Zein's Point of View
I don't know how to tame a guy like Ace. He's never been this upset with me. I can't tell if he's truly furious or just hurt, but I know one thing for sure—this is all that jerk Raze's fault.
Ace was staring intently at his laptop while I pretended to watch a show I didn't understand. My mind was racing, trying to figure out how to make things right. First, I forgot our anniversary yesterday. Second, I didn't have a gift for him. And third—the worst part of all—he found out his brother kissed me.
I am definitely doomed.
"Ace?"
"Hmmm?"
I was stung by the fact that he wouldn't even look at me for a second. I hate it; I'm not used to it, and I never want to be. I love it when he looks at me the moment I say his name—at me, not at his laptop!
"Aren't you going to your company today?" I asked, trying to break the ice.
The air in the room suddenly felt freezing. I realized immediately that I had said the wrong thing.
"Why? Do you want to see my brother?" he asked coldly.
That was it. I shouldn't have brought it up. He was still deep in the dimension of jealousy. How was I supposed to tame him? I closed my eyes as a desperate idea came to mind. It felt like the worst idea ever, and I wasn't sure I could pull it off, but I made up my mind. He's only human, after all. He's a man—he has to have a weakness for seduction, right?
I swallowed hard and touched his arm. He froze. My own heart hammered against my ribs. What was I doing? I bit my lower lip and lightly caressed his bicep. I felt a sudden heat flush through me. My heart sank when he firmly removed my hand.
"You don't know what will happen if I let you do this shit," he responded coldly.
He called my effort "shit." It took all my courage to make that move, and now I felt like I was falling apart. Irritation began to build. Do I really have no charm?
I moved behind him and hugged his back. I felt his body go tense with shock. I was committed now. If this was the only way for him to forgive me, then so be it.
"Darling..." I whispered. No response.
"You are dangerous, Zein," he finally said.
"I'm sorry..."
"And I want that kind of danger."
I bit my lip as he unwrapped my arms from his body. He closed his laptop and stood up, keeping his back to me.
"Get dressed. Let's go see Raze." He glanced at me briefly. "I know you already miss him."
With that, he walked out. What the fuck!
While I soaked in the bathtub, I plotted my revenge against Raze while trying to figure out how to fix things with Ace. I also realized I still didn't have my phone. Cedric and I hadn't crossed paths yet; I'd have to ask him about it tomorrow.
I waited for Ace to knock on my door when I was ready, as he usually does, but the silence remained unbroken. I sighed, took one last look in the mirror, and stepped out. Ace was leaning against the wall by my door, clearly waiting.
"You took two hours. Why?" he asked, his voice like ice.
"I thought you were going to hit me..." I replied shyly. His gaze was terrifying.
"I wouldn't bother... maybe because you've already arranged things so well for him."
My jaw dropped as he walked ahead of me. I felt terrible. Why was he being like this? He and Angel had kissed too, but I didn't get this angry! You are being so unfair, Ace Craige!
The car ride was suffocatingly awkward. He drove with a grim expression while I stared out the window until my neck felt stiff. I reached to turn on the radio, but he caught my hand.
"I don't want noise."
I pulled my hand back, fuming. "I've already apologized. If you can't accept that, there's nothing more I can do," I snapped.
"Tsk."
I went quiet. I gave it my best shot, but I guess my best wasn't good enough.
I wasn't amazed by the size of their company since I'd been there before, but I didn't realize they had a business outside of Hell University. While we were in the elevator, I thought about Ace's family. He didn't grow up with his brother, Raze, or their father. His mother, Veronica, had lived apart from them until her family intervened, separating the two brothers. Raze stayed with their father, while Ace stayed with Veronica.
When Mr. Valdez found out Veronica was pregnant with Ace, he did everything to reunite them. At his parents' request, Ace took their surname—Craige. Veronica had been suffering from a serious illness and, as her final wish, asked that Ace be given to Mr. Valdez. Ace was only ten when she died. He suffered more than Raze because he had been her constant companion.
Because of his great love for her, Mr. Valdez had her body preserved rather than buried, which was why he was so obsessed with finding a way to bring the dead back to life. Eventually, last year, they buried her next to Mr. Valdez inside Hell University.
"Zein Shion!"
Ace's shout snapped me back to reality. I realized I'd been standing frozen outside the elevator for a while.
"S-Sorry..."
"Damn it! Think only of me! You should only be thinking of me! Only me, Zein Shion!" He stomped off ahead of me. I *was* thinking about him! That guy is totally over the top.
When we entered the office, Raze greeted me with a hug. I turned pale when I saw Ace sitting at Raze's desk, holding a gun.
"I miss you, Zein—Shit!"
A gunshot rang out, and the glass wall behind us shattered into pieces. I swallowed hard as Ace grinned at us.
"Whoa! Easy, Ace. I'm just being friendly," Raze said, raising his hands.
"You're such a 'sweet' friend that I want to kill you right here, right now, brother."
Raze just laughed. In a blur of motion, Raze managed to snatch the gun from Ace's hand. It was too fast for my eyes to follow. Are these two even human? They started talking shop, and Raze seemed thrilled by whatever plan Ace was proposing.
"What a brilliant idea, Ace! That's my brother!"
They both turned their gaze toward me. "What do you want to eat, Zein?" Raze asked.
"I don't want to eat anything as long as you're with us," I replied. Ace let out a small, satisfied smile as Raze's jaw dropped.
"You're so rude," Raze snorted. "Just like your sister."
I turned to Ace. "I'm going to the mall for a bit."
"I'll go with you."
"No, it's close. I'll be fine." I saw the resistance in his eyes but smiled inwardly as I left. Raze offered to come too, but I ignored him. Before the door closed, I heard Ace say the words I'd been waiting for.
"Take care, Darling."
I spent an hour looking for a gift for Ace. My eyes finally landed on a beautiful wristwatch, and I bought it instantly. As I walked through the mall, I noticed a man in a cap watching me. I couldn't see his face, but he reminded me of that weird guy at the school waiting shed. When he saw me looking, he disappeared into the crowd. I felt a chill run down my spine.
As I stepped outside, a heavy rain began to fall. I didn't have an umbrella or my phone to call Ace. I decided to just run for it. I was halfway across the road when my legs suddenly felt numb. I heard a loud horn, and everything blurred.
I woke up feeling someone hugging me tightly. In slow motion, I realized Ace had tackled me out of the way. We hit the pavement together, but he took the brunt of the fall to protect me.
"Are you okay?!" he gasped, his mouth slightly open from the impact.
We were both soaked to the bone. I stood up quickly, tears welling in my eyes. I turned away so he wouldn't see me cry. I felt so guilty. He grabbed my arm and pulled me toward him, and I started sobbing when I saw the bloody scrapes on his elbow.
"Zein, are you okay?!"
I hate you, Ace! You're the one who got hurt, and you're still worried about me! I grabbed his hand and pressed the gift into it. My hands were shaking. I forced a smile when I saw the watch looked perfect on him.
"Darling, happy anniversary. I am so sorry," I sobbed.
My knees felt weak, but Ace caught me and held me close. I looked back at the car that had almost hit me. The driver peeked out and grinned at me.
Every hair on my body stood up. That smile... it looked like the grin of death itself.