Queen of Spades (House of Car...

A/N: Super busy day at work. Trying to find time to type and upload for you guys. Not sure I will get to announce winner and post dress that Alice will wear. BUT I will post whatever I have done and just update the rest later. So by the time this chapter is done, the winner will have their spoiler of choice!

YES the first little section is a la Salali's POV but it's brief and then back to Alice's. I try to keep it in her POV at all times but I switch it out for effect. There's a very emotional chapter coming up where I switch it entirely to a first person POV, so you'll be reading it as if you were that character. But not yet. You'll see ;)

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As good as it felt for Alice to be in Malcolm's arms, right then them being together was a bad thing. Officer Bradley and the new SSA Investigator Taylor had come to discuss Stuart's disappearance and possible retaliation against Alice. The two authority figures had gone to the apartment, expecting to find Alice there, and when they hadn't, Salali had gone with them downtown to try and stall for time. She knew where Malcolm would have taken Alice once he found her. She just wished that there had been some way to warn Alice without sounding suspicious, and in that case, the large Native woman was pissed off that the phone hadn't been working properly. She knew that there had been budget cuts in the police force but at least hteir phones could work!

Alice and Malcolm were cuddled up on his couch with the t.v on. He was holding her to him, letting the physical warmth of his body offer her comfort. Ace's fear was understandable; Stuart had spent most of her life terrorizing and violating her, now that she's finally found people willing to believe and help her, it was destroying his life. His parents were being investigated, he was under suspicion and likely to be charged with statutory rape and assault. His father was likely to be charged with child abuse, they were being sued by the SSA and the media was starting to sniff around them, so the neighbors and their workmates all knew what had been happening in their household. Knowing how determined Stuart would be for revenge, Alice wasn't breaking down like she expected. She'd had her freak out and gotten over it. Whatever Stuart tried to do to her, she would be prepared to handle it.

There was a brisk rap at the door. Malcolm reluctantly left Alice's side to go check who it was. Ace saw his shoulders stiffen in surprise and he turned to her and mouthed 'cops'. She sat up straighter and started to fix at her rumpled uniform, wondering what was going on. Malcolm opened the door to Officer Bradley and a new SSA Investigator. There was obvious suspicion on both of their faces; the fact that young Alice was here alone with a grown man like Malcolm.

Alice stood up and walked over as if she had no awareness of hteir suspicion. It was hard to act wholly innocent but surprisingly she pulled it off well. The stern looking SSA Investigator frowned, no longer quite so certain there was something untoward happening here. Ace knew she'd have to waylay any suspicion about her and Malcolm entirely or their lives together would soon be cut short.

"Officer Bradley, Agent...?" Alice made her salutations an introduction.

"Taylor, Investigator Taylor." he introduced, reaching a hand out to shake. Alice felt his grip test hers, neither too hard or too limp. His hand was cool and dry, a perfect politician's grasp.

"I've heard the b* might be gunning for me." Alice stated bluntly. She'd gotten a sense that Investigator Taylor would respond better to directness than coy ignorance. Malcolm gave her a startled and alarmed look but kept quiet. He trusted her judgement and she felt like glowing at the compliment; but right now she had to act like there was no inappropriate relationship between them.

"That is correct Ms. Spade." Taylor affirmed, a reassessing glint in his eyes. She wasn't the fearful victim he'd been expecting. Alice had found an inner strength that let her determine to not live in fear any longer. Stuart would likely come after her and try to hurt her and there wasn't a whole lot the police or anyone could do while he was just under suspicion and wanted for questioning. If he came to hurt her, Alice could only hope he was caught in the act, and try to survive. So she was afraid, rightly so, but she was refusing to let that fear control her life. Officer Bradley and Investigator Taylor came in to discuss hat actions they could take on hteir end of things and explain the legal limitations placed on them at this time. They also wanted to go over the actions Alice could take to increase her own safety. Of course, things got off on the wrong foot when the first thing out of Malcolm's mouth was:

"She should stay here with me, I'd keep her safe."

Alice felt like face palming but managed not to. His comment immediately made both cop and SSA suspicious. They demanded to know the nature of their relationship as it was obviously more htan just student-teacher. They needed to know why these two seemed so close and the explanation that they had developed a simple friendship while working together at the animal shelter didn't really satisfy the authorities.

"Before I could condone such a thing, I'd have to request a full physical to establish your...real nature together." Agent Taylor said discreetly. Alice saw Malcolm stiffen up, offended on her behalf, but she blurted out,

"You'll find evidence of recent sexual activity." she admitted. Both cop and SSA immediately turned to Malcolm, but Alice kept barreling ahead with, "It's West, the boy who rescued me." she lied. Ace sent a silent thank you to her mental self, knowing that West would back her up on it if she asked him to. It took a while of explaining after that, but Alice could see the moment when both authority figures started to believe her lie. It made perfect sense once they started thinking that way; West was attractive, he was her knight in shining armour, so what sane girl wouldn't be swept off her feet by him? Only Alice saw the smoulder of Malcolm's jealousy over her plausible lies. She was his woman and he was the kind of guy to want others to know it, but doing that right now would make things worse. Thankfully he kept his mouth shut and Alice relaxed while they continued to fire questions at her concerning her 'relationship' with West. It was humiliating but she lied and made them believe her. Alice tried not to fume over how they were willing to believe the lie that she was sleeping with someone else more than they would have believed it if she said she wasn't sleeping with anyone. It seemed that no one could quite believe that a girl with her looks and hi온라인카지노게임 would be celibate. They took West's information to contact him and confirm her 온라인카지노게임, but agreed that under the current circumstances that moving her in with the adult male Malcolm would be more secure than Salali's barely to code apartment complex.

So Alice was getting to move in with Malcolm, but they were gonig to be watched with a more than critical eye, and anything out of line would blow this whole thing wide open. Ace managed to text West so he would know what to expect and then finally got to try and call Salali back. The large Native woman was by turns pissed off at the cops and upset over the worry Stuart's escape must be causing Ace. Since they were still in the room Ace had to be discreet, eventually reassuring her that no, the cops had not found her and Malcolm doing anything inappropriate, and no, she was not having hysterics over Stuart. Finally Alice told Salali to come over and check for herself, but to bring a bag of clothes for Alice at the same time. While they waited for the agitated Native to come over, Officer Bradley expressed how best it would be for Alice to limit her outdoor exposure and allow her friends to do tasks outside for her. Thankfully that awkward conversation ended when Salali arrived with bag and puppy, reminding Alice to keep her guard dog close. The presence of the dog seemed to ease the last lingering worries anyone had abotu Alice and Malcolm being together because it was obvious that Monster did not like to let anyone close to Alice, Malcolm included.

It should have been happy for Alice, moving in with Malcolm. They were pretending that she'd sleep on the couch and Malcolm was going over with everyone who'd listen about how they'd convert the office back into a bedroom for her. But Alice didn't feel happy, she just felt guilty, intruding on his life like this. He hadn't asked her to move in, he wasn't at that stage yet. But because he was worried for her safety, he'd opened his home to her. Once again her issues were screwing up his life and she felt so guilty for causing all these problems. He deserved to be with someone who wouldn't ruin his life quite so often.

It came as no surprise to Alice that the new upheval in her life caused her to suffer through even worse nightmares than she'd been enduring. The knowledge that Stuart was hunting her down added with the knowledge that there was nothing she could do to stop him just fuelled the fires of her terrors and there wasn't a night she didn't wake up in a cold sweat with her heartrate screaming in her chest. She really had no escape from it either, Stuart's disappearance as a person of interest in a child abuse and rape case put him in the news.

Alice spent January in a deepening fuge, operating on a self propelled brutal schedule. She went to school and after class spent the time until eight pm dancing in the performance hall, perfecting her dance sequences. The group fight scene with the boys was the hardest part and more often than not she ended up bruised or battered by the dangerous choreography, but she refused to slow down. Ace needed the oblivion of absolute exhaustion to hurtle her into sleep at all, anxiety over her nightmares just giving her insomnia to add to the stress. At night she worked hard at her studies, using school as another distraction, the animal shelter rounding out her time killers. She managed to endure it all without burning out. She created sets as DJ Mask and listened to it while practicing acro ballet, she was devoted to Monster and all the other animals and pulled her grade up another level. Malcolm grew worried as Alice continued to loose weight, too tired and stressed out to remember to eat or even feel hungry.Salali was constantly at her to eat more and all of her friends got into the habit of making her snack throughout the day. The only fortunate thing to come out of that month was that Lexi was still too humiliated from Alice's dance to bother her.

February rolled around and Alice's birthday approached on an air of dread, not celebration. At 18 her anonymity in the media would disappear. Eventually someone would figure out she was the tragic heroine the media was rallying around. Then she would have no escape, no freedom. Everyone would look at her and know what Stuart had done. Malcolm tried his hardest to make her birthday something to look forward to, not fear.

"Alice, what do you want for your birthday?" he asked one night, cuddling with her on the couch. Her birthday was February 13th, coming up in a week. He teased her constantly about combining her birthday and Valentine's Day together and just kidnapping her for a weekend away. Alice burrowed against his chest, not wanting to think about gifts because that meant the big day was looming closer.

"I want it all to go away." Alice spoke against his chest, feeling pitiful and weak. Her breath puffed against his chest and was reflected back, the heat brushing her cheeks.

"I wish I could give you that mi corazón." he whispered into her hair. I would give anything to get you smiling again." he kissed her, holding her face gently in his hands. She held still as he kissed her, eyes closed and trsuting as his lips caressed her eyelids, her nose, her chin and back to her lips. "I think I have the perfect solution, a birthday surprise." he announced and Alice frowned at him, not liking surprised.

"Oh really?" she asjed, tone doubting.

He kissed her lips, a smile on his face. "Yes."" he confirmed against her mouth.His kiss started out sweet and gentle, but as Alice fervently kissed him back, it morphed to become passionate and consuming. His hands roamed her body under her clothes and she struggled to breath properly. Things were getting very heated up between them when Monster barked at them, making them both jerk and laugh.

"Monster, lay down, be shush and I'll give you a chew toy." Alice bargained, the puppy lay down with a harumph, agreeing to the deal.

"You two are really creepy, did you know that?" Malcolm teased, lifting her shirt so he could kiss the skin of her stomach. The simple gesture moved her and she blushed.

"We should move this to the bedroom. Why provoke the puppy' wrath?" she whispered, the first time in a while when she wasn't too exhausted or emotionally drained to feel passionate.

He looked up at her and she could see the growing desire burning in his eyes. The look of it always took her breath away. she still couldn't believe that of all people, he wanted her. Malcolm smirked down at her as he stood up and unbuttoned his shirt. He dropped it beside the couch, quickly followed by his undershirt. He leaned down over her, kissing her lips as he slid her shirt up, breaking their lips only to pull the fabric over her head. His lips then roamed the skin of her neck and chest, his hand creeped down and Alice was softly gasping, trying to keep her ardeur silent so anyone checking on them wouldn't hear. Malcolm chuckled at the disappointed look on her face when he stopped and stepped away from the couch. His eyes danced with wild fire as he started to open the belt of his pants, Alice sitting up to helpfully chuck his box-briefs aside when there was a knock at the door.

They both froze, knowing just how bad this looked. Quickly Malcolm grabbed his clothes and disappeared while Alice pulled her shirt back on and answered the door. She tore the door open, cursing as she spotted a bloody-nosed and shiner bearing West.

"What the h***?" Alice demandd, pulling him inside without preamble.

West headed straight to the couch and collapsed onto it. Monster was sniffing West and whining, distressed over the young man's injuries. Malcolm came back out with his undershirt and pants on, having heard Alice's alarm.

"I think I did something really stupid." West groaned, touching his face gingerly. Alice and Malcolm just stared at him, expecting a massive bombshell to be dropped. For someone like West to consider an action stupid, it had to be monumentally suicidal. West dropped his hand and looked at their concerned faces. "I pulled a you." she stated cryptically. Alice and Malcolm looked at each other, confused and West burst out, "for the love of---- I've been seeing Maddison Avery shortly after she started helping with the Gala." West spat out. Ace had suspected that he'd had a thing for her, but never guessed that the substitute teacher returned West's interest. "She had a show tonight and I went to see it. Afterwards one of her male co-stars thought they should celebrate with a little alone time, not caring that Maddison already had a boyfriend." his fists clenched at the memory. "And when Maddie slapped him, he hit her right back. I walked in right about then, Maddison went to clean herself up and he and I had a little chat." West's voice was a growl of anger.

"Oh man, am I gonig to be bailing your sorry a** out of jail?" Alice asked, more as a joke than really upset. Both men looked surprised at her blase reaction. "West you did what you thoguht was right. If he presses charges, I've got your back. And bail money." she patted his bloody knuckles gently. Her casual reaction to their shared hi온라인카지노게임 of violence before should have tipped them off to how she'd react now.

Malcolm sighed, nodding. "Mine too. So you and Ms. Avery hmmm?" he asked, eyebrow arched.

West shrugged, uncomfortable looking under the older man's assessing stare. "Yeah what of it?" he demanded, tough front firmly in place.

"Is it something at our school do you think?" Malcolm asked Alice instead.

"I think it's more personality than geography." Alice replied, picking up on what Malcolm meant only after a moment's hesitation.

"Still, two couples at the same time is a little unusual." Malcolm teased.

"Yeah but she isn't a real teacher, so it's a little different." Alice retorted.

"Would you stop making fun of this?!" West demanded, not realizing that their teasing was meant in good humour.

"Relax West. I think it's great. Of course I'm a little biased on the topic..." Alice dismissed with a shrug. West glared at her, angry that she'd figured out his attraction before he had told her about it. He should have realized why she'd spent the last week insisting that Ms. Avery stay behind to help out with their group dance sequence.

"Can I, you know, tell her about you two? So she knows we're not alone?" West asked, suddenly breaking eye contact and looking down at the ground. It was obviously not easy for the young tough to ask permission.

Alice and Malcolm held a conversation with their eyes. It'd be cruel and hypocritical of them to not help out, West had gone above and beyond helping their relationship out. But the more people who knew, the more likely they were to be found out. Besides, West was trustworthy and Maddison had her own secret to keep.

"Alright." Alice and Malcolm agreed, smiling as they said it in unison.

West's eyes shone with gratitude, but he smirked at them. "You two are such the married couple. So when will I be an uncle?" he teased.

Malcolm's hands shot up and he took a step back. "Woah, woah woah. I'm no where near ready to be a daddy just yet." he protested with a smile. "There's pleanty of time for that later."

West laughed. "I hear ya Reaper. No little Westlies required."

"As if you'd be doing any of hte work." Alice teased, shaking her head at them. She and Malcolm hand't gotten to the discussing kids stage yet. They were only living together because Alice was in danger, but seeing how young some of his cousins are and already breeding, it surprised Ace that he wasn't eager to be a father already.

"Speaking of babies, hass the birthday girl decided what to do for her big 1-8 yet?" West asked, perking up again. Despite his bloody nose and swollen eye, he looked quite chipper.

"No, but apparently he has." Alice replied, voice sullen.

"Sweet, let me in on it Reaper, I've got some killer ideas." West grinned at his once idol.

"Just don't get me arrested on my birthday." Alice requested with a roll of her eyes.

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A/N: I have a lot more to put up. I have at least 2 other chapters to type and post. But no time at work to do it. I am mid-move so you will all have to bear with me as I have NO time at home to take care of this. I DO plan on getting chapters up as soon as I finish typing them, so it's not me being a pain. I just have no time to type.

Next chapter is Alice's birthday. She will be 18. But still his student. So they're not out of the woods yet. There is still the senior trip to Cancun, the Gala, exams and Prom. Then this 온라인카지노게임 will be finished :'(

For the keen eyed of you, you will have noticed that I am building another teacher/student relationship between West and the new dance teacher Ms. Avery. I may or may not turn that into it's own 온라인카지노게임 as well after this one is done. Depends on if I'm still on a roll with it. Do you guys want me to post the first blib of their 온라인카지노게임?