Page 2 of Ace's Ascension

“Step out and let me make a call.” I make up my mind to see what Kayne wants to do, but these three don’t need to hear my conversation with him.

“You won’t regret it and tell Kayne he won’t either,” Cobra says over his shoulder as they leave the room, closing the door behind them.

I pull out my phone and dial Kayne’s number. “Ace, you almost finished? Is it done?” He asks before the first ring completes.

“It’s done. We should have the info soon. But I ran into a snag. I have a few guests here wanting a sit down between you and their Prez.” I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees, still holding my phone. My energy is zapping quickly and I need to get back to the clubhouse before it completely drains and I can’t function. This only happens once in a while, but when the crash comes it comes hard.

“Ace, I can hear it in your voice. You’re hitting the low of the high. Get back here, bring them with you and I’ll take it from there. Do you need me to send the van?” The concern in Kayne’s voice is coming through loud and clear.

“No, Prez. I can get back. I’ll bring them with me. Their names are Tank, Cobra, and Reaper from the Krymson Destroyers, Pennsylvania Chapter. I’ll see you soon.” I hang up the phone and rise from my chair. My legs are wobbling a little but I push it aside and stroll to the door. I open it and spot Tank, Cobra, and Reaper waiting for me. “Follow me and try to keep up.”

I climb the stairs taking them two at a time. Shouldering the door open, the nighttime fresh air assaults my nose and gives me an extra boost of energy to make it back to the Clubhouse. Feeling good, I walk to my bike parked next to the warehouse and straddle it. Strapping on my brain bucket, I fire her up. The deep rumble centers my mind and I take off with the three men from Krymson Destroyers following close behind me. I know my body’s limit and it’s almost past that time. I need to get back to the Clubhouse quickly before I crash and burn. I throttle the gas, taking off at a breakneck speed, weaving in and out of traffic. Time to see how much experience these three have on their bikes. If they can keep up, then they’ll get their meeting.

Chapter Two

Ace

We make it back to the Clubhouse in record time. Tank, Cobra, and Reaper managed to keep up with me and we rolled up the driveway. Everyone’s bikes are here and I pull into my spot and turn off the engine. Kayne, Blayde, Stryker, and Rooster are waiting on the porch, watching the three men behind me with caution. My energy is almost depleted and I need to get to my room as soon as possible before I crash right here in the driveway.

I hoist my tired body off my bike, remove my helmet, and drag my feet up the porch steps, passing my brothers along the way. Stryker slaps my shoulder giving me a nod when I pass by. Holly is waiting on the other side of the door when I open it. She immediately helps me up the stairs to my room. I can’t think straight let alone put two words together to tell her thank you. Holly has helped me many times in the past and I don’t know what the club would do without her sweet soul. She and Stryker finally let their guards down with each other and I haven’t seen her so happy since she’s been here.

“You know the drill, Ace. Strip when I leave. I left you a bottle of water on the stand and a bottle of aspirin. I’ll have food ready for you when you come back to the real world.” Holly leaves my room closing the door behind her.

I strip down to my boxers, take the aspirin and drink the bottle of water before stumbling into the bathroom to piss. I need a shower to wash all this blood off me, but I don’t have the energy to make it that far. Holly left me a towel and washcloth next to the sink. Always taking care of us, even when we don’t deserve it. I hope someday I can find a girl like Holly and she will accept me for who I am and what I do. No bitch has ever stayed around long enough for me to even try. They’ve been a warm hole for me to fill with no emotions attached, but that’s not me. That’s not who I really am and I haven’t found the one woman who will fill that void.

I stumble back into my room and flop face-first onto the bed. My body is sighing in relief, I can finally close my eyes. There’s no moving once my head hits the pillow and I succumb to a deep sleep. I hope the dreams that haunt me daily don’t come back because I don’t have the energy to wake up.

Several hours later there’s a bang on my door. It’s not a normal knock. It never is when it’s time for me to come back to the real world. It’s hard, unforgiving, and relentless until I answer. They’ll keep pounding on my door until I respond. I drag my body into a sitting position and swing my legs over the side of the bed. My voice is groggy with sleep so I don’t bother to answer yet. I take a drink of the water sitting on the nightstand next to my bed and shake my head to clear it.

Bang, bang, Bang.

“Ace let’s go. We’ve been waiting for you to grace us with your presence before we held Church.” Stryker’s deep rumble echoes through the door.

I groan, lifting my tired body off the bed, and stumble to the door. I swing it open and walk back without a word to Stryker. Music is pumping from the speaker downstairs, vibrating through the hallway. He follows me in and shuts the door behind him blocking out the bass of the music. I pop more aspirin from the bottle Holly left and down the rest of my water. Stryker leans against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. He’s the Enforcer of the club and a man I want to have my back. When Holly learned about who she was, and Stryker had issues with his father, who happens to be one of the deadliest nomads from here to Mexico, he unleashed a darkness inside of him and he’s more in control of himself, and the rage brewing below the surface than what he used to. I don’t know how many times I’ve had to use my skills on Stryker just to bring him back to the real world.

“Those dicks still here?” I grunt. I must have slept really hard because my voice is still raspy.

“Yeah, Kayne wanted to wait until you were awake before meeting with them. They’re currently balls deep in some patch bunnies right now and content until you get your shit together. This one must have been pretty brutal. Your face looks like shit.”

“Fuck off, asshole,” I smirk. Fuck, it does hurt. “I don’t know, haven’t assessed the damages yet. Motherfucker hit pretty hard, but not hard enough.”

“Doesn’t matter how hard he hits when it comes to you though. You hit like a bitch and still manage to snap necks.” Stryker laughs teasing me. If he wasn’t my brother in all aspects besides blood, I would show him again how hard I can hit.

“Do you need a refresher?” I pick on him back, cocking my eyebrow. “I’ll show you bitch again if you want.”

Stryker rubs his jaw where I’ve had to hit him before when he lost his fucking mind and shakes his head. “Nah, I’m good.” We both laugh.

“Tell Kayne I’m alive, taking a shower, and will be down in twenty.”

“You got it, bro.” Stryker kicks off the wall and opens the door. “For what it’s worth, Ace, know when you’re ready to let it go we’ll be here to help.” He exits my room and shuts the door behind him before I can respond.

Am I ready to let the past go? Can I let it go? It’s what fuels the darkness lurking inside of me. If I lose sight of that, will I still be me? I’ve been this way for thirteen years. I don’t know how to be or do anything else besides a fighter and a killer.

I make my way into the bathroom with my head so fucked up now, I don’t know what to do. Starting the shower, I let it steam up and assess the damage done to my body. There’s a purple bruise forming on my ribs where the fucker got a lucky shot at me. They’re sore but thankfully not broken or cracked. My face has a few bruises and the cut on my eyebrow has stopped bleeding but now needs to be cleaned up. My knuckles are red and raw. I dab at the cut with some antiseptic then get into the shower, letting the hot water beat down onto my sore muscles. Once the water grows cooler, I quickly wash my body and hair then step out. Drying off, I walk into my room and get dressed.

Throwing on a clean pair of jeans, a black t-shirt, socks, and my riding boots, I’m ready to get this shit show of a meeting over quickly. I throw my cut on, grab my wallet tuck it into my back pocket, and put my .45 Smith and Wesson on the holster clipped to my belt. Michigan is an open carry state, so I don’t need to conceal carry but sometimes jobs call for it, which is why each of us has our CCW.

I open my bedroom door and the base of the music thumps in my ears. Coffee. I need coffee before I go to Church. I passRooster’s door and a loud moan cuts through the music. Lucky fucker. I pound on his door to let him know I’m alive and heading down. I’m at the bottom of the stairs and heading for the kitchen when a set of nails wrap around my left arm halting my steps. I don’t like to be touched and I especially don’t like to be touched unaware. I grab the wrist on my arm and tighten my grip to the point it should be painful.

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