“And you know where to find them?" I can't hide the excitement from my voice. "This Triad?”
He raises an eyebrow. That doubt is still there. “Are you recording our words or something, Princess, cause I can assure you, your daddy trusts me more than he trusts you right now. Anything I say should stay within this room.”
“And it will.” For now. But I don’t let him know that.
“Then, yes, I know where to find them. And by them, I meant the cartel, not the Triads. I don't want any trouble with them. Why are you so curious though?”
Why am I so curious?
This time it’s me that can’t stop the laugh. “I want to meet them.”
His face shows just what a bad idea it is, but I don’t care. I need to get out, plan something on my own, and what’s better than to start with the enemy?
“You want to help your daddy?” He retorts, his eyes hardening. “And what do you think he’ll do to me once he knows that I let you out-”
“He won't.”
He can't.
“Princess, think again-” A loud shrill makes him stop and move back to take the call. Whoever called, it must be urgent as he paces around with a frown attached to his face before hanging up.
“What’s wrong?” He doesn’t answer my question. Instead, he starts to look around as if trying to find something. When he doesn’t find what he needs, he turns to me. My heart drops. As if I’m in that hotel room again, not knowing what’s happening.
“Do you have a laptop?” Laptop? My hand doesn’t register plucking the object from under the bed to give him. He doesn't even waste a second to open it, too focused on his job to notice the terror in my eyes.
Rather than wallowing in the uncertainty, I grip his shoulder to get his attention. “What's happening?”
“Shh.” He types faster, too faster for me to understand what he is doing until a video flashes over the screen. No, not only a video, a live one. And judging by the hiss of his tone, it’s something he didn’t expect.
“Someone is in the property. The security has been breached.”
Someone is in the property...At least I don’t have to stop the surprise from showing once I see a lone figure on the CCTV near the garden. Whoever it is, they aren’t even trying to hide, making my muscles rigid.
“I-I have to go.” I croak out before Carter can do something. Like, restrain me here.
“Raine!”
I make my way outside, running barefoot as if my life depends on it. Maybe it does. I can be wrong, I may be still dreaming but those eyes...only one person in the entire world can have those hateful eyes. And when I finally reach the garden, there’s not enough time for me to scream as I find myself eye to eye with a devil, forcing me to inhale hard.
No...
It can't be.
I want to turn my back on him. It’s instinct. It’s the same old fearful Raine coming back. But this time it’s me who makes him step back as I find the object on my thigh. A metal now so familiar that the coldness of it calms me instead of bringing back every morbid detail of my past. Though the man I’m aiming at doesn’t even flinch as if it's just another nightmare.
“Ace.”
CHAPTER 7
ACE
A SILENT WAR ROARS inside me.
I can’t tear my eyes from her, and neither can she. I sense rather than see it on her amber eyes. It’s nothing more than a distrustful gaze you throw at a speck of dirt or someone you hate with all your heart.
She still thinks I am the monster...
It feels almost surreal when my eyes take in the rest of her. Five years have definitely changed a lot of things. Her false sense of bravery would have been a laughing matter before but now? Now she holds the familiar weapon so easily, with no hesitation to pull the trigger.
My lips twitch. In bitter memory?
“Learned new tricks to use on me, Barbie?” Not the best first words you say to someone after five years of solitude. But what would I know about chivalry? With her, I’m always the Ace Martinez people fears.
There’s no shakiness in her voice as she steps closer. She even smells the same but of course, I don’t tell her that. As if she can hear the thoughts running through my mind, the gun now digs into my forehead. “You told me to never believe a traitor. I’m merely listening to your advice.”
Even now, she remembers. Is that relief that makes me touch the fingers wrapping around the gun? She goes rigid, her skin seemingly cold against my warm ones.
“Traitor?” I chuckle seeing her jaw clench in anger. ”Dio, when did I betray you? I promised I won’t let you go, didn’t I?”
She smiles but there’s no warmth, no hope. “Too little too late, Ace. You have no idea what I have endured in the last five years. You think you are the only monster in my story?”
Aren’t I?
She doesn’t think so. In fact, her smile widens as if she just found her favorite subject to talk about. “Back then I was stupid enough to think that Nick cared for me and you took advantage of that. You tricked me into believing that I only needed you. But it was a lie, wasn’t it?”
I look over her and the gun still attached to her hands. Did I leave this woman in that hotel room? Back then she was a numb little Barbie, always scared of everything. But the last time I saw her she was willing to fight back, even fight me. After that, how many times she had to compare me to another monster?
“You think you don’t need me now?” I’m surprised someone didn’t barge in to interrupt us. Though Ares promised I had half an hour to go and leave with her before anyone realizes that I am here. But something tells me kidnapping her again would be a foolish choice.
“Need?” She juts her chin as if what I said is stupid. And, if I squint too hard, I can almost see Dante in her. “No, Ace. Thanks to you I know the only one who I need is me. I can never betray myself.”
She’s engaged to Vick.
Wasn’t that a betrayal when she chose to be that puto Vick’s? It stings to even think about her with another. Is that how it feels to see your broken toy staring at you with hatred? That she’d rather play a game of chess with her life than trust me. Trust that I’ll be back for her one day when I already lost everything for her.
Her face doesn’t show that.
Vick was found dead.
“How’s your fiancé?” I wonder aloud. The gun lowers in naked surprise and she staggers back. Preparing to run? Something nags in my chest. Guilt never stung so badly that I have to step deeper into the bushes before she can see that emotion.
“You knew.” Her tone is accusing. I don’t bother to correct her.
“I’ve been around. Words spread here faster.”
She shrugs, waving the gun like it’s nothing. “Dead. All of them.”
All of them? Gritting my teeth to stop myself doesn’t work. I have to drag her closer to me, cradling her face so she can’t escape. “What do you mean by all of them?”
“Someone’s killing them, all six of them. I don’t know if anyone is next in the line.”
Holy shit. This was bad, really bad. I thought only one was dead, but if six of them were gifted with death...