My Mafia Daddy | REWRITTEN | DDLG 18+

Chapter Twenty-One

Constance

My brain seems to thaw as I realize I'm being lifted, then slightly moved and back to bouncing gently on something. My body hurts; my legs, my arms, my head. Ringing loops between my ears and I shake my head, trying to chase it off. A hand works its way to my back, rubbing comfortably as I bury myself deeper. 

Where am I? 

Ace's face flashes behind my eyes, I was with him - I know I was. 

Faded gunshots play over in my mind, white flashing behind my eyelids as I think about what happened. 

My throat hurts - a burn searing my neck every time I swallow - it's like something is stabbing me. 

My father's voice, screaming and demanding, bursts through the forefront of my head and I push it away - farther, deeper, so deep it shouldn't come back up for a wisp of air.

The hand on my back goes to my thighs, the other on the parallel side. Warmth spreads across my face as the car door opens and we stand together, taking off in a controlled stroll. I glue my eyes shut; I don't have to think, talk, or understand anything. I can stay in this perfect bubble of paused time - no one will, or can, bother me right now - I can stay right here in Ace's arms. 

The thought of him urges me to open my eyes; to look up, to see him, to make sure he's here with me. His warmth fills me to the core from underneath me, his arms are holding every piece of me together, pushing it all right up together to make me whole again. 

Slowly, very slowly, I let myself look up. 

There's not a doubt in my mind that I'm in Ace's arms - no one, not a single person, could feel the way he does - but a worm of fear digs into the back of my head. 

What if he didn't keep me safe? What if he left me there, ready to be yanked back by my father and buried underneath mountains of security and abuse?

I know it can't be true. 

The sky is the first thing I see - bright, blue, blinding. Then I see a chin, stubble covering their chin, and a sad smile stretched across their pitied face. Dark, endless gray eyes bore back into mine - watching, analyzing, figuring out everything they could about me.

"Hi, bunny," He says, his voice layered with adoration and his smile turns sweet, safe. "We're almost there, when we get back to the room you can have some ice cream and a nice bath, okay?"

I open my mouth, half wanting to say thank you and half wanting him to stop looking at me like I'm a kicked puppy - but the only thing that escapes is a measly, raspy cough followed by a whimper. 

If I can't talk, how can I do anything?

My brain tells me to shut up, I've never needed to communicate - silence has always been my safety net. It's always protected me, and now it's like I can't exist without it.

Shut the fuck up, Constance. 

None of that matters anyway. 

Disappointment fills my chest... because I can't talk? I have no idea.

"I know, I'm sorry. The ice cream will help your throat," Ace mutters to me as we walk into the hotel, Noah stalking in front of us like a man on a mission. His hand sits, comfortable but alert, on his gun in his waistband. Even from here, I can tell that he has his finger wrapped around the trigger, ready for anything to jump out. 

We make it to the elevator, and many people step out of the way at the sight of Ace and Noah - danger and a warning scribbled on their faces.

Get too close and you will die.