The Key to the Oleander

Chapter Eighteen - Athena

"We only have a little under a year until we expect the war to hit, warriors, go train. Hard!" Ace's voice echoes through the room as he finishes the usual Monday Faction meeting. Everyone divides into different directions to different training sections.

"You seem stressed, Ace. Do you need a massage?" Blondy, who I found out is Lydia, asks Ace, going up his arm back and forth with her hand.

Ace immediately tenses at her touch. He gets pleasure from my touch, we are not the same, Lydia.

"No, Lydia. I'm fine, really." He takes a step back in an attempt to banish her touch. She notices, her arm falls back to her side as she frowns, but she doesn't say anything.

When Ace looks at his watch, his eyes widen. "Crap, I have a meeting," He looks up at me with an apologetic look. "I'll see you in an hour or two, love." He finishes, leaving a kiss on my cheek before rushing out the door.

Lydia glares at me with all the hate in her heart. "If you have a problem, get it over with and tell me." I fold my arms.

"I don't know what you're talking about." She replies innocently. I roll my eyes before taking a few steps toward her.

"I couldn't care less about your feelings with Ace because I know that I had Ace begging for me to fuck him last night." I whisper in her ear. She instantly tenses, anger radiating off of her. I lean back, smiling innocently before I begin to walk off.

"Athena!" I hear a familiar voice call out. I turn toward the source of the voice. Theo.

"Hey." I smile at him as he jogs over to me.

"Why haven't you brought any friends over? Oh wait, do you not have friends? I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have-" His face and voice goes into full panic.

"Ouch, but no, I have friends." I blink in surprise. Relief washes over him.

"Okay. Invite one of them over! I want to meet at least one of them." How can this man be filled with so much joy?

"Got it." I force a small smile hoping that will satisfy him.

Thankfully, he nods and walks off. I sigh in relief. Human interaction is not what I need right now. Well, except if it's Ace.

All I need to do is call Amber and invite her to meet him. That's it. Why is this so nerve wracking? I sigh, dragging my hands down my face.

"Duh! Of course I'll come! I can't wait to meet lover boy." Amber exclaims, I have to move my ear away from the phone a little she squeals so loudly.

"Okay, I texted you the address. Be here at nine, okay?"

She hums in response before hanging up. I sit down on Ace's bed and pull my phone out to call him before he walks through the door. My body automatically relaxes, happiness floods through me.

I jump up and fling my arms around him. He chuckles, lifting me up by my ass so my legs are cradled around him.

He walks over to the bed and lays me down on it. I look up at him and I can't help but admire how beautiful he is. Even after working so hard, he looks as beautiful as always.

Even though Ace has already seen my body naked and vulnerable I can't help but cover my body with my arms. I'm not naked, but I'm only wearing a bra and a thong.

"Don't cover yourself, Athena. Let me admire what's mine." He frowns.

I bite my lip, all of my insecurities bubble up in my head and I feel as if I might start crying.

"Athena, your body is perfect." He reassures me softly, sitting beside me.

I sit up. "Ace, I..." My mouth remains open but the words I want to say refuse to come out.

"Yes, love?" He pulls a strand of my hair over my ear.

"I... I love you, Ace Romano." I blurt out. His eyes widen. He looks so vulnerable in this moment. "You might not be the best person but that's the part of loving someone. You love them and their flaws. I want to marry you for me, not for my kingdom."

"I love you too, Athena Dior. I want to marry you for my own selfish reasons, not for my kingdom or stupid politics." His eyes are full of so much emotion and I don't know how he's handling it.

I smash my lips against his and he doesn't hesitate this time, he's kissing me back. His hands run through my hair as I deepen the kiss.

He bites my lip causing me to open my mouth and let out a moan, he takes this as a chance to slip his tongue in my mouth.

Our hands are roaming each other's bodies so desperately, he pushes me back onto the bed, removing his lips from mine letting us both catch our breath.

"We should stop." I breathe out when he leans toward me again.

He narrows his eyes in confusion. "Why? Did I do something wrong?" He asks. I immediately shake my head.

"Theo told me to invite a friend over so I invited my friend Amber over." I smile sheepishly, though he doesn't seem upset.

"Okay. I'll have the living room set up and ready." He kisses my forehead before standing up.

"Wait, you're not mad?" I ask dumbfounded. He turns back around, frowning.

"About having your friend over? Of course I'm not-"

"No, about me pushing you away." My voice lowers along with my confidence in my words.

His face falls serious. "You're allowed to say no. Has someone told you differently, love?" He sits back down, grabbing my hands in his.

"Well..." I'm starting to wish I didn't say anything.

"Tell me, Athena." He grits out.

"Cole would get annoyed each time I would reject his advances." I look down at my lap.

"I thought you were a..." He trails off. I look back up at him.

"I am," I answer quickly. "He just tried on multiple occasions." He nods slowly.

"I love you, Athena, but never believe that you can't set your own boundaries." His face softens, and so does my heart.

I realize something in this moment. I love this man, I already know I do, but this is different. I would do anything for this man. Terrible, terrible things, even.

"I can't wait to marry you." And I mean it, I really do. He chuckles and his eyes hold so much love as he looks at me.

I thought I loved Cole, and maybe I did, but it was not like this. I love this man.

"Speaking of us getting married, you should call your father about Miles." He looks off, obviously uncomfortable talking about Miles.

I sigh and I know I should, but I've been putting it off. I grab my phone off of the night stand and call him and put it on speaker.

When I'm about to think that he's not going to answer, I hear his voice on the other end. "What?" He snaps.

"Am I marrying Ace?" I ask even though I know I'm marrying him either way.

"Obviously, but the media believes it was the Masquerade Killer's work." He sighs.

"I..." My eyes drift over to Ace's. "I love him, dad." A full blown smile forms on Ace's face.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. The wedding is being pushed back farther than what I like. It's at the end of next year." As much as I want to marry him as soon as I can, this is better in the long run because of the war.

I look at Ace and he nods. I hang up without any other words and sigh.