𝑋𝑋𝐼𝐼

                                    

                                          
◎
I drive to the Hernandez mansion, trying not to think of all the possibilities of events that could've taken place by now.
I try not to imagine Ace being tortured. I try not to imagine him shot. I try not to imagine him getting beat in an alleyway. I try not to imagine him dead. But can't help it. My mind floats to all the different kinds of terrible things that Anthony could've done. 
Have I mentioned I failed my driver's test 4 times? I ignore the people who honk at me when I nearly hit them and almost barely swerve the sidewalk.
When I pull into the driveway I rush out of the car and through the unlocked door. Sure enough, they were sleeping soundly in the pit. 
Kaden, Elani, Calista, and Riley. 
No Ace. 
I try my hardest not to break down while trying to work out a way to tell them what happened. 
'Hey, so you know Ace right? He may have gone to meet up with a gang leader to defend me and now I think he's in trouble- no, I know he's in trouble but I don't know how to fix it.'
Definitely not.
Moments later my 4 friends are standing awake in front of me, waiting for me to tell them what's happened.
I summarize, purposely leaving out me and Ace's activities. When I'm done they look at me with wide eyes.
Riley is first to break the silence, 
'well obviously we need to go to the police, they'll know how to go forward with this all' she says, looking around to see if anyone disagreed.
My phone buzzes and I look down to see a text from the one and only.
speak of the devil 
Call the police and your boy won't live to see you ever again.
I turn my phone, showing the text to the others. "So calling the police is out of the question," Kaden states, looking at Riley.
"no it's not, he may be bluffing. The police can help!" 
"I'm not risking my best friend's life over a 'maybe', if anything happens to him-" he trails off, "I can't lose another person I love, no police. We figure this out on our own." 
"He wants me" I mumble, making everyone's eyes turn to me. "I'm his motive, not Ace. I'm what he wants."
"no" Cal dismisses, "you're not giving up yourself for Ace, he'd kill me if I let that happen.
I nod, agreeing with her at the moment, but her words meant nothing. Protecting Ace was the only thing I needed. 
I excuse myself to the bathroom and feel my legs give out. I let gravity pull me down, too weak to resist. I think of the way Ace would wipe the tears off my cheek, and kiss away my pain. I cry imagining him dying to save me. 
My sobs are muffled by my sleeve. I remember the way his touch felt. The way it erased all my pain. His love saved me more than I could count. My breath catches, remembering his little smiles when he thought I wasn't paying attention. I always paid attention, the little things he'd never think I'd notice or remember. Like the way he pulls his sleeves over his hands or the way his eyes twinkle when he was happy. 
I missed him, I missed everything about him. I wanted him safe, even if I couldn't be with him.
I'm what you want. Let him go.
He replies quickly, with an address to be at in an hour. He also gives me a cute little threat to make sure I show up alone.
"I'm going home, Kaden I'm taking your car," I say, trying my best to fake a smile. He nods, not questioning my actions.
I drive for the second time today, Ignoring my burning hatred for the action. 
When I pull into the abandoned parking garage, I see Anthony leaning against his shiny black car, with Ace bloody and bruised on the floor. 
I run out of the car and fall to my feet in front of him, and hold his face in my hands. I smile painfully when his eyes widen in recognition.
Anthony, like always, ruins the moment.
"Do you know why I want you, belle? why I chose you?" I shake my head.
"At first it was a favour to Celia, she just wanted to make sure you were out of gales to head so she could make a move" I nod, knowing the story, "but then it was the small things you did. The way your ass looks in a swimsuit, your hair tied up. You are so fucking fine" his fingers grip my chin and pulls my face to look at him, 
"I want you so bad" he whispers against my lips and I feel bile come up on my throat. 
Ace tries to lunge at Anthony but he's too weak and falls back down with a groan. I get back down in front of him, pulling his lips to mine.
I needed to feel his lips on mine one last time, to feel his touch. I wanted him to erase Anthony's lips from mine. 
I was unsure on whether or not I'd ever see Ace again, so for what may be the last time, our lips move in sync. It wasn't an angry kiss or a lustful kiss. It was a sad goodbye, but neither of us wanted to pull apart, none of us wanted to admit it could be the end. We didn't want to say goodbye. 
I whisper one last thing onto his lips before pulling apart 
'always and forever'
The  promise I made him just yesterday felt like forever ago.
"Right, that's enough of that," Anthony says, pulling me up by my shoulders. I bite my lip to stop myself from snapping his wrist.
My face fills with rage that I try to push down when his fingers curve around my arm, sending chills down my spine, and not the good kind. I walk with him to his car silently with my head down. If I were to say anything I'd be putting Ace in danger again.
For now, he was safe, and I was the price that had to be paid.