It would be so easy to wipe that hurt away. She could take him in her arms and beg him to take her, open her body as well as her heart and soul. He was so close to her, and yet he was also on the other side of eternity.
Maybe I could run away. Just disappear. It would save Ace’s life. It might be the kindest thing I could do for him.
Miserably, she realized that the mob would find her, no matter how far she ran. She could dye her hair, change her name, and they would still find her. Ace could get killed anyway if she suddenly disappeared.
And imagine the blood war that would go down, then.
It really would give the Morettis and the Fontanas something to fight about. No one even had to care about her, particularly. It would be a show of violence to protect their precious honor.
Emma couldn’t hold all of this in anymore. She had to ask for Ace’s help, but then he stood abruptly and glared at her. For a horrifying moment, she thought he was going to leave or do something violent. He looked that hostile.
“I need to sleep,” he said wearily. “I didn’t have a good night.”
Neither did I.
“Okay,” she said softly. She didn’t trust her voice. If she tried to speak up, she might scream out loud that she loved him and couldn’t lose him.
Ace stared at her for a few more seconds, then walked into the living room. He stretched out on the couch, rolled himself into the blanket, and closed his eyes.
Emma had doubts he would just fall asleep, but after a few minutes, his breathing deepened, and he snored very softly. Her eyes stung with fresh tears.
Even his fucking snoring is cute.
Emma went to the kitchen and cleaned up. Washing the cups and wiping down the cupboards was very soothing and gave her a sense of control. Ace had shown her this … that when everything seemed to be a mess, the one thing that could be done was to change the environment around her. It made her feel competent and powerful to see the house clean and bright.
There was only so much cleaning that could be done, though. Emma couldn’t focus on reading a book or even streaming a TV show. She paced and ended up back in the living room, watching Ace sleep.
Not creepy at all.
With a wry smirk, she turned to the window. She tried as hard as she could to stay calm, but the urge to touch him was getting stronger by the second.
Maybe if it had been a traditional break-up where he actually left, she wouldn’t go through this torture, but there was no point thinking about that. He was right there, suffering, smoldering, and begging for her touch.
Living with him and not being able to love him was too much for her. It was so much easier to accept that as a fact. Since he wasn’t leaving and neither was she, something had to be done about it … something drastic.
She considered waking Ace and telling him everything, but she was still trying to protect him. What if he went off in a rage and tried to hit the Don? What if he dragged her back to the Morettis, forcing the Fontanas to come after them?
She had to do something herself, and there was only one thing she could think of.
Benny and Fritz were the real bad guys here. They were playing the Don, getting themselves in trouble and her as well. Ace was here because of them. Maybe everything would be okay if she could get rid of those two reckless morons.
A streak of guilt ran through her knowing she could have done this at any time. Ace was here waiting for them to come back, and she could have called them and set them up so he could take them out. She was still twisted between loyalties, though. As it was, she didn’t even know where she stood or whose side she was on.
It hardly mattered anymore. She was so confused and exhausted from hyper-vigilance that there was no way she could think clearly.
She took Ace's phone, knowing the phone numbers, and tapped the screen, blocking the number before pressing call as she always did. The phone rang and was answered on the second ring.
“Emma,” Benny said. “Nice to hear from you.”
“Benny,” she said, trying to sound strong and determined, which she definitely wasn’t. “I just wanted to tell you to never come back here.”
Benny laughed softly. “And why is that? We still have business, you and me.”
“Your ‘business’ will be going straight to the Don,” she snapped. “I’m going to tell him everything and show him your faulty drugs, so he knows exactly how you’ve betrayed him.”
Benny let a moment of silence hang between them. Emma couldn’t help feeling a surge of triumph.
That will teach you.