“Stop.”
“Yes?” I look up to see her expression somehow strained. Is she truly worried about me?
“Uh...mommy was talking to someone yesterday. I wasn’t meant to hear but it looks like some people were talking about you, asking mommy if she knew you. Some bad people...like outside of Bratva.”
Outside of Bratva?
Immediately his face flashes over me but it’s impossible. He wouldn’t know Carolina’s mom. There’s no way it’s possible. The thought of it even being true makes my throat dry.
“I see,” I whisper, smiling. I don’t know if she knows that the smile is far from being real. “I-I will take care of it. Thank you, Carolina.”
She shrugs, winking for good measure. “Just helping a friend out. We are best friends, aren’t we?”
Yes, we are. Only when we aren’t backstabbing each other.
I nod again, pushing past her to where Carter is waiting for me. The street is dark and the night is lonely. But my heart beats way too faster to ignore it. Who could be asking Carolina’s mom about me?
“Chin up, Princess.”
Startled, I notice we are already standing in front of the club. Carter said it was Triad territory and he was absolutely right. It takes us hours just to enter the place and even then, I can’t ignore the feeling that something can go wrong. It always does.
“Shit, you ok?” Carter yells over the music.
I nod, watching the people in the VIP section. Some of them I know since they work for Papa but others are new. My feet must be already working when I feel a hand yank me aside.
“Come on. Those men aren’t our target tonight. That man is.”
I look at where he is pointing to see a handsome man playing poker with his buddies. Is that it? My ticket to freedom? Despite my best judgment, I snatch a glass of wine from a server to help with the edginess.
Before I can savor the taste though, Carter is dragging me to him. They all laugh at something but all laughter vanishes the moment they see us. Carter is the one to break the silence.
“Hey, Elijah. Just the man I was looking for.”
The man, Elijah nods at Carter but his attention is on me. Can he tell why am I here? Can he know just who the rotten seed I belong to?
“And who is this beautiful woman?”
Before Carter can open his mouth, my hands shoot out to meet his own. “Carolina Bella. I’m with him.”
He shakes my hand all the while looking at me with knitted brows. Does he suspect anything? “Well, Carolina. Nice to meet you. And, don’t get me wrong but I’m quite surprised to find a woman like you here tonight. May I know, why?”
Why?
“I want to make a deal with you.” Carter sighs beside me as I keep going. “Alone.”
“Excuse her-”
“Alone,” I repeat just to make myself clear. I can’t tell what Carter is thinking but the man starts to laugh.
“What the lady wants but first of all-” He shares a look with his men. A familiar one Papa uses right before he says something terrible. “Play a round of Poker with us. You win, you land yourself a deal. You lose...we take something from you, sí?”
“Deal.”
“Fuck, no!”
We both say at the same time. I can feel Carter’s glare cutting through my flesh but I don’t dare look at him. I know he’s angry at the fact that I'm changing his plan. But I need to do something. I need this man...Elijah on my side without Carter hovering over me the whole time.
“She agreed. Please, escort this gentleman out of here.” I see Carter trying hard not to use his fists. So, I faintly touch my left thigh where there’s a gun hiding. Does it assure him? I don’t know. But to my relief, he leaves without causing a scene.
“Now, where were we? Yeah, make your move, girly.”
Make my move. I want to. Someone gives me the cards as I try to look at what others doing. Can they tell that my hands are shaking? I force myself to stare straight at the card but before I can make my move, someone shoves a card on my behalf.
“You have space for another?”
My heart doesn’t want to believe it. That voice...why-how would he be here? That’s it. I’m hallucinating. But my hallucination can’t conjure up such a terrifying sight. Eyes sharp, he talks to that man but his gaze is on me.
“H-How did you-” I whisper, afraid if I raise my voice even a little, I’ll scream.
“I knew you’d be here.” How can he say that!? With no hesitation, so bold as if it’s normal for him. As if he's following me...?
“What the hell did you do?”
He can’t be that cruel, can he? To lie to me, play me like a toy again. But his expression says it all.
“I had you followed." He has the grace to smirk. "You can't erase me from your life that easily, Barbie. I will sink in so deep that your soul will only ever crave me."
My mouth opens but something like a crack echoes through the room. Giggle? Laughter? Or a cry for help? Is this the same man who told me to believe in him? How can I when he proves me right over and over again? When all I see is-
Ace Martinez can never be anything other than a trickster.
CHAPTER 9
ACE
THOUGH MY GAZE IS FIRMLY pinned on my old enemy’s face, I feel rather than see another one on mine. This one is just as distrustful as the one I see on Elijah’s face. But even he wouldn’t dare to call me on my actions so loud that it rings my ears. So heavy with a breathless gasp that leaves nothing to wonder what it’s doing to her.
“How dare you! You can’t possibly...”
Can’t possibly what? Save her from making a mistake? Or trail her like a goddamn dog after it’s bone? She seems to take my silence as such.
“You can’t have that much power over me. Not anymore. Not like this-”
“Martinez.” Another voice clashes her paranoid rambling. Soon laughter dries out all around us and tension takes over. Who wants to hear a ghost’s name anyway? “So, it’s true. You’re out.”
He doesn’t sound disappointed at least.
“And here for some reason.” For a second, his gaze darts to her. Does he recognize her now? I see the exact moment his eyes widen as she stiffens beside me, forcing me to grip her thigh in warning.
Relax, Barbie.
I think I say it aloud or maybe the words are too loud in my head. But either way, she stops shaking against my touch.
“You know why I’m here,” I say, finally turning my attention to him. There’s no way a man like him wouldn’t know why there’s another wolf in his territory. Either it wants a bite or shelter. And right now, I need both to lock away my demons.
“Ace!”
I don’t know why she sounds so worried, or maybe I do but I’m only driven by vengeance. “Shhh...he knows what I am talking about. Don’t you, Elijah?”
He goes rigid but he’s smart enough not to deny my statement. “I believe you want to make some kind of deal?”
“I just don’t want to make a deal, deals can be broken anytime.” I remind him, going as far as to shuffle his cards. Let the game begin. “I want a partnership. And, that includes information, men, weapons, and all those things that usually come with it.”