“No,” I reply firmly, then grab her chin and force her to look up at me when she opens her mouth to argue. “Final answer, angel. The only place you’re going is back to bed, where you belong. If you argue with me, I’ll put you over my knee andthenput you to bed after.”
Something passes over her eyes. She’s considering what she wants to do. It intrigues the hell out of me that she is interested in discipline. I think she wants it, but she’s afraid to jump across the threshold. It will happen naturally at some point; she’ll experience a real spanking while being bent over my lap. And I hope that when she finds herself in that position, she feels safe and loved rather than controlled or used as a pawn.
“Fine,” she says, her shoulders dropping. She’s still so tired. I see it. Which is why there’s no fucking way she’s doing anything other than what Daddy says. Because now it’s my job to protect Ace, and I won’t take that lightly.
“Good girl. Go to the bathroom while I grab you some crackers and water for your nightstand.”
By the time Ace exits the bathroom, she’s barely able to keep her eyes open. I hate that I won’t be here to watch over her, but the pain and vomiting is over, it seems, so now she just needs to sleep off the effects of the medication she took.
When she climbs under the covers, I tug them up to her chin and lean over her, staring down at her pale face. Even not feeling well, she looks like an absolute angel.
Myangel.
“I’ll see you tomorrow. Stay in bed. Rest. If you start feeling worse or if you need anything, I expect you to call me immediately. Do you understand?”
Her warm fingers reach out to touch me, and I lean in, loving the simple physical connection. Ace is mine. I knew it the second I looked over at her when I heard her name called out in that club.
My heart squeezes when her bottom lip quivers, and she gazes up at me with shiny eyes.
“Is it really possible that my mom could’ve done this?” she asks shakily.
Staring down at her, my heart cracks. Her father was her protector from that witch before he died. Luciano tried to be that once he was gone. But I’m going to be that from now until the day I leave this earth. If her mother is the one responsible for this, the fact that she’s a woman doesn’t matter to me. Torturing a female is the last thing I thought I’d ever do, but Ace’s mom is a monster. One I will destroy.
“I don’t know, angel. I’m going to find out, though. What I need you to do is be my good girl and rest. It’s not good for you to be stressed. That could trigger another migraine.”
That’s another thing I need to figure out because Ace suffering through these fucking migraines is not acceptable.
“I’ll be back in the morning,” I say and lean down to kiss her forehead.
“Sleep, angel,” is the last thing I say before I walk out of her bedroom, my mind swirling with thoughts I shouldn’t be having. Like how quickly I can move her in with me. And how soon she’ll let me change her last name to Savage.
Because my girl is a Savage. Even if she doesn’t know it yet.
“Jesus Christ,”Beckett says as we all stare down at the coffin. “I can’t believe I’m digging up another goddamn grave.”
Caleb smirks and pushes Beckett. “Fucking pussy.”
I snort. “At least this time it will only be bones in there.”
Beckett starts to gag and turns around, walking away into the darkness. He calls out. “Fuck this. You don’t need me for this part. I’m out.”
The rest of us laugh.
An hour later, we have the coffin out of the ground, sitting beside the unearthed grave. It takes longer to break open the locking system on this one. When we finally lift the top, the sky is just starting to lighten. The sun will be up soon. We need to hurry the fuck up and get out of here.
Luciano helps me take the lid off. We take a step back, looking at the remains of Ace’s father, as we scan the silk-lined interior of the casket.
When my eyes land on something small and circular next to the skull, my stomach turns. It’s covered with remains of hair, and it’s dull, but the second I pick it up, Iknowit’s the same type of coin I found in the other casket.
Using the pad of my thumb, I wipe the face of it and stare at the initials.
LR.
Her mother’s initials.
“I’m going to fucking kill her,” Luciano growls.
Shaking my head, I glare at him. “No. You had your chance to protect Ace when she was young. She’s mine to take care of now. I’m going to be the one to kill her. I’ll be the one to bring my girl her mother’s head on a fucking platter.”
