16. EMMA
Chapter sixteen
EMMA
I stand in the shower letting the water rain down over my body, rinsing the salty water from my hair and skin. How I wish this perfect moment could last forever, because let's be honest here, it's fucking perfect. To drop my guard, just a little, and enjoy life for just a moment is perfect to me.
I never did this as a kid, my father never did anything honestly besides using me for his games, to run his empire, and now, he wants me dead.
But that feeling is mutual, I want him dead more than anything in this world, and I will make sure it happens.
I try to allow myself to trust in Ace and let him take the lead as he should but I can't, that's not me.
And I'm having a really hard fucking time with my submissiveness earlier, agreeing to staying in Russia.
My eyes flutter closed as I take in a deep breath, trying to calm that fire inside my chest, before I wash my hair, the floral scent mixing with the steam filling the room with a beautiful fragrance.
Rinsed and satisfied, I turn the water off, then reach for my towel before I step out.
I'm a little excited for dinner with Ace tonight, because well, this is our first "date" so to say.
I snort a laugh to myself as I finish drying off, before I head for the closet.
I don't really have a lot to choose from but I have a few, so I scan my choices. Slipping into the dress, loving the amount of skin it shows. I’ve enjoyed turning a man on, a man like Ace, seeing the desire flashing in his eyes every time he looks at me.
The thoughts bring a smile to my lips, finishing my hair and make up, then I scoot out the door, feeling like a teenage girl, going on her first date.
My heels clink against the wood deck, the night has fallen and when I look up, my breath catches in my throat. “Wow.” The black sky illuminates with stars and the moon looks like I could reach out and touch it, it's huge, and bright.
“Beautiful isn't it?” A chill goes up my spine, with Ace’s low deep voice, a smile tugs at my lips. “It is.” I say softly before I turn around and I lift a brow huffing a laugh. “You're not dressed?”
He steps up to me, his eyes glistening from the moon above as they stare down into mine. “Yes, I'm sorry. I was talking with Duke, give me ten minutes I'll be right out.” He leans into my cheek, pressing his lips against my skin, before he whispers. “You look beautiful, Baby Girl.”
Peck to the cheek, turning, he walks away. My heart swollen in my chest and a smile curling from my lips as I watch him walk away before I turn and walk to where we will have dinner.
ACE
Time slipped away while I was going over coordinates with Duke, so I can relay them back to my father. And Damn Emma's showing me no mercy tonight. Fuck, her in her little dress, and those heels making those calf's pop; Christ.
I get to my room then head to the shower. My brain is racking against my skull with what is going to come in the morning as I wash the salt from my body. Not only that, my father left our empires unprotected, and since I've learned that, my skin has been crawling.
I had an amazing day with Emma, and it was nice to feel... human, normal, for once, but I know all too well, this was just the calm to the storm that is getting ready to unleash hell.
Finishing my shower I get myself dressed. Fixing the collar and adjusting the cuffs to my shirt, I dart out the door to meet Emma.
I walk down the deck, and when I round the corner, Emma is leaning against the railing, looking out into the open water, the breeze blowing her long dark hair.
She looks over her shoulder and that smile spreads across her face and her eyes meet mine as I continue to walk towards her, my lip curling to a smirk.
“Ten minutes my ass.” She jokes.
I chuckle with my words. “Alright twenty, not two hours like someone else I know.”
She fills the air with her laugh as I reach her, snaking my arm around her, trailing my hand from the small of her back to her ass as I lean in and press my lips to her cheek before I pull back. “I'm sorry to keep you waiting.”
“No worries, I've been enjoying the view.”
I spin her around and pin her between the railing and me, pressing her against the railing with my body, I tower over her, resting my hands on the railing as I lean down to whisper in her ear. “It's one of a kind isn't it?”
She reaches up and wraps her little hands around my wrists before she crisscrosses them, wrapping my arms around her as she whispers. “It doesn't feel real.”
I smile to myself before I squeeze her tighter. Something inside me, a feeling that she needs to feel safe, wanted, as she leans her head back against my chest just under my chin. She wants to talk about romantic; this is some romantic shit right here.
I embrace it though, holding her with a firm hold, letting her feel whatever she needs.
EMMA
Holding Ace's arms wrapped around me tight; just how I want them, like a bear hug, warm, safe. I wish this moment could last forever but we know that can never be, so I embrace this moment with Ace for as long as I can.
Hearing footsteps on the deck, Ace shifts his weight, looking back, but I don't, I keep my eyes planted on the horizon, waiting, trying to just take this in just a minute longer .
“Sir.” Hearing Cassie's voice I turn with Ace, as we both look at Cassie, my eyes fall on the dinner that has been prepared, now sitting on the table waiting for us.
“Thank you, Cassie.” Ace appreciates. And Cassie nods before she turns and walks away, Ace looks down at me with a smile. “Hungry?”
“Starving.”
Ace ushers me to the table then pulls a chair out. I sit and he scoots me in, causing me to quietly giggle to myself with his gentleman self.
“This looks amazing.” I say looking at all the amazing food prepared for us. “Cassie's a great cook along with everything else she does.” I lift a brow, cocking my head slightly with that comment, before I say playfully. “Oh? Is there history with Cassie?”
He chuckles with his words. “No, that's all Duke. She's too innocent for me.” I laugh at that before I say. “You like the dark and twisted ones don't you?”
“There's only one dark and twisted one for me.” He shoots me a playful wink causing a giggle to quietly escape my throat.
Taking my first bite of food, the first real meal, filled with protein and vegetables we've really had in days. It melts in my mouth, causing my eyes to close, savoring this meal. “Wow, this is amazing.” Ace chuckles, filling his mouth with food as well.
Neither of us say much as we enjoy our meal, it's nice to actually have a sit down meal; that hasn't happened, well I don't really remember when.
But as always, the sound of Ace's phone vibrating in his pocket breaks the silence and our time.
Surprisingly Ace ignores it as I look up to him, lifting a brow.
“You're not going to get that?” He shakes his head.
“No.” But it starts vibrating again causing Ace to growl before he reaches in his pocket and pulls his phone out. “It's Caz.” He answers it. “What?”
I watch Ace's eyes grow bigger with each passing second as they darken. He starts clenching his teeth, his fist forming. I know this can't be good and when he looks up to me, I know, it's not.
Ace holds the bridge of his nose as he listens to Caz over the phone, and I swear I see steam coming off his shoulders and when I hear him ask. “What's in Maine that would take him there?”
My eyes snap up before my breathing gets quicker, my stomach twists into knots; Oh, fuck.
Ace notices my change in demeanor as he continues to talk to Caz, trying to get my shit together, I swallow hard.
“Emma, do you know why your father would be going to Maine?”
I take a deep breath before I say. “Get off the phone, and I will tell you.” I guess it's time to tell Ace what hides in Maine, well the many things that hide in Maine, but what I don't get is how my father has found this out, this was a secret of mine that I had no trail of.
A place I was going to call home, where I was going to hide after I ran away, but there is so much more to just that.
Ace pierces me with a feral look, his eyes locked on me, as he says. “Caz, I will call you back.”
He hangs up, and his words dangerously bark from his throat. “What the fuck are you hiding?”
“I have a safe house in Maine.” I blurt.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” He growls.
“Because my father should not know about it.
I have no paper trail, it's in someone else's name, there is no trail connecting me to that house, but it is mine.
Ace, that was my one place I could run and hide if I needed to.
That's why you couldn't find it when you checked all the Beckett safe houses.”
“He set the South Casino on fire, it's fucking gone, he's targeting you.” I shake my head because I know, if he has gone to these lengths, he's looking for something he thought he had. “I think he has figured out he no longer has something in his possession and he's looking for that, not me.”
“I'm not playing games, Emma. Tell me everything right fucking now!”
“Our family holds a Medallion that is basically the key to our empire.” I trail off as I shake my head, dropping my gaze, about to spill a family secret that could ruin me.
“I shouldn't even be telling you this Ace, but…” I take a deep breath, I have to trust him with this, I have to.
“That Medallion can void any contract, any marriage, any blood relation, anything. Who holds the Medallion, holds the empire.”
Ace's eyes widen before he shoots out of his chair.
“WHAT THE FUCK!” He paces back and forth as I stand from my chair and walk over to him, wrapping my hand around his wrist making him look at me, he needs to know why, and understand it all at once.
“The Medallion is in the safe house, along with 5 Billion Dollars and all the deeds to everything. I took everything I could once my grandfather gave me the Medallion to hide from my father. You of all people know how it is for women in this world, I had to keep this for my own fucking safety, you could easily kill me and go to that safe house and take everything and never look back.” The look on his face is a look of heartbreak and pure rage all at the same time.
“You still think I would do that to you? Walk away and take everything from you?”
Tears well in my eyes as I shake my head.
“No, I know you won't. I trust that you won't now, but you have to understand where I was coming from. I was only protecting myself. I can show you everything.” He holds his gaze on me, searching my eyes, before he nods and says.
“Looks like we're going to Maine, together, and you are going to show and tell me everything, no more fucking secrets.”