~Aaron ~
I was annoyed. That much was obvious.
Joan always managed to get under my skin, but this? This fucking hurt.
She thought I had some ulterior motive, like I was trying to win points or manipulate her, when all I wanted was to make her life a little easier.
Over the years, I’d overheard Rhoda mention Joan’s painful periods. Sometimes, Rhoda would spend the entire week with her just to make sure she was okay.
Now Rhoda was busy enjoying herself with her boyfriend, so I thought I could step in and help out. And what did Joan do? She accused me of having an agenda.
Who the hell does that?
I pressed harder on the gas, the car almost leaping off the road. My phone rang again, the same way it had been ringing nonstop since I stormed out of Joan’s apartment.
No way was she calling to apologize. Joan never admits she’s wrong, and that was exactly why I ignored it.
If it was Denzel, he’d just have to wait.
The phone kept buzzing. With a groan, I pulled over, ready to snap at whoever it was.
It was Denzel.
My fingers hovered over the screen before I reluctantly swiped the green button.
“What?” I barked.
A brief silence. Then, “Okay… clearly a bad time,” he muttered. “But there’s something you should know.”
I exhaled, trying to keep my cool. “What is it?”
I could hear the faint sound of typing on his end.
“The IP address you gave me. There’s a new alert. The person just sent another message, but I can’t access it.”
“When was this?” I asked, glancing at the side mirror. A few cars rolled by behind me.
“A couple of minutes ago,” Denzel replied, his voice curt. “We’ll need access to her phone to see the message. Should I hack it?”
“No.” My response was sharp. I didn’t want him to have access to her private life, I was the only one who could do that.
I clenched my jaw, running my fingers through my hair. “I’ll try to get access myself. Just track the address.”
“Got it,” he said before hanging up.
I let out a frustrated sigh and leaned my forehead against the steering wheel. This whole situation was maddening. Joan was-fuck!
Grinding my teeth, I restarted the car and turned it around, heading back toward her place. This better be worth it.
—
I parked a few meters down the street, far enough to have a clear view of her front door. I was still debating whether to go in when her door suddenly swung open.
Joan stepped out, tying her hair into a ponytail. She was already dressed, moving quickly, and there was something restless about her. She glanced at her phone, pressed it to her ear, then locked the door behind her.
My phone rang.
I glanced down. It was her.
Ignoring the call, I stepped out of the car. Her eyes landed on me immediately.
Her face-red, puffy eyes-caught me off guard. She looked wrecked.
She quickened her pace, and before I could fully process it, she launched herself at me.
My arms stayed stiff at my sides, my brain scrambling. I wasn’t a fan of hugs. It had been years since I’d received one, let alone given one.
She buried her face in my neck, her sniffles soft but raw. Finally, I awkwardly wrapped my arms around her to keep her from falling.
I was still pissed, but now I needed to know what was in that text.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled against my neck, her voice shaky. “I acted like a bitch.” Her arms tightened around me. “I was scared…” Her words trailed off into a shaky breath.
“Joan…” I started, but her body trembled. I ran my hand gently over her hair, trying to steady her.
“It’s okay. Just tell me what happened.” I leaned against the car, giving her the space to speak, but she didn’t say anything.
I eased her down so she stood in front of me. Her eyes flicked away as she dabbed at her tears, taking a small step back.
She bit her lip, hesitating, but I could see her lower lip quivering.
I reached out, brushing her cheek with my thumb. “What’s going on?” I asked quietly.
Her nostrils flared as she fought to keep herself in check. “I got another text,” she said softly.
“What did it say?”
Her teeth sank deeper into her lip before she shook her head.
“I’ve lived my whole life without knowing who my parents are. I’ve made peace with that. And now, out of nowhere, this person shows up and tries to blow up my life.” She sniffled, her shoulders shaking.
“Ace Knight.” Her voice was barely a whisper. “That’s the name of my father.”
She exhaled shakily, looking away. “And he’s… he’s a murderer.”
I pulled her into my arms again, my mind racing. The name felt familiar-too familiar-but I couldn’t place where I’d heard it before.
“It’s okay,” I murmured into her hair. I didn’t care if anyone could see us standing there.
The street was quiet anyways and people barely moved towards this area.
But even as I tried to comfort her, the thought I’d first had when Joan got the first text gnawed at the back of my mind:
Whoever was behind those texts knew too much. They could strike at any time, anywhere.
And Joan’s building had no security. It wasn’t safe.
I held her tighter, keeping those thoughts to myself. Right now, she didn’t need more fear-she needed someone to lean on.
Still, Ace Knight… That name. I’d heard it before, and definitely not in a good way.