Ace: His Angel (Phoenix Riders MC 1)

16: Strong Heart

Ace POV

On the ride back to Killer's house, Kaitlyn's hands got looser and looser, fighting to stay on and awake. I grabbed both her hands into one of mine, holding onto her until we pulled into the driveway. Turning off the bike, I let go and helped her off.

Angel pulled off the helmet, and her messy hair, icy fingers, and slightly blue lips stared at me, begging to be warm again. Green eyes met mine, wondering what I was about to do, and so did I. I groaned, stepping back, and waited for her to walk up, but she didn't.

"Sorry, I'm coming," she whispered, barely awake. I gave in and lifted under her legs, carrying her inside.

"It's ok-"

"Shh," I commanded, and she fell quiet.

Inside, I set her down on the bed and found her shorts and sports bra. "Get changed. I'll be right back," I instructed, forcing myself to leave.

Closing the door behind me, I stood against the wall opposite the door. My hands pulled at my hair...trying not to let my mind wander about what she was doing behind the door. Sliding her jeans off her perfectly shaped ass and down her toned legs, and taking off her shirt and bra, naked and perfect.

Fuck me. The image of her naked body under me plays on repeat, causing me to go rock hard. She consumes my mind when I am near her and worries when I'm not. Making my job nearly impossible.

I want her...need her, but she is too good for me.

Killer made it clear Kaitlyn was off-limits. To everyone. But I saw how my brothers interacted with her, leaning in, soaking in every word she said, wanting to be near her. Kaitlyn is beautiful, smart, and the type of girl everyone wants. Yet, clueless about it all, only adding to her attractiveness.

Forcing my wandering mind to focus, I texted Killer, letting him know we were at the house.

Killer: Stay there. I don't want her alone.

Ace: Understood.

So much for getting space and clearing my head.

Cracking open the door, I found Angel curled up under the covers, asleep. Her clothes lay in heaps on the floor, but my cut lay on a chair in the corner.

Picking up her clothes, Angel stirred and sat up. Her eyes were barely open, and her hair was everywhere. "Will you..." she mumbled, trying to form a sentence. "I don't...um, never mind," she half said, rolling over, pulling the covers with her.

What do you need, Angel?

Downstairs, I set the house alarm and went upstairs to Angel. I was going to sit in a chair in the corner, but green eyes found mine from the depths of her blankets, and her arm slowly outstretched towards me. My mind told me not to cross the line again, but her needs overruled my mind.

I changed into a pair of sweats, stripped my shirt off, and crawled next to her. Cold toes brushed against my legs but pulled away quickly. Anyone else, I would let them freeze, but I can't ignore Angel. I pulled her into me, and she tensed, heart rate jumped, and her breathing quickened.

After a few minutes of thawing her toes, she relaxed fully into me and fell asleep. I lay there watching her sleep until I heard the front door open and the alarm turned off and on again. Carefully, I slid Kaitlyn off me and found Killer grabbing a beer from the fridge downstairs.

He closed the fridge door and pointed a gun at me. "Damn it, Ace, don't do that shit to me!" he said in a loud whisper, putting the gun away. Killer knew something was wrong from my tense demeanor.

"What happened?" he growled.

My anger rose as I told him what I saw tonight, neither of us liking what happened. Killer agreed someone needed to remind the prospect of his place within the club.

"Did you ask her about their conversation?" Killer asked. I shook my head. Tonight overwhelmed her, and I didn't want to push her, causing her to shut down.

"Ask her tomorrow, but don't push her, Ace. She's taken a liking to you, but that doesn't mean she trusts us completely. I see how you look at her, how all the brothers do. Kaitlyn is different, but I don't need one of my guys breaking her heart. So don't," he said, getting in my face.

I nodded, saying, "We're family. We would never hurt her. I would never hurt her." My reputation won't change overnight, but Kaitlyn is worth changing for.

Killer backed off, looking nervously towards the stairs. "I talked to Doc this morning... about Kaitlyn."

Earlier this week, she told us about her heart condition, but she didn't tell us everything out of fear. She thought we would see her as weak or incapable, but she wasn't. However, to best protect and care for her, we need to know everything.

"There's more to her heart condition than she let on. She shouldn't even be alive, let alone doing what she does. Doc found her medical records and did some research...only 5% survive the first few days, and there is no life expectancy. Only a handful are alive today at her age," Killer revealed. "Her heart can't take any more beatings, and if she can't get her stress under control..." he trailed off.

"I don't want to keep her in a bubble, but I can't lose her...I can't," he whispered, and headed upstairs, probably to check on Kaitlyn.

I followed a few minutes later, and stood in the bedroom doorway, watching Kaitlyn's chest rise and fall with ease. But if I look away, it may stop.

She shouldn't be alive.

That's why she held back information. She doesn't want us to hide her, control her and tell her she couldn't be part of the club or this lifestyle. Kaitlyn wasn't wrong; if her brother knew we would have never voted her in. This life could kill any of us on a good day, but it could slowly kill Kaitlyn every day.

The meeting to vote Kaitlyn in was rough. We don't allow women to become members because as alpha males, we want to protect women and children. Women are "old ladies" who marry into our life, but Kaitlyn isn't the type to stand by and not help. Killer saw how she could be an asset to the club, providing a different view on things. So, after three hours of arguing and persuading, Kaitlyn became the first female member to sit by her brother and be respected just as he was.

I crawled into bed, pulled Angel onto my chest, and wrapped my arms around her waist. Holding her as close as possible, just in case, and I fell asleep.

I've got you, Angel. I've got you.