Finding Ace (Book 3)

Chapter 6. Confession

Aria

A beeping noise woke me. When I opened my eyes, my vision blurred. My head pounded as if I suffered from a severe hangover.

"Aria?" a voice asked worriedly. Austin's hand caught mine before I could pull out the oxygen tubes.

"Austin?" I breathed. "What happened?"

"You tell me? You lost control of your car?" he asked worriedly.

A groan escaped me. "Someone cut my brake lines, I think," I said.

"Jesus Christ. This is getting out of hand, Aria. I'm going to have to lock you away to keep you alive! Whoever is doing this has to be stopped," Austin snapped. He stood up.

"I'm fine, Okay? Don't leave," I pleaded.

He sighed and slowly sat back down on the chair beside my bed.

"Get me out of here. Hospital food sucks," I muttered.

Austin chuckled. "I can fix the food part, but I can't get you out of here."

"What day is it?" I asked.

"Sunday."

"Oh god," I grunted. "Did you call the Chinese?"

"You would be more concerned about that." Austin rolls his eyes. "I did call them. We'll fly out next week."

"Austin, maybe we shouldn't," I breathed. A realization struck me like a flash of lightning. "What if they're responsible for Ace? What if it is them after me?"

Austin gritted his teeth as I spoke. "N-noway, Aria. They have been our allies for years."

"True, but they wanted Ace to fly out there to come to an agreement. What if they didn't agree to anything?"

"Bohai said he paid Ace before he left. We've been dealing with them since he vanished. That would not make any sense. Why would they continue to deal with us if they're responsible for Ace's disappearance?" Austin asked.

"They could be secretly trying to take out the Latin Kings," I pointed out.

He shook his head in denial. "For what?"

"Money, power, guns? Who knows," I muttered.

"So. . ." he trailed off. "You think they are the ones trying to kill you? Wouldn't that mean Ace is dead?" he asked.

Tears built in my eyes at the thought. "Maybe," I murmured and looked away. "We all know it is possible. That is what anyone would do, right? It's the only thing that makes sense. They took the strongest and the smartest members we had. It left the rest of us unprotected in a sense. The next one they would take out is me, the leader." I hated admitting it. Every cell in my body rejected the thought that I would never see Ace again.

"If what you're saying is true," he paused, "It's time to go."

"W-what?" I stuttered. My eyes widened.

"We are getting the fuck out of here. That's what," he grunted. Austin turned my machines off. I threw the oxygen and started pulling the needles out. Austin ran toward the door to keep watch. He kept his back turned as I got dressed.

"I'm ready," I said.

He grabbed my hand, and we ran down the hallway. I ran with a limp. An intense pain shot through my right leg, but I did my best to ignore it.

"Hey!" a nurse shouted.

We looked back and saw her chasing after us.

"Fuck, run!" Austin hissed.