Filed To Story: The Trap Of Ace Book PDF Free
Do me a favor and go look in the mirror.
The dullness in your eyes due to your missing lover is unmistakable.”
She snorted.
Pressing my lips together, I glared.
“They’re not dull at all!”
When she noticed someone familiar in the crowd, raising her hand, she waved.
“I think I got my prince charming for the night.
Why don’t you just call him and ask where he is instead of playing ‘I don’t care’?”
My brows creased as she bounced off to a pretty guy and disappeared through the mass of people.
I wasn’t playing any games.
He was.
I was just trying to protect my heart from being broken again.
Scanning the crowd one more time, I walked towards the bar and grabbed a cocktail.
The night did feel dull tonight, even after the chatter, laughter, and music around me.
While sipping on my drink, I caught Arthur, Ace’s uncle, on the other side of the hall, talking and laughing with some suited men.
Then his gaze locked with mine.
A smile stretched across his face.
Even from afar, I could see his fa?ade.
His smile didn’t reach the eyes.
But I smiled back anyway and turned around.
From what I knew, Ace’s uncle handled a lot of important loads of the company.
He was one of the liable persons at Valencian Corp and in Ace’s life.
ButI wasn’t comfortable around him like I should have been.
That day at the meeting with Arabs, we were all on the terrace.
What was he doing downstairs?
Did he have a meeting at the same place?
Maybe.
It could be just a coincidence.
I was thinking too much.
Then, I felt it.
Goosebumps crawled up my skin as I felt his gaze on me.
He was here.
The abrupt silence around the hall and whispers of girls, the annoying sound of their giggling proved my suspicion right.
The party was back to life after some moments while I stood there, fidgeting in my place, forcing myself not to look behind.
I don’t care!
I don’t care!
I won’t look.
Chanting the mantra in my head, I managed to glue my attention on my drink.
I was stronger than this.
“If I knew you’d look that beautiful in white, I’d have chosen this color instead of red for my Rosebud,” a deep voice rasped in my ear.
I stilled, my heart stopped in my chest.
Deep breath, Em!
Deep breaths!
Inhaling deep, I searched for my voice.
“You were mistaken if you thought I’d wear the gown you sent me.”
I decided to wear another dress I’d bought with Tess the other day, instead of the one he bought for me.
Even though I loved that gown.
Wait, did he just call me his Rosebud again?
“And I’m not yours.”
Tilting my head, I looked up at him over my shoulder.
It was a mistake.
My breath hitched as soon as my gaze met his.
He wore his hair and beard longer tonight.
I hadn’t seen him in two days, and his thick stubble was so grown today, giving him an extra look of edge and roughness.
His dark hair touched the collar of his shirt.
My hands itched to run over his covered jaw and smooth hair.
While his stormy irises remained the same, intense on me, dark and dominant.
His heady cologne with his signature smell of a hint of smoke tingled my nostrils.
Something tugged in my lower region as I filled my lungs with him.
Suddenly I felt him against me, his arms caging me around the bar.
When did he come so close?
A groan reverberated through his chest as he brushed a strand away from my face.
His intense gaze fell on my parted lips.
“And again, I’m going to repeat that, Rosebud.”
Leaning in, he brushed his lips on my earlobe.
“You’re mine.”
A shiver ran down my spine.
Another tug in the forbidden area had me mortified.
Averting my eyes, I tried to break his cage and fly away, but he only pulled me close, binding me in his arms again.
The music began in the background, indicating the dance had started, while I continued to scowl and wiggle in his arms.
He watched me in amusement.
The look in his orbs did something to me.
He watched me as if he was looking at the most precious and beautiful thing in the world.
His usual hollow eyes had light and… happiness.
A serene, tiny smile tugged on his lips.
When my struggle finally died down, he took my hand in his.
“Dance with me?”
“No,” I said, but not moving away from him.I was turning weak again, I knew.
I couldn’t help it.
He made me like this, he made me weak for him.
Ignoring my answer, he gently kissed my hand and pulled me into the dance floor among the other couples, who were already swaying under the slow music.
And all the time, I felt a pair of eyes on me.
It wasn’t a warm feeling, though.
The shiver that ran down my spine was chilling.
EIGHTEEN: HURTING
“T
his is not a way to dance.
No one dances like this,” I huffed.
“I’m not anyone, Rosebud.
I’m Achilles Valencian.
I don’t follow rules, I make them.”
He pulled me deeper into his arms.
Sighing, I gave up.
While the others moved around the dance floor, he didn’t let even an inch of distance between us.
When his one hand should be in one of mine and the other on my waist, both of his strong arms were firmly wrapped around me, keeping me against his chest.
And mine were locked around his neck.
He wouldn’t even move freely, just slow sways.
As if no one in the world was watching us.
But the glares of both single and taken women were unignorable.
When my neck started to hurt, craning to look at him all the time, I rested my cheek on his chest.
Closing my eyes, I let him move us around in slow waves.
His scent with every intake of breath lulled me to peace.
I remained silent as he played with my hair.
“Don’t cut your hair ever again.”
My eyes opened, but I didn’t move my head from his warmth.
He was talking about that time when I’d cut it short, assuming he liked it that way.
“Why?”
I whispered.
I didn’t have any plans to do something I’d done years ago out of my naivety.
I was my own person now.
“Because it looks beautiful on you.
And this is the real you.
I don’t want you to change for someone else.”
I froze.
He noticed my change for him?
He noticed how I turned into someone else just to catch his eye?
His words touched something deep inside me.
He didn’t want me to change for anyone, even for him?
Not that I was going to do anything for him.
His fingers brushed against the fabric of my dress after he was done playing with my hair.
Even if he minded I didn’t wear the red gown, he didn’t show it.
Though the appreciation in his eyes for my appearance was clear.
I hated to admit it, but I liked it.
I liked the way he looked at me every time we met.
I hated to love it all.
His gaze on me, his touch, his warmth, his scent, his dominance, everything single thing.
And I had no idea how to stop myself from adoring these feelings.
My hand snaked to his left shoulder.
“Does it hurt?”
“No.
Just a little sore, that’s it.”
I nodded, still roaming my hand from his shoulder to his chest.
The sharp inhale of his pulled me out of my trance.
Pulling away from his chest, I once again tried to maintain some distance.
And this time, he let me.
But only a few inches.
It was better than nothing.
I could at least breathe.
Glancing over his shoulder, I caught Caleb and Tess moving with the rhythm of the music.
Love and adoration shone in their eyes as they whispered and laughed, lost in their own world.
Some unsought memories again crawled back into my mind.
I moved away from his grasp, making him narrow his eyes.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“I need to use the washroom,” I mumbled, already walking away, not waiting for his response.
He didn’t follow, but his gaze did until I was out of sight.
Dodging the strolling people and rushing kids, I kept moving.
I didn’t know where I was going.
But I didn’t want to be near him anymore.
Why do I always forget what pain he can cause me again?
His unintentional act occurred irreparable damage to my heart.
No, I can’t live through another heartbreak.
Gulping the pressure in my throat as I turned the corner, a hand grabbed my elbow, turning me around.
“Stop running away from him, Em.
You’re hurting yourself by doing so.”
I shook my head.