Ace Huxley's Daughter

23

"You're not sleeping with her." Kace chuckled as we watched Callie on stage from our little director hut. The view was a hell of a lot better today. It was closer. Offset slightly in the side of the building.

She looked stunning. Like that was any surprise to anyone. She was completely lost in her dad's song too. More so than I've seen her be at every sound check she's done so far. She was going above doing it justice too. I dare say it sounded better coming from her, Blake, and Hannah.

"I am." I knew no one would believe me. I don't even understand how I got her but here we are. I'm taking her out in 3 hours, I'll be sleeping in her bed, I'll have her wrapped around me. I don't know how I'd done it but I'd done it. I turned around, putting the last of the tools back into its case.

"Yeah sure. Explains with Blake's got his hands all over her." What? He fucking what? "I told you they were a thing." I almost jumped out of the window trying to get a closer look. She pushed him off. Stared. Walked away.

"What?"

"Why's Hannah shouting at him?" The boys stayed in their spots, glued to the chaos as I pulled on the door out into the stadium corridors. I highly doubt I'd catch up to her, she was ground level and I was 4 floors up, she'd be out of the gates before I even got to the stairs. She looked beyond hurt. The shock on her face is burned into me, my heart racing in my head. He's her best friend. I told him. He knew I was talking to her. She turned him down and I know I told him I was with her and I know she told Hannah. Callie text me an hour ago to say she had. Said she'd had a crap afternoon and wanted a hug so bad. I was going to go see her. As soon as she finished on stage with sound check. I was going to go down and talk to her and give her the hug she wanted.

But then he kissed her.

I knew there was something with him. I knew he wasn't quite right. Evil and conniving. She told him she didn't want that. That she just wanted to be friends.

"LET ME GO." My feet fell to a stop and I ducked back around the corner. "NIGEL."

"What the fuck was that?" Nigel's face was bright red. "On fucking stage? In front of everyone? Are you stupid Blake? Do you have any idea how fucked up this is going to make it with me and Ace now? You kissed Callie."

"I've done it before." He shrugged, crossing his arms. "Nig-"

"What do you mean you've done it before?"

"We're a thing." I could kill him. I walked around the corner, grabbing his stupid throat and hoisting him up the wall.

"You're not a thing you fuck wit. She told you she wants to be friends."

"Who the hell-" Blake's fingers dug into my wrist. "Who are you? Put my stepson down!" Stepson. Of course, he is. Of course, he's related to Nigel.

"She told you 2 days ago Blake that she didn't want anything more than friends. So, tell me why, when I left her 7 hours ago in the happiest mood, my girl text me telling me she's had a crap afternoon? We both know it wasn't her dad that's done that and you're the only other person besides Hannah she's seen."

"Let go of me dad!" Hannah shook out of Zeb's arms beside me. "Oh, good Sonny's knocking some sense into you." She crossed her arms. "Drop him though, don't want to kill him." I rolled my eyes, putting his feet back on the floor.

"Someone explain. NOW." Everyone looked at Blake who wasn't speaking. Just staring up at me and rubbing his neck. "HELLO?"

"Callie's dating Emerson here, she made out with Blake when they first got here but didn't feel comfortable being more than friends so told him that and then this afternoon this cunt turns around and tried to slut shame her by telling her she sleeps with the first guy she sees, goes against her fucking wishes and kisses her anyway." Nigel's face got redder.

"Look I'd love to stay but-"

"No. Go." Hannah pushed on my back and I was back to running. All the way to the hotel. He was lucky. So, fucking lucky there was people there. I caught my breath in the lift up. Still panting but I had to settle myself down. I had to be able to breath and calm her down and make it okay.

"Come on Callie. Open up." Of course, Ace was here. Knocking on his daughters door with nothing but fury on his face. "Pops. Please babe."

"Is she in there?" He turned, looking me up and down. "Sorry, um- Emerson Monroe. Light-"

"Bubbles?" I nodded and he almost laughed, eyes moving up and down me slowly, he nodded twice. "She's in there."

"Can I?" I knocked, loud enough for her to hear it. "Pops, babe it's me. Let me in sweetheart." She sniffed.

"Go away." I looked at her dad for just a second.

"I'm not leaving Pops. I'll sit here all night if I have to but it'd be a whole lot nicer if you open the door for me."

The room next door opened the door, partially stepping out to see the commotion. They looked at me then Ace. Me. Ace.

"A-Ace-" He pressed his lips together.

"Sorry. Um. Have you got a balcony like this room?" The woman nodded quickly. "Can I-" She stepped back and I moved through the room quickly. This fucking woman. The only one who could have me climbing out of a balcony and scaling the side of a building to get to her. The only one I'd want to do this for. I landed back on her balcony, pulling the glass window open slowly. I knew she wouldn't have locked it. Just enough to get my fingers in and I pulled it open, running past the bed to the bathroom. I knocked twice, slowly pushing it open. "Pops."

"Son- what the fu- ho-" I pushed into the room, using her confusion to my advantage. Tears stained her cheeks as she sat on the floor, knees tucked into her chest.

"Balcony." I moved slowly, sinking to the floor beside her, pulling her into my arms. "You know. Maybe I should become a stunt double. Never thought scaling the side of a building would be as relaxing as that."

"I'm sorry- He- I didn't- he kissed me- I didn't want."

"Shh. I know. I know Callie. I know you didn't." I held onto her tight. "Listen. He doesn't know which is my room. How about we go down there so he doesn't come knocking tonight huh?" Her head lifted up from my chest, my heart shattering at the bloodshot eyes. This girl would not be crying again if I could ever help it.

"He kissed me."

"I know."

"But we're excl-"

"It wasn't your fault Pops. He knew. He kissed you. Hannah's beating the crap out of him and if Zeb and Nigel hadn't been there, I might have suffocated him myself." I adjusted her, wrapping her legs around my waist. "I'll come back for your stuff later." I pulled us up to my feet, holding her tight as I took her out of the room. She wrapped her arms around my neck, burying her head into my neck. I pulled the door open and Ace stared, eyes running over his daughter for any sign that she was harmed in anyway.

"Where are you going?"

"Just to my room. He won't know where she is, doesn't know which room is mine and I can almost guarantee after that little fucking game that he's going to try it again." She clung tighter. "Pops. It's only your dad babe." She shook her head and he walked around to my back.

"Pops, are you okay? What-" She sniffed, the tee shirt under her head getting damper by the second. I pressed a hand into her back, rubbing gently until she whimpered out a small sob. Ace looked at me. "Do you need her stuff?"

"No, I'll come get it once I've-"

"What room are you in?"

"472." He nodded, taking her key card out of my fingers.

"I'll bring it all by in 5 minutes." I nodded, holding Callie closer in my arms, and walking down the hall. "Hurt her Emerson and you won't know what hit you."

"I have no intention of ever letting your daughter cry again Ace. Trust me, hurting her is the very last thing I ever want to do."