As Cold As Ice

Complicated men

Months had gone by and we hadn't gotten another opportunity with Leonardo. After the incident in A3, he's definitely been a lot more careful.

I had been with Ace's mafia for over a year now. We strayed from capturing Leonardo for awhile, something bigger came up in Ace's mafia that required our attention.

Ace and I had grown very close. I would call him my best friend now. However he was complicated man. I don't know if he'd say the same about me, I could just be a pawn in his bigger game but he's my best friend that's for sure. Although recently he started confiding in me about his father. I've still to meet his father even though I live in the same house. Kai is rarely home.

"My father is insisting on marriage. He wants my heir as soon as possible, he's probably planning on murdering me and raising my heir to his beliefs, obviously because I wasn't so easily manipulated" Ace remarked as he sat on the edge of my bed. I was just sitting on my laptop, humming every couple of seconds so that he would think I'm paying attention.

I hadn't slept in days. I was exhausted. Trauma keeps me awake.

"Are you even listening, you look like a zombie?" He said, glaring at me while grabbing my face, and inspecting my eyes.
"I'm fine. You have to get married, blah, blah, blah" I grumbled, pushing his hands away before blinking a couple of times. Until I realised what he had said.
"You have to get married!" I exclaimed, with my eyes widened from disbelief. Why on earth would he have to get married so young?. I know he just explained it yet it didn't make any sense.

"Thank you, finally the reaction I was looking for!" He rolled his eyes, rubbing his hands together. I shook my head repeatedly in disbelief.
"God no, you can't be distracted by women this early on in your mafia journey, it'll ruin our plans" I stated passionately; I really did not need Ace getting a girlfriend, not to mention a wife.

"I don't give a fuck Ice, I don't care about anyone, it'll be annoying but I'll have to do it if it's what my father wants" he replied, sighing in defeat. I stared at him with disgust, finally closing my laptop.
"This is concerning" I said with an emotionless tone. I was worried but I knew Ace and he was not capable of love. He is capable of loyalty but he does not feel love. He's expressed multiple times in the past that he feels he'll grow old lonely. He also said that it doesn't bother him.

However I feel like that would bother anyone, even the coldest of people. Nobody truly wants to be lonely. Everyone wants to have someone.

Denice suddenly entered the room. She was Ace's mom and probably one of the nicest women I knew. I'll never understand how she ended up marrying a monster.

"Ace, your fathers home" She announced with a worried look.
"Alright mom, I'll be down soon". She left without another word.

"Anyway, our hunt for Leonardo won't stop so don't worry about that Ice" He rested his hand on my shoulder, I think he was trying to reassure me. However I had already reassured myself. I would not let anyone, let alone Ace's future wife stop my mission. I had to make Avery proud.

I hadn't thought of his name in so long.

*****

I shook Ace's fathers hand firmly, I wanted him to view me as strong. I didn't want to seem like a pushover, after all he knew I was the man who whispered in Ace's ear; his right hand.

"I like him more than Dante anyway" his father remarked with a chuckle. He sounded evil most of the time.
"He definitely made an impression on me" Ace grinned, taking a sip from his glass.

We sat in his living room. The walls were a maroon red and the curtains matched. His sofa's were black leather and you almost stuck to them if you sat for too long. The floor was made from dark oak planks. Denice had hung photos of the family throughout the room. You could tell it was her; neither Ace or his father cared enough to do anything similar for the family.

I folded my arms as I sat back in the leather sofa. It was comfortable.

"You'll be married within the year" Kai said, his eyes meeting Ace's. He could immediately see Ace's disapproval.
"Does that bother you?" His father sneered, almost encouraging him to reject it.
"Not at all" Ace sighed, shutting his eyes for a moment. Ace wanted to kill him; anyone could see it.

I wasn't in the house enough to know much about his relationship with his father, all I knew is his father liked me and that's all I needed. I was always at training, waiting for our next target.

His father looked at me suddenly, catching my gaze.
"Does the marriage bother you?" He asked curiously, a slight smirk appearing on the corner of his lip. He probably thought I'd lie but what did I have to lose?.
"Yes, I think he's too young. I'm older and I know I'm too young for marriage" I stated, keeping eye contact. Do not look weak.

"How interesting" He mumbled, rubbing his hand together. "Do you know how old I was when I got married?".
"How old?" I questioned, knowing he was probably about to lecture me.
"The minute I turned eighteen" Kai admitted eagerly, as if it was something to be proud of.

I'm old enough to understand that some arranged marriages work out. Not all of them are bad. However I don't think they're a good thing. I believe people should find love on their own. Otherwise how is it real?.

Not that I would know much about love.

"I respect that, although I don't think it would help Ace" I explained.
"Well it's going to happen either way" He stated, letting me know that he made the decisions around here.