Beneath The Surface

Chapter 49: Unexpected Comforts

--- Raven's POV ---

After lunch, Marco kissed the top of my head and said, “I have some work to do.” His tone was serious, making me wonder what he was up to as he made his way to his office.

Ace stayed with me in the kitchen. Just then, the doorbell rang, and Ace got up, telling me to stay there. I nodded and waited, curious about who might be at the door.

A few minutes later, Ace returned with suitcases in his hands. “Your clothes are here,” he announced.

I quickly got up, moving to help him carry them to my room, but he stopped me. “I’ll take them up to your room,” he insisted.

Following him up the stairs, I couldn’t help but glance at Marco’s office door. He seemed so serious earlier, making me wonder what he was working on.

Entering the room after Ace, he placed the suitcases on the bed and opened them up. I moved towards the closet, planning the layout for where I wanted to pack my things.

As we started unpacking, Ace handed me clothes, one by one. “If you need anything else, just let us know,” he said. “We’ll arrange it for you.”

I nodded, appreciating the gesture. “Thanks, Ace.”

We continued unpacking, and I felt a sense of relief having some of my things here. It made me feel a bit more settled, a bit more in control. As we worked, I couldn’t help but think about how different things were now, how much had changed, and how much I still had to process. But for now, having them here, helping me, was enough.

After a while, we finally finished unpacking my clothes into the closet. As I looked at the closet, I realized just how few things I actually had. It didn’t even cover half of the closet space.

Ace seemed to sense this and simply said, “Follow me.”

Curious, I followed him down the stairs and to a part of the house I hadn’t been in before. When he opened a door, it looked like another office. Probably his office.

He walked towards the desk, opened the laptop, and started typing away. After a few minutes, he looked up at me and said, “Come here.”

I moved to stand next to him to see what he was doing on the laptop. Ace gently moved his hand around my waist, pulling me close and moving me to sit on his lap. For a moment, I hesitated at his touch, but it was quickly overshadowed by a tingling feeling within me. It had been a while since I felt that.

As I settled on his lap, he proceeded to show me the laptop screen. It was open on an online shopping app, Nordstrom.

I quickly looked back at him, realizing what he wanted me to do. He wanted me to shop for clothing, having noticed the empty space in my closet.

“You don’t have to do this, Ace,” I said softly.

“I want to,” he replied firmly. “You need more clothes, and I want you to have things that make you feel comfortable and happy.”

I nodded, feeling a mix of gratitude and something else I couldn’t quite place. Turning my attention back to the screen, I began browsing through the selections, adding items to the cart as Ace watched, his arm still around me. It felt nice, this simple act of shopping together, a small step towards normalcy in a world that had been anything but.

After adding a few more items to the cart, I was finally ready to check out. "I’m done," I informed Ace, feeling a mix of relief and hesitation.

He leaned forward and started scrolling through the items in the cart. Suddenly, his face turned serious. "There’s no underwear in the cart," he said matter of factly.

My face flushed blood red from embarrassment. "It’s fine, I have enough," I quickly replied, hoping to avoid further awkwardness.

But he didn’t accept that as an answer. He gently pulled me back a bit so he could work on the laptop, his fingers moving deftly over the keys as he searched through the list of lingerie. My heart raced as he added a few pieces to the cart, taking his time to select various styles. I sat there, feeling a mix of embarrassment and a strange sense of intimacy.

"This one looks nice," he murmured to himself, adding another item. I glanced at the screen, seeing the delicate lace and elegant designs he was choosing. It made me feel shy, knowing that he was picking out such personal items for me. Ace seemed so nonchalant about it, but I couldn’t help feeling self conscious.

"There, all set," he finally said, giving me a satisfied smile. "Your clothes should arrive in a few days."

"Thank you," I managed to say, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ace pulled me closer again, wrapping his arms around me. "Don’t be embarrassed. I just want you to have everything you need," he said softly, his breath warm against my ear.

His words, combined with his embrace, helped ease some of my discomfort. I leaned into him, appreciating his efforts to take care of me in ways I hadn’t expected. It was a small gesture, but it meant a lot. Ace always had a way of making me feel cherished and safe, even in moments like this.

"Let’s get you back to the room," he said, gently lifting me off his lap. I stood up, feeling a bit unsteady but grateful for his support. As we walked back to my room, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of warmth and gratitude towards him.

Back in the room, I sat on the bed, watching as Ace closed the door behind us. He turned to me, his eyes full of concern and affection. "If you need anything else, just let us know. We’ll arrange it," he said firmly.

I nodded, feeling a lump in my throat. "Thank you, Ace. For everything."

He stepped closer, placing a gentle hand on my cheek. "You don’t have to thank me. We’re here for you, always."

His touch was soothing, and I leaned into his hand, closing my eyes for a moment. The events of the past weeks had been overwhelming, but in that moment, I felt a glimmer of hope. With Marco and Ace by my side, I knew I could start to heal and move forward.

Ace's phone buzzed, breaking the silence. He glanced at it and then back at me. "I need to take this call. I’ll be back in a bit, okay?"

I nodded, watching as he stepped out of the room. Left alone, I lay back on the bed, staring at the ceiling. It was a lot to process, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like I wasn’t alone in facing it.