Filed To Story: The Trap Of Ace Book PDF Free
he cursed under his breath.
“Did she spill anything?”
A muscle of his jaw ticked.
“Are you sure?”
Then he nodded.
“Keep an eye on her.
Inform me if she tries to do anything against me.”
His features turned blank as he straightened his collar with one hand.
“If she doesn’t stay in her limits, make sure she loses her life just like she lost her job.”
FORTY-SIX: A CHANCE
M y breath hitched in my throat.
My heart hammered in my chest.
He was talking about Sierra.
He must be.
Did he find out I went to see her?
To get information about him?
No, no.
Even if he did know of my visit, how could he know I had any kind of suspicion of him?
I could visit her for any reason, right?
She was my friend, after all.
But that wasn’t the matter of concern right now.
Sierra was in danger.
He could harm her at any moment.
And I couldn’t let this happen.
I had to do something for her.
What secret of his did she know for him to want her dead?
When he put the phone down and put it into his pocket, I whirled around and left as fast as I could without making any noise.
Thank God for the thick handcrafted carpet that covered the floor.
Otherwise, my heels would announce my presence even if I took a single step.
With my heart in my throat, I ran down the empty corridor and turned to a hallway that didn’t lead outside.
Glancing over my shoulder as I took another turn, I slammed against a hard chest and the blow threw me backwards.
But a pair of strong arms shot out to me and pulled me back, securing me in their hold.
For a second I almost stopped breathing, assuming I got caught, but then I looked up.
Narrowed stormy grays met my eyes, they held concern.
“What’s wrong with you?
You could get hurt if I wasn’t here to hold you!”
Yes, I could.
But you saved me.
I took a deep breath.
Relief washed over me.
I subconsciously stepped closer to him, casting a glance at my back.
No matter what I said, I wasn’t brave enough to be alone with that man in those eerie hallways.
Not when there was a whisper at the back of my mind that he knew what I was up to.
Though it didn’t make any sense, he couldn’t have known about my suspicion.
Still, after hearing his phone conversation, fear etched in my mind.
But that wouldn’t stop me from exposing him.
“Rosebud?”
Cupping my face, he made me look into his hard eyes.
My fists were now clenched around his black shirt.
“What happened?
You look scared.
Is everything all right?”
He looked behind me.
“Did anyone do or say anything to you?”
Gulping, I shook my head.
“Nobody said or did anything.
I’m fine, don’t worry.
I kind of got lost.
I was just looking for the exit.”
He didn’t look convinced.
“You know this house quite well, Rosebud.
You can’t just get lost here so easily.
What are you hiding?”
“I’m not hiding anything.”
Now that I had his arms around me, I felt safe.
His mere presence gave me security.
“I was just looking around out of boredom and got a bit lost.
There are so many hallways, after all.
Anyway, you came?
I thought you weren’t going to join tonight’s dinner.”
Even if he was aware of my subtle way of changing the subject, he let me.
His tight jaw and steely glances over my shoulder were the evidence.
“Ace?”
His head snapped to me.
“Yeah.
I was busy with a meeting.”
What Caleb said back at their engagement party floated into my mind.
My heart clenched in my chest.
“It must be difficult, isn’t it?”
I whispered.
“What?”
His head tilted to the side.
“Coming here,” I said.
“It must be difficult for you to come to his house.
The house that only brings you hurtful memories.”
His shoulders tensed as an unknown emotion flashed across his eyes.
I placed my palm against his cheek, feeling his dense stubble.
“I’d say you shouldn’t have come here.
But I won’t.
Because you’ve to move on, Ace.
Besides those ugly memories, you also have one of the most beautiful memories of your life here.
So don’t let the negativity overcome the positive sides.
Until you let go of the past, you won’t be able to be happy in your present.”
I didn’t want him getting hurt like this.
Though he didn’t say anything, I could see it in his eyes.
The emptiness, the pain.
Something was eating him alive, and he couldn’t express it.
And there was a fear in there.
Behind those gray pools.
Fear of something I couldn’t figure out.
“Let go of it, Ace.
It’s time to move on.
Don’t let the past hold your happiness and peace,” I murmured, stroking his jaw.
Heaving a breath, he pressed his forehead against mine.
“Shouldn’t it be applied to everyone, Rosebud?”
I frowned.
“Everyone who?”
Then it hit me.
He was talking about me.
I averted my eyes.
He sighed.
Taking my hands in his, he kissed each of my knuckles.
“Come with me.”
“Where?”
Not answering, he led me down the hallway.
Once we were on the terrace, he turned to me.
“I have a surprise for you.”
“What?”
Taking his phone out, he typed something and then put it back inside his pocket.
“You’ll see.”
Hugging myself, I rubbed my arms from the chilly night.
“We should go downstairs.
Everyone must be looking for me.”
I should be angry with him, right?
After our argument in his office, I should give him a cold shoulder.
But here I am, standing on the terrace with him alone.
Shrugging off his jacket, he secured it around me.
“Here, it’ll keep you warm.
Though I was enjoying looking at you in that dress.”
Heat crept up my cheeks as I tucked a strayed strand behind my ear.
I didn’t wear anything fancy.
Just a simple sleeveless blue sundress with a pair of black heels.
Cupping my chin, he made me meet his intense gaze.
“Never hide your face from me, Rosebud.
I love to see those cheeks turn all red.”
My cheeks were on fire, heart fluttering.
Damn!
Would his words ever cease to affect me that much?
A cough snatched our attention towards the terrace doors.
Carter stood there with an awkward stance at the entrance with a box in his hands.
I took a step back from Ace, pulling the jacket closer to me.
“Uh, boss.
Here’s the parcel you told me to get from your car,” Carter said.
After taking the box from him, Ace nodded.
“You can go now.”
Flashing me a smile, he walked away.
“What’s in that?”
I eyed the box curiously.
Standing before me, he opened it, putting the contents inside on display.
“Chocolate cupcakes?”
With wide eyes, I looked up at him.
A wide grin spread across my face.
A soft smile tugged at his lips as he nodded, watching me intently.
“You like them, don’t you?”
“I like them?