Page 52 of Pride: Kneel Before None

All he did was scoff, words never slipping free despite his mouth opening to respond. Instead, he swayed, his eyes rolling before he tilted. His body fell forward, my hands coming up to brace against the impact, but they did little against his bulk.

An alarmed shriek escaped me as our bodies collided. He was nothing but dead weight, crushing me.

“Ace?!” I strained even to speak, pushing against him was futile.

He was out cold, unmoving.

A thought occurred to me. Had fucking me been his dying wish? Was his life now complete?

I should have been honored. But I’d have been more honored not to be squished to my own death in the process.

In a flurry of panic, I continued squirming and shoving against what felt like several tons of muscle and ego.

Just as quickly as the dread had set in, something shifted and unlocked inside me. My precognition roared to vivid new heights, exploding with imagery across my mind’s eyes. Visions flickered with events not just seconds into the future, but hours and days.

It stole my breath from me as all the sights flooded my head too quickly to fully process, but there, nonetheless.

In particular, what stood out the most was Ace standing in his living room, alive and proud.

Asshole survived scaring me half into my grave and dared to look smug about it later?

My hand slapped his bare shoulder several times from sheer frustration.

“Wake. Up.” The demand snarled between clenched teeth. Not just a demand, a summoning that scorched through my veins. It spread like wildfire, originating in the palms of my hands and shooting up both arms.

Shifting my gaze, I froze at the sight of markings lighting up all over my limbs. Markings that had never existed before but mimicked the runes on Ace’s body.

Energy hammered harder than the pulse in my throat. Flashes of heat emanating from the marrow of my bones sent jolts through my body with each flare.

On one particularly vicious surge, I shoved at Ace’s limp body. This time, a strength that I didn’t know I possessed sent him rolling off me with enough force to send him barreling over the edge of the mattress. His body hit the floor with a thud.

Just like that, the power and blistering heat receded. I scrambled to the side of the bed, looking down at where he had landed. He was stirring faintly now, brows creasing together from either confusion or pain from the rough landing.

I said his name again, this time with less panic and more concern.

“Ace, can you hear me? Are you alright?”

A deep groan echoed from his chest, followed by a raspy cough. One hand settled on his chest like a man recovering from a heart attack, and the other covered his dick like a man bracing for impact or ensuring it still existed. With Ace, I ventured to guess it could have gone either way.

Time crept by where all I could do was wait, and all he could do was gather his bearings.

His eyes fluttered open, staring at me with confusion. For a split second, gone was the confident man who had decided to lay claim to my body. Then metaphysical walls slammed into place with startling clarity.

Before that, I hadn’t been able to see the aura of his abilities creating a shield around him. But they were shining as clear as the desert was dry.

He propped himself upright on one hand.

“What happened?” His voice was hoarse but even.

My eyes narrowed on him, wondering just how much he remembered.

Those mossy hues met my gaze briefly before drifting over the rest of my very naked body. His mouth tilted into a roguish smirk.

“Besides making my Little Spade beg for my cock like a bitch in heat.”

I didn’t feel an ounce of remorse for assaulting his face with a pillow. Multiple times.

Seven to be exact.