The world thinks she's dead, purely so she could become her fathers ultimate & deadliest weapon.
Armed with a new alias & a fearless attitude Gabriella Valentino goes undercover in enemy quarters to avenge her mothers death once and for all.
She's...
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C H A P T E R F O R T Y S I X
I shuffled upright in the seat and he stood up completely. "You're nervous?" I asked.
"I'm -" he ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "Forget it."
"No, tell me." I stood up, holding my belly hostage behind the fluffy unicorn hot water bottle. Standing up was always worse. I felt heavy, but dizzy and everything rushed south. I felt like shit.
Ace closed his eyes, moving his mouth little by little but not actually letting any sound out. Then he opened them and looked at me with this lingering gaze, deep and meaningful.
"I'm nervous because I can't hold back my feelings and hide them as well as you." I blinked at him, wondering where the fuck this was coming from. "Fuck Red, I am completely and utterly besotted with you, can't you see that?"
"I-"
"I hate that you're feeling so shitty right now and I'm the one to blame. I just want to protect you from any pain, suffering and hurt."
"Okay but-"
"Fuck it, I want to love you freely, openly without holding back. I don't want it to be awkward when we have intimate moments because this in itself is pretty fucking intimate and I love that. I love you."
"Woah, Ace -"
"No red, I want to be next to you when you're feeling your best and hold you when you're feeling your worst. I want you in our life Red. Look, I know what I did was bad but you don't the full story. You don't know everything and I can't explain anything yet. Fuck this fucking vendetta you have against me. Just drop your guard and commit, let me be your safe space. No holding back. No buts."
Silence fell over us, his stare burning a blue fire in my heart. Filled with hope and expectation. He was as gorgeous as sin and I was a hormonal mess.
"Now?" I questioned with an ounce of anger to my voice. "You tell me all of that now when I'm ugly and frumpy and bloated and sore?"
"God, you are so fucking beautiful. How do you not see that?" He reached out to try and hold me but I pulled away from him and sat back down. He left me feeling conflicted and confused.
My mind was set on what it needed to do. Kidnap Grace. Torture him with her absence. Capture him. Kill him. For the family.
"I can't Ace. I can't deal - I can't - it's too much - and I'm not well - and I can't think straight - and - and -"
"Hey, shh it's okay." He pulled me up to my feet and I fell against him, letting him bear my weight. "Let's go."
He lifted me into his arms like he was about to carry me over the threshold on our wedding night. I clutched my hands around his neck and he lifted me upstairs to his bedroom and lay me on his bed while he drew a bath.
