Damn Good Reasons **DISCONTINUED - SEE NEW VER!**

30 Damaged Goods

OK... here we go!  Thank you so much to everyone who voted, followed or left comments on the previous chapters.  I found it hard to get the ball rolling on these next ones, but hearing from you all and just knowing how many loyal readers are out there helped me push through.

I will warn you that we'll be hitting some very serious topics in the next few chapters, and I ummed and erred about whether I should even go there.  But I found more reasons to do it than not because it fits into the story on multiple levels.  So I'm gonna take a punt, see how things play out, and most importantly, hope I get to hear what you think about them.  Hopefully the next three will be ready in the next few days. xx

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"You really did that? That's badass..."

"I couldn't see her suffer anymore."

"So, she's staying at yours. With Eyeball."

"He's looking after her for a few days, yeah."

"He'll wanna move in."

"Too bad. It's a small house. It'll be cramped with three people living there."

Ace propped me up onto the hood of one of the cars and pried my knees apart to stand in between them. "I don't know why you bother keeping that place," he said.

"No?" I leaned back on my elbows with an impish grin, gazing up at his solid body and tough demeanor which was causing some serious dampness down below.

He leaned right down over top of me and lightly held my chin to tilt my head to one side. "You practically live at mine anyway," he said, his breath tickling my ear. "Why don't you get the rest of your stuff and move in with me?"

"You really want me to?"

"Yeah," he shrugged. "And I don't think I've had you for two goddamned days. What the fuck went wrong there?"

"We've been too busy," I chuckled. "Damn Vince. And Eyeball. Although I don't think he'll be so cocky now after what I did for him tonight. I think getting Natalie out of there will be a big worry off his mind."

Ace's hand slowly ventured south, circling my bellybutton before tugging at the button on my shorts. In one swift motion, they were off and slung somewhere across the garage. He kissed into my neck while I stared at the rafters wondering how the hell I was gonna break the news to him.

"What is it?" he asked when he noticed I'd gone limp.

"I'll tell you later." I freed his T-shirt from his pants and pulled it over his head.

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Sometime after, I found Ace getting us a drink in the kitchen.

"This is what I had to tell you," I said. I handed him the scrap piece of paper with Vince's number on it.

"How long have you had this?"

"Since this afternoon. What, do you think I've been hiding it from you?"

Ace went straight to the phone and dialed. He looked riled.

"Vince. How's life buddy? Actually, don't answer that 'cause I don't fucking care."

I could hear Vince's voice, but it was too mumbled for me to understand what he was saying.

"You left me hangin' for two fucking weeks! And now, I gotta bring someone else in – you know I didn't wanna do that. Nah – fuck you Vince. Shut the fuck up! Stop making piss-poor excuses. Yeah, whatever asshole." Ace slammed the phone down. "Goddammit..."