CHAPTER 7

My trembling fingers tugged at the hem of my dress nervously, contemplating on adhering to his command and let him take my virginity or, try for an escape.

The only escape route was the floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the beautiful views of Brookline skyscrapers. And, the only way I could make an escape through that was by crashing into the window and landing on the ground floor below, which could result in a broken spine, a damaged brain, or even a demise.

The door entrance wasn't an option either. It would be stupid to try for an escape through that. This was his house and he surely knew his house by every length and breadth.

He would effortlessly fish me out of any corner I hide in seconds.

My eyes watered. I had lost count of the number of times I cried today alone.

Ace’s puzzled frown knocked me back to my senses and I realized I had been keeping him waiting. I also realized something else - the wine, silky nighties he was extending to me.

“You can change into this.”

I blinked away the tears that had gathered in my eyes and accepted the nighties.

“You can take a shower. I will be in the other room.”

I watched, lips parted, as Ace grabbed the suit set he had stripped out of. Striding out of the room, he halted by the entrance.

“You can come over if you need anything.”

Then, he breezed out, closing the door with a soft click.

I breathed out, holding my pounding chest.

Wasn't he going to have sex with me?

I immediately ran to the door and locked it before he changed his mind, dashed into the room, and pounced on me at once. But, taking a shower and climbing on the king-sized bed, I realized how foolish that was. This was his mansion. If he wanted to come in, he could easily do that by grabbing a spare key.

But, he never did.

Throughout the night, anticipating Ace by the doorstep, ready to claim my virginity as he should, he never came by.

And, gradually, my shaky breath became even. My eyes flutter shut, still focused on the entrance. And I drifted off to sleep.

~

I woke up to a knock on the door, light and soft.

My eyes swept to the digital clock by the bedside table. It read past eleven.

I jerked up.

Did I sleep for that long?

I instantly got off the bed, tightening the white robe around me, which had been loosened during the night, and slowly marched to the door.

I tried to ponder on the thought of Ace coming in at some point in the middle of the night and taking me in without my knowledge.

First, there wasn't any sore in my clit. No blood either. Lastly, seeing how huge his hood was, if that ever entered me, I would have known.

A breathed out a relieved sigh.

Standing outside the room was a scowling lady, probably in her late thirties. Her face was a perfect oval-shape and her pointed nose complimented her porcelain skin. Her hazel eyes danced around my figure and her soft angled brow shot up.

Her slender, tall figure leaned into the doorframe as her frown deepened.

“You look younger than I thought.”

Her thick British accent caught me off guard.

“Who are you—?”

Rudely, the lady brought her hand to my lips to shush me and swept past me, trudging into the room, her medium champagne-colored hair in a stylish layer hairstyle, slapping my nostrils as she did.

I followed her in.

“Well, I offended Ace and now, he has assigned me to a styling duty as a form of punishment. I couldn't think of a better punishment than dressing up a teenager.”

I frowned. Was she referring to me?

“What are you still staring at, baby doll? Off you go to have a bath.”

She slurps into the mattress of the bed, making herself comfortable as if she owned everything within this space.

I huffed. What the hell is she?

Wait, have a bath?

“Are we going somewhere?”

I asked, leaning against the floor-to-ceiling window.

“Certainly not me. I'm not the new bride, sweetheart. You, on the other hand? You have to be somewhere with Ace. Now, hasten your step to the bathroom.”

Well, I'm even more confused. Who said I was going anywhere with Ace? Why did he decide without my involvement? I was hoping to lay low till I got comfortable with the fact that I was married to a mafia mob boss. Can't I just be left alone?

“Somewhere? Where?”

“You are becoming nosy. He didn't warn me that you are the nosy type.”

Nosy? Now, she was pissing me off.

“How am I being nosy? This concerns me!”

She suddenly gets up and starts strutting out of the room.

“Where are you going?!”

She halts and swirls around, a cocky grin painting her lips.

“To tell Ace that you've refused his request. Maybe he would come around to dress you up himself.”

What?

“Okay! I will take a shower!”

I immediately grabbed a towel and dashed into the bathroom.

Of course, everyone around Ace would be as vile as he was.

~

True to her words, I was supposed to have a date with Ace. The condescending lady Ace had brought to style me, had me dressed in a dark blue velvety bodycon spaghetti strap gown. I tried but failed to ignore the extension of the v neck collar that effortlessly exposed my cleavage and the slit of the gown to my mid thigh.

It had me wondering who picked the dress. I had my vote on Ace until the condescending lady - who had turned down my request to introduce herself - took a step backward after her final touch on my hair, admiring her work. Then, I figured she might have picked the dress.

The dress was lovely. I loved the way it showed my curves. I loved the way it exposed most of my sensitive skin. Still, I felt nauseated that I was dressed like this only for Ace and not for Elijah or even anyone other than Ace.

The Lady led me down the stairs where Ace was waiting to receive me at the landing, made a few saucy remarks and disappeared into a door by the East Wing of the building.

When Ace grabbed my hand, led me into the passenger’s seat of a Range Rover and drove out of the mansion, I tried to take my mind off the fact that I would be alone with him once again for several minutes. Maybe hours.

I swallowed the bile in my throat.

Of course, it was a fancy restaurant. A five-star restaurant.

I still would like an explanation from Ace on why he brought me here for a date.

He led us into the cozy, empty restaurant. There wasn't a soul there and it brought me to the realization that Ace must have reserved the whole restaurant.

For a moment, I imagined I was here with Elijah for our fifth year anniversary and once I had noticed he reserved the whole restaurant to have our moments to ourselves, I had cupped his cheeks and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

But, Elijah could barely afford one reservation in such restaurant not to talk of the whole restaurant. And the man beside me was Ace, which brings me back to reality.

At some point, a man had walked up to Ace, exchanging words with him in Italian and Ace had inked his fingers with mine.

I felt a rush of adrenaline looking at our entwined fingers.

My stomach twisted in pleasure as his delicate fingers play with mine.

Wait, did I say pleasure?

The man, bald, sturdy and short, led us into a room even more cozier. It overlooked the busy Brookline road through a floor-to-ceiling window and the table at the center of the room was already filled with different Italian dishes.

My stomach grumbled and I realized I have only taken cupcake in the past twenty four hours.

“I figured you might need more than a meal from my cook since you've barely taken a bite since yesterday.”

Ace pointed out immediately we made ourselves comfortable on the seat opposite each other.

I forced out a smile and grabbed a fork to dig in. Then, I realized Ace chose not to eat and instead, chose to stare at me.

When I glanced at him, his gaze was pinned on mine and the lust in his eyes were back. I pressed my thigh together, feeling a ache in there.

After a while, I felt the need to return my gaze back to his and when I did, they remained there. That few seconds of our gaze locking felt like hours no, days. Ourgaze pinned on each other, none of which refused to break the contact.

Ace finally did, grabbing a fork to taste a meal.

“Do you know what got me attracted to you?”

No, actually.

“Your eyes. You had such pretty eyes and they made me melt when they regarded mine.”

When the regarded his? Was it back at the casino when I witnessed him beheading a man? How could he fall in love in that moment?

“Ah,” His teeth grabbed a piece of meat from his fork. “Your smile as well. They look so pretty but, it's a shame I haven't seen them since you became my bride.”

My smile? How did he know what my smile looked like? Had he being stalking me?

“When would I see them?”

Maybe when you get the hell out of my life.

I pulled out a fake, dry smile. Ace chuckled, feeding on a crab.

“Those are fake. I meant real ones.”

Ah. So, he could tell the different. Well, thank goodness he knew he stole my happiness.

“I hope you understand this decision was the best, Brielle.”

He sipped wine from a glass.

“See, I love you and this is my only option to keep you safe.”

“Keep me safe?”

My voice felt foreign to my hearing as if I hadn't spoken for days.

“You would understand later, Brielle. Eat up.”

I managed to steady my trembling hand as I grabbed my fork. In my attempt to reach for the wine bottle, my hand lost control and my fingers slipped into a sauce. I scrambled to wipe it off with a salvet paper but, there was none on the table.

“Let me, please.”

Ace took my sauce-stained hand, holding it in his.

I watched as he brought it to his lips and pressed his soft, cold lips on it, his gaze never leaving mine.

Then, he did the most cuntiest thing any man had ever done to me. He guided my sauce-stained fingers into his mouth, one after the other, sucking the sauce off it, slowly.

The feels of his lips on my fingers made the ache between my thighs return and I rub them together again, nibbling on my bottom lip.

Ace pulled them out, flipping my hand and swipes his tongue along my sauce-stained palm.

I stared at his tongue, the way it twirled around my palm had me wondering how good he would be at tongue-fucking.

I shut my eyes, twirling my head back as I enjoyed the pleasure of his tongue on my palm.

Then, I realized I was enjoying.

I jerked my hand from his grip instantly and got up.

His gaze followed mine and a smirk touched his lips.

Was he enjoying it?

“I-I need to use the restroom and probably grab a salvet paper.”

I slipped out of the room, gathering air immediately I stepped outside as if the room had denied me of any air making its way into my lungs.

He sucked on my fingers and I enjoyed every bit of it. Damn! What is wrong with me?

I took the elevator downstairs, walking up to the man that had led us upstairs, through the elevator, immediately I sighted him.

I tapped him gently and he swirled around.

At a first glance, he looked troubled, creases formed on his forehead. But, his gaze finding mine, the creases settled and I was wondering if I had hallucinated.

“We would need a salvet paper, please.”

I asked politely, accompanying the request with a smile. It was a genuine one and I figured that I was happy. At least, for that moment.

“You should have rang me up instead of having to come down. I will get it immediately.”

The man disappeared into a hall and I sighed, thinking back to what had transpired between Ace and I few minutes ago as I waited for him.

He pleasurized me by just sucking off sauce on my fingers. How embarrassing.

However, that move was so sexy. It was a simple gesture but, it had affected me more than all the make-out sessions I had with Elijah.

Jesus, what am I saying? Shut up, Brielle!

“Brielle?”

The familiar voice called.

And it didn't belong to Ace, it didn't belonged to the man that had disappeared into the hall to grab me a Salvette paper, either.

Yet, it was dangerously a familiar one.

I twisted around, meeting Jasper’s gaze immediately I did.

Jasper, Elijah’s brother and an FBI agent.

Shit!