Leather & Lace- THE SPECTER SERIES [book five]

Chapter THIRTY FOUR

Ace Greyson

Hunter and I both sit in stunned silence.. Soaking in the disturbing details of Lacey's secret arrangement with David Kingsley while she sits their looking all guilt ridden and gorgeous..

It makes me sick to my stomach to think that she had traded herself to that piece of shit on my behalf, to save me a few weeks of torture that I could have handled..

Hell, I wouldn't have cared if I didn't live through it not to have this happening right now..

I feel disgusted, like now I'm a part of of the twisted commodification of Lacey Paxton... As if she hasn't been used enough.. It makes me damn angry..

Not with her.. But with myself..

I hate to think how cornered she must have been feeling to have done what she did.. How she must have worried for my safety sje must have been to face her attacker head on.. And suddenly, Hunters observation of what a relationship would mean between her and I makes a whole lot of sense..

Can I do what I do without hurting her even more.. Am I putting her at risk by even associating with her..
Or would I just be torturing her in a new way?..

Was Hunter right in warning me to stay away from her?..

He speaks up first, breaking the tense silence.. I can tell he is doing his best to stay calm and I have to admit he's doing better than I had expected.. I honestly think Kirby and his young son Axle are mainly responsible for his newfound sense of tact.. "I'm trying to understand why you would go about everything this way?.. You're smart enough to know I could have helped you.. The resources we have.. Even if you don't entirely trust me, you have to at least know I have only ever considered your best interest, Lace.. So why go it alone?.."

Her nervous grey eyes flick between her brother and I and he looks to me, as if I have any idea what is going on.. I don't have a fucking clue..

Turns out Lacey is only slightly more likely to share her secrets with me than him.. But I she trusts me.. She said so herself.. And that has to be one of the most satisfying things I've ever heard.. Even if she did keep the truthful from me.. I have a feeling that was more about trying to protect me.. Which is impossibly sweet and so like her..

I shrug over at him, turning back to watch Lacey twist her tiny hands together in her lap..

She winces apologetically, choosing her words very carefully.. "Because.. I needed to know for certain that you couldn't say no when I asked you.."

Hunter frowns in interest while I lean forward curiously to listen to her feathery hushed voice.. "When you asked me what, Baby-girl?"

She steels herself with determination, sitting up straighter as she pulls back her shoulders and ceasing her nervous fidgeting.. "I want David Kingsley to pay for what he did.. I want him dead.. And.. I want you to kill him for me.."

Its like a bomb went off in the room.. Hearing those harsher words from her sweet lips.. It would be almost ridiculously comical if it wasn't so fucked up.

"What?!" Hunter and I growl in unison..

She nods earnestly, seemingly to fully understand that what she is asking sits at the extremely grey end of the moral scale..

No, she has thought about this.. She has considered her options.. And honestly, far be it from me to tell her there is a better form of justice.. Because I don't exactly disagree.. "That is the truth.. I want Kingsley dead.. Because he raped me, Hunter.. Four years ago, at the storage compound when I was abducted into the Senators slave trading circuit.. He took everything from me.. And at least a dozen other women that I am aware of.. But there are probably many, many more.."