Ace POV:Even with the tension building in the room, my focus stayed on the phone in my hand.The screen lit up, displaying the contact details of the one person who made me rethink everything.Iris. Her name seemed to burn into my mind.For the past half hour, my finger hovered over the dial button
"Now it makes sense why Antonio accepted our meetup offer so easily," Hudson added, frustration still bleeding through his words. "His son gets his trophy, and he gets to wipe Ace out in one go."Edrick gasped, his voice rising in disbelief. "So, we're calling off the meeting then? That'll make us l
"King," a quiet voice spoke from behind me.I glanced over to see Ares standing there, his expression calm as usual, though there was a hint of concern in his eyes.He handed me the scotch, the bottle cool against my palm. I gripped it tightly, the familiar weight grounding me.Without a word, I twi
The one thing I never wanted to do, and I'd done it. again.But most of all, I hated that I couldn't face her after what I'd said.How could I, when I was the reason for her worry and sadness?I could take down anyone who crossed me, ruin lives with a simple flick of my fingers, but when it came to
As I approached, the faint murmur of voices reached my ears, breaking the eerie stillness that had settled over the house.One voice in particular stood out—coarse, playful, teasing. A voice that didn't belong."Oh~kinky," Ray's voice drifted from the kitchen, the tone so casual yet laced with misch
Her fingers brushed against mine, the contact brief but electric, sending a jolt through me.So desperate Ace.I watched as she delicately grazed the petals with her fingertips, her movements slow and deliberate, like she was savoring the texture.Her lips curled into a soft smile — a real, genuine
And I didn't. Hell, I didn't.Her eyes were so warm, so deep, and for a moment, I felt like I was free-falling into them, lost in a way that made everything else fade away.She had always been able to do that to me — make me feel like nothing else mattered when she was near.Loose strands of her dar
My mind raced as I processed her words, her question sinking into me with a weight I hadn't anticipated."I am yours to love, yours to care for, yours to protect—" Her voice softened, trailing off as she turned slowly, her footsteps deliberate as she crossed the short distance between us.Each step
Why did I only notice it now?Ace chuckled—low, knowing."Do your work like a good whore," he murmured, his tone silky but laced with steel. "And show me your devotion, brat."He leaned back, and the pressure of his hands, which had been a constricting comfort around my body, vanished. Like a snake
I blinked, my breath hitching, frustration curling inside my chest."Please…" The whisper left me before I could stop it, before I could hold onto my pride. My head dipped down, shame curling my shoulders inward as I bit down on my lower lip. "Just one kiss. Even a peck."Ace clicked his tongue, th
“Don’t expect me to treat you like a good girl till I believe you’re sorry, Iris,” he murmured, his tone dark and taunting.Before I could process it, his thumb shoved past my lips, forcing them apart. My eyes flew wide, a muffled “Hmph” escaping as my hands shot up, fingers digging into his knees
“Sit on your knees.”…What?I froze.My smile slipped, and a soft “Huh?” escaped me before I could stop it.The warmth I’d felt a second ago twisted into something heavier, sharper, and I blinked at him, caught off guard.“You heard me, my sweet whore,” he said, leaning back with a smirk that stretc
I clenched my fists, inhaling sharply before narrowing my eyes at him.This man.This man would kill me.My fingers tugged at my top, pulling it back down as I tried to piece together what just happened.Why did he stop?I gulped, my throat dry, my body still traitorously warm. Ace smirked, draping
I sputtered, fisting my hands.“Boss,” Joy’s voice cut through my humiliation.“Wouldn’t Hudson sir be angry about what you just did to his sister? Should we, uh, step outside?”Ace didn’t even spare her a glance.“No. Stay here and do your work. I’ll do mine,” he said smoothly, like he hadn’t just
And he had the audacity to ignore me?He didn’t even say thank you!I glared at his back.“Boss,” I said, layering my voice with a little too much sweetness. “It’s past your lunch time. You should eat.”Nothing.Not even a glance.Ace continued flipping through his damn papers like I was invisible.
But it was probably not the sparkly, glittering fairy kind. More like the I-make-people-disappear kind.Joy. That’s her name.Wooow.A woman named Joy working at a place where she literally brings pain. “Oh yeah!! I remember now,” Joy exclaimed, her face lighting up like I was her long-lost best f
Damn it, Iris. Play it cool!His gaze didn’t waver. “May I know what you are doing here?”I cleared my throat. “Uh… just… passing by?”He arched a brow.I let out a nervous laugh and gestured to the air. “You know, just… admiring the architecture?”Then, he tilted his head toward the slightly open d