Ace

Intense

I took off my heels as I heard Denice shout up to me.

"Dinner," she yelled up the stairs.

I wandered down. I didn't know these people and yet I was about to have dinner with them.

I saw a man sitting at the table. His back to the entrance of the kitchen as he sat at the top of the table; He was very intimidating like my own father.

"Sofia, this is my husband, Kai." Denice introduced me.
"I'm Sofia." I introduced myself quickly with a warm smile before sitting down next to Denice.

I heard heavy and fast-paced footsteps heading this way from the hall.

"Fucking Vipers," Ace snarled at his father, as he entered the room before sitting down. He clenched his jaw angrily, trying to calm himself down.
"Mama, how was your day?" Ace asked, his tone shifted as he tried to take his mind off of his Mafia. He clenched his hands together, resting his chin on them. I noticed the tattoos on his fingers, leading down his arms. He had a small amount on his hand and then a sleeve of them trailing up his arm.

I focused on eating and tried not to make conversation or eye contact.
"So Ace..." Kai raised his voice from the end of the table. I almost jumped at how suddenly loud he was.
Ace's cold stare made its way toward his father's intimidating glance.
"Who's your friend?" Kai, Ace's father asked curiously, with a slightly evil smirk. I avoided eye contact with him.
"What the fuck do you mean who's your friend?" Ace yelled at his father. His patience was already running thin from his mafia. "You're the one who made this fucking arrangement."
He wasn't very happy with this arrangement either.
"That's no way to speak especially with a guest at the table." Kai teased Ace, trying to wind him up.
Ace stood up, his fists clenched showing me that he was furious.
"She's not a guest, she's my fucking fiancé," Ace snarled at his father before storming out.

Ace's mother sighed defeatedly.
"You always have to wind him up." Denice shook her head disappointedly at her husband.
"He becomes so angry, so quickly," Kai replied as he rolled his eyes.
"My son has some anger issues if you can't tell." Kai chuckled to me as if I was supposed to laugh along. "Wonder who he gets it from," I mumbled beneath my breath.
"What was that?" Kai's eyebrows lifted, the wrinkles in his forehead straining as he did. He didn't seem impressed with my mumbling.
"Nothing." I smiled blankly at him, with no trace of emotion.

"I think I might have to call your father, " Kai blurted out while he scowled at me. My blood ran cold as soon as he mentioned my father. My back stiffened, and I was uncomfortable.
"Kai!" Denice snapped, scowling at her husband. "Maybe I should ask him, how he got you to keep your mouth shut." Kai scolded, with a proud smirk. I didn't reply, it wouldn't be worth it if he called my father. I could only imagine what my father would to do me if he found out about my attitude.

Then we heard talking in the hall.

"Get upstairs." I heard Ace's deep voice say.
"Of course, Ace," she replied obediently.
"Is that another one of his prostitutes?" Kai rolled his eyes as Denice let out a sigh. My eyes widened at Kai's comment but I made sure that neither Denice nor Kai saw my reaction.

"My son and husband have no respect for women." Denice shook her head disappointedly, she hadn't touched any of her food.
"Oh, leave him alone, it's the only time he's a man." Kai joked, yet he seemed to be the only one who found it amusing as Denice and I sat blank with faces.

I wasn't disappointed with Ace, I didn't expect him to stop whatever he was doing for me. That would be like him asking me to stop doing what I had planned.

"I have a question," I muttered to Kai and Denice. "What is it?" Kai rested his chin on his hand.
"Can I continue going to school?" I mumbled, bouncing my knee nervously. Kai erupted into laughter.

Denice and I stared at him until he tried to calm his laughter. He must've thought he was the funniest person in the whole world.
"Oh wait, you're serious?" He stopped laughing while blinking curiously at me.
"Yes, I enjoy school," I replied shrugging carelessly. I wasn't afraid to admit I liked going to school since it was the only place I could get away from my father. Kai thought about it for a while.
"At least we wouldn't have to see your face as much," Kai grumbled as he ate his food. "Go to school." He chuckled under his breath.

"Thank you for the food." I smiled politely at Denice as I walked upstairs.
"You're too kind, dear," Denice replied as Kai was still chuckling to himself.

I can go to school tomorrow.

As I walked up the stairs, I saw a girl who was wearing barely any clothes, leave while tears were flowing down her cheeks. She threw me a nasty look before slipping by me and running out of the house. I widened my eyes as I shook my head.

What did he do to her?

I couldn't stop thinking about Ace's reputation and what I had witnessed today had shown me who he was. The whispers of his reputation were correct.

As I entered my room, I noticed a wallet on my bed, which I assumed was Ace's. This would probably have enough money inside to last me a lifetime. All I'd have to do is run now. Run and never look back.
But... that wasn't a good idea and I wasn't stupid. I'd surely be tracked down and killed on the spot with no remorse. I wasn't a thief and I wouldn't let them make me one. I shook my head, tempted to throw it out of my room and into the hallway but I also felt I should return it to Ace, even if there was a possibility it wasn't his.

I sighed defeatedly as I strolled down the hallway with his wallet in my hand; I think this was his room due to it being the only room with light coming from it. I knocked lightly on the door, scared to disturb him. I was placing my chance of escape into the hands of the devil.

"What?" I heard a growl come from behind the door. I slowly pushed open the door to see Ace standing while facing his window, shirtless.
"Sofia," he mumbled, my name spilling from his lips so smoothly.
"I didn't mean to disturb you, I found your wallet on my bed, I just came to give it back," I informed him, raising the wallet in the air slightly so that I drew attention to it.

He seemed slightly shocked as he approached where I stood, towering over me.

"You passed the test," He uttered quietly as if he was thinking to himself.
"What test?" I asked confusedly before raising my eyebrow.
"Whenever someone new comes over, I leave my fake wallet stuffed with money on their bed and see if they take it, but you didn't?" He explained with a shocked tone towards the end.
"Oh?" I mumbled with a shrug. I wasn't sure what this meant. He was testing my character, and how I was raised. I can only imagine the test was due to our engagement. Now I felt awful for considering using the money for my escape.

His stare was intense as he stood in front of me; He hadn't taken the wallet from my hand yet.

"Ace, you should be more careful with your money, I could've taken it if I wanted, and it would've lasted me a long time," I stated calmly, holding the wallet just above his hand. He opened his palm and I dropped the wallet.

He leaned in, his mouth stopping right next to my ear. Shivers trailed down my spine.
"Well, that's the point," He whispered before turning around and sitting at his desk.
"Goodnight Sofia," Ace announced from his desk as he scribbled on a piece of paper with his pen. He glanced up at me, waiting for a response. "Goodnight," I responded quickly as I walked out; with goosebumps trailing up my arm from him being inches away previously.

I sighed a breath of relief as I shut my bedroom door. Everything about him was intense; From his stare to his touch.

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