Chapter 4
4
ACE
Sadness is really just anger banging on the door waiting for a fight.
R aven tiptoed around her sadness and gave in to anger like I knew she would.
Ridiculous, as the current situation meant that she was a danger to herself and everyone around her, unable to think clearly or make decisions.
Angry and provoked, she had adrenaline coursing through her system and was constantly looking for someone to attack.
I planned on being that person.
It kept her alive and on her toes.
And by proxy, I stayed alive too, and did my job, didn’t get yelled at, and wouldn’t end up staring at her full mouth or pink lips.
She ripped off her heels while walking up the steps, let out a curse, and kicked them off backwards in my general direction.
I calmly picked them up and held them while she jerked open the front door and stomped through a crowd of family and associates.
She stopped in front of her dad, Dante, early forties, looking like he was still somehow in his twenties with his jet black hair and black suit.
The guy’s eyes were so teal it was unnerving.
Almost every human who met him decided then and there that he was one of the most attractive men alive—I could at least attest to him passing it down to his twin daughters.
Poor bastard.
Poor me.
Tempest, Raven’s twin approached, then looked down at Raven’s feet, back up at her face and backed off, like they were communicating without using words.
Raven crossed her arms in front of her dad’s towering frame.
“Fire him.”
Dante stared into his glass of whiskey.
“No.”
“Dad—”
"You’re grieving. Go change. Eat some food.”
"But—”
His eyebrows rose.
“This isn’t the time, Raven. I love you too much to watch you make a spectacle of yourself in front of everyone because you hate the person replacing the one you love as if he could ever truly take his place.” He kissed her forehead.
“I love you more than my own life. He’s the best. Let him do his job.”
Her lower lip trembled.
“We’ll talk later.”
"Argue, you mean?" he said in a lighter tone.
Her face softened briefly before she hugged him and stomped down the hall.
Still holding her heels in my hand I stopped by my cousin Ivan, the new De Lange boss—my boss technically.
"So,” He eyed me up and down. “I can’t decide if you’re dressed like a guy who fucks his way through Wall Street or a rebellious pastors kid with a trust fund.”
I shrugged. “I didn’t exactly have a lot of time to pack.”
He stared down at my hands and smirked, a dimple making itself known on his right cheek. “She throw those at you?”
"And if she did?
"
"Did you deserve it?
”
I grabbed the glass from his hand and downed all of it.
“She’s not angry enough to throw them yet, but I have high hopes for future weaponry by way of spikey heels, in fact I eagerly await it.”
“You’re weird.”
"So you’ve said every day of my life.” I sigh, handing the glass back to him. “She won’t come out unless forced. I’ll take care of it. Oh also, I take it I’m not fired?”
I said it loud enough for Dante to hear.
He shared a look with Ivan. “Do your worst, Ace.”
Permission.
Excellent.
I nodded. “And by that you mean my best. I won’t let you down.”
"Good.
” Dante clipped. “And Ace, I know this comes as no shock, but touch a hair on her head in any way that doesn’t help her through this and I’ll slit your throat. She belongs to the Alfero family until I give her away, until I walk down that aisle. I’ll cut your hands from your body if I find out they soiled any part of her. Understood?”
Ivan choked on a laugh next to me.
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not into girls. I like women. No offense, Dante, but your precious daughter is safe.”
"Is this a bad time to remind you that you’re only six years older than her?” Ivan pointed out.
I glared at him.
“What?” He shrugged. “I’m just saying, it’s not like?—”
“Stop talking. I’m getting bad thoughts,” Dante interrupted glaring at me. “Make it better, Ace, and meet me later. We have more…intel.”
I nodded. “I figured as much. Answer one thing…”
Ivan and Dante both froze in place.
"Never mind,” I whispered hoarsely.
“I think you just answered my question, and I think my job just got a bit more difficult.”
Dante placed a hand on my shoulder.
“If anyone can do it, it’s you.”
Ivan gave me a playful shove toward the hall.
“Off you go, little cousin. Let us know if she makes you cry. We’ll be waiting with ice cream and romcoms.“
Very funny,” I called back and made the painful walk down the hall and up the stairs to her room.
I lifted my hand and knocked twice.
No answer.
Not that I was shocked, she wanted to be alone which was the last thing that was good for her.
Nothing about Raven shocked me anyway, right down to her not answering the door.
“I’m coming in,” I announced and shoved the door open; at least she wasn’t stupid enough to lock it, knowing that any one of the people here would just break it down in a heartbeat.
It was worthless and annoying.
The lights were off.
The room was still and smelled like sadness.
I was used to the smell of her rich and fresh perfume, instead it was almost like I could smell the salt in the air from her tears.
I hated it probably as much as she hated me in that moment for interrupting her darkness.
Clothes were discarded on the floor, her black dress, a pair of black nylons, and then there she was, sitting on the floor next to them, hair a mess in nothing but a black bra and matching panties.
The only light she had was coming from the screen of her phone.
I didn’t have to guess to know it was probably a picture of him or them together.
Unhealthy.
“Staring at him won’t bring him back or make him feel better.” It was harsh but she needed to face reality and if pissing her off on a constant basis pulled her out of grief, I’d gladly do it.
I wish someone had done it for me years ago.
She didn’t put her phone away.
“I’m not coming out.”
And here we go.
"Yes. You are.”
"Make me, tall man with too many muscles.
You know steroids make your dick shrink, right?
”
"My dick thanks you for your concern, it’s just fine, though.” I checked my watch. “Nine seconds before I toss you over my shoulder. I highly doubt you want everyone to see your naked ass.”
She shrugged. “They’ve seen worse. You’ve seen worse.”
For a fleeting moment I looked at her, really looked, and then I proceeded to grit my teeth and think about my vows.
Refusing to touch anyone until a penance was paid in blood.
No matter how pretty.
Broken plus broken doesn’t equal whole.
"Nine.
” I crossed my arms. “Eight.”
She wasn’t going to budge, and I was already tired of my own voice and tired of her.
“Seven.” I leaned down and got in her face.
She met my gaze and narrowed her pretty brown eyes.
“Counting backwards while sober still a challenge for your brain cells?”
"Six.” I leaned in.
She didn’t flinch.
“Fine.” I grabbed her body and pulled her to her feet and tossed her over my shoulder. She hit me in the back with her fists.
I barely felt it.
I barely knew what physical pain was anymore anyway.
I walked her backwards into the shower and turned on the cold water then stood under it with her.
“STOP!” She shrieked.
I held her firm despite her squirming and screaming, and I counted. “Five. Four. Three.”
“ACE, STOP!” She kicked, narrowly missing my dick then tugged at my hair, her nails scratched up and down my back. “I hate you! I hate you!”
Teeth chattering, she kept yelling until her voice was hoarse.
Our countdown was over.
Slowly, I slid her down my wet body and gripped her by the chin. “Get your ass dressed, put a hat on your wet hair, and eat a sandwich, if you make me tell you one more time I’m bringing you back to the cold shower. Don’t for one second think anyone’s going to save you. Only you can save yourself and you do that by eating a fucking sandwich, do you understand?”
Her chest heaved. She shoved against me and stomped off, grabbing a towel. I followed after her and wiped down my face with one of the other dry towels and watched while she stripped out of her wet clothes, showing me nothing but naked glistening skin.
She looked over her shoulder. “Stare much?”
“Slow much?” I sighed.
She jerked on a pair of black sweats and a matching sweatshirt and shoved an LA hat on her head and walked out the door.
I followed close by.
Ivan and Bella were waiting on the outside.
Bella smiled up at me. “I thought you were water boarding her with all the screaming. Dante asked us to check up on you.”
"I would never hurt her.
”
“Oh…” Ivan grinned.
“He was more concerned for your safety.”
I snorted.
“I can handle her.”
Bella made a face.
“Most kids ask for a car for their sixteenth birthday. She asked for a machete.”
I almost cracked a smile.
Good girl. “So?”
Ivan pinched the bridge of his nose.
“I thought dealing with my family would be hard, you’ve got your work cut out for you. The Alfero’s are actual nightmares.”
Bella nodded in agreement.
“At least the Abandonatos are sane.”
We both gave her a look.
She rolled her eyes.
“Whatever. So we wiped out like your entire bloodline at one point, water under the bridge.”
I shook my head and walked away.
“I’m going to go make sure she eats.”
"Eats!” Ivan called. “Not chokes!”
"No promises! ” I yelled back.