Page 71 of The Fire We Make

He looked at Ace like he was waiting for an applause or a cookie. Little did he know, Jrue’s grip on Ace’s chair was the only thing keeping him from jumping across the table.

The room was silent, everyone glancing warily at Ace, gauging his temperature.

Everyone except Isaac seemed to recognize what a huge overstep Isaac had made.

After a few moments of deep breathing, Ace turned to Isaac. The fire in his eyes made Isaac flinch.

“Have you lost your rabbit ass mind?” he asked in a low tone.

Isaac opened his mouth. “I was just trying to⁠—”

“—trying to start a war. What were your sources that it was them? Who authorized a retaliation? How do you know your “team” wasn’t spotted?”

“I… Well…Listen Ace⁠—”

“—get out,” Ace gritted out through clenched teeth.

“What?” Isaac balked.

“Get the fuck out before I throw your simple ass through that window.”

“Come on Ace, he had pure intentions,” Gerald spoke up on behalf of his son.

“I’ll throw you out right after him Unc,” Ace warned with a sharp look in his direction. Gerald’s expression soured at the threat but he didn’t say another word.

Ace wiped a hand over his mouth. “Isaac, you thought it was a good idea to start a war with our closest allies while we already have Harris and Young on our asses? Did you not hear anything discussed here?”

“Man, I was careful,” Isaac protested.

“I doubt that. The fact that you lacked the restraint to wait is strike one. The fact that you moved without my authorization is strike two. The fact that you’re sitting here with a stupid fucking look on your face trying to justify this shit to me is strike motherfuckin’ three. You’re out nigga.”

When Isaac didn’t move, all semblance of calm left Ace’s body. “Get the fuck out!” he roared, causing everyone at the table to jump.

Isaac jumped out of his seat and with a scowl that blended anger and fear, left the room.

Ace took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself. Trying to ignore the voice in his head that told him to follow Isaac and put a bullet through his skull. His last name was the only thing that saved Isaac from the fate Ace so badly wanted to give him.

Killing a member of a Council family required prior permission that Ace hadn’t received. Ace had enough problems on his plate right now. He didn’t need the Council and his grandfather on his ass too.

So instead, he occupied his shooting hand with his lighter and stood.

“We’re done here,” he announced, dismissing the silent group before heading to the door.

“Where to, sir?” Ray asked as he fell into step beside Ace.

Ace didn’t need to think about it. “The office.”

As soon as Ace made it back to the office, he immediately opened up the cameras. His heart thudded in his chest at the sight of Joy at her desk.

She had her hair out today. Loose and big like the night they met.

She was typing something on her computer, those lips Ace couldn’t forget the taste of twisted up in a scowl of concentration.

She paused then pulled out her phone.

The thudding in Ace’s chest turned from anticipation to anger at the sight of the wide smile that stretched across her face at whatever was on the screen.

Who the fuck made her smile like that?