Ace of Hearts by Greta, Queer As Folk Fanfiction
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Ace of Hearts
By Greta
Chapter 1
Many things could be said about Craig Taylor: he was a real gentleman, worth of the respect of his equals; he was
an important column of the upper Boston Society, and he loved his family, now reduced to his only son, after the
death of his wife. He was smart too, very accurate and very tactful in his job as senior partner in one of the most
important legal offices of the town, and, last but not least, Craig Taylor was the prideful owner of enormous
properties in the country. First of all there was Angel’s Rest, the ancient residence of his wife, Jennifer.
In spite of all of that, nobody could deny that Craig had only one, but overwhelming, vice, one thing that was able to
obscure every other thought in his mind since his wife’s death.
As matter of fact, for the last ten years he had been completely captured more by a sudden passion for gambling, and
poker and dice were his favourite games. That night, like every other Saturday in the last years, he was at the pub,
playing his chances at the gaming table. Lately, the blind goddess hadn't smiled often at the man, but that night,
magically, everything seemed easy. Every hand was a winning one, nobody seemed able to stop him. And it was
time that it happened: in those last months, his vice had brought him to forfeit a lot of his possessions... even some
of his most valuable estates had changed owner after very bad luck hands at the green table.
That night everything seemed perfect, and also his young protégée, the last addiction to his legal office, Ethan Gold,
appeared calmer, or perhaps more resigned than usual. "Tonight I'll be able to face my Justin without shame..." the
man whispered with a smile, something very rare to see on his face, lately.
"Yes, sir. You've won a lot of money... don't you think it's time to quit now?" The other players seemed on point to
comply, but even they were a little happy for the man who was slave of the game, and who thought that a winning
could make his son happy, and that the emotion, the pathos of the challenge could help him to forget his wife.
Craig lifted his head: he knew that a gentleman wouldn't quit after winning, that he had to give a return, and his eyes
scanned the other players, ready to give in, to remain if even only one of them had wanted another chance.
"You've been lucky tonight, Craig. You own us a return game, but not now. Go back to your son, there'll be other
occasions" Horvath, one of the player, said, smiling. Ethan was happy: for a moment he had thought that the others
would have kept the man from his weak resolution to abandon the pub, but now it was over. They were waiting for
their coats, when a strange, but well-known, nasal voice stopped them.
"Now... isn't it Craig Taylor? It's quite a long time since our last meeting. How's your beautiful son?” Yes, he was
Saperstein.
Saperstein, universally known by the only abbreviation 'The Sap', was one of the more disgusting and mysterious
men of Boston. Nobody knew how he built his fortune, how it was that he became one of the most feared
businessmen of the city. Rumours murmured that he started his career as owner of immoral 'clubs', places where
men could find everything they wanted... either girls or boys, and that his fortune had multiplied thanks to his skills
as gambler, earned in the saloons of the west coast.
"Sap... sorry you didn't arrive earlier. It would be a pleasure to challenge you tonight" Craig answered defiantly,
feeling the fire of challenge burning into his chest.
"It’s not too late, if you want to face a real player. You know... it's been a long time since your last victory over me.
Ooops, I forgot... you have never defeated me" and the Sap laughed.
"Sir, he's only trying to provoke you! We've to go" Ethan tried to convince his employer.
"NO! I don't want to withdraw… tonight is my night, I'm sure I can defeat him!" Craig passionately replied,
forgetting his coat and following Saperstein in the main room. He knew he was acting like a child, but he was sure,
he was mathematically sure that that was his occasion, his possibility to regain his self respect, to regain his dignity,
his right to look into Justin's eyes.
They chose the dice. It was easy, rapid... who got the higher score won. Half an hour later, the whole audience was
captivated by the challenge between the two men. Initially the results were balanced, but soon it was clear that
Craig's lucky night was at an end. The Sap seemed unstoppable: every time he threw the dice he made a score just a
little higher than Taylor's. And, in no time, the passion seemed to devour the older man: first he needed a chair, then
he started to sweat, and soon in his eyes were equally visible with fever for the game and desperation.
"Don't you want your 'revenge'?” the revolting man said, when it was clear that Craig had lost everything he had, all
his money, every possession, on the table.
"I... I have nothing more to offer..." the lawyer whispered, tightening his head between the hands.
"Are you sure? I think you've something else I could be interested in" the Sap answered. There was silence in the
pub, as everybody wanted to follow every single detail of that complete debacle. And it was in that moment that the
heavy door was opened and Brian Kinney entered in the room. Feeling the strange atmosphere, but not caring to
show any interest, he reached the back of the saloon, taking a sip from his wine glass, and concentrating his attention
on the deep red of the thick liquid.
"Brian... and his usual grand entrances!" Ted Schmidt whispered, one of the most successful Boston's accountant, to
his long time friend, Ben Bruckner.
"He's the only one who has the poise to do that" the muscular guy confirmed, trying, and failing, to exchange a
glance of recognition with the new guest. But there wasn't time to waste on the dark Brian Kinney: all the lights
were on the couple of men engrossed in their challenge.
"I've nothing else to put on the table... you've everything I owned..." Craig sighed with his head bowed.
"No, it's not true. There something you own and that I've wanted for a very long time..." Every eye in the room was
glued to The Sap, not a breath could be heard in the pub.
"NO!" was the only answer from the older man.
"Yes, your enchanting son. Besides, I know that in few years he'll be the heir of your wife's fortune, and I want him.
I don't like the way he treats me like... rubbish. The disdain in his beautiful eyes doesn't do him any justice".
"No, not Justin!!" Ethan tried to whisper, but his words escaped more like a choked scream.
"Everything you've lost tonight against little Justin. I think I'm being very generous..." the evil man insisted.
"I can't give something I don't own. We're talking about a person, not an object" was Craig's weak objection.
"We both know the boy: he will do everything you want, in order to protect the honour of the Taylor's" there was a
brief pause, then the nasal voice insisted: "So, Craig Taylor? You can regain all of your properties on a hand..."
"I don't think this stake should be accepted..." Ben whispered to Ted.
The accountant shook his head, but he was really curious to see if a man could fall that low. And Craig could.
"All my possessions for... my Justin. I know..." and he turned towards Ethan "I know I'll win this game... and Justin
won't ever know about this! Do you understand?" he screamed, facing all the people now around the table "do you
understand that I can't come back home and say to my son that we've... NOTHING?!"
Nobody said a word and many people stared at everything except for the desperate man. In few instants the paper
was written and signed, and the sheet was on the table. Craig Taylor shook the container with the dice...
A loud 'OOOHHH' was whispered by the crowd: six and four.
And now was Saperstein's turn: he briefly shook the wooden box and then tossed the dice.
It was impossible... Shaking on his legs, Craig dragged himself towards the door, Ethan immediately by his side.
The Sap smiled, then he looked at the dice: six and five...
He extended his arm and brought the paper: Justin was his, he thought, heading for the door."Hey, hey... you seem
in a rush" a voice echoed in the room "Don't you want to try your fortune one more time, Sap?"
Once again the crowd's complete attention was glued to Saperstein:
"Brian Kinney... what a pleasure to see you again" the man said, clenching his teeth "Didn’t know you were here to
play... to lose".
The tall dark man reached the table and started to roll the dice. "Why not... it seems such an interesting night, so far.
Don't you want to improve your prize?" he added, getting out of his pocket what seemed a heavy velvet bag.
Another challenge, and like Craig Taylor some hours earlier, The Sap was tempted to decline the offer. He turned
around, and it was immediately clear that everybody was waiting for his answer.
He lifted his head: after all it would be nice to give a lesson to that arrogant bastard of Brian Kinney! "Dice again, or
do you prefer some other game?" he asked, approaching the table.
"I think it would be more exciting" and at this point Kinney lifted an eyebrow "to continue with the dice. You
seemed very lucky tonight".
"As you like it... but we have to decide the stake. Are you up for a... spiced bet?"
"Always" and then Kinney threw the content of the heavy bag on the table. Little shining diamonds rolled on the
green carpet "These ones for the house and the boy" he smirked.
"What... boy?" suddenly Sap seemed upset and suspicious.
"The Taylor boy. He appears to be very important to you".
The other didn't answer.
"Ok, if you don't have the courage to..."
"I do have, Kinney. The house and Ju... the boy, for your diamonds. They seem...amazing!" Saperstein murmured
with a sudden sparkle in the eyes.
"They are pure and extremely rare".
"So is my stake" said the older man "Let’s start".
Both of them wore their best game face. The challenge started, it was all or nothing on one roll of the dice.
Saperstein was the first: after a rapid shake, he threw the dice on the table... and again it was quite perfect: five and
six. With a smirk, The Sap presented the little cubes to his adversary. Brian Kinney was equally rapid and he tossed
the dice, remaining with his eyes glued to those of his rival.
"It can’t be true!" Ted was shocked and mesmerized like the others patrons of the pub.
"The luck of Irish" Ben whispered.
The dice were on the table, six and six.
"I think these are mine" Kinney smirked, gathering the papers signed few minutes earlier by Craig Taylor.
Nobody was able to add a word because, suddenly, a shot echoed in the old rooms of the club... and it seemed to
come from the library. There wasn't time to try to understand, because the heavy door was opened again and Ethan
Gold entered slowly in the room, obviously shocked: "Craig Taylor... Craig Taylor has killed himself!"
Chapter 2
"Brian, it's been three weeks... aren't you curious to see your prize?" Ted Schmidt couldn't believe that his long time
friend wasn't at least a bit intrigued to see the result of the bet he had won so much time before.
"No. I’ve more important things to do" Kinney answered, moving his queen on the square board and giving no
escape to Ben Buckner's king.
"You won again! I hope someday you'll give me a chance. It's not amusing losing every time!" smiled the muscular
man, standing up and heading for the liquor chest.
"It's not my fault you're such losers!"
"Brian... you were fantastic!" and this was obviously, Michael Novotny, one of his older friends, one whose brain,
unfortunately, had remained blocked to the day they met.
"Well, the house... and the boy! Don't you want to know why The Sap was so interested in them?" Ted insisted.
"Don't you see you're bothering Brian?" Michael replied visibly upset by the idea of the house... and especially of
the boy.
"Once you know Sap, you can't think what interests him could have a minimum appeal on you!" Ben added, trying
to smooth the atmosphere with a laugh.
"As I said I've more important things to think about, and honestly I've completely forgotten all the Taylor's story"
Kinney paused, then added "And I think that this has been for the better: I believe the last days had to be hard for the
family". Craig Taylor had killed himself with a gunshot and now all his financial mistakes were exposed at daylight.
His legal office had been picked up for few bucks by the rival firm, and The Sap hadn't lost time to reclaim all the
Taylor's possessions won that last night.
"Angel's Rest is not so far... it's ten miles from Boston. How about a contest?" Ben proposed, suddenly sharing Ted's
curiosity "It could be an amusing way to end the night!"
"BEN! What are you talking about? It's a waste of time... I'm sure we'll find a forty years old man in a wheelchair
and full of pimples!" Michael objected. Craig Taylor was near sixty, so it wasn't an improbable description.
"Your kind of man..." Brian mocked, shaking a little at the idea.
"Well, are you up to my contest? Ten thousand dollars for the first who reach the house!" Ben suffered the long
winter nights and he was always happy when they could find something new to amuse themselves.
There were some moments of silence than Brian stood up and, stretching his arms,said: "Ten thousand... without
tricks!"
"But... Bri!!!"
"You can stay home if you don't want to come" Ted suggested, knowing very well that this was something Michael
would never do.
"No, no... I'm in" Michael replied even if he was far from happy to go to see Brian's prize.
When they arrived at Angel's Rest, Kinney was obviously the first having had the advantage during the whole trip.
"Well I'm richer everyday no matter what I do..." he smirked, getting off from the horse and assuring the black
stallion to the fence with a rope. After few instants the four of them were at the heavy wooden door beating the old
ring.
"How they dare to leave us out here in the cold?" Michael whined, resting the hand on his best friend's arm.
"Probably Taylor is oiling his wheelchair..." Ted muttered, trying to hide his smirk.
"Idiot..."
"Stop!" Kinney ordered. He didn't think their coming was a great idea, but had also the strange feeling that behind
that door there was something very important for his life "You're acting like children".
At that moment a man in his early fifties very pale and a little unsteady on his feet opened the door looking
inquisitively at the fours.
"I'm Brian Kinney, I've to talk to Mister Taylor" Brian said with a very assertive tone.
The man let them space and they entered in the hall of the old house. It was obvious by the few lamps lit up that the
occupants had just retired. While they were trying to look around low sounds were heard from the head of the dark
stairs and first a shadow then a man made its appearance in front of them. Neither Ted nor Ben tried to hide their
smirks while Michael made a whole act in order to show openly his satisfaction: the man was in his late twenties and
his 'style' was a little flamboyant. Absolutely not a Brian Kinney's type. The man stopped at the bottom of the stairs
and Brian, forcing himself to be his usual unattached self and to not show his delusion, opened his mouth in order to
introduce himself, but his mouth remained open for a very long time...At the top of the stairs appeared what seemed
to be nothing less than a blond angel. Wrapped in a long white night vest with slightly sleepy eyes, fair skin and the
bluest eyes the four of them had ever seen, was a boy about fifteen years old.
The kid started to descend the stairs, stopping near the strange man who had showed before him: "Brian Kinney?"
he asked with a boyish voice, probably accentuated by the sudden wake-up, and trying to focus his attention on the
little crowd facing him.
"I am" the tall man answered "And these are my friends: Ted Schmidt" and the accountant tried a little bow, his eyes
still glued to the boy, "Ben Buckner and Michael Novotny".
Michael reaction was a very fake smile, a not very felt token to gentlemen's manners.
"You must be thirsty after this long trip. Emmett" and the blond turned to the man he was near to "could you take
our guests to the dining room? and Vic" he said to the man who had opened the door "Probably we'll need some
wine...".
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