Chapter 7

Ace

I always loved driving up to the ranch for the first time with new people and watching their reaction to our home. It was even more special watching Jaelyn’s face as we crossed the gate.

Sure, she’d been on the ranch when we found her, but she’d admitted she’d been in a lot of pain and had barely gone from the trailer to the stall in the stable. She hadn’t seen our ranch. So today was her first proper look at my family’s home.

Watching her face light up at the historic ranch house my family lived in pleased me. Seeing her joy at my house with its wrap-around porch and oak swing and rockers thrilled me.

I couldn’t wait for her to heal enough that I could give her the full tour. But for now, all she’d get to see was my house, the main house, and Amber’s horse stable and training paddock.

New was the fact that the gate itself had been closed when we pulled up. As we got close, it automatically opened and for the first time Eagle looked at me in the rearview.

“That’s part of the new security system Spidey installed. Each person who is authorized by you or your foreman will have a sensor installed in their vehicle. The gate will automatically open for them.

Anyone else will have to stop and press the button for someone to answer. There’s an app we put on the monitoring computer and we can put one on your smartphone as well. It will let you see and talk to the person at the gate and grant or deny access.”

“Perfect.”

He smiled and nodded. “Yeah, Jake sent me his best stuff. But it’s even better now than what he sent. Our guy Spidey is a master at electronics, not just hacking, he made some improvements. He installed a version of Blackguard’s personal security AI on the control system for you. It’s programmable if you want to change its name or voice. Spidey used the same one we use at the office. We call her ‘Friday’ and she has a slight Irish accent. Spidey went a bit overboard. He wired her into your house. She can turn lights on or off for you. Lock or unlock the doors and open or secure your safe room.

“Before you ask me. Yes, he found your safe room, but I told him he cheated. He has an x-ray app on his tablet that he scanned your place with.

“Your boy Wildcat got onto the ranch undetected last night, and Spidey took that as a challenge. He had a package expressed to him. It should arrive today. It will let him put a complete sensor grid around the external fence all the way around the ranch boundaries. Your brother Gray told him that buffalo can leap as high as five feet, so Spidey set it to only pick up if a fence breaks which might make your ranch work easier. He’ll install a motion activated grid that will only pick up something higher than six feet. So, it’s high enough that your herds won’t set it off.”

“That’s very impressive.”

“Glad you think so. We didn’t agree. We really thought we’d already made the place impenetrable. It will be after tomorrow. However, Wildcat didn’t get into your house undetected. Friday lit up the night when he tried. I think it ticked him off. He kept saying something about getting rusty. We tried to explain that it was Friday. She can discern between animal life and humans. It also depends on what level of security she’s set on. Right now, she’s set on total lock out.”

I nodded. We stopped in front of my house. I really needed to go to the main house, and I wanted to introduce dad and Gray to Jaelyn, but I figured the ride from town had worn on her, so I wanted her to rest first. Plus, we needed to drop off her medicines and the few clothes mom had brought her to the hospital.

As we climbed out of the SUV, I could see her wince. I was right, the ride from town had caused her discomfort. I bent down and scooped her up into my arms newlywed-style and her good arm wrapped around my neck. Her head settled into the hollow of my neck and shoulder and her breath tickled my skin, causing certain parts lower to tighten.

I had to mentally remind my body that she was physically not ready for that yet. I knew until Wiggie gave us the all-clear, numerous cold showers were in my future. Skylar and Amber climbed out of the vehicle, and I knew they were coming in with us. What I really wanted was to be alone with my girl, but I knew they wanted to get to know her better. Now that we were home, I was going to have to share her. I wasn’t good at sharing anymore. I wanted all her time, affection and kisses. But I knew that wasn’t realistic. Skylar watched me scoop up Jaelyn and laughed. “Cheesy crackers, Ace, caveman much?”

“Shut up. She’s hurting.”

While she was laughing, Amber just shook her head and spoke to Jaelyn. “I’m glad you’re here and I really want to get to know you, but I have a client coming about training his newest cutting horse. We’ll spend time together later if you can get my big brother to share you with us.”

Jaelyn smiled at her. “That sounds good. I want to get to know you too.”

I walked up onto the porch, and before I could reach for the door, it opened. “Welcome home Commander Wilder.” Came a voice from a speaker beside the front door. “Umm, thanks Friday. But I’m not a commander anymore. I’m just Ace now.”

“As you wish, sir, is that how you want me to address you in the future?”

“Yes, Ace is fine. This is...”

“I have Miss Bench in my list of authorized occupants, Ace. Greetings, Miss Bench. I’m Friday, the house and security Artificial Intelligence.”

“I’m Jaelyn. No need to be formal with me either.”

“As you wish. Since this is my initial meeting with those living in the house, is my voice and name to your satisfaction?”

“If we said no, would you change it, or would it upset you?”

“While I am interactive and smarter than a computer, I do not have feelings. This is the default voice and name programed by my creator Peter Parker for Blackguard Securities. He said it was in honor of the Marvel Avenger movies.”

“Then why not an English male voice and call you Jarvis?” Jaelyn asked and suddenly the voice speaking changed to a perfect rendition of Paul Bettany, the actor who voiced Jarvis in Iron Man and later played Vision. “Is this more to your liking, Jaelyn?”

She laughed, and I said. “Keep that voice and change your designation from Friday to Jarvis.”

“I have made the switch, sir. I will inform my creator of the change. He likes to be kept aware.”

“Jarvis, how did you open the door for us?”

“They have programmed me to be helpful, Ace. When my sensors detected you were carrying Jaelyn, I opened for you. At the moment, you and Jaelyn are the only people I may allow unrestricted access. I have a list of your family and their images, but I am only authorized to allow their entrance after verbal verification by you or Jaelyn. Is there anyone else you want to have unrestricted access?”

I thought about it and knew that my family wouldn’t like it, but I was going to keep it like this. “Not at this time. Please announce any visitors and receive permission before granting them access. But that wasn’t what I meant by my question. How did you, a computer program, physically open my door?”

“Oh dear. It seems my creator has once again been too zealous. When he installed me to the security systems, he also wired me directly to the lights in every room. I have internet access so I can also control your smart TV, allowing you to make changes by voice command without the remote. He also installed an electronically controlled lock and a remote opening and close arm at the top of the door. This was so that I could prevent easy entrance by someone trying to force their way inside. While it isn’t as secure as if he’d installed a steel door with internal locking rods, it will stop all but the most determined invader.”

“Thank you for the answer, Jarvis. Your creator did good. He had no way to ask me if he could make said changes, but they were helpful. Keep up the good work.”

“Of course, sir.”

I sat Jaelyn on her feet. “Okay, Sweetheart. Decision time. Do you want the house tour, or should I just take you to the bedroom and get you a pain pill so you can rest first?”

“I want to see the house and I know you are behind because of spending all that time at the hospital with me. Why don’t I take a pill and your sister can keep me company if she is free? I’d like to get to know her better too.”

“That’s fine with me.” I looked at Skylar, who was nodding her head. “Second question. Do you want your own room, or should I put your things in the master bedroom?”

She was shaking her head adamantly. “I can’t sleep alone, Ace. You saw what happened. I want to stay with you, if you don’t mind.”

“I don’t mind at all, sweetheart. In fact, I prefer it myself, but I wanted to give you the option of your own space. I know Edward controlled you for four years and I don’t want to do that any more than necessary for your security.”

She reached up and pulled my head down and locked her lips on mine. Unlike me, she wasn’t soft or gentle. She poured her passion into my mouth, running her tongue across my lips and when I opened to her; she thrust hers inside my mouth and stroked every surface she could. It was like she was trying to devour the statement I just made. When she pulled away, we both were breathless, and I was in real danger of embarrassing myself in front of my younger sister. “Don’t you ever let me hear you compare yourself to that prick again, Ace Wilder. You are nothing like Edward. Nothing!”

“I just meant...”

She put her hand over my mouth. “I know what you meant. But you don’t have to worry about me thinking you could ever be like him. After three days, I already know that everything you do is to protect me, to help me heal. Everything he did was to tear me down and destroy me. From the moment I woke in that hospital bed and even before, you have brought me peace and made me feel loved and protected. He made me feel scared and alone and stupid. So never put the two of you in the same category. I don’t and I never will.”

I kissed her again and heard my sister Skylar pretend to gag. “Shut it, Sky.”

“You two should get a room.”

I smiled at my sister. “We have a room, but Jaelyn needs to take her medicine and rest, and I need to check in with the rest of my crew and see how Gray and Taylor are doing. Can you stay with Jaelyn and keep her company?”

Skylar shrugged. “Sure, I’m not busy. My boss has been away for a few days and I’ve completed everything he asked me to do. Don’t forget, though, that next week is the start of Hell week.”

“Okay, well, show Jaelyn to the master bedroom. I’m sure mom’s already put the clothes she bought in there.”

“You think any of us had any doubt that you’d have her in the big room. Even if Amber and I hadn’t caught you wrapped around her like her own personal human blanket, we knew you’d give her the best room and sleep elsewhere. But from everything I’ve seen and heard, I bet that you’ll continue to be her human blanket.”

I turned to leave and then remembered what I promised Linda yesterday. “Look, are you going to be here tonight after supper?”

Skylar shrugged. “I have no plans tonight. Why?”

“We need to have a family meeting. It’s really important. See if Violet and Vince can Facetime in too. I need to say some things and don’t want to do it but once. It’s difficult to talk about but I need to do it.”

“Yeah okay. Vince should be available. I know his rodeo is tomorrow and Sunday, so he should be free for tonight.”

“Okay, check with Vi. If she isn’t, then I’ll just have to tell her later. I hate having to talk about this at all, but my situation has changed and y’all need to know now.”

Skylar looked at me with worry on her face. “You’re worrying me, Ace? You aren’t sick, are you?”

“Not the way you’re thinking, but it is serious. Not end of life serious, but serious nonetheless.”