Leather & Lace- THE SPECTER SERIES [book five]

Chapter THIRTY TWO

Lacey Paxton

The next morning you wake up before your usual 6am alarm, the city is still quiet and sleepy outside and for a few minutes you feel almost calm as you sip your herbal tea and gaze out onto the empty streets.. So peaceful.. Why can't the city always be this serene?..

Ace had driven you home late last night and sweetly kissed you after walking you to your door, and you had since spent the night in a restless spiral of 'what if's'.. Distracted occasionally by wandering thoughts of the mind-bending, heated encounter you had shared with a man who, by all measures is far too gorgeous to be interested in you.. With all the noise in your head, you barely catch a few hours of sleep..

But still you manage to make yourself look half decent, dressing in a pair of neat black tights and a fluffy grey sweater, brushing out your hair until its shiny and applying a pink tinted strawberry chapstick to your lips, before setting out to walk the two blocks to the subway station....

You don't usually take the train, even if it is the fastest way to get around the bustling city, you still kind of hate it.. Being trapped in a confined space with so many people, shoulders rubbing together, everybody breathing on top of one and other..

Basically, taking the subway is the equivalent of being stuffed in a tin can filled with germs..

You shudder, shaking the thought from your head. This is another one of those normal things, that should just be easy.. Most people don't contemplate advanced bacterium along with their morning commute.. But you really can't help it..

You are just about to take a step down the station stairs when someone calls your name.. "Lacey! Hey!.. Wait up, Tiny!"

You spin around to see Colt jogging across the road.. His blonde shaggy hair falls about is eyes, his bright white smile, the blue denim of his jean jacket accentuating the bright blue of his eyes.. He catches the attention of a group of young women who wander by, giggling and whispering as they stare at him.. He is very cute, you really can't blame them.. "You on your way to Specter?"

You smile awkwardly with a half nod, half shrug as you turn and keep walking, he quickly falls into step beside you.. "Yeah, I just have to run a few errands first.. Actually, its good you're here Collie, want to come with?.." You ask sweetly knowing he has to agree, after all you're so very clearly his current assignment..

He hums disapprovingly.. "Why do I get the feeling this is another thing I'm gunna wish I didn't know about, Doc.."

You tuck your bag tighter beneath your arm out of fearful habit as you step onto the platform.. "Because it is.."

He groans.. "Axe is already askin' questions about Ace's release.. Its only a matter of time before he figures out there's more to it.. Ya plannin' on illuminatin' him anytime soon?..Hell, are ya plannin' on illuminatin' me?!"

You nod, stepping up to the ticket dispenser as you pull a few small bills from your pocket.."I am well aware, Hunter will get his answers soon enough.. But it worked, didn't it?.. Iris made it pretty clear to me that Ace wasn't getting out of that place any time soon.. And after seeing what they did to him, I know it was the right decision.."

You ignore the second part of the question.. Because you can't really answer it.. Right now, not all your secrets are even yours..

He gives you a strange look as you collect your tickets, handing him one.. "What do you mean exactly when you say you 'saw what they did to him'?"

Your cheeks heat when you realise what you had accidentally just admitted.. "I don't know what you mean?"

He grins as you look around the platform to avoid his eye.. "Nevermind.. So where are we goin' to stir up shit this time, Tiny?"