Innocence Auction (Book 1)

Chapter 21

Amabella

"What the hell are you doing here? And at this hour!" I say and it takes every ounce of control not to just slam the door in his face. "I needed to see you" Ace softly says as Emilia excuses herself from the door. "I don't need to see you. Especially not tonight. I was heading to bed before you rudely interrupted" I snap and he sighs. "I see this was probably the wrong time and not the welcoming reception I had hoped. I will come back tomorrow" Ace says as he steps back from the doorway. "I'm not sure what implied that you would ever get a happy welcoming here. I have college tomorrow so I won't be in" I snap and Ace pauses. "I'll meet you here after classes" Ace says clearly not taking a hint. I did not want to see him; did he not get it? "Fine. 4pm outside this building. You will have half an hour" I snap before I swing the door closed on his response and lock it.

"Wow remind me to never get on your bad side" Emilia says with a chuckle as she heads towards her room. "I don't know who he thinks he is" I say simply as I head towards my own room. "Either brave or stupid" Emilia says. "Or both" I remark. "Goodnight Amabella" Emilia says as she goes to close her door. "Goodnight Emilia" I say softly before I go into my own room. Feeling too wound up at Ace's intrusion I cannot bring myself to sleep. Instead I dial Abel and hope he is awake still.

"Amabella, as much as I love to hear your voice, its rather late" Abel's sleepy voice comes over the phone. "Ace has just been here" I blurt out and I hear Abel growl, all signs of sleepiness forgotten. "What the fuck is he doing there. Has he gone? Did he hurt you?" Abel growls down the phone. I sigh knowing my own frustration has now annoyed Abel too. "It's fine Abel I handled it. He is gone. He didn't even get through the door" I say and I hear Abel sigh. "Do you need me to come over?" Abel asks softly. "It's ok. I will be ok, thank you though" I say softly. "Anytime babe. Now get some sleep, I want my wicked way with you tomorrow night and I can't have you falling asleep on me" He says and my body shivers at the thoughts. "Goodnight Abel" I say and he wishes me goodnight and hangs up the phone. I set my alarm for classes starting tomorrow and climb into bed. I yawn as my head hits the pillow and then I am asleep.

Abel

Waking the next morning I still could not get over the fact that Ace had had the fucking balls to just turn up at Amabella's. Like whom the fuck did that. Especially when the girl is your fucking ex. As in no longer fucking yours. I growled as I sat up. I had hoped by him not showing his fucking face in the office since he left New Orleans over a week ago now, that meant we would not be seeing him again. Apparently though I had been fucking naïve to think he would just fucking leave. I sighed and rolled out of bed and headed for a shower to try and clear my mind before I headed to the office.

Arriving at the office sometime later, I noticed Anya looked a little worried. "Anya, what is wrong?" I asked her. Over the last month or so, since Ace left I have been trying to make more of an effort with Anya. I think most of that was because Amabella seemed to like her, so I also wanted to be close to her to be close to Amabella. As pathetic as that is. That and Amabella was making me a better man. Less savage to the staff that did not deserve it. And Anya did not deserve it. She was amazing at her job. "Ace is here" she whispered and I growled slightly before I thanked her softly. 'So he thought he would come crawling fucking back' I thought as I headed to my office. I had considered marching into his and just having it out with him, but then I thought better of it. I did not want to give him the fucking satisfaction.

About three hours into the shift, Ace walked out of his office with a box of things. I watched him intently as he walked and placed them on the edge of Anya's desk. He then spoke to her before he offered her a hug. I could not help but to find the exchange weird as fuck. I turned my attentions back to my work and tried to ignore Ace's strange behaviour. Mere moments later, the man himself appeared in my doorway, not knocking as per fucking usual. "Yes, please just fucking let yourself in" I snarl and Ace chuckles. My temper had never bothered him. I already knew that, but it did not mean he was not going to feel the heat of it all the same.