Falling For Ace

Forty-three

I V Y

Ace has been outside, on the phone for around thirty minutes now. My parents were looking at me questioningly.

I groaned, shooting them the same look, "what?"

"What's he doing? Did he run away or something?" Dad asked to which I shrugged, "maybe he did. I wouldn't blame him because you two are acting like—"

Mason stood up, cutting me off, "I'll go check what's wrong."

"No, wait." I also stood up, "I'll go with you. I do not trust you alone with him right now." He rolled his eyes before we both walked outside.

"Ace?" I called out, hoping to see him standing outside on the phone but he wasn't there and neither was his car. He actually left.

"Damn." Mason muttered, "where'd he go?"

"I do—" I was cut off by Mason's phone which started ringing. He sighed before removing it from his pocket and looked at the screen. "It's Cole." He then answered the call, "hey. What's up?" He then looked at me before replying to whatever Cole asked him, "yeah, she's here. Okay."

Mason put the phone on speaker and I heard Cole speak, "Hey, Ivy. Don't be mad at Ace because he left, okay?"

"I'm not mad." I replied truthfully. I'm sure he had his reasons.

"Good. Anyway, I didn't call to chat." Cole's voice saddened, "I called to inform you about unc—I mean, Vincenzo's death."

My eyes widened at his words.

"What?!" Mason shouted making me look at him. His eyes were wide opened, like mine, and shock was clear on his face.

"Yeah." Cole sniffled, "and uh...the fu—" he cleared his throat, "—funeral is in an hour at the mansion."

"How's Rose holding up?" I asked, feeling my throat tightening every second. There was a silence on the other line before Cole spoke, "she's in coma. hey...I think you two should come here like right now cause' Ace is not fine. I'll see you soon." He then disconnected the call.

I looked up at Mason who had tears in his eyes. I've never seen my brother cry before.

"He was like a father to me." Mason muttered, pursing his lips in a thin line. I wrapped my arms around him, hugging him. He instantly hugged me back and let out a sigh. My heart was breaking for my brother, Ace, Cole, Kade, Asher and especially Rose. Vincenzo was her everything. And she's in a coma. She has no idea that her husband's dead.

"Hey, it's okay." I whispered, trying to bring comfort to my brother. "We need to get to Ace. Let's go."

"Yeah." He muttered, breaking the hug. He took out his keys from his pocket and we walked towards his car.

**

A C E

"Not now, Kade!" I snapped at Kade who blinked a few times, shocked. He opened his mouth to say something but instantly closed it again. I let out a sigh and shot him a apologetic look, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean t—"

He cut me off with a nod of his head, "I know. It's alright. But look, just think this through—you can't let them be lead by Rodrigo. I do not trust that guy."

"Me neither." I replied. Rodrigo Vasquez was my father's right hand, meaning, he's the second in command in the Italian Mafia. Now that dad's gone, he is to take over until I claim it. "I'll do it after the funeral."

"Really?" Kade's eyes lit up, "thank god. And you gotta inform Mr Steal your girl that he has to take his place too...as the consigliere."

"I will." I replied, looking down at my mom who was lying on the bed with several tubes attached to her body, keeping her alive.

What was I going to tell her when she'd wake up? How could I possibly tell her that the man she loved died?

"Mateo did this." Kade informed, his hands in his pocket, "Mateo Rossini, the Spanish Mafia leader. But why?"

"He wanted your dad out of picture." Asher said as he entered the room, closing the door behind him. "Uncle knew too much. He knew his weaknesses, where his base is and other things that made Mateo feel threatened."

"Not just that. He's planning to take down the Italian Mafia now that your dad's gone." Kade added, "just received a text from our mole."

I clenched my jaw, feeling my blood boiling, "Mateo Rossini is going to have the most painful death."