Ace Huxley's Daughter

31

I don't think I'd ever had people staring at me as much as they were today. Not when Vanessa slapped me, not when I've fallen off rigs in the past. Never. I'd been working all day and not one person had come over and asked where I'd been the past 2 weeks, I'm guessing someone let slip that I was with Olive or they all just put one and one together.

After having an entire 2 weeks just me and her, it was a little weird to be fixing bolts. Especially when just over 24 hours ago, we were being discharged from the hospital with a million meds and brand-new inhalers. That was one of the worst experiences of my life. I've been carried out of stadiums in stretchers with possible spine breaks that could have left me in a wheelchair for life. I've watched friends overdose. But watching doctors rushing around my girl and I couldn't do anything to help. Hell was a real place and I'd been in it from the second I realized her breathing wasn't right.

"Well, well well. He is alive."

"Back from his alien abduction." I think I preferred no one talking to me. "I hope that's what it was because the guys here want your head on a stick."

"Why?" They rolled their eyes like I'm dumb. I know why. I just want them to make it explicitly clear that people saying what I know they are.

"Blake's said you're drugging her." There we go. "I mean dude, she's way out of your league."

"And you guys went from not talking to disappearing for almost 3 weeks and then she's in hospital?"

"I am not drugging her are you guys fucking mad? You really think I'd do that to a girl. Not even Callie, just in general." I climbed down from where I was as the boys looked at each other, trying to decide if in fact it was something I was capable of. Even the thought of that made me violently sick. "Ace told me to take her on that trip and she agreed. She woke up struggling to breathe. I hadn't even spoken to her before then. I told you guys we were a thing before Blake fucking touched her." My voice raised but I didn't even care. Let him be around. Let him fucking say something. I'll finish what I fucking started.

"SONNY."

"OLIVE STOP-" I spun around, catching Callie as she jumped up at me.

"Pops, you shouldn't be running around babe. I thought your dad told you to stay in the hotel."

"I was bored." Her body shifted wrapping legs around me. She really shouldn't be here. Not running around like she's fine. I hope she brought her inhaler I didn't bring her spare with me because she was supposed to be there. I looked over at Hannah, looking more exhausted than I've ever seen her.

"What happened to keeping her on the bus or in the hotel?"

"Have you ever tried to keep that girl in one place when she'd rather be somewhere else? No. Then fuck off." Feisty. "Who are you two?" She glared at Kace and Aiden who were still trying to work out how they'd gone from never being within 10 feet of Hannah to now being dragged into a conversation with her. The boys introduced themselves and she just stared. Slowly blinking.

"Why's everyone staring?" Callie sat up, putting my hat on her own head. I'm marrying this girl. No other option.

"Well, Kace and Aiden were just telling me everyone thinks I've drugged you and I forced you on our trip against your better judgement." Hannah laughed. Loud enough to have half the room staring at her.

"That's the funniest shit I've ever heard." Callie scowled, wriggling until I put her down, she twisted her fingers into mine, pulling me as she walked. "See, she's impossible to keep pinned down!" Hannah crossed her arms, walking beside me closely. "Not so cocky now are you bubbles?"

"Fucking bubbles." She smirked.

"Mic please."

"Pops, no." I reached but my hand was slapped away.

"Are they connected up?" Christian nodded, looking at me like I was in control here. Are you kidding? I'm wrapped around her finger and I'm not even ashamed to admit it.

"Callie-" Hannah's turn to try. Callie turned around and glared at her.

"What else have they all said?"

"Pops-"

"I want to know."

"You don't Callie." Hannah shook her head. "You really-" Callie's eyes darkened, brow lowering as she dropped my hand. This Callie was terrifying. She looked like she could have a man skin himself alive with this look. And yet it was calm and collected. Not a hair out of place on her head.

"After that call with my mum Hannah, I need to put this somewhere. Tell me." Wait what call?

"Fine. Apparently Sonny gave Blake the black eye but Blake did a lot more damage before Nigel pulled him off, that's another reason why you guys were gone. Emerson took you until he was fine and you told your dad you agreed but you didn't. There was a rumour you got pregnant too so had to go deal with it, don't know who started that. Another that you both ran off to get married and that Sonny's doing it for the money." Fat chance. Olive was in my head before I even knew her name. She nodded, climbing up onto Joe's stand, drums still not in place but it made her visible to everyone. She looked around, cheeks tinting a dark red as she took a deep breath.

"Everyone's attention on me. Now." She waited a few seconds, people finishing the whirring of drills, the clanging of metal ceasing on demand, all eyes on her. "I want to clear this up right fucking now. Me and Emerson being away has fuck all to do with anyone else here. My dad suggested we take a break after Blake-" She looked for him, pointing when she found him stood on the side of the stage. "after Blake kissed me knowing full well I didn't want him to and I was dating Emerson. I decided to go. No fucking drugs, no pregnancy, no marriage. He didn't punch Blake. Hannah did. Emerson didn't have a single scratch on him. Me and Emerson started without him having a damn clue what my name even was so money isn't the fucking aim either. If anyone has a problem with this, open your mouth now." Silence. "Right, so I'm not going to hear about a single rumour about this am I? Because no one has a problem now I've clarified my life details to a bunch of people who don't give a fuck about it other than something to talk about. If you want to shit on anyone, Blake's the one who fucking triggered me having to leave. What he did was sexual assault-" She turned, glaring at him as he turned pasty white. Fucking call, him out Callie. "You're damn lucky I'm putting this down to you being flat out stupid Blake. I could take you for every fucking penny and you know too damn well Nigel wouldn't back you up this time. Don't fucking test me."

"Okay, Callie, I think that's enough." Hannah reached up and pulled the mic off her. I looked over at Blake who's mouth moved and straight back to Callie, now red with rage.

"WHAT WAS THAT BLAKE?" She jumped onto the stage and I couldn't let her knock him out. Wrapping my arm around her waist, I held her back. "Let me fucking go Sonny."

"You know I can't let you deck him Pops. Look at me. Hey. Baby. Look at me for a second. Just one." She scowled, turning her head to me. I placed a quick kiss on her head, waiting for her to turn back that didn't come. I slowly loosened my grip, turning her to face me. "I think he gets it. One more word from him about it and I swear, I don't care who his stepdad is, I'll have him on the floor and the black eye Hannah gave him will be the least of his worries."