3. ACE
Chapter three
ACE
S itting in my office, leaned back in my chair, waiting for Papa to get here before Charles and Emma show up. Caz sits in the chair across my desk, filling me in on intel I have been after but I'm not paying a lick of attention. I can't stop thinking about Emma.
“Ace, are you fucking hearing me? I snap my eyes up, and stare at him. “Yes, fuck, I hear you. Go on.” That's half true, but this time I do listen as he continues to ramble on about a boss that has been slipping into the casino, playing dirty at our high stakes tables.
“When do you want to do this?”
“Tonight.” I growl the words out. I don't like being cheated and now I have what I need to take him down, I will handle it tonight.
My father walks in before Caz stands, stepping out of my office to give my father and I privacy. I watch my father walk to the couch and sit down.
“What is this meeting about, Papa? I need to handle some things this evening, so I need to wrap this up.” I ask him while I watch him get himself adjusted in his seat.
“I don't know if you are going to like the answer to that question, son.” He is being dead serious, but he also has that shit eating grin on his face.
I raise my brow, clenching my jaw, annoyed with his behavior.
. “I'm not in the mood for this, Papa.” He crosses his leg, resting his ankle to his knee as he throws an arm up on the back of the couch, staring at me dangerously. “We have a problem.”
“What's tha-” There's a knock at my door before Caz lets himself in with Charles and Emma following behind him.
When my eyes fall on her; of course I examine her entire body before they meet her gaze.
She gives me a little side smile before her eyes flutter.
Her words leave her tongue. “Good Morning Gentleman.” She makes her way to my father, bending over, placing a peck to his cheek, before coming around my desk as I stand to greet her.
“Good Morning.” She gets up on her tippy toes and her lips press to my cheek, she pulls back just a hair, whispering above my skin, just so I can hear.
“We're being set up for something.” She pulls back and the way her eyes burn into my eyes, I get an instant lump in my throat.
“Yeah, I'm well aware.” I try to assure her as she shoots me a tight smile before sitting in the chair beside Charles.
Taking my seat, I bark out the words in a demanding tone, feeling a little on edge with Emma's words. “So why are we here?”
Without wasting time, Charles begins to tell me what the fuck we are here for. “You're going to marry my daughter-”
“I don't fucking think so!” Emma flies out of her chair, glaring down at Charles with fire blazing in her eyes.
“Sit down!” Charles orders her.
“You will not arrange a marriage for me! It is not happening!” She spits.
“YOU WILL DO WHAT I SAY!” Charles stands, striking out, smacking her across the face. I fly out of my chair, with red in my sights.
“You fucking bastard.” Her voice cracks and I step in front of her. Charles nose to nose with me now. I stare into his hateful eyes, but mine are more dangerous with the blood that's glazing over them, blurring my vision.
“You touch her again and you're a dead man.” I warn.
“Is that a threat boy?”
The words seethe from lips. “That's a promise.”
“Ace, back down.” My father orders but I don't leave my deadly gaze with Charles until I feel a small soft hand on my chest covering my rapidly beating heart and a soft voice whispering out, “He's not worth it, Ace.”
My eyes land on Emma and I swear I see tears in her eyes, her cheek red, the imprint of Charles' hand coming to light which causes me to cringe.
I understand it is common for the bosses to treat women poorly, especially when they speak out of place, using them for whatever they may, but I don't tolerate hitting women, it's a hard no for me.
I take a step back, then grab her hand that's resting over my heart; that is trying so hard to calm down, but the protective wave that is crashing over me, is making it hard. I lead her to my chair and sit her down, then turn towards Papa and Charles. “What is the meaning of this?”
“As you know, you both need to marry to produce Heirs to continue our family legacy.” My father speaks up.
“I'm not getting married, end of story!” Emma hisses, her nostrils flaring. I place a comforting hand on her shoulder, looking down at her. “Let's listen to what they have to say.”
She raises a brow at me then crosses her arms, which causes me to chuckle to myself with her sass, before I look back at Papa. “Go on.”
“I don't want another boss coming in here claiming what I've built with Charles, so the way to fix that is for the two of you to marry, keeping it strictly between our families, ending with one family when you produce an Heir.”
Emma looks like she just had everything taken from her, as her eyes begin to pool with tears. “Excuse me, I need to use the restroom.” She doesn't wait for permission, she stands as my hand falls from her shoulder and she is out of my office door before I can get a word in.
Caz pokes his head in and I bark an order, “Don't let her leave.”
He nods and he is out the door. I look back to Papa and Charles, taking in a deep breath, then look at Charles seething the words from my throat, “You taught her nothing of this life and now you want her to marry me, you’re fucking scum.”
Charles' lip curls into a snarl, but Papa stands up, stepping between us incase I pounce like the fucking tiger I can be.
“She knows her place and she will do as I say.” Charles growls.
At this point right here, I knew I had to convince Emma to agree to this, or I'm afraid Charles is going to do something dirty.
“This is for the best interest of the casinos but also our family brotherhood. The alliance between the families will be stronger.” Papa advises.
“We can't force this on her, or she is going to run.” I state.
And I have a feeling when she does, you will not find her if she is driving that car, getting the sense she is a runner.
EMMA
My heart beats hard in an uncontrollable rhythm in my chest, taking my breath from my lungs, my mind fuzzy.
I have to get out of here. I have to leave. I find the nearest exit and dart towards it until Caz jumps in front of me.
“Get out of my way, Caz.”
“I'm afraid I can't do that Emma, Ace's orders.”
“You tell Ace, he knows where to find me if he wants to talk privately.”
I take a step to the side and Caz cuts me off, so I hike my knee up connecting with his groin before I dart for the door. Getting in my car, my phone rings again, immediately declining the call from Ace for the 5th time.
Fuck you, Ace; come and find me.
ACE
My office door flies open and Caz appears panting, his hand cupping his dick. “She left Sir, I couldn't stop her, but she did say, you know where to find her.”
I grit my teeth as I shoot daggers at Charles and Papa. I fucking knew she would run out of here, now the question, can I catch her?
“You better hope that I can change her mind or no one is getting what they want.” I walk out of my office, pull my phone from my pocket and call Emma, of course she sends me straight to voicemail.
FUCK! The word roars out of my mouth, echoing through the halls as I make my way to the garage.
What the fuck have they done. Charles doesn't know his daughter at all if he thinks he is going to just nonchalantly tell her what to do; she's too much of a spitfire for that.
I've only been back one day and know her better than that.
This is going to be a fight, but I do agree it needs to happen.
It has to happen, I won't stand another man's hands on her.
The possessiveness that engulfs me strangles me to my core.
Feeling the protectiveness to stand up to Charles for her, what father hits his own daughter. That piece of shit, that's who.
I get to my car, opening my door, I slide in, trying one more time to call Emma and she doesn't answer again.
Knowing her, she's going home to get her car and head to the mountains. So that's where I take my ass, to her house, hoping to beat her before she leaves.
I speed down the city streets, chasing her yet again. All those feelings I have been feeling since I laid my eyes on her yesterday have intensified to a controlling desire, a deep hunger, knowing she will be mine, if I can talk her into this.
In a way this is all fuck up, I feel myself catching feelings for someone I barely know, someone who has made it clear, she enjoys her independence and I'll give that to her, I'll give her everything, if she agrees to this so I don't have to slaughter a mother fucker for trying to take my company, or even worse, hurt her.
Pressing my foot to the clutch, shifting, opening up my car as she screams down the open road in front of me. Before I finally pull into her driveway, I see her coming down the road in that Demon she drives, I whip my car in front of her, blocking her path and she slams on the brakes.
She gets out of her car and storms towards me with a look that could kill. She's cute when she's mad. I step out of my car.
“Get the fuck out of my way, Ace!”
“No, You shouldn't be driving like that.”
“Fuck you Ace, get out of my way.” She spins around walking back towards her car then she spins back around and glares at me. “This... This was all your idea!”
Knew that was coming, she has every right to think it is, I was coming on to her. “As much as I would like to take credit for this one, I can't, this was our father's idea.”
“I'm not in the mood for your smart ass comments, Ace, please get out of my way.”
“I'm not moving.”
“Then get in the car, either way, I'm going for a drive and you're not stopping me!”
“I'll make you a deal.” I suggest. “You, go get a fancy dress on, then you can take us as far away from the city as your little heart desires for dinner.” She searches my eyes before she takes in a deep breath. “Fine, I'll be ready in an hour.”
“Do I have your word you won't leave without me?” She cocks a brow as her delicious lips curve into a playful smile.
“You have one hour and then I'm leaving.” She drops into her car, throwing it into reverse as she speeds backwards, before whipping her car around, driving away from me, pulling to a back driveway.
Oh, so Daddy doesn't know about her racing.
Not trusting her, I wait, calling Caz to come get my car.
EMMA
How he got me to change my mind is beyond me. But I guess I owe him for standing up towards my father for me. That fucking asshole, it's not the first time I have felt that hand across my cheek and I'm sure it's not the last.
Going through my dresses, my mind races with the thought of marrying Ace. A part of me always thought this day would come, my father would force a marriage on me, but I had hoped that he wouldn't, he would give me that one choice.
Finding the dress and loving how it hugs my curves, I fluff my hair, fix my make up and head back out the door to meet Ace.
I'm so angry inside, maybe a little hurt, okay, probably more hurt, but I'm furious. Why as soon as Ace gets home does this idea come into play? Ace came onto me last night; did he scheme this up last night? All questions that rattle my brain, walking into the garage.
“You look beautiful.” Ace's deep force echoes in the garage as he emerges from the shadows.
“Thank you.” When he finally comes into the light, a giggle slips from my lips. “Didn't trust me, uh?”
His lips go into a straight line. “You haven't earned my trust yet, Baby Girl.”
“Nor have you.” I open the door to my car and slide in, Ace gets in the passenger seat, and I'm off, without a word.
We cruise down the road, leaving a red blur in my path.
After navigating through the city, still not a word said between Ace and I, I merge onto the highway then look over at Ace. “You better hang on.”
A deep chuckle rumbles up through his throat, and I press harder on the gas. Rolling a good 120mph down the highway, weaving in and out of traffic until we get to the open road with very little in front of us.
My hands grip the steering wheel with anticipation, needing to get past a spot where cops always sit.
“You're just itching for more aren't you.” He jokes.
I look over and smile. “Always.” Past the spot, I drop my hand to my gear shifter, pushing in the clutch, shifting gears and beauty gives me everything she has, speedometer climbing and not backing down.
The speedometer continues to climb, finally at a place my heart can beat normally, I start spilling words from my mouth. “We can't get married, Ace.”
“Why is that?”
“We don't know each other, you are taking over the brotherhood, it's not a life I wanted.”
“Whether you like it or not Emma, you will always be in this life.”
My heart instantly feels heavy. In a way he's right but I don't want to believe it, I don't want this life. I look up in the rearview mirror noticing red and blue lights.
“Fuck, we've got company.”