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

Chapter 50: An Ace Of Hearts

JACE HYDE

I was trying. I really was. I wanted to forget about Ahvi's stakeout and focus on my cousin and what he was saying but I sucked at it. Thankfully, Kyle didn't seem to notice that I was all up in my head.

"You remember that Thanksgiving when your mum and my mum got into an argument about the stuffing?" Kyle asked, making me smile and nod distractedly. I was being a jackass but what else could I do?

I knew I could have stayed at the hotel but it would have only led to me overthinking more. At least, now I could pretend as if I was not worried about Ahvi when I was absolutely terrified for her.

"Earth to Jace," Kyle said, waving his hand in front of my face. I blinked rapidly as I straightened, glancing at my cousin to see his eyebrows furrowed. "Where is your head at?" He raised his eyebrows.

I shook my head, feeling bad for ignoring him. It wasn't intentional but it had been a long time since we got together and it might have seemed as if I wasn't interested in what he had to say. I didn't want him to think that.

"I'm sorry. I am a little distracted," I replied, flashing him an apologetic look, hoping he wouldn't ask anything more.

"Is this about Kiara?" His voice dropped and his expression turned to one of sympathy.

"No." I shook my head again, this time trying to get rid of another set of pictures.

"You know it is alright for you to be thinking about her still. She killed herself. It must have been hard for you to deal with since you were her boyfriend and she was pregnant." Kyle's eyes, the same blue as mine, dimmed. It was understanding in them but it annoyed me regardless.

"She wasn't pregnant." I mumbled. The words were laced with contempt and I wanted to feel guilty to be speaking of a dead woman in this manner. But I couldn't.

"What?" Kyle's brown eyebrows rose on his forehead.

"The forensics report came back. Kiara wasn't pregnant." I repeated the words the kind cop had told me, the one who had looked at me suspiciously after Kiara's body was found. She had been gentle when she broke the news and despite my doubts, I felt it like a blow to my stomach.

Eman was right. Kiara had been lying to me. I would never know why though and maybe I regretted that more than I regretted her death.

"Fuck, man." My cousin rubbed his face with his hand, his tattooed bicep flexing with the movement. Kyle was well-built. He went to the gym regularly and he could fight off men if need be. He was scary too with his tattoos, long brown hair, and eyebrow piercing.

An idea struck me and even though I tried to talk myself out of it, I found myself turning to him. "What do you know about the gang Sheriff is after?" I asked.

Kyle frowned and maybe there was a hint of suspicion in his eyes when he looked at me now. I might come off as a psychopath to him. Here we were talking about my dead girlfriend who had lied to me about carrying my baby and I was changing the subject to something completely different. I must have seemed like a nutjob.

"Why do you want to know?" He asked, getting up from the couch and walking into the adjoined kitchen. His place was small but cozy complete with decorations and family pictures on the walls. It clashed with his personality, the one he had built himself around but it was refreshing and familiar and I felt at home here. The way I felt at home with the guys.

"I was just wondering." I shrugged when he walked back into the living room, a beer bottle dangling from his fingers. He took a sip before offering it to me. I refused as I waited for him to speak.