His pupils darkened in rage. “You remember the accident when we were returning from the house I bought for us? The first time I took you there?”
My eyes widened. “H-he was behind it?”
He nodded, a muscle of his jaw ticked. “It was him. Even though I was his target, he shouldn’t have involved you in this.”
I let out a breath.
So that was the reason behind his intense hatred towards Antonio. That’s why he was so mad at Tess’s wedding when Antonio came to meet me.
“When Arthur brought up the Russian’s offer to me, his desperation for me to sign it and let him become the head of this project had me suspicious. So, I had his phone tapped. To know what was brewing in his shrewd head. And I was right. I found out about his intention for the project while he discussed it with Ivanov on the phone. But as cunning as he was, he never unfolded his whole plan to him. Until this morning, when everything in his path was clear for him to go ahead.”
But he did tell Ivanov about killing him. Ivanov knew it except being aware of how Arthur was going to pull it off.
“You knew he was going to kill you after the signing? I thought you told me you weren’t aware of it.”
“I knew, but I didn’t know how he was going to do it. What his exact plan was. But I found out about his stupid master plan when he was with Ivanov this morning. We were listening to everything he was saying from the conference room.”
“We?” I raised my brow.
“Me, Duncan and Mr. Balakin.”
“Duncan and Mr. Balakin?” I was shocked. They knew everything? That explained why Duncan was there.
He gave a nod. “It was Duncan who I asked to tap Arthur’s phone. Besides being a successful businessman, that bastard is also an expert with computers, hacking and all. He also did something to Arthur’s phone for us to hear every conversation when his phone was with him, even when he wasn’t on a phone call. As he is a partner in some of my companies, when I told him about Arthur, he was more than willing to throw that leech out of the business.”
Though he showed that he didn’t really like Duncan, I knew they were good friends.
“When Arthur was planning to get rid of me, Ivanov also wanted Balakin out of his way to have their company all to himself. When I made him listen to Arthur and Ivanov’s conversation, he agreed to help us. I knew the contract would be beneficial for both of us, so I wanted the contract, but without Arthur’s plan in it. And Mr. Balakin wanted the same. So, he agreed to sign the contract as per their plan. Not for their benefit, but for our gain. And it would also let Arthur believe he was winning. So he would play his next move and face defeat.”
Suddenly his demeanor changed, those strong shoulders of his tensed.
“When I left in my car with Mr. Balakin as per their plan and Duncan stayed back to keep an eye on them until they left the hotel, I found out you were there.” His breathing came out deep as he tightened his hold on me. His eyes watched me as if he feared I’d disappear at any moment. “Duncan sent a recording of Arthur’s phone call to Mr. Balakin’s phone where he was talking to you and then giving orders to his dog to…kill you.”
I ran my fingers through his hair to calm him down, pressing my forehead against his.
“You don’t know how I felt at that moment, Rosebud.” He gulped, staring into my eyes. The redness in his eyes and the moisture in there made my heart clench. “I felt my heart stop beating the moment I heard him giving orders to kill you. I…”
I squeezed his hand. “I know. I’m sorry, even I was scared. Terrified actually. I thought I could sneak out quietly before they would even notice me, but unfortunately, they did. Thank God Duncan got there at the right time.”
“It should have been me. I should’ve been there to protect you rather than trying to proceed with my plan to defeat him. I should’ve protected the most precious person in my life. But…” His hands curled into fists. “I failed. I failed to protect you.”
“Don’t you dare blame yourself for that! It was my fault, I took that risk. You put those guards outside the house to keep me safe. But it was me who didn’t listen to them. So, whose fault is it? Mine. Stop torturing you for something you didn’t do, again.”
He shook his head, his eyes held pain. “I should’ve known you were there. I should’ve listened to your voice messages and picked up your calls. But my phone was fucking dead! I forgot to charge it last night. It’s my fucking fault!” He slammed his fist against the headboard of the bed.
I gasped. “Ace! Stop! I said it wasn’t your fault. And nothing happened to me, right? I’m fine. It was my stupidity that I followed Arthur without taking anyone with me.”
“But anything could have happened! I could have…” His jaw ticked. “I could’ve lost you. If Duncan hadn’t reached there in time…”
I cupped his face, kissing his forehead. “But he did. I’m all right now. You couldn’t have known I wouldn’t listen to the guards and leave. Stop blaming yourself,” I murmured. “Anyway, what happened then? What happened after you heard the recording?”
Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, calming himself down.
“I got out of the car and went back to the hotel as soon as possible. But Mr. Balakin wanted to continue it. He was eager to see the shell-shocked face when his partner would get arrested after he realized how badly their conspiracy failed,” he replied. His shoulders were still tense.
“But I saw the car getting hit by the truck. Was he in the car when…”
He shook his head. “No. He and the driver also got out of the car, turning the autopilot mode on a few minutes before they reached the spot Arthur’s men were waiting for us.”
Taking his shaking fists in my hands, I uncurled them and kissed both of his palms.
“How did I get home?”
“When I reached the hotel, you already left with Carter’s car. And after following your phone’s location, we found some people moving you out of the car because you lost consciousness, stopping in the middle of the road. Then I got you home.” He caressed my cheek. “Are you okay, Rosebud?” Concern and regret echoed in his voice. I knew how the thought that he couldn’t be there to protect me was torturing him. And knowing him, he’d continue to blame himself, no matter what I said.
I nodded. “I am.”
His hard eyes fell on my cheek. “You’re hurt.” His jaw ticked. “Who did this to you?”
“One of the guards. He’s dead now. I’m fine, don’t worry.” I assured him.
“I promise, Rosebud. Arthur will beg for death, but he won’t get it. He will suffer for the rest of his life. I’ll make sure of that.”
“Where is he right now?”
“Behind the bars.”
My brows shot up in surprise.
“After the accident, he and Ivanov went to the spot to be sure we were dead. They wanted confirmation before they cheered over their success. That’s when Balakin got there with the cops and caught them in the act before providing the cops with the phone recordings.”
“Damn, I missed the look on Arthur’s face. It must have been worth watching,” I muttered.
That got a small chuckle from him. “So did I. I was waiting to see that look in his eyes. But I had much more important things to do than being there. I needed to bring my Rosebud back into my arms.”
Sighing, I snuggled against his chest again. “I’m glad he’s finally behind the bars, and out of our lives.”
“It’s just the start of his punishment, baby. A painful future is waiting for him.”
After a long time, I finally felt light. As if a huge burden had lifted off my chest. I no longer felt the suffocation of Arthur’s threat dangling over my neck. He was finally out of our lives.
Stroking my arm, he asked, “What are you thinking?”
“I’m relieved he’s finally out of our lives. I just hope he never returns.”
“He won’t. He’s going to rot in the jail for the rest of his life.”
“Good. That’s what I want. Make sure he suffers.”
“My queen’s wish is my command.”
I smiled, looking up at him. “I love you.”
He leaned in and pressed his lips against mine. “I love you more.”
Pulling away, he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear. “Your family is waiting downstairs for you. Do you want to see them now? If not, I’ll just tell them to come see you later.”
I sat straight. “You mean Mom and Dad? When did they arrive?”
“The moment they heard what happened to you. Even Tess and Caleb returned from their honeymoon, cutting it short.”
“How did they know about it?”
“Tobias told them. He got your call this morning but couldn’t talk to you. He heard what happened. Those guards didn’t cut the call.” His voice hardened again.
Oh! I remembered calling him, hoping he could help me in some way.
“Wait, they’re already here? So soon? How long was I asleep?”
“It’s past eleven at night.”
I gasped. “I slept for that long? Why didn’t you wake me up?”
He kissed my forehead. “You needed sleep. Don’t worry about it. If you need to rest more, I can tell them to come tomorrow morning.”
I shook my head. “No. I’m fine. Let’s go downstairs.”
“Mom, I’m all right. Don’t cry,” I told her for the umpteenth time, but her tiny arms wouldn’t leave me as she kept shedding tears on my shoulder.
“You don’t tell me what to do, young lady! You almost gave us a heart attack today!” she snapped, sniffling. “You don’t put yourself in danger and then expect me not to freak out.”
I shook my head, looking at Dad for help. But he only watched me with displeasure. After I got an earful from Dad, Tobias, Tess, and Cassie, I was now in the clutch of Mom. She wouldn’t leave me for a second.
“Knock some more sense into her head. Because she suddenly got a habit of being overly brave nowadays.” My best friend narrowed her eyes at me.
“I knew she was going to do something. I told her not to get herself into any mess, but she didn’t listen.” This time, it was my brother.
“And yet you didn’t care to tell me what was running through her head about Arthur?” Ace glared at Tobias.
My brother scratched the back of his head. “Well, I didn’t think it was that serious.”
“That’s the problem. You never think anything. If you had told me, then I could have talked to her. But you just carelessly let it go! Do you have any idea what could have happened today?” Tess accused.
“Hey! I said I didn’t know it was going to be this serious. I also thought Arthur was a good man like the rest of you.”
“That man! I’ll strangle him if I get my hands on him for doing that to my baby girl,” Mom hissed, pulling me more into her hug.
“Yes. And I will assist you in that!” Cassie joined.
“Mom! I can’t breathe!” I complained.
On the other hand, my man shifted from one leg to another, eyes set on me. With a creased forehead, his hands clenched and unclenched. Irritation laced across his hard features.
Then finally, his patience snapped.
“All right, now, Mrs. Hutton. It’s time to feed her something.” He gently pulled me from Mom’s chest to his, immediately wrapping his arms around me.
Only then I felt him relaxing against me. As if it was a torture for him not to touch me even for a few seconds. He hasn’t left my side for a second after I gained my consciousness.
“You okay?” he asked while our family planned how they were going to punish Arthur.
Smiling, I nodded. “Now that you’re with me, I am.”
Pressing a lingering kiss on my forehead, he nuzzled my hair.
“Are you okay?” I looked into his stormy gray irises. They were still dark, swirling like a concealed volcano.
I knew what storm was running inside him. But for my sake, he stayed calm. But I knew he wouldn’t for long. I saw what he did to Antonio. I just hoped he would at least leave Arthur’s life. No matter how much I hated that man, I didn’t want his hands to be tainted with Arthur’s blood.
He just nodded.
I sighed. “Just don’t kill him, all right?”
His dark orbs just stared at me silently, without saying anything.
As I opened my mouth, Mom’s voice cut in.
“Let’s go have dinner. It’s late. Then we’ll leave. My baby needs more rest.”
Taking my hand in hers, she dragged me behind her to feed me the food she made for everyone while I was sleeping.
As much as he didn’t like so many people in his home, he didn’t seem to complain. All he did was just keep me within his touch and stare at me. Or grunt if one of our family members took me away from him for a moment.
After the dinner once everyone left, promising to visit tomorrow morning, we were left alone again.
“You want to go to the gym?” I asked as we sat on the balcony, watching the starlit night. He told me to go to bed, but I insisted on getting some fresh air. Curling on his lap, I snuggled against his chest.
He looked at me in surprise. A perfectly arched brow of his raised. “I thought you hated the idea of me going to the gym?”
I shrugged. “I don’t hate it unless you bruise your knuckles. A little bit of blowing off steam on the punching bag isn’t bad.”
He needed to get his frustration out, and he always used the punching bag for that. But since knowing how much I disliked it, he wasn’t going for it tonight.
I liked that he wasn’t practicing his unhealthy exercise anymore, but if a bit of that could reduce his anger, then I was okay with it.
He shook his head. Hugging me closer, he kissed my forehead. “I’m fine, Rosebud. I’m saving it for someone else. So don’t worry, the storm inside me will get unleashed, but at the right time.”
The coldness of his voice sent a shiver down my spine.
I didn’t want him to take any wrong steps out of rage. But I’d talk to him about it later. I had my Ace finally in my arms now. I didn’t want to ruin this moment.
“I want to go to Greece. Where Tess and Caleb went for their honeymoon. I loved the pictures they sent me. It has such amazing places!”
His lips curled into a smile. “When do you want to go?”
My eyes went big. “You’ll take me there?”
He pecked my nose. “Whenever you want to go. I promised you a vacation, right? If you want to go to Greece, then Greece it is. Whatever my queen wishes.”
I giggled, squealing like a small girl on Christmas. “Tomorrow! I want to go there tomorrow! I had even planned the places I want us to visit when Tess sent me the pictures.”
A musical chuckle vibrated through his chest as he cupped my face and watched me with unconditional love and adoration.
“Tomorrow it is, then. Where do you want to go after that?”
My smile only got bigger. “We’re going on a long vacation?”
He nodded.
“Turkey! I want to go to Istanbul. The city of dreams!” I gushed. “I love their lifestyle and food. I can’t wait to visit there!”
“And I love you,” he rasped, nuzzling my neck. His rough stubble raised goosebumps across my skin.
Hot sensations rushed directly to my core. I squirmed against him. A husky groan left his sinful lips.
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I brought his mouth to mine. “I love you more.”
Gripping my ass cheeks firmly, he pulled me closer and asked for entrance. And I opened my mouth eagerly.
The moment his tongue met mine, a jolt of electricity ran through my veins. It was addicting. My core clenched in want. A moan left my lips as he ravished my mouth like it was his salvation.
As his hand slipped under my dress, making every nerve of mine burst with excitement and lust, his phone interrupted.
Groaning when he cut the call and got back to me, it started to blare under the night again.
Cursing, he pulled away and received it.
“What?” he snapped. Hearing what the other person said, he clenched his jaw. “What do you want? Get to the point!”
I frowned. “Who is it?”
He threw a glance at me but didn’t answer my question.
“She’s all right.” His lips pressed tight. “Why do you want to talk to her? I said she’s okay now. Isn’t that enough?”
I raised my brow. Who was it?
Letting out a grumble, he passed me the phone. At my questioning gaze, he huffed.
“It’s De Sylvano. He wants to talk to you.”
I rolled my eyes at his antics. I didn’t know why he was grumbling about it. Was he jealous Duncan wanted to talk to me, or he was annoyed because he interrupted us? Well, I was on his team if it was the latter.
But I needed to thank Duncan for what he did. He was a big help today.
“Hey!” I said, pressing the phone against my ear.
“Emerald, how are you doing?” Deep voice with thick Italian accent.
Cassie was always a goner for Italian men for their sexy accent.
“I’m good now. Thank you. I’m sorry you had to take so much trouble for me today.”
My Greek god’s eyes narrowed at that. He didn’t like me apologizing to anyone.
“Nah! It was my pleasure I could help you. As much as I didn’t expect our second, technically third meeting to go like that, I’m glad I got the chance to get you out of that situation. Even though your man didn’t appreciate me with words. Tell him he owes me big.”
I laughed. “Oh, he knows it very well.”
Ace tried to take the phone away from me, getting irritated second by second, but I pulled away.
Chuckling, he cleared his throat. “Anyway, jokes aside, I hope Valencian told you everything?”
I sighed. “Yes, he did.”
“Good. Now don’t worry at all about anything. Arthur is out of your life now. So, cheer up! And yes, make that moody man of yours a little less stressed. I have never seen that man that anxious and disturbed in all the years I have known him. He was terrified, you know?”
I nodded, even if he couldn’t see me.
Grabbing Ace’s hand, I kissed his knuckle, making his clenched jaw relax.
“I know. Thank you so much for helping him through all this, and for saving my life. Thank you, Duncan. You really did a big favor on us,” I said truthfully. And this time, Ace didn’t show any displeasure.
“Nah, it was nothing. I know if Valencian was in my place, he would have done the same for me. You don’t need to thank me. It was always a pleasure! Anyway, I won’t hold you for long. Your caveman must be planning to kill me right now for keeping his girl busy for that long. You take care, Emerald. I’ll see you later.”
“Yeah, see you later. Goodnight.”
“Night.”
Once I returned his phone, I slumped against him. “He seems to be a nice man. Why do you dislike him?”
He snorted, wrapping his arms around me. “He’s always a gentleman to the ladies he thought was decent. Otherwise, he wouldn’t even look at you twice.”
I rolled my eyes. “Whatever you say, he helped us a lot today. We should personally thank him. Maybe invite him for dinner?”
He grunted, muttering something under his breath. Something like, “I owe my life to that bastard now.” When I raised a brow, he said, “Maybe. But not now. After we return from our vacation.”
My mood instantly brightened remembering our vacation.
“So? What do we do now?” he asked, nuzzling my neck.
Pressing myself against him, I whispered in his ear. “You make love to me.”
He growled, standing up with me in his arms.
“My queen’s wish is my command.”
