Carlton ✔

42| The Unhinged Heartbeats

Dedicated to: samillee1

Thanks for the awesome votes!!

"I like you more than I planned."
~ ozilook.com

So I tried something new to break the monotony! I worked hard on this and I've never done it before! Therefore...

*This section is written in third person POV*

Damien Price was fretful.

He had no idea what had gotten into him. Nothing felt good anymore. He didn't know who he loved or hated. He couldn't differentiate between right or wrong. He wouldn't think before he spoke.

Why had things become this way?

Carlton. It was him. It was all his fault. Damien adored him more than he could justify and look where that got him. There was blood on his hands and death in his mind.

But he couldn't blame the Hargraves for becoming this way. He had always needed them, to skyrocket his businesses, to build connections, to...take people out of his way.

The Price family had always needed the Hargraves.

But Carlton Hargrave, he wanted, and he would do anything to impress him — accompany him on fraudulent business deals, reveal all his personal connections freely for Carlton to take advantage of, without ever asking for anything in return.

He supposed he loved the bloodlust in Carlton's gloomy eyes, the way his stare would mock his prey, how he would suck the dignity of a human without flinching. It was fascinating.

But when he laid his eyes on Ace Bennet, he saw something completely opposite.

His saw innocence, he saw kindness, he could hear the generous melody in his breathless, genuine emotions. And it scared him. It scared him because he was drawn like a moth to the flame. Ace Bennet had opened his eyes to a world he didn't recognise, a world where everything was as simple as a smile. Contrary to Carlton's.

And he was at peace.

"Ace, stop! Please, just listen," Damien huffed, following Ace Bennet through the streets, pushing people aside. "I'm sorry. I said a bit too much!"

"Right, thanks for feeling bad for me!"

"Let me make it right!" Damien frustratingly grabbed Ace's wrist, pulling him back into an alleyway between to buildings.

"Why do you care?!" Ace endeavoured to break free of his grip.

"I'm sorry! Just listen! Then you may leave if you still want to."

Ace successfully snatched his hand away, his back slamming into a wall behind him. Gripping his elbow, he grunted in pain, gesturing Damien through squinted eyes.

Damien breathed in. He had been waiting to say this, but under happier circumstances. But if this was how it had to be said, then so be it. "Ace I...I didn't mean what I said. It was...ruthless of me to ask you to leave after everything you've done for us. You've contributed to this team as much as I have and I had no right to say what I did. But here I am, begging you to stay. Dylan is injured, Raymond is dying and we're being betrayed from every corner of our lives. We need you...I need you. Please stay."

A flush had formed on Ace's cheeks but his frowned hadn't diminished. He turned his head away, his blond curls covering the side of his face.

"It's my turn now," Damien said, a bit more sternly this time. He believed he had apologised enough, more than he should have considering Ace had said a bit too much as well. "What was that about?"