“Hell, she thinks I didn’t know she used to shove aces up her sleeve when we played cards as kids. But I saw it. I just let her get away with it.”
“Wait,” I said, squinting at him. “You knew she was cheating?”
“Oh, absolutely,” Boone grinned. “She wasn’t nearly as slick as she thought.”
Her childhood card hustle was the reason I called her Ace. The nickname had stuck and meant more to me than she probably realized.
I glanced over my shoulder, instinct tugging at me, and that’s when I saw her.
Ellie. Talking to someone.
Tall. Broad shoulders. Dark hair.
No. Fucking. Way.
Miles stood in front of Ellie on the dance floor. I could see her lips moving, his head bobbing with a reply, but whatever bullshit he was saying didn’t last long. Because then all I saw was red.
That bastard had the audacity to show up here. At this bar, and try to corner her like it was nothing.
My blood boiled, surging like wildfire beneath my skin, begging for release. My heart thundered with one singular truth: he didn’t belong here.
I didn’t say a word. Just stood mid-conversation and made my way across the bar, one step at a time. The sound around me dulled into static, like someone had hit mute on the world. All I could see washim.
He didn’t get to walk around Faircloud like he belonged, not after what he did.
He didn’t get the privilege of pretending to be sorry.
I reached out and tapped his shoulder.
I saw the slight slump in his back, that twitch of irritation. He rolled his head from side to side, annoyed, before turning around?—
My fist flew before he even got a word out, slamming into his jaw with all the force I had. My knuckles cracked against bone, and the contact vibrated up my arm, but I didn’t feel a damn thing. Adrenaline drowned everything else out.
Miles stumbled backward, his hand shooting up to cradle the side of his face. But before he could recover, before he could get out a weak retaliation, I grabbed him by the collar and slammed him down to the ground.
I dropped on top of him, arm cocked and ready to strike again, but two sets of hands yanked me back before I could deliver the second blow. Miles was a lucky son of a bitch because that punch was going to land hard.
I twisted in their grip, fighting to get free.
“Logan!” Boone’s voice rang out.
That’s when I realized it was him and Rhodes holding me back. I barely had time to process that before I caught a glimpse of Mac vaulting the bar, charging straight toward us.
Miles lunged at me, reckless and ready for more, but Mac intercepted him, grabbing him around the chest and dragging him back.
“You stupid fuck!” Miles spit the blood from his mouth before he turned.
“Learn to keep your hands to yourself!” I roared back. “You think touching her made you a man, you piece of shit?”
“Logan, come on,” Rhodes tried to talk me down, his voice low, firm, but I wasn’t done. I growled, still trying to break free.
They spun me around, forcing distance between Miles and me.
Ellie was now in my line of vision.
Frozen.
Her mouth parted in shock, eyes wide, and shimmering with unshed tears. Her body looked stuck in time like she didn’t know how to move or breathe.
