Ace Killian

chapter 12: DAD!

Ace's P.O.V

after Naomi stormed out of the kitchen. The guilt sat heavily in my chest. I had never intended to tell Naomi the truth like that, not so bluntly. But the moment she looked at me with those eyes - eyes that resembled Amara - i couldn't hold it in anymore.

and now she knew.

I rubbed my hand over my face in frustration. Naomi wasn't some woman I bought at an auction anymore. She was flesh and blood, soft where I was hard, fragile in ways I wanted to protect. and fuck - she reminded me of everything I had lost yet made me want to become someone better than I was.

but Kane was plotting. he already made his move once. if he wanted Naomi, he'd stop at nothing. that thought alone made my blood boil.

I promised her I wouldn't touch her unless she asked - and i meant it. but what I didn't promise was to keep my distance. Because the truth was, I couldn't. not anymore.

as much as it killed me to admit it, Naomi had become my weakness. my distraction, my undoing

and yet ... she was also the only thing worth fighting for.

....

Naomi's P.O.V

 the guys pulled together a plan to lure Kane out - and I was at the center.

the idea was simple but dangerous. make Kane believe I had no interest in Ace, that i had chosen him instead. Ace told me i had to do what was necessary to make him believe. otherwise, this wouldn't work

The plan would take action the next time I was to encounter Kane.so i had to be ready.

 jake was assigned to train my in hand-to-hand combat, which immediately set Stacy on edge.

"Wait but what if she gets hurt" she asked concerned

"She'll be fine I promise, I'll go easy on her" Jake says with a teasing smirk

i rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. "oh please I'll make you eat those words" 

jake laughed, clearly underestimating me.

We all then ate together, the usual banter and lighthearted teasing filing the air. except for Ace. He said he had excused himself to go back to the office to handle important paperwork.

....

Ace's P.O.V

The suspense was eating me alive. Kane was quiet - too quiet- and i hated the silence more than his threats.it meant he was planning something

sigh

every detail had to be perfect.one slip, one mistake and Naomi could end up hurt. i couldn't let that happen

that's why I threw myself into work - if I was at Killian Corp I could control things, tighten security. Keep everyone in line. I buried myself in meetings, contracts and endless files just to maintain people trust. 

the truth was, I practically lived at the office. home felt...dangerous. Too vulnerable.

but even here, she was with me. every time I closed my eyes, i saw her - her laugh, the way she looked at me when she though i wasn't a monster. and that scared the hell out of me.

maybe Kane was right. She was a distraction.my distraction. But she wasn't just that. she was the one thing i wasn't willing to loose. And that made her dangerous - because my enemies knew it too

Knock. knock.

"Mr. Harries is here to see you Mr. Killian" my secretary announced.

"send him in" i said straighten in my chair

 Mr. Harries entered with his usual calm confidence, settling into his chair across from me. 

"Thanks for meeting with me " I said voice heavy with exhaustion

"Anytime, son. but excuse my word you look like shit" he said bluntly

"I'll be fine" I said taking a long sip of whiskey

he chuckled knowingly "She really has you bent, doesn't she"

my brows furrowed "I don't know what you're talking about" 

he gestured toward the mess of files scattered across my desk.

"Look I'll lend you my men to assist with your problem because this..." He waved a hand at the chaos, "...isn't the way. You're running yourself into the ground and drinking yourself numb isn't going to fix it."

i hated to admit it, but he was right. I was exhausted. and the whiskey only dulled the edge, never the weight of the responsibility pressing down on me. i was unraveling. not from Kane but from the thought of what he could do to her. Naomi was the one thing i couldn't control and that terrified me more than any enemy ever could. All I wanted was to guarantee her safety.

" You can't protect anyone if don't take care of yourself, son. that's not how I raised you" he said, tone softening 

i exhaled heavily "...Your right, I'm sorry"

"there's No need to apologize" he said with a small smile. Then his voiced sharpened, firm with authority. "But I am having a welcome party, and I expect you to be there" 

"Of course," i agreed, finishing off my drink "who is it for?" 

"My new fiancée" he replied with a sly grin

i raised a brow. his third fiancé. You think by now he would've learnt about woman.

"Well, I hope she better than the last" I said with a smirk of my own

my thought slipping back to Naomi, she just wasn't under my skin. She was in my vein. and if Kane touched her, if she slipped through my fingers - I wouldn't survive it.

___

Naomi's P.O.V

Ace had been burying himself in work, hardly ever home. the house felt quieter without him, emptier somehow. even when I laughed with Stacy or sparred with jake, a part of me searched for him, wishing he'd walk through the door.

i told myself i dint care - that his coldness didn't bother me. but id catch myself staring at his empty seat at dinner or thinking about how he had stayed up all night watching my door that night, protecting. The contradiction made my chest ache. I wanted him beside me, not as my captor... but something more. and that scared me more than Kane ever could.

trying to push away the thought I helped Stacy with her chores so we could head to the mall. I needed some new clothes and a dress, orders of Ace. jake tag a longed as our guard dog, though he complained the whole time.  

"Mr. Killian has an event coming up and he wants you to look your best. you'll be attending as his plus one." Stacy said pulling through the racks of the boutique.

i froze, shocked. Ace hadn't been home in days, and when he was, avoided me. now suddenly he wanted me by his side? the idea sent a confusing rush through me - half hope, half frustration.

"...oh. okay"

we found some clothes and a few dresses before jake practically dragged us to a resturant.

"Come on we've been walking for hours " jake groaned "I'm starving"

"Stop being a baby" I teased, laughing with Stacy "we'll get you food "

"Who would have guessed he was such a ..."Stacy started to joke ,but her voice cut off sharply

"Naomi"

 I turned, my heart stopping.

He looked the same - only older, sharper. grey suit, a blue tie, a gold watch, hair slicked back like he belonged to a world of money and power. his eyes widened and before I could react, he pulled me into a hug

"Ha, I thought I lost you. How did you get away" he asked breathless

he pulled back just enough to look at me, his expression softening.

"Never mind - it doesn't matter. You look...you great!" 

i stared at him, numb, unable to move.

"Dad?"