Page 39 of The Fire We Make

Isaac got the hint and rose mumbling a goodbye before heading back out the same way he came.

The only sound heard after that was the rattle of his office door slamming. That alone would’ve gotten him a bullet in the back of the head had he been anyone else but Ace knew Pops would have a fit if he harmed a Kincaid.

Ace sighed and massaged the bridge of his nose. He considered summoning Dana to release his pent up frustration and energy, but his mind drifted to Joy instead.

He leaned back in his chair with a slight grin as he thought of her.

He turned her name over in his mouth. It rolled off the tongue effortlessly and tasted sweet like ripe cherries – just like she smelled. Her warm scent had taken up residence in Ace’s nostrils for hours after they’d met. He lamented having to wash her scent off the suit he wore knowing he’d never have an opportunity to smell it again. The universe seemed to have other plans.

He closed his eyes and scratched at his beard in deep thought as he visualized her face. He could still taste her mouth on his tongue, a mixture of the bourbon she’d consumed and her. He chuckled a bit at the way her eyes flashed with challenge when he questioned her about her weapon of choice.

Opening his eyes, he sat up and without thought, grabbed his cell phone from where it lay on his desk.

Placing it to his ear, he listened as the line trilled three times before Remy’s voice came through.

“Yo,” he answered.

“You busy?” Ace asked.

“Not particularly. What’s up?” His fingers tapping on keys could be heard in the background.

“Do me a favor and send me a file on Joy Thibodeaux.”

“Who is that?”

“A new associate at the firm. And do a more in depth check. Everything you can find.”

“Do you think something is off with her or sum?”

Ace ignored his question. “You think you can get it to me by tomorrow?” he asked.

Remy sighed, resigned to his friend’s secretiveness. “We’ll put a pin in this conversation. I’ll send you what I can find.” With that, he said a brief goodbye then hung up.

Satisfied that Remy would get him more information on the woman who’d captured his attention, Ace continued working through the tasks on his to-do list for the day.

Chapter Ten

Blood and sweat mixed together and dripped into Joy’s eye from the cut above her brow. Her lip throbbed from the gash in it and she could feel it swelling from the blow she’d taken to the mouth.

Still, she continued fighting.

She was sure she’d be reprimanded later for not protecting her face but she didn’t have time to think about that now.

Her opponent was three years older than her 13 years and almost a foot taller but Joy wasn’t going down easy. Not with Byron watching.

When she failed to block another hit, her vision swam and all Joy could think or feel was pain. She wanted to stop but knew the only way out was through.

She coached herself to stay upright. To stay sharp. She blanked her mind, forcing herself to disassociate from the pain exploding in her head and abdomen. She felt nothing as she jabbed, bobbed, and weaved. Fighting like her life depended on it.

Her only goal was to put down her opponent before he did the same to her.

When she saw an opening, she kneed the older boy in the sensitive space between his legs then kicked her feet under his to throw him off balance and bring him down. They tussled for a while, rolling around on the mat and Joy took a few more hits to her face and body but she didn’t feel them.

Once she’d gained the upper hand again, she channeled all of her remaining energy through her fist, sending what should have been a final blow to his temple to send him to sleep.

Joy didn’t stop though. The boy was unmoving beneath her as she continued raining punches on him until large hands lifted her up and stood her on her feet.

She stood in the middle of the ring. Cheers from the crowd of onlookers fell muffled on her ears like she was underwater. Her chest heaved as she caught her breath but her expression remained blank as she did her best to coax herself back into her body.