An Ace Of Hearts (Book #1) (Completed)

Chapter 08: Keeping A Secret

JACE HYDE

I looked around the room, dread coiling in my gut. My gaze kept flickering over to Ahvi who sat between Ren and Eman, talking animatedly. I was scared that she might blurt something out. But she was smiling. I guess Ren was right. She did smile a lot. Just not at me.

I sat between Tariq and Warren, the latter happening to be the busiest person on Planet Earth. "That's it," I said as I took his phone from his hand, making him face me with a warning in his eyes. "At least put this thing away while you're eating. That's just disrespectful." I put the phone on the coffee table and held back my friend's arm as he reached for it.

"Let me go, Jace." Warren tugged on his arm but I refused to let go. Eman leaned forward and picked up the phone, glancing at Warren.

"Jace is right. You shouldn't be on your phone while eating." She nodded her head as she put his phone behind her back. The room fell silent and even I let go of Warren's arm. No one dared to mess with him besides me.

Ren's gaze found mine before he looked between Warren and Eman. Ahvi smiled awkwardly as she reached for the former's phone behind her best friend's back.

"It's okay, Warren. You can have your phone." She shot Eman a warning look who ignored it. The woman had a death wish, I was sure of it.

"No, he can't." Eman slapped Ahvi's arm away as she reached for the phone. "You should be present in the moment while eating." She flashed a stern look at Warren who blinked at her in surprise.

"Eman-" He began but Tariq cut him off.

"She's right." I turned to look at Faled who was staring at Eman. "Don't give him his phone, I say." He added and I balked. Was anybody else seeing what I was?

"I second that." Ren chirped and I looked at him questioningly. Tariq was siding with Eman. The man who rarely ever spoke up when we were together was taking her side. I scooted closer to him and elbowed him lightly in the ribs.

"What was that?" I whispered as the others went back to talking amongst themselves. Warren sulked on the couch, a slice of pizza on the plate on his lap.

"What was what?" Tariq shot me a dry look. I grinned, slinging an arm over his shoulder. He grunted as I wrapped it around his neck, bringing his head closer to mine so I could whisper better in his ear.

"Eman bro?" I asked and he pushed me off of him.

"What about her?" He frowned and I searched his face. His expression remained stoic, making me shake my head. He wasn't going to 'fess up and I was not one to force people to admit to stuff.

"Nothing." I couldn't help the grin on my face. Tariq made a face at me before turning to his food. I watched as his gaze flickered over to where Eman sat, engaged in a conversation with Ahvi. My worries evaporated as I peeled my gaze away from Tariq and scanned the room. These people were there for me no matter what. They had my back. I had to remember that.

Ahvi caught my gaze, her lips pursing. I stared back at her as her eyes clouded over, the thoughtful look I was all too familiar with crowding her expression. I wondered what she was thinking. Sometimes I wanted to pick her brain because there was more to her than she let on. There was a lot I didn't know about her and sometimes, especially at times like these when I was in the moment with my people, I wanted to know more. I wanted to know everything.

"Vi, tomorrow I need you to come over," Eman said and Ahvi snapped out of her trance. She blinked at me as if confused. I offered her a small smile and she seemed startled. A flush rose up her neck as she turned to her friend. I frowned but just then a piece of capsicum hit me smack on the forehead.

"What?" I asked Ren who grinned at me.

"Where is your head at, Hyde?" He responded.

"Right here." I pointed at my head as I got up from my seat. Perching on the armrest of the couch, I pulled him into a headlock. "You shouldn't waste food, asshole." I mumbled as he tried to fight me.

"Animals." Ahvi muttered as she got up from the couch just as Ren and I tumbled onto it. "Who would say these asses are twenty-four?" She asked as we burst into laughter, trying to pin each other down.

"No one." I heard Tariq answer.

"Don't be modest, Faled." Warren chuckled, making Ren and I pause. Still tangled up, we glanced as he got up and inched toward him. We exchanged a delighted look as Tariq held up a finger at Warren.

"Hale, don't you dare-" He began but Warren was already on him. Ahvi rushed over and grabbed the plate from his lap before it fell on the rug just as Warren grinned mischievously, taking Faled on.

"We should head to my room. This will go on for a while," Ahvi said to Eman who stood in a corner, holding the box of pizza in her arms possessively.

"It's okay. I would like to watch. This is entertaining." She responded and I winked at her. "As long as they don't touch the pizza." She added, making Ahvi roll her eyes.

I was still watching them when Ren punched me in the face albeit lightly. I groaned as I fell off the couch, landing on my ass on the rug.

"Bitch, you could have warned me." I mumbled, rubbing my jaw. But I was not mad. I wasn't even hurt. In fact, I felt more relieved than I had all day.

>.<

I watched the smoke rise up in the air before me, trying to make out shapes. I knew I would find none but once I had smoked enough, I would. It was late and I knew I should go to bed but I couldn't bring myself to. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw a man walking out of the house as my mother begged for him to stay.

And right before my eyes, the man turned into me and my mother into Kiara. The boy in the corner was not me any longer. It was someone else but I couldn't see the child's face. And every time, I woke up panting as fear made my heart pound.

I had tried. Trust me, I had. I had tried to go to bed, to let sleep claim me but I just couldn't. So, I had rolled a blunt and here I was waiting for the drug to hit. I had a high tolerance so it took me some time to get high. I was in no hurry. I had all night.

I had left Ren's a little later, needing to be alone for some time. I couldn't bring myself to sit among the guys, hiding this huge part of my life from them. I had never hidden anything from the three, they had always known about every little event that took place in my life. It was hard for me to just keep something so big from them.

At least Ahvi knew, I told myself. I hadn't had a chance to talk to her before leaving since Eman and her had disappeared into her room at around ten. I wished I had had a chance to talk to her though. Perhaps, she could have said something that would have calmed me down.

I reached for my phone and stared at the screen. I took another drag of the blunt before unlocking the phone. Pulling up my contacts, my thumb hovered over Ahvi's number. I wondered if she would pick up at this hour. The time on the top of the screen showed that it was one at night.

I dialed her before I could think better of it. As the call went through though, I shook my head. I didn't want her to think that I was trying to burden her with my problems. I ended the call before she could pick up, tossing my phone on the bed. I leaned my head back against the wall and stared up at the ceiling, wondering what I had done to myself. And for the first time in my life, I couldn't find my way through.