Falling For Ace

Forty-four

I V Y

I entered the Romano mansion with Mason beside me. I was hoping to see Ace but he was nowhere to be seen.

My eyes fell on Cole who was sitting on the couch in the living room, with his head buried in his hands. He wasn't alone. Beside him, sat the girl I saw in Ace's birthday party-the same girl who had a bitchy attitude. There was a boy who looked similar to the girl who was sitting on the girl's left. And then there were two men standing and an old man as well.

"Mason." The older man acknowledged with a nod before his eyes fell on me, "you must be the famous Ivy."

"Ivy!" Cole exclaimed, standing up before rushing to me. I barely had the time to say anything when he engulfed me in a hug, "thank god you're here."

"Where's Ace?" I asked to which he replied, "hospital. I just received a text from Kade saying they're on their way back." He then broke the hug and nodded at Mason who nodded back.

"Anyway, meet my grandfather, Francesco." Cole pointed to the old man who managed a smile despite the situation. I shot him an apologetic look, "I'm sorry ab-"

He cut me off by showing his palm, "it's okay, really. Vincenzo said great things about you, dear-as did Rose, Ace, Kade, Cole and Asher." He let out a chuckle before making his way towards me, "it is nice to finally meet you."

"Likewise." I smiled but my smile turned into a frown when I heard that girl speak, "she shouldn't even be here. She isn't family!"

"She is." Cole glared at the girl as the boy stood up and walked towards me. He had a smirk on his face which signalled nothing good. Despite the circumstances, he did not look sad at all and neither did who I assumed was his sister and his father.

"I'm Finn." The dude introduced, extending his hand for me to shake which I was about to do when Cole stopped me by holding my hand in his. I glanced at him and saw that he was shooting daggers at the dude with his eyes.

"Stay the fuck away from her, Finn." Cole said coldly, his eyes fixed on him, "she's taken."

Finn raised his brows, "oh, by who?"

"Ace." Francesco replied before shooting me a questioning look, "right?"

"Yeah." Cole replied before I could, "she's Ace's girlfriend."

"I'm just glad that Jane's not going to be part of this family." an unfamiliar voice spoke, "God, she was such a pain in the ass."

"And that's my father." Cole said nodding towards the man who spoke. He flashed me a soft smile despite the obvious pain in his eyes, "Raphael. Pleasure to meet you." He pointed to the man standing beside him, "my brother, Leonardo and," he nodded in the girl's direction, "his children, Lola and Finn. We're Vince's brothers."

Just then, footsteps was heard entering the place. The steps faltered making me turn around to see Ace standing there with Kade and Asher. All three of them had worried and sad looks on their faces.

"Ivy." Kade said and smiled at the same time as Asher did, "good to see you." Kade let out a scowl when he saw Mason but he nodded his head in acknowledgment nonetheless, "Mr Steal your girl."

"Kade." Mason clenched his jaw, "I'm sorry about your uncle."

"Yeah." Kade muttered not sparing him a second look. I felt someone's burning gaze on me making my eyes automatically flicker from Kade to Ace who was indeed staring at me.

Without saying anything, he walked towards me and took my hand in his before walking away with me following him. He opened the door to his room and closed the door once I was in.

The next second, he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me, burying his face in the crook of my neck. I hugged him back making his grip only tightened around me.

What I heard next made my heart shatter. He let out a heartbreaking sob. Only one. And that was it.

But it didn't stop the tears from falling from his eyes. I could feel them on my shirt making tears fill my own eyes.

We stayed like that for minutes in complete silence until he broke it.

"I need to talk to you." He nodded towards the bed, silently telling me to sit there. I nodded before going over there and took a seat while he sat beside me, his head lowered, his eyes fixed on the ground while he was playing with his fingers nervously.

"I..." He inhaled sharply, glancing at me before he looked down at the ground again. "I lied to you."

"About what?"

"The gang thing." He replied, "I'm not part of a gang or anything."

"I know."

His head snapped in my direction, "what? How?"

"I heard Mason talking the other day." I lied, "I didn't tell you because I wanted you to tell me on your own."

"So you aren't...scared?" His eyes glittered with hope, "you're not going to leave?"

"Of course not." I smiled softly, "I'm here for you, I'll always be."

He smiled, "thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. How are you?"

"Fine," He bit his lower lip, "I'll be. You know, now that dad's...gone," he clenched his jaw at the word, "I have to claim the Italian Mafia."

"When are you going to do it?"

"After the funeral." He responded before taking my hand in his and stared in my eyes, "and when I do, things are going to be very different."

"Different, how?"

"Like you will probably be in constant danger." He sighed, rubbing his thumb on the back of my hand, "but I'll protect you. Always."