Morozov

Chapter 9

We got into his car and he drove to a hill at the outskirts of where we lived. We climbed into the trunk and had a perfect view over the city. What made it even better was the sky that was filled with beautiful stars and the moon lighting up the night.

I just sat there admiring the scene when Ace suddenly spoke up.
"He's an asshole."

When I didn't answer and just looked at him, he continued.
"My father. Just like yours."

I didn't know what to say so I turned my gaze back to the little dots of light.

"He used to hit me too. But as I grew older and stronger he stopped."
My gaze immediately snapped to him again but he kept his on the city.

"I'm sorry," I said, barely above a whisper. My gaze traveled along his face, searching for imperfections like wrinkles, bumps, discoloration or even a wart.
But there wasn't any.

He was perfect in every way possible.

"No I'm sorry. I wish I could've protected you earlier," he interrupted my taking in his perfection and shook his head in disappointment.

"Why do you care so much?" I finally asked the question that was bothering me since my father's announcement.
His gaze snapped up to me but as he realized I was being serious he looked away.

"I hate men that hit women. Who do they think they are for having the right to do that? It's fucking weak in my opinion."
The more he talked about it, the angrier he sounded.

And I could see why.
I knew for a fact that Dominic hit him and his family. It was like all this built-up anger he had towards him was projected onto every man that didn't treat a woman the way Ace thought was right.
So naturally, he chose me.
Did he?

"Why do you have to marry now? Why can't it be later?" I asked hesitant, earning a glance from Ace.

He inhaled deeply, his shoulders rising and when they sunk, he answered.
"The mafia will be transferred to me as soon as I turn twenty one but only under the condition that I'm either married or engaged," he explained with furrowed eyebrows. I slowly nodded my head because I didn't know what to say.

Being cruel enough to force your children into marriage is the one thing. But the fact that Ace's family still lived by these old traditions...that made me feel sorry for him.

What if the cruel, emotionless devil everyone claims him to be is just a result of what his father put him through? What if he's only protecting himself by being more cruel than everyone else?, I thought to myself. And not a day went by that I haven't thought about it ever since.

"Ace?" I started, breaking the silence that built between us.

He looked at me, waiting for me to go on. I could hear the whooshing of cars driving on the streets below us and crickets singing in the distance.

"Who chose me?"

"I did," he cleared his throat. I expected him to break the eye contact but he didn't. Instead, he kept on staring at me.
Grey eyes challenging me in the most peaceful way I ever expected.

"Why?"

"I saw you and I immediately knew what your father put you through so I kind of felt the urge to get you out of there," he shrugged his shoulders and acted like his answer didn't bother him but I could see in his eyes that it for sure did.

It felt like he didn't allow himself to just let go and feel something. Like feeling the urge to take care of someone other than him, caring for someone other than him, bothered him.

And he did care. He freed me from my father's grasp.

He saved me.

My eyes traveled down to his hand. They were resting against the edge of the trunk, probably to give him some stability.
And by instinct, my hand moved toward his until out fingers touched.

It was just the slightest brush of skin and it still sent shivers down my spine.

"Are you cold? You're shaking," he dipped his head at my body. I hadn't even noticed how cold it's gotten. Not when electric spikes were still shooting through my body from the millisecond his fingers touched mine.

"Oh," I said completely caught off guard and also partly offended that he wanted to divert my attention away from his hand.

He sighed before taking off his hoodie. As he did, the T-shirt he was wearing underneath slid up a little and revealed a part of his sixpack, v-line and the band of his underwear.

"Here. Take this."

My gaze snapped up to his face when I noticed that I was staring. I smiled at him before putting it on. It was still warm so I snuggled in it and grabbed the long sleeves in my palms.

Ace
She seemed to have forgotten that I was watching her as she snuggled into my hoodie that was way too big for her. I had to hold back a smile at the comfortable expression she had on her face.

What made my face drop and my eyes widen was when she pulled her knees to her chest and rested her feet on the edge of my car - with her shoes ON.

I normally would've threatened to cut everyone else's feet off but for some reason I couldn't with her.

"I will take you to work with me tomorrow," I informed her. It wasn't a request but a decision I'd made earlier that day. So there was no room for bargains and refusing.

She opened her mouth to protest but I quickly shut her off.
"I don't wanna hear it. You won't go to school anyway so instead of learning maths you can learn about my Mafia's partners and enemies. I don't think I have to explain to you how important that is."

The topic 'enemies' must have brought an idea to her head. One I didn't like to talk to her about. At least not yet.

"What happened between you and Jack?"

I swear I didn't want to glare at her the way I did. It just slipped out by the mention of the fucker.

"It's not relevant for you," I snapped, suddenly feeling angry at her for bringing it up and the comfortable, warm feeling she gave me vanished quicker than I'd like to admit.

Why did she have to bring that up?

"He approached me at the opera so I think it is indeed very relevant. And you said it yourself, I should know who your enemies are and don't even try to convince me he beat you at poker or something," she argued, desperate for an answer she wouldn't get.

I got up and rolled my neck, my spine cracking from the tension it was under.
"We should go back. Tomorrow will be a long day for you."

"But-"

"No," I interrupted, then closed the trunk and approached the passenger seat to bring home my point. I opened the door for her and closed it, forcing myself not to slam it close.

It wasn't her fault Jack approached her and her curiosity was more than justified. But it was not just a basic enemy story you explain in ten minutes. It was way more complex than that.