Bodyguard: Ace Cain

|29| I'll Quit

|I'll Quit|

Had my ears been deceiving me? Has Ace just come out and said he's an assassin? Nothing he said could dissuade me, but an assassin; that was a lot of information to take in and was, of course, unexpected. The idea that he would bring up his time spent working for the Trubiskys was something I had anticipated. For some reason, he thinks I should believe that Jake and he are involved in murder on occasion. It couldn't possibly have been real. Jake is very young! Though our experiences differ from most teenagers, it's absurd for him to be almost a killer.

It wasn't easy to picture Ace doing the same thing. He has portrayed himself as a benevolent guardian who only cares about keeping people safe. But is this really his way of life? Is killing people for financial gain an integral part of his profession? Did my father continue to employ him to ensure my safety, even after discovering this? He couldn't have overlooked his past. Unless, that is, he was uncaring, which is more like my father.

I forced myself not to display concern on my face. Given the information he had just provided, I found it challenging. I am not criticizing him, per se. I found his situation more complicated. The Ace I know is not a murderer. Even though he is excellent at controlling his emotions, being in such a stressful situation would break anyone.

Ace looked at my face and made assumptions right away. "See, I knew if I told you, you would look at me differently!" His eyes flashed with worry as he panicked.

I shook my head in an attempt to soothe him. "Shut up; I don't see you any differently," I replied. "I'm just...How did you end up as an assassin?

I felt compelled to inquire further. The notion that I had a sexual relationship with a murderer also bothered me. I fell deeply in love with this person. This individual would forever bind me to my father's realm. I believed that Ace would help me escape this life of sorrow. Rather, he would be drawing me further into it.

Sitting on the bed he slept in, Ace sighed and drew me along. Sitting on his lap, his arm encircled my waist. His stunning eyes widened with anxiety as he prepared to share more information with me. I'm glad he was more open about it, even though I was not thrilled to hear about this aspect of his life. He was determined to come clean to me and reveal who he was.

"I have been seeking revenge for my father, as I mentioned," he said. "But I wasn't exactly prepared to kill someone. The act is heinous, so I needed training."

My eyebrows furrowed. "Training from who?" I prodded for more.

His eyes glowered at me, all emotion gone. "From only the bloodthirstiest family in the underworld," he said.

I knew he was talking about the Trubiskys the moment he used the word "bloodthirsty." Even though I knew they were insane, I didn't know they were assassins. My father's work is beyond my comprehension, but it still raised questions in my mind. Is my father concerned about any of this?

To think I started to get close to Jake. I wondered if he had modified his strategy in response to a risky plan he had developed. For Jake, such a scenario is not entirely implausible. Why he had targeted me was also a mystery. It was unexpected, leading me to believe he had more cunning plans.

However, I was unable to comprehend the situation. Ace was not a callous murderer. Regretfully, his desire for vengeance drove him to look for advice from the worst possible people. The Trubisky family's lack of concern for others suggests that their actions were deliberate. To achieve his objective, he would require precisely that kind of training.

Thinking about this made my stomach churn a little, but I felt compelled to ask. "Have you killed anybody?" My voice was a bit shaky. Nervous to hear his response, I curled my toes.