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Chapter 26
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2025-04-25 15:32:07I already knew that Ace would not be by my side when I woke up. I patted the empty space before sitting up. I had slept on the same bed with him twice and he made sure to disappear before I woke.
I took a shower, forcing the event of the day out of my mind. Then I changed into a cloth, I slept with that bedsheet the entire time. Eva was waiting for me with multiple delicacies laid out on the table and to my surprise, it wasn't just Eva waiting for me. Ace too.He was sitting at dining with his legs crossed while his attention was on his phone, he appeared to be scrolling, his dish remained untouched. He looked up immediately when I came into the vicinity. I shivered when his eyes took me in from head to toe and then back again as if to make sure I really wasn't injured. I was safe. I cleared my throat as I smiled at Eva, thanking her for the meal.She looked at the verge of hugging me, she was happy that I was safe."I thought you would never wake and I
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The car screeched to a halt as I shook Martin imploring him to wake up. He stirred and spluttered blood out of his mouth. Even in that state, he draped his body over mine trying to protect me. "Let me call for help...h-hang in there..." I encouraged him frantically searching for my phone. I was trying my best not to allow the panic to envelop me. I know that the key in such a situation is to stay calm even though we were being attacked and the attackers were probably coming for me. My hands shook as I struggled to reach for my purse where my phone was. Martin groaned again and I held him tighter trying to stop the bleeding with my tiny fingers but I knew it wasn't working so I just focused on getting my phone. I should have called the police but on second thought, Ace might be the best person to call. My bloody finger was still shivering while scrolling through the contact when the car door flung open. I froze and clung to Martin who tried to get up to
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Each time Ace was in the same vicinity as me, I always felt it before I saw him. The distinct smell of his cologne was unmistakable and the way my body reacts to his presence. Goosebumps appear on my skin and I feel warmth travel up my spine.But I had never been so happy for my body's way of telling me he was around. Because it meant help, that I won't be kidnapped and used against Ace. The scar faced man had a hand on my back ready to push me in when we all heard a scream, we turned around simultaneously. The scene before me was... wholesome for a lack of better word. Ace stood in the middle of the alley, five dead men littered on the floor, one was in his arm and he had a knife lodged in his throat. Though Ace wasn't alone, he had come with only a man and together they brought five men down. He looked bloodied. Like the devil as his white shirt was splattered in blood and his face set in a furious frown. The darkness of the alley did nothing to allevi
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I crawled beside him curling up into a ball as the image of the dead driver and Martin struggling for his life played in my head over and over again. I had been so close to being kidnapped. Or even killed because that was the goal, I was supposed to be the pawn that gets used against Ace. I clamped my hands against my midsection, hugging myself. I came to Ace room because I wouldn't be able to sleep without another human's warmth. It's nothing big, just me seeking comfort. I told myself. I did not hear the sound of Ace ending the call until he slid next to me and replaced my hand with his, he drew me so that my back was against his chest and his warm breath on my ear. The continuous image of the blood gradually dissipated. I sighed as I leaned closer enjoying the feel of his heartbeat that my back detected. It was even, like a lullaby but I didn't sleep. No matter how hard I tried to sleep it was impossible, thoughts floated in my head like a chaos that
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Ace’s presence beside me was oddly comforting, despite the usual tension between us. His hand rested lightly on my thigh, a silent claim that I wasn’t sure I liked. But right now, I was too focused on the fact that someone had followed us.I stiffened. Ace noticed immediately.“What?” His voice was calm, but his grip on my thigh tightened.I swallowed and kept my gaze trained on the shadow disappearing behind the wall. “Someone’s watching us.”Ace followed my line of sight, then glanced at Fred. “Secure the entrance. Nobody gets in or out without my permission.”Fred nodded and walked off, issuing silent commands to the other guards. Ace pulled me close, his lips brushing my ear. “Who did you see?”I hesitated. “I—I’m not sure. Just a figure. It could be nothing.”Ace scoffed. “It’s never nothing.”He guided me into the hospital room where Martin lay, bandaged and asleep. Relief flooded me at the sight of his chest rising and falling steadily.“Martin,” I whispered, stepping closer.H
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Ace’s presence beside me was oddly comforting, despite the usual tension between us. His hand rested lightly on my thigh, a silent claim that I wasn’t sure I liked. But right now, I was too focused on the fact that someone had followed us.I stiffened. Ace noticed immediately.“What?” His voice was calm, but his grip on my thigh tightened.I swallowed and kept my gaze trained on the shadow disappearing behind the wall. “Someone’s watching us.”Ace followed my line of sight, then glanced at Fred. “Secure the entrance. Nobody gets in or out without my permission.”Fred nodded and walked off, issuing silent commands to the other guards. Ace pulled me close, his lips brushing my ear. “Who did you see?”I hesitated. “I—I’m not sure. Just a figure. It could be nothing.”Ace scoffed. “It’s never nothing.”He guided me into the hospital room where Martin lay, bandaged and asleep. Relief flooded me at the sight of his ch
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The drive back was silent. Ace sat beside me, fingers drumming idly against his knee, while Fred focused on the road ahead. The tension from earlier still lingered in the air, thick and suffocating. I wanted to ask questions—so many questions—but I wasn’t sure if I wanted the answers.Ace had just threatened a man with a gun. Not surprising, given who he was. What unsettled me was how unaffected he had been, how natural it all seemed.I took a breath, forcing myself to speak. “So… Nightwind.”Ace didn’t look at me. “Yeah.”“Are you going to tell me what that means?”His fingers stilled, but he didn’t respond.I sighed. “Right. I forgot. You don’t do explanations.”Ace glanced at me then, his expression unreadable. “Nightwind is one of the five families under my rule. Or, at least, it used to be.”That got my attention. “Used to be?”“There was a shift in power a few years ago. I allowed Julia’s husband
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I wasn’t sure how long I stood there after Ace’s words settled in the air. I won’t let anything happen to you. The weight of that promise pressed against my chest, leaving behind an unease I didn’t know how to shake.Because if there was one thing I had learned about Ace Reynolds, it was that he never promised anything unless he meant it.And that scared me more than anything else.I forced myself to move, climbing the stairs to our bedroom. The moment I shut the door behind me, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding. My fingers trembled as I unbuttoned my blouse, my mind replaying everything from earlier—the way Ace had spoken about Nightwind, the way his entire body had tensed when he mentioned Julia.There was more to this. I knew there was.And the worst part? I had a feeling I wouldn’t like the answers.I showered quickly, letting the warm water wash away the grime of the day, but no matter how much I scrubbed, I
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The moment Ace shut the door behind him, I exhaled sharply, my fingers gripping the robe around me. My heart still pounded from Vincent’s parting words, from the way Ace had looked at me before leaving.She’s none of your concern.It should have been reassuring. It wasn’t.I paced the length of the bedroom, frustration bubbling beneath my skin. Ace had been keeping things from me—things about Julia, about Nightwind, about this entire damn world I’d been thrown into. And now, Vincent Green was involved, a man whose name alone sent a shiver down my spine.I needed answers.I walked toward the door, hesitated for half a second, then pulled it open. The hallway was dim, the soft glow from the chandelier downstairs barely reaching this far. I crept forward, my bare feet silent against the cool marble floor.I had no idea what I was expecting to find.I just knew I couldn’t stay in that room, waiting.Halfway down the staircase, I heard them.“…not your call, Ace.” Esther’s voice, sharp and
Last Updated : 2025-05-01
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We drove in silence. Valerie kept both hands clenched on the wheel, her fingers practically digging into the leather. Esther lounged in the back seat like she didn’t have a care in the world, scrolling through her phone. I stared out the window, my mind racing. We had done it. The money had been moved. We should’ve been celebrating. But all I felt was unease. “So,” Valerie finally spoke, voice tight. “Where exactly are we going?” “My place,” I answered. “At least until we figure out if anyone’s onto us.” Valerie let out a short, humorless laugh. “Oh, they’re onto us. Did you see that backtrace? We had, what? Three minutes before they found me?” “But they didn’t,” Esther said coolly, still focused on her phone. “You wiped the trace. No one’s knocking down your door.” “Yet,” Valerie muttered under her breath. I turned to her. “Val—” “No.” She shook her
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Valerie wasn’t answering her phone.I paced outside her apartment, my nerves on edge as I hit redial. The cold Boston air bit at my skin, but I barely felt it. My fingers tightened around my phone, my patience running thin.Esther’s words replayed in my head: She doesn’t have to lie. She just has to hack a few accounts, move some numbers around, and make sure all the blame falls on the Nightwind’s enemies.Simple. In theory. But Valerie wasn’t built for this. She wasn’t a fighter, wasn’t a criminal. She was the girl who made terrible jokes when she was nervous and wore her heart on her sleeve. And here I was, about to drag her into my mess.The door finally swung open. Valerie stood in the doorway, wearing an oversized hoodie and pajama pants covered in cartoon frogs. Her auburn curls were a tangled mess, her gray eyes half-lidded with exhaustion.“Bri?” she yawned. “It’s—” she glanced at her phone screen “—almost midnight. What’s going o
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Chaos erupted like a gunshot in the dead of night.The moment Dawson lunged forward, a switch flipped, and the warehouse became a battlefield. Shadows moved, bodies collided, and the sharp echo of fists meeting flesh filled the space.I barely had time to react before Ace grabbed my wrist, yanking me back against him. “Stay close,” he murmured, his breath hot against my ear.Valerie’s panicked voice rang out, “This is so much worse than I thought it’d be!”Esther, ever the professional, sidestepped an attacker and slammed her knee into his stomach. “Then stop talking and do something useful.”Julia remained still, her smirk never faltering as the chaos unfolded around her. She was watching—assessing. Like a queen seated on a throne, waiting to see if her kingdom would fall or flourish.Her gaze met mine, and she lifted her chin. “Brielle.” Her voice was calm, almost amused. “I don’t know why you’re fighting so hard. This is inevitable.”I clenched my fists. “You’re delusional.”She ar
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I barely felt the cold night air as I stormed out of Julia’s mansion. My mind was spinning, my chest tight. Ace’s words played on repeat—I’m not leaving.It didn’t make sense.Dawson walked beside me, silent but radiating frustration. Esther trailed a few steps behind, muttering curses under her breath.The second we reached the car, I turned on my heel. “Did you see his face?” My voice came out sharper than I intended. “He was lying.”Dawson yanked open the car door. “Yeah, no shit.”Esther leaned against the hood. “He looked drugged. Or hypnotized. Or—” she waved a hand, “—something unnatural.”I crossed my arms. “Julia did something to him.”“She’s always doing something,” Dawson muttered.Esther frowned. “It wasn’t just Julia. There was hesitation. Like he wanted to say something but couldn’t.”That made my stomach twist. “Then we have to get him out of there.”Dawson rubbed his temples. “We will, but we can’t charge in blind.”I clenched my fists. “We don’t have time to be carefu
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I gripped the steering wheel tightly as Dawson sat in the passenger seat beside me, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. Esther was in the backseat, tapping impatiently on her phone. The tension in the car was thick, suffocating even. None of us wanted to admit what we were all thinking—if Julia had Ace, then we were already too late.But I refused to accept that.“We’re checking the bar first,” I said, breaking the silence. My voice was steadier than I felt.Dawson exhaled sharply. “You think she took him from there?”“Where else would he have been?” I shot back, gripping the wheel tighter. “He wouldn’t just disappear without a fight. Something had to have happened after I left.”Esther hummed from the back. “I still think we should be looking at Julia’s new husband’s place. The Nightwind Mafia has the resources to keep Ace locked up.”I clenched my jaw. “We’ll get there. But first, the bar.”No one argued after that.---The bar was nearly empty when we arrived, a few scattered patrons
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I knew exactly where to find him.The bar was dimly lit, the scent of whiskey and leather thick in the air. Shadows stretched long across the room, the low hum of conversation buzzing in the background. Ace was where he always was—behind the bar, half a glass of bourbon in his hand, watching the room with that sharp, unreadable gaze.His eyes flickered to mine the moment I stepped inside, and for a second, I hesitated.I wasn’t sure why I had come. Maybe it was the way he got under my skin, the way he always seemed to know what I was thinking before I even said it. Or maybe I just needed something—something real, something solid—when everything else felt like it was slipping through my fingers.Ace didn’t say a word as I approached. He just lifted his glass, took a slow sip, and watched me over the rim.“You’re late,” he finally said.“I wasn’t aware we had an appointment,” I shot back, sliding onto the barstool in front of him.His lips curved slightly, but it wasn’t a smile. “You al
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I wasn’t supposed to be here.That much was obvious.The hallway was dimly lit, the faint golden glow from the sconces casting long shadows against the polished wood. My footsteps had been light, careful, every nerve in my body telling me to turn around and go back.But then I heard them.Dawson’s voice, low and edged with something unfamiliar. Isobel's softer, more vulnerable than I’d ever heard before.I knew I should leave. This wasn’t my business.But I stayed.Pressing my back against the wall, I positioned myself near the slightly open door, the gap just wide enough for their voices to slip through.“I can’t do this,” Isobel whispered. “I keep telling myself that, but then…”Dawson let out a slow exhale. “Then what?”“Then I see you,” she admitted, her voice barely above a breath. “And everything I try to bury comes back.”A silence stretched between them, thick and charged.“You think I don’t feel the same way?” Dawson’s voice was lower now, almost dangerous in its intensity.I
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The bar was loud. Not the kind of loud where music drowns out everything else, but the kind where voices and laughter blend into a constant hum of chaos.I swirled my drink in my hand, watching the ice melt into the amber liquid. I hadn’t taken more than a sip, too distracted by the whirlwind of thoughts in my head.Isobel nudged me with her elbow. “You’ve been quiet.”“I’m always quiet,” I muttered.She smirked. “No, you’re brooding. There’s a difference.”Valerie, sitting across from us, leaned in, her curls bouncing slightly as she lowered her voice. “I… think she’s still thinking about what happened earlier.”My stomach tightened. “I’m not.”Isobel scoffed. “You so are.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “It’s written all over your face. And honestly? I get it. I’d be thinking about it too.”I shot her a glare. “Could we not?”Isobel grinned, completely unbothered by my tone. “Oh, come on. It was kind of hot.”Valerie nearly choked on her drink. “Isobel.”“What?” Isobel shrugg
The Substitute Bride of the Ruthless Mafia Boss Chapter 39: Brielle's POV
The moment the door clicked shut behind Isobel, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding. I had spent the last hour staring at my sister, searching for any trace of the girl I once knew. She was here, she was alive, but something was off. I could feel it. And the worst part? No one else seemed to care. I paced the room, my fingers tightening into fists as I tried to make sense of it all. Ace was seated in the armchair by the fireplace, watching me with that infuriatingly calm expression. “You’re going to wear a hole in the floor,” he murmured. I shot him a glare. “And you’re just going to sit there like nothing happened?” Ace tilted his head. “What do you expect me to do, Brielle? Interrogate her the second she walks in the door?” “Yes!” I snapped. “That’s exactly what I expect! She was missing for months, Ace. And now she’s just back, no explanation?”
