Undercover Love

Chapter Seven: I Can't Tell Who's More Oblivious

My eyes shoot open, and the first thing I do is glance at the other bed, hoping to see Ace sprawled across it, snoring lightly. But the bed is still made, perfectly untouched. He didn't come back.

My chest tightens, and I sit up, rubbing my eyes before forcing myself to stand. I head to the bathroom, brushing my teeth on autopilot, my mind racing with thoughts of where Ace could be. I can't sit still any longer—I need to find him.

I grab my phone, biting my lip as I open the app linked to the tracker I discreetly placed in his phone case. It's tiny, almost invisible, and thankfully it hasn't failed me yet. Except, of course, when I have to change the battery every couple of years.

I reload his location on my phone, tapping the screen impatiently until it finally shows me where he is. An address I almost don't recognize appears, but then it hits me—Luke's house.

My stomach sinks. What the hell is Ace doing at Luke's place?

Without a second thought, I grab my room key and rush out, not even caring that I'm still wearing my old high school crewneck and the shortest pajama shorts I own. I throw my hair up in a messy bun as I make my way to the stairs, deciding that the elevator will take too long. I need to get there—now.

I push my legs to move faster, trying to keep the panic at bay, but it's not easy. My heart is hammering in my chest, and all I can think about is Ace and whatever he's gotten himself into. I reach the front of Luke's place in about twenty-five minutes, completely out of breath. I pause for a moment, trying to catch my breath, but the sound of shouting snaps my head up.

My heart drops as I see Ace—he's there, in the yard, his fists flying as he beats the living hell out of Luke.

"Ace!" I scream, running towards them, but he doesn't even glance my way. I see Luke struggling under Ace, his face already bruised, blood trickling from his nose. My stomach turns, and I rush to Ace, grabbing his arm and pulling him backward with all the strength I have.

"Ace, stop!" I yell again, my voice breaking. His body tenses, and for a second, I'm afraid he might fight me off too, but eventually, his fists stop. He's breathing hard, his knuckles bloody as he glares down at Luke.

I don't wait for Ace to move. The moment he's off Luke, I rush to Luke's side, kneeling beside him. I check him over, my fingers trembling slightly as I inspect his injuries. It's not too major—he'll have bruises, definitely, but nothing life-threatening. I look over at Ace, my heart pounding with both fear and anger.

If Ace wasn't my partner, I would've called the cops right then and there. No hesitation. I'd have him arrested for what he did to Luke. But I know Ace—he'd find a way out of it, probably with the help of his girlfriend, or whatever she was. My jaw clenches, and I turn my focus back to Luke, my arms wrapping around him as I try to calm him down.

"Hey, it's okay," I whisper, my voice soft as I hug him. I can feel the weight of him as he almost collapses into me, his breaths shaky as he tries to recover. My heart aches at the sight—Luke didn't deserve this.

I glance back at Ace, who's standing there, his hands balled into fists, his eyes still dark with fury.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I shout, my voice cracking as I hold Luke close, feeling his body shiver against mine.I can barely keep myself together as I look up at Ace, who's standing there like some kind of deranged guardian angel.

He clenches his jaw, his eyes still dark, and he takes a step closer, his voice cold. "What's wrong with me? What the hell are you even doing here, Adriana?"

I blink, trying to comprehend his words. He's seriously turning this on me right now? "What am I doing here? You tracked down Luke and came here just to beat him up! Why, Ace? Because you were jealous?" My voice shakes as I hold Luke, feeling the rise and fall of his chest against mine.