The Redemption of Ace Merrill

SMASH

Stella walked past the mass collection of bodyguards as Eyeball waved her over happily from their booth.

She gave him a huge smile as she skipped over. Climbing over Ace's lap she plonked herself in the middle of him and Eyeball.

"Well look who's staying after all?" He said cockily as he nudged her.

"It's only for a little bit longer, Dads got some extra work to do." Stella mumbled as she reached out and picked a strawberry off Vince's plate.

"Yeah bout your dads work..." Charlie mumbled as he leant a little closer. "Anything you can do about these geezers in suits who are fucking following us everywhere?"

Stella sighed. "Welcome to my world. All of them besides Wilder and Graham are my security team. Austin and Hugo are joint in charge so they have seniority over them all."

The boys nodded slowly as they all glanced over to the men in suits before looking back at Stella.

"So why are they following us and not you?" Billy asked as he shivered uncomfortably.

Stella shrugged. "No clue, dad must have ordered it."

"I mean last time I checked, I definitely weren't a girl." Vince mumbled.

"You're a pussy though, if that counts?" Eyeball perked up.

Vince kicked him under the table as the others laughed.

"Just don't piss them off." Stella said looking at each cobra in turn. "You might think you're all big and tough but these guys? They eat you for breakfast and shit you out by lunch."

They looked back over as they saw her agents all talking while Skylar was holding a plate and eating.

"We won't Artois."

Stella turned to Eyeball and gave him a small smile.

*****

"Do you guys remember when Stella was younger and no-one came to her birthday party because they were all too scared of her dad and us?" Austin asked the others as he kept his gaze on Stella and the cobras.

"What about it?" Hugo asked by his side.

"Remember how her dad said we could actually relax if we made sure she had fun? And we went on the bouncy castle, did all the party games and played hide and seek for fucking hours because we actually lost her for once?"

They all nodded slowly, they remembered that day well. The only thing on their mind was finding her and when they did they found her up a tree with a cookie jar.

"Again, what about it?" Hugo asked.

"Remember how we were all actually fucking exhausted after that day?" Austin continued.

"Well we ain't getting any fucking younger and she was a fucking handful." Bruce mumbled.

Austin nodded slowly as he kept his attention on her. Ace now had his arm around her and she was leaning her back into him while joking with Eyeball. All the cobras were actually having a decent laugh and joke together.

"We can't do this job forever." Austin finished.

"What are you saying?" Nico asked as he looked between Austin and the others.

"You fucking know what I'm saying." Austin somewhat snapped as he nodded towards the group.

"There is enough of them..." Evans mumbled as he looked over at the group.

"This is ridiculous! I'd served 5 years already by the time I was their age." Salvatore scoffed as he shook his head. "They wouldn't know the first fucking thing about this job."

"I'm not so sure about that." Marco said as he shook his head. "End of the day our job is to protect her, kinda seems to me they're just doing it unpaid."

Hugo shook his head. "I'm with Salvatore. Plus do you really wanna be there when one in particular finds out that as her security detail, a romantic relationship is forbidden?"

Skylar nodded as he shoved another forkful of pancakes into his mouth. "Mi ssheef."

The others turned to him in disgust.

"Finish your fucking mouthful you pig." Salvatore snapped.

Skylar opened his mouth wide and came closer to Salvatore, who shoved him away. "You're fucking disgusting."

Skylar laughed and finished his food. "Well I was gonna say I agree with you but fuck you now."

"They're not fit to be her detail." Salvatore snapped. "I can't imagine one of them taking a bullet for her."

Austin shrugged slightly. "I kinda can."

"Agreed." Hugo mumbled as they looked over to see Stella lean her head back to onto Ace.

"They'd just need a whole load of training. That one looks like he'd shoot himself in the foot." Marco scoffed as he pointed to Charlie, who had a mouthful of food, causing his cheeks to make him look a little bit like a hamster.

Yet all the agents turned to Skylar, who also had a mouthful of food. "Bit swas fun fucking shine!" He managed to say while trying to eat.

"You really are a disgrace." Salvatore scoffed looking him up and down.

Skylar finished his food and snapped his head back to them. "I said, it was one fucking time!"

The others laughed slightly as they all recalled the day Skylar had accidentally shot himself in the foot.

"Either way," Hugo said calming them down. "Jordan's with her father today so all being well today should be relatively quiet-"

SMASH!

The moment he finished his sentence the glass window by the cobras and Stella broke and showered them all with glass as Ace's arms instinctively wrapped around Stella, letting her bury her head into his chest.

However they didn't get a moment to react as Stella's guards were on top of them all in a heartbeat.

Stella was scooped up by Austin and Hugo as she desperately tried to reach back out for Ace.

Yet no matter how hard she pulled and fought, Austin was stronger. She was over his shoulder and being carried out the back of the diner in a heartbeat.

"LET ME GO YOU BIG FAT FREAK!" She snapped as she kicked and smacked against him.

"Oceane just fucking calm down!" He snapped as he carried her away. Hugo by his side with his side gun drawn.

"Will you please be quiet ma'am?" He tried not to swear at her.

"NO I FUCKING WONT! NOW PUT ME THE FUCK DOWN! ACE IS BACK THERE!" She continued to shout.

"Ace is fucking fine!" Austin snapped. "You're our fucking priority now calm down before I shoot your little fucking boyfriend myself!"

Stella fell silent. She knew Austin wasn't kidding.