses over at Heaven’s Temple worshiping false prophets when Libby was right there? I’d worship the fuck out of her all day, every day.

“I still liked it.” She shrugs one of her delicate shoulders, causing my shirt to slip off the side. It’s then I spot the mark on her.

I did that. “I marked you. Shit, I’m sorry.” It’s a fucking lie. I’m not sorry. I should be. I’m a bastard for not being, but that doesn’t change the truth.