I slept. Totally spent with satisfaction, my lids closed on their accords and I lost track of time. In my dream, a tall dangerously good looking man was plowing into me eliciting moans of pleasure. When I opened my eyes, no one needed to tell me that I dreamt of sex with Ace right after having sex with him.
"I didn't think you would wake up this soon. Not while having that wet dream anyway." I looked up to find Ace standing and looking down on me. His voice was husky, hoarse and tempting. He was dressed in only his pants without a shirt, the tattoos stood out and I could not stop looking at the quote. I sat up as his words registered in my head. I felt the soreness between my legs as I moved. It felt delicious that I had to remind myself. This man killed your father. It's a one time thing. You wanted to know what sex feels like and you have. "How did you know?" I stupidly asked him and menI gave myself no time to think as I dialed Elijah's contact. Maybe this was heaven's way of telling me that there was no point staying because why else would I suddenly find his number just immediately after getting a phone call? "Hello," Elijah's voice flowed out of the phone. I froze. My fingers felt cold and there was a pounding in my heart. My mother's conspiracy with Ace played in My head and then there was Isobel's advice. Wasn't there a hidden agenda here? One that they were keeping me out of? This was my life but everyone seemed to have a say in it and it was insane how they thought my best life would be led with a killer. "Hello..."I pressed the hang up button and fell on the bed. I was conflicted. But one thing was certain to me, I wanted to find out everything. To answer every question in my head. Why did Isobel choose to remain hidden? Why was she telling me to stay put in the marriage? And why did Ace kill my father?It felt like my head was going to float out of m
The water felt hotter beneath his gaze and even now that his jaw worked endlessly reminding me that he was upset about me calling Elijah. I remained in a frozen position choosing my next words carefully. "What are you doing with my phone?" I asked hoping that would buy me enough time. Ace raised that perfectly arched brow and smiled. It wasn't the kind of rare smiles he showed me, this was sardonic. He pocketed the phone, cast my body one last lust filled look. "Come out of that pool," Ace ordered as he walked out of the pool room. I sagged and sank deeper into the water. He looked positively enraged. With the little time I had spent with Ace, I knew he was the type who handled his anger with calmness. He was deceiving.I took my sweet time getting out of the water, drying myself and dressing up. I even walked slowly back to the sitting room pretending that I forgot my way. "Where's he?" I asked Eva. She was pacing around th
I already knew that Ace would not be by my side when I woke up. I patted the empty space before sitting up. I had slept on the same bed with him twice and he made sure to disappear before I woke. I took a shower, forcing the event of the day out of my mind. Then I changed into a cloth, I slept with that bedsheet the entire time. Eva was waiting for me with multiple delicacies laid out on the table and to my surprise, it wasn't just Eva waiting for me. Ace too. He was sitting at dining with his legs crossed while his attention was on his phone, he appeared to be scrolling, his dish remained untouched. He looked up immediately when I came into the vicinity. I shivered when his eyes took me in from head to toe and then back again as if to make sure I really wasn't injured. I was safe. I cleared my throat as I smiled at Eva, thanking her for the meal. She looked at the verge of hugging me, she was happy that I was safe. "I thought you would never wake and I
“Brielle Wallace, do you take Ace Reynolds to be your lawfully wedded husband?” The priest inquired gently, his gaze and every other gaze in the cathedral, including the cold one in front of me, settled on me, anticipating that I replied with a “yes”. Maybe they all expected I smiled along with my answer, which was so ridiculous considering no one thought I would be asked this silly question until a few minutes earlier. I was dressed to be the bridesmaid, not the bride. I wasn't supposed to be the bride, my sister was. This wasn't my fate, it was my sister’s. When I was very young, my mother always read this bedtime story to me. It was about a princess who got her fate swapped with a river goddess by merely standing by the riverside. I always thought it was a ridiculous story because I didn't believe such a crucial thing as one’s fate could be swapped in a split second. Now, I understand. Indeed, it was possible. It was feasible because it just happened to me. All
He kissed and kissed. He didn't stop. When I thought he would stop, he didn't.His lips were soft on mine, hot, urgent, and hungry.Why would he kiss me in this manner? He seems to be enjoying it. Ace cupped my cheek, his thumb caressing it gently as he intensified his kiss.My legs turned to a piece of jelly, my trembling hands doing nothing but resting my hand on his hard rock chest in an attempt to pry him off. Why is he doing this? Why is he kissing me like he wants me? Why did he say what he said earlier? What did he mean?Finally, he breaks the kiss. He broke the kiss but his face was still dangerously close to mine. I try not to stare into his eyes and he takes my chin in his delicate fingers, shoves my face up, forcing me to look at him.And when I did, I melted underneath that gaze. It was the brightest shade of blue I had ever seen. Menacing yet, intoxicating.“Congrats on this new phase.”He whispered to me, planted one last kiss on my lips, and stepped back.I, on the ot
But, why would he take Isobel? It made absolutely no sense. He probably was the one who asked her to marry him. Why would he do that and then proceed to abduct her on their wedding day?I instantly made it to the party, not bothering to ask questions I didn't have answers to. Scrambling through the crowd, I searched for mom or dad desperately.God help me. I see one of them before Ace finds me in the crowd.As soon as I saw mom in the crowd, sipping champagne and staring into space, I breathed a relieved sigh.I walked up to her with steps of desperation. Immediately mom noticed me, she frowned, settling her flute of champagne on the tray of a server who swept past her at that time.“Honey, where did you go again? Harper went to pay a visit to you and your husband but, you weren't—”“Mom please!” I cut in. “For the love of God, can you stop calling that man my husband? It's just a stand-in, remember?”Mom looked taken aback with the way I had snapped and I felt a pang of guilt. Abou
I let the night breeze brush my pale skin as I peered out the window of the black SUV.The breeze was chilly against my skin but nothing could be more chilly than the thought of starting a home with Ace.Becoming his wife.Ace Reynolds took a different car. A Rolls-Royce Sweptail drove closely behind us.I supposed I should be relieved that we weren't sharing the same breathing space at the moment and I was but, whenever I peered back and caught a glimpse of the Rolls-Royce behind us, I felt my stomach twist in anxiety.It even felt worse.It felt like I was being watched. I was under the watch of the most ruthless man. He wasn’t with me in the car but his presence wasn't missed either. I felt it. Closely. Like he never left.Ace Reynolds had grabbed my wrist forcefully and pulled me out of the party before I had time to protest - which I wasn't even planning to do.However, when I saw my mother watch me as I got pulled out by Ace Reynolds, a proud smile on her lips, my heart bounced
“Hey. What's the problem?”Luke asked, a tiny frown planted on his forehead.“Can you lend me your phone real quick, please?”My voice came out urgent and shaky.“Brielle, you don't look good. What's happening?”When Ace began to make it into the cafè, closer to me, searching every corner with his hard gaze, I grabbed Luke’s shoulder violently.He flinched at my sudden move but, I didn't care, I was on the brink of doom.“Just give me the damn phone!”Luke brought out his phone and handed it over to me. I grabbed it with trembling hands.“Brielle, if you need me to—”“I'm fine!”I snapped at Luke, scrambling to find a hiding place to call Valerie.A water dispenser stood at the rounding of a corner and I quickly went there to hide, moving away from Luke.I bit my finger as I waited for her response to the call. On the fourth ring, she picked.“God, Val! Where are you? I'm at your workplace!”“Brielle? I called in sick today. What's wrong?”Fucking hell!She started speaking again but
I already knew that Ace would not be by my side when I woke up. I patted the empty space before sitting up. I had slept on the same bed with him twice and he made sure to disappear before I woke. I took a shower, forcing the event of the day out of my mind. Then I changed into a cloth, I slept with that bedsheet the entire time. Eva was waiting for me with multiple delicacies laid out on the table and to my surprise, it wasn't just Eva waiting for me. Ace too. He was sitting at dining with his legs crossed while his attention was on his phone, he appeared to be scrolling, his dish remained untouched. He looked up immediately when I came into the vicinity. I shivered when his eyes took me in from head to toe and then back again as if to make sure I really wasn't injured. I was safe. I cleared my throat as I smiled at Eva, thanking her for the meal. She looked at the verge of hugging me, she was happy that I was safe. "I thought you would never wake and I
The water felt hotter beneath his gaze and even now that his jaw worked endlessly reminding me that he was upset about me calling Elijah. I remained in a frozen position choosing my next words carefully. "What are you doing with my phone?" I asked hoping that would buy me enough time. Ace raised that perfectly arched brow and smiled. It wasn't the kind of rare smiles he showed me, this was sardonic. He pocketed the phone, cast my body one last lust filled look. "Come out of that pool," Ace ordered as he walked out of the pool room. I sagged and sank deeper into the water. He looked positively enraged. With the little time I had spent with Ace, I knew he was the type who handled his anger with calmness. He was deceiving.I took my sweet time getting out of the water, drying myself and dressing up. I even walked slowly back to the sitting room pretending that I forgot my way. "Where's he?" I asked Eva. She was pacing around th
I gave myself no time to think as I dialed Elijah's contact. Maybe this was heaven's way of telling me that there was no point staying because why else would I suddenly find his number just immediately after getting a phone call? "Hello," Elijah's voice flowed out of the phone. I froze. My fingers felt cold and there was a pounding in my heart. My mother's conspiracy with Ace played in My head and then there was Isobel's advice. Wasn't there a hidden agenda here? One that they were keeping me out of? This was my life but everyone seemed to have a say in it and it was insane how they thought my best life would be led with a killer. "Hello..."I pressed the hang up button and fell on the bed. I was conflicted. But one thing was certain to me, I wanted to find out everything. To answer every question in my head. Why did Isobel choose to remain hidden? Why was she telling me to stay put in the marriage? And why did Ace kill my father?It felt like my head was going to float out of m
I slept. Totally spent with satisfaction, my lids closed on their accords and I lost track of time. In my dream, a tall dangerously good looking man was plowing into me eliciting moans of pleasure. When I opened my eyes, no one needed to tell me that I dreamt of sex with Ace right after having sex with him. "I didn't think you would wake up this soon. Not while having that wet dream anyway." I looked up to find Ace standing and looking down on me. His voice was husky, hoarse and tempting. He was dressed in only his pants without a shirt, the tattoos stood out and I could not stop looking at the quote. I sat up as his words registered in my head. I felt the soreness between my legs as I moved. It felt delicious that I had to remind myself. This man killed your father. It's a one time thing. You wanted to know what sex feels like and you have. "How did you know?" I stupidly asked him and men
Yeah, I would be doing it only because I was dying to experience it, not because I was in love with him. Perhaps, I should shut my eyes and imagine Elijah as the man when he does it? Ace had stepped out immediately; he settled me in and I had waited for him. Ace arrived past ten. I heard him speaking to someone on the phone. So, I immediately got off the queen-sized bed and followed his voice. His bedroom was on the first floor. He didn't shut his door, so I strolled in after him. His bedroom was twice as massive as my new one. But, I didn't have strength to adore its beauty as I had other important missions. I just want to experience sex once and for good and get it over with. Ace halted his conversation on the phone when he turned around to see me. He had change
I left Elijah in my almost-empty childhood room, following behind Ace Reynolds. Yes, I chose a loveless marriage with Ace. Elijah charged after me, tears in his eyes, attempting to convince me to stay and begging me not to leave him behind. But, I was deaf to his pleas. My mom asked Ace to take care of me and Valerie hugged me tightly asking for the last time if I was sure I didn't want to go with Elijah instead. I didn't answer the question, I just assured her that I would be okay. Truthfully, I didn't know the answer to that question. I didn't know if I wanted to go with Elijah or stay with Ace. Neither did I know why I chose Ace instead of Elijah. I just found myself choosing Ace. And it had nothing to do with his threat earlier. To be frank, if I really hated the idea of staying married to Ace, I would have done the one thing to put an end to it
He came back a few minutes later with a tab and switched it on, immediately moving to Skype. Then, he called a contact under the name “Dawn” and we waited as it rang. After three rings, someone picked up and a guy’s face came on. He was shirtless, his broad chest inked with tattoos. “Go put on a shirt, dick. My wife is here with me.” I retched at that title. I hope I never hear from him again. It would be like a call to reality that we were really married. He was my husband. I retched again. The guy at the other end of the camera abandoned his phone, ran off somewhere and returned with a shirt on, the first few buttons undone and the sleeve rolled up. He looked good. Maybe he was Ace’s brother. “We finally see the beautiful new bride you wouldn't stop rambling about.” He rambled about me? I wondered what he said. Did he talk about my b
I pressed my ear closely into the door to pick up the conversation; however, a voice downstairs interrupted me. A familiar voice. I walked away from Isobel’s bedroom door and peeked downstairs, placing my hand gently on the railings. It was who I thought it was. Valerie. Valerie wore a beautiful, black mini gown and she had her jet-black hair up in a ponytail style. She looked gorgeous and I've missed her so fucking much. She was speaking to Aunt Quinn, smiling sweetly at something she said. Breaking the rules of never going downstairs till the funeral was over, I marched down the stairs, rushing over to Valerie and immediately wrapping my hands around her when I was within reach. She hugged me back, circling her hand around my waist. We've not seen each other for a week but it felt like years. “I’ve missed you so much.”
My world went crumbling at once. To confirm the news, I let my trembling fingers type it's way to the internet. I put his name in the search bar and thousands of articles presented themselves. The exact headline. Dad had truly passed away. The article said he was found dead a few minutes ago. Probably several minutes after we spoke. I still had time to save him. There was still time to save him but I did nothing. I folded my arms and allowed it to happen like a spineless fool. I couldn't cry. I didn't have the right to cry. It could have been avoided but I chose to avoid it. When Ace arrived, I was glued to the corner of the bedroom, trapping my head in between my legs, staring blankly at the floor. Ace said nothing. He already knew. Of course he does. Infact, he was at the crime scene. He was the one that did whatever happened to dad and rendered me fatherless. I should lurch at him. Fight and hit him. Confront him for his cruelty and wickedness. How can a human b