21
Liam
I feel so weird being with the other heirs. Keir and I used to hang out when we were kids but that was a long time ago. I park my bike beside Grace's. Looks like I'm the first one here. I head to the front door and knock. I'm greeted by a very stern, very large British butler.
"Grace is down in the gym at the moment. Be good to her or even your father won't find your body." The balding man in a trim black suit says in an icy voice. Holy shit. This dude is terrifying.
"Yes sir. I wasn't planning on it." I admit.
"Keep it that way." He glares. I nod and he leads me to the gym. She has an unfamiliar rock song blasting from the speakers as she hangs upside down on a bar and lifts herself into a sit-up throwing punches and back down. She is amazing. I'm so glad I saw her at that diner.
"Happy birthday, babe," I shout over the music. She looks over at me and a heart-stopping smile spreads across her face.
"Thank you." She replies before flipping down. "Give me a second to get showered and changed and we'll head to the pool." She smiles.
I follow her to her bedroom. It's very... purple. It doesn't really seem like her but then I see how others must see her. The Grace she shows the outside world.
A small teenage girl with big green eyes. I remember wanting to corrupt her when I first saw her. She looks so innocent but then you talk to her and get to know her even without knowing her as Ace she has a hardness to her. She doesn't take shit and she revels in adrenaline and violence.
"I'll be quick!" She says heading into a washroom.
Grace is getting naked just on the other side of that door.
I hear the shower turn on and have to stop myself from going to her.
Thank goodness I do because the butler leads a nervous-looking Kier inside at that moment.
I may not have been strong enough to resist the temptation otherwise.
"Did he threaten you too?" I ask.
"Yeah... he's kind of terrifying." He admits I nod in agreement. "Where's Grace?"
"Shower," I smirk as he groans.
"Is she trying to kill us?" He asks. We sit there on her bed in awkward silence for a while until the bathroom door opens. Holy fuck. She walks out in a small white towel that barely covers her and her workout clothes in a bundle in her hands.
"Well, hello." She grins at Kier and me.
"Happy birthday." He smiles.
"Thank you." I see the pink start tinting her cheeks.
"So, I'm afraid I won't be swimming today.
I forgot I won't be able to with my fresh tattoo.
But I'll still be hanging out anyway." She shrugs putting her laundry in the hamper and holding an impressive amount of knives that I didn't know she was wearing before. Trust me, I was looking.
"Awe I was all excited to see you in a bikini." I pout.
"Who said I'm not going to wear one?" She smirks as she pulls out a red tangle of strings. Oh God, yes!
I have to adjust my below-the-belt situation and from Kier's shifting so does he. We watch as she puts on her bikini without even dropping her towel. What kind of cockblocking witchcraft is that? She is definitely trying to kill us.
"You guys can change in there if you want." She says pointing to the washroom.
Christian
I pull into the Van Doren estate and let myself in. My body is humming with excitement to see and hold Grace again. I see Richard and Ruby gossiping in the kitchen.
"What are you two up to?" I smirk. They both look guilt-ridden.
"Um... well... it's about Grace... she has some... boys over." Ruby hesitates. Ah, got it.
"You saw me this morning, huh?" I ask they both nod. "I know about the other three. We have an arrangement. You know our families, it's safer for Grace this way."
"Oh. Oh! Okay... I had a relationship like that when I was younger.
" Richard nods. "Good for you guys putting her first. I'm glad you guys solved that problem.
She was really worried about that." He explains causing a pang in my chest. I can only imagine what she was dealing with.
Us begging for her attention on top of everything else she has to deal with certainly must have been taxing.
"What? What is going on?" Ruby asks looking between us.
"We're all dating grace. All four of us." I clarify. Her eyes go wide and her face goes red.
"I see. Well, she's going to be very busy." She snorts. "Well, take this down with you. They're all in the pool." She says handing me a platter of sandwiches.
I walk down to the pool and I see Grace kicking water at Liam from her seat at the side of the pool. She's so beautiful.
"Food!" I call out. I watch as Grace turns to me and blasts that gorgeous smile just for me.
I watch her climb up and jog over to me and I have to avert my gaze from her chest. I remember how I made them bounce last night and I have to start thinking about non-sexy things so I don't salute her from my trunks.
Baseball, bugs, Nona... She gives me a hug that feels so goddamn good in her tiny red bikini that those non-sexy thoughts have all been in vain.
"Happy birthday," I say laying a kiss on her forehead.
"Thank you." She smiles. I see Kennedy grinning as she stalks towards us and grabs Grace by the arm dragging her down the hall. I chuckle looks like our girl didn't spill the beans yet.
"Hey, guys." I greet. "So, did Richard threaten you?" They all nod looking a bit pale. "Dude was in the SAS. He can do it. Be warned."
"Fuck..." Jai mutters. We hear Kennedy cackling from the hallway making us all turn toward the noise.
"I AM THE MASTER MATCHMAKER!!! I TOLD YOU!!" Kennedy shouts making us all chuckle.
"Shut up!" We hear Grace hiss before she walks back in looking an adorable mixture of embarrassment and annoyance.
"Looking good, babe." Jai winks up at her as she sits down.
"You're so lucky I can't come in there and drown you." She scowls.
"He's been a bit overzealous today." Liam whispers but Keir scoffs.
"And we haven't?"
"That's fair." He shrugs. "God, I love that bathing suit..." We both nod our agreement.
"You should see how good it looks on the floor," Grace says quietly as she watches Kennedy jump into the pool not even bothering to look at our reactions. We all groan at that image. Hell, I was with her twice last night and I want her again and soon. I would take her now if she'd have me.
"Are you free tomorrow?" Keir asks.
"I am. Why?"
"I want to take you out for dinner." He smiles.
Oh, that's a good idea. I should take her out on a date.
I better plan something good. Keir and Grace seem close.
I know it's because he figured out about Ace first but I want a good relationship with her too.
An idea starts forming in my mind. I'm going to have to talk to the others.
"I'd love that." She smiles.
"Dibs getting the next date!" Liam shouts. Dammit.
"No dibs!" Kennedy scolds from the other side of the pool. "She's a lady treat her like one, asshole." Valid point. Liam looks a bit ashamed of himself but recovers quickly.
"My lady!" He booms giving an exaggerated bow. "If it pleases your sensibilities, I, Liam McConnell, of the McConnell Clan would like to take you on a romantic excursion. Post haste." Grace is clutching her sides laughing but I see her nod.
"Fourth time's the charm. Alright." She giggles. Four times? I mean, I'm probably no better. She turned me down quite a few times myself.
We spend the afternoon laughing and chatting until Kennedy kicks us all out saying that now it's girl time and that they'll see us at the party.
I head home and get a call from Dad.
"Hey, Dad."
"Hey, we got a bit of a problem. We're calling in Ace, you need to be here too."
"Fuck. Okay. On my way." Looks like we have a different type of party tonight.
I continue home. My heart pounds as I walk inside. One of the guards leads me downstairs to where I first met Ace.
"My boy! Sit!" My dad gushes as I walk into the room.
"What's this about?" I ask.
"New information came up," Dad says waving me off. I take a seat next to my father.
We don't have to wait long for Ace to strut in with her partner. God, she looks hot. She stands in front of us and doesn't give me the time of day. Doesn't that just make me want her more?
"Mr. Bianchi." She greets her voice hard.
"Thank you for joining us. We have a few stubborn tongues and I would like you to show my son how it's done." My dad requests. She gives a stiff nod before a chair and a man are dragged in.
The man is unconscious but has been tied up with zip ties and gagged anyway. The guards place him roughly in the chair before leaving with my father.
"First things, first. Always record your interrogations.
" She says pointing to the camera in the corner I didn't even notice.
Her message is clear though. This is business, we are not alone, and to behave like it.
"You never know when you miss something that can come in handy later.
" I nod my understanding and watch her walk around the unconscious man.
"Fear goes a long way, and so do surprises.
If you can shock your subject into slipping up his info it's better.
He'll feel stupid and mess up more." She explains.
"Interrogation is done with the mind and emotions in mind.
The body comes as an afterthought. Keep quiet and watch.
" She commands before smacking the man's face roughly waking him up.
She releases his gag and watches him take in his surroundings.
"Hello, Mr. Vincent. My name is Ace." She smiles as Vincent's eyes go wide.
"But... you're a girl." He stammers. I hear her partner start muttering and I'm with him on that. Just the few times I've seen her work that seems to be people's immediate reaction. It must get tedious.
"Very good. Now I have some questions for you." She starts.
"Fuck you, bitch." He spits at her and I have to hold myself still so I don't deck him for talking to her like that. She however is the epitome of cool under pressure.
"Do you kiss your mother with that mouth?" She smiles twirling a knife in her fingers.