One Piece Manga Ace Novels & Stories

A strong hand rests on my shoulder. “Hey, Princess.” Ace presses a hard kiss on the side of my head and slips onto the bench next to me. His hair is parted to the side. He's wearing a soft smile and his usual all-black outfit, but the displeasure in his eyes makes my malfunctioning heart sink to my stomach. “W-why are you here?” “I just wanted to sit down and have lunch with the two people who keep filling my princess’s head with bad ideas. Is that bad?” Yes! It is more than bad! You can't be here.

Ace’s eyes flicked down, his palm sliding flat over my bare skin. “Did you make yourself pretty for me?” he coaxed, his voice dangerously low. A tremor ran through me. I clenched my lower lip between my teeth, turning my head away. Don’t react. Don’t react. But the heat of his palm pressed against my stomach, searing into my skin like a brand. Ace hummed, clearly amused. “I’ll take that as a yes.” His head dipped down— His tongue dragged along my stomach, slow, unhurried.

“Subtlety Is overrated.” Ace’s gaze cut to me, the ocean in his eyes storm-dark. “You’re bleeding.” I glanced at my torn sleeve, the cut beneath barely stinging. “Add it to the tab.” Valerie snorted. “Tab’s maxed out. You’re officially in debt to the universe.” ***

Why he'd done it and why he cared enough to do it and why he was helping me at all when I'd given him nothing but attitude and resistance. The door opened. Ace stood there in sweatpants and a t-shirt and his hair was damp like he'd just gotten out of the shower. His eyes widened slightly when he saw me and surprise flickered across his face before it settled into something more guarded. "Max? What are..." "Did you beat up Damon?" The question came out sharper than I intended and accusatory. Ace's expression didn't change but something shifted in his eyes. Acknowledgment maybe. Or resignation. "Max..."