Rule #1: Never Date An A.C.E. [COMPLETED]

Chapter 11: Rule #41: Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Dylan leads me to the training room. It's the size of a standard gymnasium, with four separate rooms off the sides, similar to the room I saw when I first arrived at Ace. I had only arrived a few days ago, but it feels like a lifetime.

"Each of the rooms has a designation like the front fake room," Dylan says and explains which one is which. "We have a gun range, target archery, a practice torture chamber," Dylan winces at this, but continues on, "and a classroom to teach general skills. The center, as you can see, is set up for basic strength training." The room has mats lining the floor, a series of punching bags, weights, and a first aid center. We take off our shoes and leave them by the door. I am hyper-aware of the wrapping around my stomach as he takes a fighting stance.

"Basic moves only," he says seriously and begins to teach me how to throw a better punch. "You're relying a lot on pure strength, but you need to conserve your energy, especially if you're fighting many hostiles at once." He corrects my fist by placing my thumb outside the rest of my fingers and shows me how to twist my body for the most effective hit. "Great! Now, I'll show you a few take-downs." He crosses his leg behind mine and pushes me over his leg while holding on to me. "Normally, you would fall to the floor. If this is ever used on you, make sure to keep your head and neck curved upward. Therefore, your head won't hit the floor and cause a concussion." I nod and he has me try it on him. He falls to the floor with a thump and grins up at me when I offer a hand. "You catch on quick."

"I have a great teacher," I say as I help him up. Just as he's about to show me another move, my stomach growls loudly and he bursts out laughing.

"Hungry much?" He laughs and I grin sheepishly.

"I guess all the food I ate earlier is gone," I say and he nods in understanding.

"I may or may not have cupcakes in my dorm room," he smiles wide and I smile back just as big.

"I may or may not enjoy have a cupcake," I laugh and he grabs my hand and pulls me from the room. We are running through the compound until I take a deep breath and my stomach feels like it's on fire. "Dylan, wait."

He slows down and I clutch my stomach, "I'll be okay, I think I just moved wrong." We find a bench in a window not too far from where we are and sit on it. "Ouch, that hurts."

"Sorry," he says, scratching his head.

"I'll be alright."

"Not completely what I meant," he smiles ruefully and I cock my head.

"You don't have to apologize again."

"Well, I still feel bad."

"I know," I place a hand over his and squeeze. "I was very upset, but I know you didn't mean to. It wasn't like you knew that I would know the Three Princes."

He sighs, "Yes, but..." I cut him off with another squeeze to his hand and pull the earrings from my pocket. I stick them in my ears and look back up to him. He brushes a hair behind my ear and all I can think is how cheesy this situation is. The moon comes out from behind the clouds and shrouds us in moonlight. Half of his face is hidden in shadows, but I can still see when he looks down to my lips. I close my eyes and lean forward, slightly surprised that this might be happening. I can feel his breath getting closer to my face and when I think we're just about to kiss, an alarm begins to scream. My eyes snap open and I see that Dylan has pulled away, groaning. "A drill? Now?"

Agents fill the hallway and we get up and follow them. I'm not sure what's going on, but everyone has tired faces, but no one seems worried. Dylan leans down to me as we continue on, "We have practice drills frequently in case of an attack." I nod and smile in return as we all file into the cafeteria. The Director doesn't seem to be as carefree as she scans all the agents. When we make eye contact, she signals two agents and they run over to me, pulling me away.

"Bella!" I hear Dylan yell out, and he is held back by a few other agents as I am rushed away. The Director follows us and we enter the practice room. The agents don't let go of my arms as she pushes aside two of the mats to reveal a trapdoor that she opens, climbing inside. The agents push me towards it and I shake them off, getting the point. I follow the Director down the steel ladder screwed into the wall. The agents follow me down and grab my arms again when we reach the bottom. My stomach is throbbing, and I'm wishing I hadn't given Dylan back the pain pill bottle.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" I ask as we rush along a concrete hallway. It smells damp and is quite cold.

"Come on, kitten," Director says, but it's not her voice, "You haven't figured it out yet?"

My voice wavers as I answer, "Luca?" He laughs in return, stripping off a silicon mask. The two agents take off theirs, revealing Aiden and the third Prince, Dean. "How did you get in here?" I struggle, more confident and the three men laugh at my attempts. Dean only needs to poke me in the stomach when I'm gasping in pain.

"I'm surprised you didn't recognize the different build of the Director," Aiden says smugly as we walk further and further into the tunnel. "You really are a newbie."

"Shut it," I growl.

"Rule number forty-one," Dean says and I turn my head to him in surprise, "Things aren't always what they seem."

"How do you know the rules?" I glare at him, and he shrugs.

"All Ace agents learn the rules."

"What do you mean?" I say through clenching my teeth. "Were you an agent?"

Luca laughs again, "Kitten, we were all agents." I stiffen in Aiden and Dean's arms and I skid to a stop.

"You mean to tell me, that you three were agents here at Ace?" I stare at them each in turn and they nod, Aiden and Luca smirking and Dean with a neutral face. They tug on me again and we follow Luca. We all approach a steel door, and Luca turns the handle, leading us into the wilderness. They know exactly where to step, while I am tripping over branches and falling to holes. Each time I trip, Aiden and Dean just pick me up and we continue walking. Before long, we reach a Jeep without windows and I get shoved in. Luca sits beside me, with Dean in the passenger seat and Aiden driving. Luca places an arm over my shoulders, and I tense, trying to remove his arm, but he clenches harder. We bounce out of the forest, the moonlight I had seen earlier had disappeared. Once we reach a road, I'm able to turn around and see bright red lights flashing from Ace and car headlights streaming on to the street.

I smirk as I turn back to Luca, "They will catch up and you will finally be caught."

He rolls his eyes and smirks back, "Your boy toy will once again not be there for you, kitten. But I will always be here."

"Fuck you," I spit out as I try and lean away from him and his grip on me.

He only pulls me closer and purrs in my ear, "Only if you want to."

I choke in disgust as he takes a sniff of my hair and sighs. He reaches his other arm around my stomach and I whimper in pain. He doesn't seem to hear as he continues to hug me and I look to the other two for help. Aiden meets my eyes in the rearview mirror and rolls his eyes, returning his gaze to the road. Dean ignores all of us and stares at the passing trees. The lights from the cars behind slowly disappear into the darkness and my hope goes with them.