Page 53 of The Fire We Make

Her skirt was long but didn’t cover her ankles and was so tight, it made Ace rake his eyes over her body trying to guess where she had her gun hidden today.

“Nice to meet you Ms. Thibodeaux. Welcome aboard,” Jrue said politely. Falling seamlessly into the refined politician persona.

“Very nice to meet you,” Jovon echoed with a smirk, unabashedly giving Joy the same once-over Ace had. Ace suddenly had an overwhelming desire to choke out his little brother for the second time that day.

“Nice to meet you both,” Joy replied, putting on her pretty smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “What do you do here?” she directed to Von.

“Oh nah baby, I don’t work here. I own a club in Brooklyn.”

“Oh that’s nice,” she smiled then turned back to Jrue. “I may have a few policy related questions. I’d love to pick your brain about a few things if you have the time.”

“Absolutely. I’m not in the office much but here’s my card,” Jrue said, pulling a business card from inside his jacket.

Ace watched with green eyes and a tight jaw as Joy smiled up at his younger brother, pocketing the contact info.

“What did you need, Rose?” Ace cut in.

Three pairs of eyes swung to him, two amused and one blank.

Lowering the stacks of files she was holding from her chest, Joy turned to Ace.

“I found that information you needed for Blue’s case and also took the liberty of suggesting a few precedents to strengthen your case based on the direction it looks like you’re going with evidence. Everything important is tabbed and highlighted. I can send you a digital version of all of this if you’d prefer,” she explained.

“I’ll take the physical copies,” Ace answered, motioning for her to bring him the files. She stopped in front of his desk beside Von and extended the files to him. Ace motioned again for her to come closer and she slowly rounded the desk standing beside him before shoving the files in his direction.

Ace took a discreet whiff of her, appreciating her closeness. Her sweet aroma temporarily intoxicated him and he had to fight to keep his eyes from rolling to the back of his head. Joy made a move to leave, but Ace halted her with a gruff, “Hold up.”

He wasn’t ready to relinquish her yet. Joy remained where she stood while Ace unhurriedly flipped through the files in silence, sometimes briefly stopping to read notes she left in the margins. Joy was brilliant and to say that she’d only just started practicing and hadn’t acquired any legal experience in the past three years, she was sharp.

Following his quick assessment of her work, he snapped the files closed and placed them on his desk. Finally he looked up at her. Even though she was standing and wearing heels, she was barely taller than him. “Good work, thank you Joy,” he said. His eyes raked across her frame again and the close proximity afforded him a view of the smallest glint of silver peeking out at him from the unbuttoned portion at the top of her blouse. Without hesitating, he pinched the bit of steel and slid it out revealing the switchblade she’d had tucked in her bra.

Joy gasped at his intrusion but didn’t make a move to take it from him. Ace grinned and licked his lips looking from her to the blade in his hands. “No desert eagle today, Ms. Thibodeaux?” he asked with a teasing tone.

Joy smirked back. That fire in her eyes flickering and gifting him with that familiar warmth. “Nowhere to put it,” she answered simply, gesturing to her body hugging outfit.

She didn’t need to point it out to him, he’d noticed. His brothers noticed. Hell, the young nigga delivering mail almost ran into a wall because he was noticing. It had taken everything in him not to think about why the thought of so many eyes on her made his blood boil.

”You know, I’m starting to worry about you, Rose.”

”And why is that?” Joy folded her arms over her chest, lifting her already perky breasts even further but strangely, it didn’t take Ace much effort to keep his eyes on her face. He enjoyed that view even more and if he ever got her in his bed, he’d make sure every position he took her in made her piercing eyes and pretty face visible.

Stop thinking about having this woman in your bed, he chastised himself.

”You always coming to this office strapped like you’re going to war. Bringing weapons to the office isn’t necessary,” Ace playfully admonished. He sat back and began rolling the sheathed blade between his fingers.

“Maybe not, but unless the handbook has changed in the past 30 days, it’s also not against the rules,” she fired back. “I thought I told you my name is Joy, not Rose.”

Ace’s dick twitched at her attitude. The flickering flame that she’d been trying to keep extinguished was slowly growing and he wondered if he reached out and touched her if she’d burn him.

“You did,” he replied simply. “But at no time did you say that you prefer that’s what I call you.”

Joy was silent, her jaw tight, and Ace decided to poke the bear some more. “Would you like me to stop calling you that?”

Joy’s nostrils flared and she bit onto her bottom lip so hard, Ace thought she might draw blood.

Her silence was her answer and her expression was Ace’s confirmation that he was successful. He could see the restraint in her eyes and the internal coaching to remain calm. He didn’t want her calm.

Let it out, baby, Ace silently urged her, watching her war with herself.