Page 170 of The Fire We Make

Remy answered from the corner of the room. “Yep, working on decrypting them now.”

“Good,” Ace said, not looking away from Marco. “Finish this nigga.”

Without hesitation, Von sent three shots into his Marco’s chest.

Ace turned to Joy then and brought her in under his arm. “Good work, baby,” he said, before kissing her on the forehead.

Joy simpered under his praise, swiping blood from his lip before kissing him.

“Von, call cleanup and have your men on the lookout for Isaac. He’s probably already laying low but once he finds out Marco is dead, he’s gonna run for it.”

Von nodded, the atmosphere heavy with the weight of what this revelation meant not only for their organization but their family.

Ace guided Joy out, helping her into the car. Remy went his separate way, while Von got in the backseat of Ace’s car.

“Aye, y’all can drop me back off at the house?” he asked, sticking his head between the driver and passenger seat.

Ace huffed. “Yeah man.”

Joy chuckled at their dynamic.

“Aye Jane, you a lil crazy but you cool with me,” Von said bumping her shoulder.

Joy scoffed, turning to him. “Oh, now I’m cool with you? This morning, you wanted me dead.”

He waved her off. “Damn a nigga can’t change his mind?”

She laughed, shaking her head.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Joy woke up to Ace’s soft lips on her cheek and neck. She would never get tired of that.

It had been two weeks since their relationship shifted.

No more masks. No more secrets. No more hiding.

Every morning she expected to wake up to find it was all a dream but every morning, Ace woke her up with kisses and sweet words that she knew were just for her.

He kissed her a few times before dozing back to sleep, his arms wrapped around her like he was afraid she’d slip away and his heavy breaths against her shoulder.

Joy tried to go back to sleep as well but she was up. For the first time in a long time, she was excited for her day. Not anxious to complete something or excited about the possibility of accomplishment but happy to just… live.

Subconsciously, she followed Ace’s routine, having memorized the steps and little details of his morning over the past few weeks.

After her hygiene, she slipped his Columbia Law sweatshirt over her head, letting the excess fabric swallow her and his scent wrap around her as she tipped downstairs.

She browsed the collection of vinyls in the living room, settling on one and placing the needle down on it.

The sun shone through the windows as it came up to greet the earth, the bright, warm light contrasting the dark interior.

As the music played, she started on their coffee, putting extra pumps of caramel syrup in Ace’s, the sugary morning drink, she learned, was one of the only indulgences he allowed himself.

She smiled. No one would guess that the brooding man with a physique that looked to be carved from stone had a ferocious sweet tooth.

She felt Ace’s presence behind her just as she finished stirring in the cinnamon in her own cup.

“Morning,” his sleep gruff voice rumbled in her ear as he slipped his arms around her waist and placed kisses along the side of her neck.