2026-07-09 21:11:49
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Chapter 69
Lena’s POVI sat on the edge of my bed staring at the phone like it might explode. Karl’s latest text sat there in bold letters, cold and controlling as always.“Be home by 9. No excuses. I want you waiting when I get there.”My fingers tightened around the device. The old Lena would have typed back a soft “Okay” and started cooking something he liked. The new Lena, the one who still felt Ace’s hands on her body from the night before, wanted to throw the phone against the wall. I settled for locking the screen and tossing it onto the mattress.A sharp knock at the door made me jump. My heart slammed against my ribs. I wasn’t expecting anyone.I walked to the door and checked the peephole. One of Karl’s men stood there, the same thick-necked bastard who had helped drag me around the night they cut my arm. I opened the door just enough to speak.“What do you want?”He didn’t smile. “Boss sent me. Checking you’re where you’re supposed to be.”“I’m here. You can leave now.”He looked pa
Chapter 68
Ace’s POVThe guest house felt quieter than usual as Jacobi and I stepped inside after the dojo visit. My body still ached from the attack but not as badly as it was in the morning.Every muscle protesting the new demands I was putting on it, but the pain was a strange kind of comfort. It meant I was doing something. Changing. Not just sitting around waiting for Karl or Clara or anyone to dictate the next move in this fucked-up game my life had become.Jacobi dropped onto the couch like he owned the place, stretching his legs out. “You did good today, man. Most beginners tap out way earlier.”I sank into the armchair across from him, rubbing my sore shoulder. The bruise from last night’s attack was turning a nasty purple, a constant reminder of how close we’d come. “I’m not most beginners. I don’t have a choice anymore.”He nodded, understanding without needing me to spell it out. We sat in silence for a minute, the kind of comfortable quiet that only comes with years of friendship a
Chapter 67
Ace’s POVJacobi’s car softly came to life as we climbed in, the engine a low rumble that matched the storm still raging in my head. I sank into the passenger seat, staring out the window as the estate gates faded behind us. The road stretched ahead, but my mind was a mess, a fucking mess; flashes of last night’s attack still played in an endless loop in my head, Karl’s smug face in the club hallway, Lena’s bandaged arm, Clara’s fake love display at dinner. Everything blurred together like bad whiskey. How the hell had my life turned into this? One minute I was trying to survive a dying marriage, the next I was getting jumped by hooded thugs because I dared to touch the woman I couldn’t stay away from.Jacobi drove in silence for a while, the city lights flickering past. I could feel him glancing at me every few seconds, but I kept my eyes on the passing buildings. The pain in my shoulder throbbed with every bump in the road, the pain was a constant reminder that last night wasn’t
Chapter 66
Ace’s POVI woke up feeling like I’d been run over by a goddamn truck. Every muscle screamed as I sat up slowly, wincing at the sharp pain shooting through my shoulder and knuckles. Sleep had been shit all night; fragments of the attack replaying like a bad movie. The swing of bats, the grunts, Jacobi moving like some kind of ghost. I rubbed my face hard, trying to shake off the fog. That’s right. Jacobi. How the hell did he pull that off?I reached for my phone, thumb hovering over his number. A call felt wrong. Too casual. This needed to be face to face. I set the phone down with a groan. “Fuck this.”Whining from the pain, I struggled to my feet and dragged myself into the bathroom. Cold water on my face helped a little, but the bruises staring back at me in the mirror brought everything rushing back. Karl’s goons. Lena’s face when she talked about him. The way he’d hurt her. I slammed my fist on the sink, ignoring the fresh pain. I was done being weak.After forcing down coffe
Chapter 65
The full moon hung high in the night sky, its silver light cutting through the dense canopy of the woods far outside the bubbling city. Trees stood with their branches casting long, twisted shadows across the forest floor. Deep in this forgotten stretch of wilderness, far away from prying eyes and city lights, another kind of civilization stirred.A narrow, covered path wound through the undergrowth, hidden by thick vines and fallen logs. It led to a concealed entrance, an old metal hatch disguised as part of the earth itself. Once opened, steep stairs descended into an underground tunnel, the air growing cooler and heavier with each step. Flickering lights lined the walls, casting a glow on the damp concrete.The tunnel opened into a sprawling underground village, a hidden world buzzing with dangerous energy and aura.Makeshift stalls lined the main paths, weapons hanging openly from hooks; sharp and pointed knives, assault rifles, boxes of ammunition fully stacked carelessly besi
Chapter 64
Ace POVThe Masked Club was alive, pulsing with heavy bass and flashing lights that made everything feel unreal. Jacobi and I had been in the thick of it for a while, bodies grinding around us, drinks in hand, the kind of chaos that let me forget the shit waiting outside. I laughed at something Jacobi shouted over the music, my mask hiding the exhaustion I still carried from the day. For once, I wasn’t thinking about Clara or the fake pregnancy or the dinner that felt like a cage.We eventually found a table and dropped down to rest, ordering another round. The alcohol was hitting hard, warming my veins and loosening the knots in my chest. Two women approached, minimal clothing which was the highest form of modesty so far we’ve seen tonight, masks covering their faces, bodies moving like they knew exactly what they wanted. They slid into the seats beside us, laughing and flirting.One leaned close to me, her hand brushing my thigh. “You look like you could use some fun tonight.”
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