18. EMMA
Chapter eighteen
EMMA
A fter getting all my belongings together, I jumped in the shower, before I changed into something a little more fitting to travel in.
I hear the door to the bedroom open and heavy footsteps walking to the closet, as I turn around and Ace walks in the doorway. “Damn Baby Girl.” His eyes rake up my body until they meet mine. “Are you ready? It's time to go.”
I nod, then reach down, picking up my gun, before I slide it behind my back, in the hem on my pants, then grab the bracelet Ace gave me.
Ace takes a step towards me as he takes the bracelet from my hand and then wraps it around my wrist and clasps it together.
He takes my hand in his and brings the back of my hand to his lips, causing me to smile as I say playfully.
“You better quit with all this romantic business, you might get called soft.”
He cocks a brow before he lets out a huff. “I've already been called that, Baby Girl. Would you rather I be like the rest of them? Lock your ass up and make you do what I want?”
With a playful smirk. “No. I love you for who you are.” My heart beats at a rapid pace when my words spill from my mouth. Not fully meaning to say those words, but I feel them and do mean them, I watch Ace's eyes widen, then soften before a smile cracks. “You love me, uh?”
“Yeah, you're doing things to me, Ace.” Giggling with my words, referring back to when Ace said them to me after he saw me race for the first time.
A deep chuckle rumbles from his throat before his hand slides around my neck.
Hooking his fingers at the back of my neck, his thumb brushes over my cheek, as he leans down.
“I love you too, Baby Girl.” His lips press against mine, in the most passionate kiss he has given me, and I melt into him, his hand holding me up from melting to a puddle on the floor.
My hands reach up and cradle his head, deepening this kiss, that means more than everything we have been through and done.
Feeling everything he feels for me through his lips and I return it.
I jump when the sound of the boat horn blows, breaking our kiss as Ace holds his gaze on me. “We got to go.”
I nod as his hand falls from my cheek, leaving me to wobble a little, still feeling like jelly and flushed with that kiss.
Ace grabs my bag and starts for the door and I follow. Getting to the deck, seeing the lights surrounding the docks, which I have no clue where we are.
“Sir, here are your passports, the car will be waiting at the end of the dock for you, the jet is already ready to go and waiting for your arrival.” I watch Cassie give Ace an envelope before he tucks it into his pocket. “Thank you, Cassie. You and Duke know what to do.”
“Yes, Sir”.
“I didn't get a chance to thank you for that amazing dinner you prepared, you are very talented Cassie, thank you.” I speak up before my chance is gone.
“It was my pleasure. I hope to see you again soon.”
“Alright let's go.” The boat has not even gotten to the dock fully, but Ace tugs me to the side of the boat, his words firm and deep. “ We never dock, Baby Girl. Duke will get the boat close to the dock, and we will jump off then he will pull away immediately.”
“Okay.” I laugh; all this jumping out of shit with him, it makes me feel like that's his thing.
I watch as the back of the boat gets closer to the dock as Duke backs it in, Ace takes my hand.
“Let's go.” We step on the side of the boat, then jump on the dock, Ace practically throwing me on the dock.
Our feet land on the dock, and Ace looks over at me as I say. “I'm so glad I didn't wear heels.”
He laughs, before we both stand to our full heights, then Ace places his hand to the small of my back, and leads me down the dock, to the waiting car, in hurried steps.
My eyes scan around my surroundings, not really much here, not the city like our boat docks.
My eyes fall on the car waiting for us and Ace's voice comes out in hushed words.
“Keep your head down Baby Girl.” My chin presses to my chest, keeping my head low, but my eyes are up, still scanning.
We walk past the building and quickly slide down into the car and as soon as the door is closed, the car peels away. Ace pulls his vibrating phone from his pocket before he answers it. “Yes, Papa.”
Oh, so it's Ryan, I wonder if he knows what we are up to, I am sure he fucking does. I listen but nothing abnormal. Ace seems calm so hopefully there isn't a bomb about to go off somewhere.
Ace ends his call, but doesn't put his phone away, his large fingers sliding and typing across his screen, which causes me to roll my eyes and look out the window.
It's a little annoying, I've been running the companies basically, and that all has been taken too, and watching him just work, control; gets under my skin, that feeling of being caged rising in me.
But I make myself ignore it and think about what is important right now.
I run the memories, the imprints of my safehouse in my brain, remembering every little fine detail, my secret spot that holds the Medallion, memorizing it, in case I'm panicked when I get to it.
Watching the lights go by in a blur, my eyes feeling heavy, I lean my head against the window, and my eyes close shut.
ACE
I look over and notice Emma has fallen asleep. A smile tugging at the corner of my lip, before I go back to my texts from Caz about the South Casino fire.
It's a fucking mess, the feds are involved, which, rightfully they should be.
We're a fucking casino and hotel. But they want our video surveillance.
I don't want them interfering and getting any leads on Charles and fucking this up, so Caz is trying to stall, but they are getting impatient.
Which means, we've got to hurry the fuck up and get our hands on Charles before they do.
The car pulls onto the air strip and when my eyes look up and see my father standing there my teeth instantly clench together. This fucker better not think about fucking this up and dropping the bomb on her that he has. Or maybe he should? Maybe it will be what drives her ?
I look over at Emma and see she is still sleeping as the car comes to a stop so I quietly get out and shut the door so she doesn't wake before I turn and shoot daggers at my father. “What are you doing here?”
“I'm going with you.”
“I know your dirty little secret, Papa. I figured it out.”
“Smart man, but you need to hear the story that falls behind it before you go acting like a fucking mad man on me.”
“Now is not the time for this.” I growl.
“It's the perfect time, she can't run.” He laughs.
“Papa, you're cornering a cobra. She is already on the verge of striking out.”
“Good, it'll fuel her fire. You are about to take her somewhere she may have to potentially fight, you need her mad, not happy, and the look on your face and your words.” My father shakes his head.
“Your dick’s been hard too long. Get your fucking head together. I know what the fuck I'm doing here.”
I cock a brow, but then I nod with my teeth grinding in my mouth and my eyes, saying fuck you all at the same time as they bore into my fathers, before my words hiss from my tongue.
“I'm warning you, don't test me when it comes to her.” I turn and walk away from my father to get Emma from the car. I’m fucking furious with the bomb that he is about to drop on her.
I just got her to open up to me, we are doing this together, like she wants, and I'm comfortable with it, in my own fucking way, but this, may really tip her over the edge.
EMMA
My eyes flutter open to the sound of Ace's voice, noticing we have arrived, my eyes meet his. “Come on, Baby Girl, let's get on the plane.” He holds his hand out for me and I place my hand in his, before his fingers clasp around my hand and I slide over the seat and step out of the car.
I look up and notice Ryan standing there, causing me to look at Ace. “What is Ryan doing here?”
Ace shakes his head and I catch that jaw tick, knowing he isn't happy about this, which puts me on edge as Ace leads me to the plane.
We get to the stairs where Ryan is standing, greeting me with a smile as his words come out, happy.
“Emma, good to see you.” He leans down and places a kiss to my cheek and my head cocks back as my brow lifts.
And now I know something is up, why has he been so fucking nice to me, and what the fuck was that.
“Um, it's good to see you too? Am I missing something?” I ask in question because honestly, I have never had a Mafia Boss of Ryan's power greet me how I am required to greet them.
I hear Ace snort a laugh with my question before he shakes his head, with a playful tone.
“You're not missing anything, Baby Girl.
Come on, let's get on the plane.” Ace ushers me to the stairs and I catch him shooting his father a deadly stare before looking back in front of us as we get on the plane.
We settle in the seats, as the door is closed and the engines start. Those rattling nerves of course racking against every part of my body thinking about flying and my fear of heights.
I lean my back against the couch as Ace sits beside me, holding out a glass of whiskey.
“Drink?” He asks with a raised brow and I wrap my hand around the cold glass with the amber liquid inside before I bring it to my lips.
My insides screaming out to me, picking up the vibe between Ace and Ryan, it's not a good vibe, it's a vibe that a bomb is about to be dropped.
So I slam back the drink, the warm amber liquid slides down my throat leaving a burn in its path, before I pull the glass from my lips.
Perfect timing too, I feel the plane start moving as we glide down the strip, finally getting in the air.