7

I could feel my breath catch in my throat, not sure what he wanted with me.

Not sure if he was staring at me out of curiosity…

Or because he actually wanted to speak to me.

But seeing as he hadn’t said a word to me yet…

I thought so much that he didn’t want to say anything.

I swallowed down a lump in my throat, before shutting off my thoughts, needing to stop myself from getting distracted by him.

I came here with Mezoria tonight…

And I needed to remember that.

14

ACE

I continued to watch her intently.

I called the barman on my side of my table, and told him to pay for her and her friend’s drinks all night.

He nodded obediently.

I could feel my phone begin to vibrate again.

Texts from Maricruz…

But I couldn’t be bothered to read them.

I didn’t want to think about her and the arrangement tonight.

I continued to watch her and her friend.

Speaking to each other…

Giggling together.

She still exchanged glances with me, but they were short-lived.

A few men tried approaching her, asking her for her number…

But they said no to all of them.

And I could feel the corners of my mouth curling upwards into a satisfied smirk.

Knowing that I was the only man in the room who’d made an impact on her.

It wasn’t long before a man approached her friend, exchanging flirtatious gestures, before taking her away from her, to the main floor, where they were dancing together.

Leaving the woman alone.

Now it was my turn to talk to her.

15

ACE

I made my way over to her.

“What’s your name then, gorgeous?” I asked, closing the space between us, to the point I could hear her erratic breathing and heartbeat.

I’d already had this impact on her just looking at her…

I could only imagine what would happen if things went further.

“My name is none of your concern,” she remarked, folding her arms, but she was smiling.

“Playing hard to get, huh?” I smirked. “Because the way you were looking over me back then… Told a completely different story.”

Her cheeks burned bright red again, before she coughed loudly.

“It’s Rose,” she smiled, with her hands on her hips. “And you?”

“Ace,” I replied.

She twirled her hair around her finger, biting down on her lip.

God, she was so fucking sexy.

“If you don’t mind me saying, you’re absolutely gorgeous,” I rasped, my pupils dilating, my eyes darkening with desire as I took all of her face and frame in from up close.

She was ten times as fucking beautiful up close.

“Thank you,” she blushed, scratching her arm nervously. “You’re not so bad yourself.”

I let out a low chuckle.

“Oh, I know that, darling. Or you wouldn’t be speaking to me right now… You’d be ignoring me just like you ignored all the other motherfuckers in this room tonight.”

16

ACE

“I take it you’ve had quite a bit to drink then?” I asked her, smirking.

“Nope. I wasn’t in the mood for it tonight,” she replied.

“You know, Rose…” I cocked my head to the side, biting my lip. “I’m gonna be straight to the point. I like you.”

Her cheeks started burning again, but she didn’t say anything.

“Your friend is clearly occupied, so you’re here on your own now. And I am, too.”

“She has a boyfriend. She’s only dancing with another man to send him videos… Make him furious.”

I let out an amused chuckle.

“Cheeky of her.”

I narrowed my eyes intently.

“So, what do you say?”

I trailed off my sentence, my eyes locking with hers.

“You wanna get out of here?”

“I’m not gonna fuck you,” she remarked huffily. “If that’s what you came here for. I don’t make it a habit of fucking men I don’t know.”

“Oh baby, I know,” I rasped. “I was going to take you for a drive, get a little change of scene since neither of us want any more drinks. I’m a gentleman. I don’t fuck on the first date.”

She looked a little embarrassed, as if she was instantly regretting what she’d just said.