Red

C H A P T E R F O R T Y F O U R

Inserting myself.

That’s how I set my plan wheels turning, by putting myself out there and getting deeper involved with Ace.

But my head space was different now. Clearer. I knew what I needed to do and I knew to execute it.

I dressed in red lingerie and headed to Aces club.

Blondie was behind the bar fixing a tray of drinks. I leaned over the counter and she moved her eyes up and down my attire.

“How are you getting away with that?” She asked, genuinely curious.

“Haven’t you heard? I’m the fucking Valentino leader. I’ll get away with anything I want.”

“Are you serious?” She asked, searching my face for any trace of a joke.

“Deadly.” I worded slowly, popping a sweetened cherry into my mouth. She skittered away, nervously and I just drank straight vodka from a small glass.

“Red, I’ll have a Jägerbomb.” I glanced at Mccully and slammed the glass down onto the bar.

“No you won’t.” I replied, not even looking at him - I still had my eyes fixated on Aces office door.

He didn’t even know I was here, he hadn’t left his office all night. I drank and played card games, I danced to the music and hung out with some of the less creepier men. I enjoyed Aces club so I was actually glad he had reinstated my permission to be here.

I wanted to see him but he seemed busy so instead I rested my head on my palm and tapped my acrylics on the bar counter.

“But if you’re Valentino, the enemy... how are you even allowed here? Why isn’t he killing you?”

“Blondie, I ask myself the same question every day.”

“So, what do we call you?” I sat up and looked at her, shrugging my shoulders. “Boss lady? Miss Boss? Boss 2.0?”

“You can call me whatever you want to call me, I never really had a name anyways.”

“Red?”

“Red works.”

A girl left his office, Petal I think. He had certain girls he asked to serve him. They made the best mojitos. She ignored us and started fixing up a drinks tray behind the bar.

Fuck it.

“You’re making Ace his drink?” I asked.

“Yes ma’am.”

“I’ll do it.” I took over making his drink and she awkwardly stood there.

“You don’t gotta do that ma’am, I can do it. The boss requested me.” She had the decency to blush. She wasn’t being awkward, she was just frightened of going against Aces orders.

“It will be character building to not get what he’s requested then, won’t it?” I smiled at her evilly and Blondie nodded for her to leave.

I grabbed the mojito and smiled at Blondie before walking off towards his office.

“Whoever is barging into my office better have a death wi-” Ace turned around and his furious gaze dissipated when he set it on me. His lips quirked up into a smile. That was a heartwarming good sign. “So you don’t even knock anymore? Okay then.”

“I spat in your drink.” He stood up, holding his weight against his desk. “Really hocked right in there, asserted my dominance over you. Drink it bitch.”

“Are you incompetent or do you just have a death wish?”

“I don’t feel like any answer to that question would be beneficial to my well-being.”

“And yet, you still answered it.”

“Do you want the drink or not?” His eyes glared at me, danger flashing through them.

“If you’re at my club Red, you’re here to work. You’re one of my girls, not a Valentino. Do I need to remind you of the rules for this place?” I rolled my eyes at him. “You do not speak unless spoken to, you do not approach me unless you’re approached, you do not hear anything, you do not see anything, you do not know anything.”

“So-”

“You do not interrupt. You do not question me. You do not talk back. You exist only for people to look at, to follow my orders and to serve my men.”

I pressed my mouth closed.

He stared at me.

I stared at him.

Silence.

So I guess he didn’t want the drink then?

I lifted it to my own lips and cleaned out the glass. Damn, I made a good mojito.

“Yeah, none of that is going to work for me.” I sat down in his chair and he looked lost.

When he reached into his inner pocket my whole body stiffened and I reached for the gun I knew he had strapped under his table.

“Relax.” He spoke calmly. “I got something for you.” He spoke quietly, I think he was ashamed of himself and that intrigued me. He threw a small pill packet down on the table in front of me. My brows furrowed.

“I’m not into drugs.” I replied. “I sell them, I don’t take them.”

“It’s plan B. For last night.”

“I’m on birth control, I don’t need plan B.” Ace shuffled awkwardly on his feet.

“It’s just an extra precaution, take it.” He told me sternly, leaving no room for negotiations.

“I’m not taking that, it will mess up my whole cycle. I don’t want my period. I’m on birth control.”

“Red, just take it.” He sighed, exhausted with me.

“No, Mother Nature is a bitch. I specifically take birth control to stop my periods. I would rather have you pull a gun out of your pocket than give me this.”

He pulled on his own hair, poor little Ace wasn’t used to being told no.

“You know, I could force you to take it.” I folded my arms and glared at him questioningly. “I could get my men in here to hold you down while I shove it down the back of your throat.”

I laughed. “Fucking try.”

He pushed the pill packet towards me. “Just take it Red, it’s not a request.”

I pushed the pill packet back towards him. “No.” I stated firmly.

“Why do you have to make everything so complicated? The repercussions of you not taking this pill are far worse than your period I can assure you. Do you really want to risk making a baby with me?”

I said nothing.

“Could you imagine what that would be like? We don’t agree on anything. You’d lose your tongue like Daria. Fuck it, your life too I’d bet. We’re not compatible to parent together.”

“Fine!” I spat out. “I’ll take it.”

I opened the little pill pocket and shoved it into my mouth, swallowing it down dry.

Ace walked over to me, he ran his thumb over my lips and then pushed it into my mouth slowly. He felt around my gums and under my tongue and then pulled his thumb out.

I gazed up at him from my chair and his brow frowned a little before slowly slipping two fingers back through my lips.

I could see the desire in his eyes as he lowered his fingers towards the back of my throat, seeing how far he could take them before I gagged.

His chest breathed heavier and his eyes hooded over, his lips parted slightly. He was turned on, imagining his fingers were his dick.

He pulled them out of my mouth just as slowly and I puckered my lips kissing the pads of his fingers before standing to my feet.

“I’m leaving now.” I whispered.

“You’re leaving?” He questioned, completely confused as to why we weren’t fucking.

“Yes. Looks like you’ll have to sort yourself out.” I dropped my eye contact down to his bursting crotch and he mirrored my expression, looking down at his bulge.

“What am I, fifteen?” I walked closer to the door and he stood in my way. “You’re really leaving?”

“Yes Ace, I’m leaving.” I worded slower this time so he could understand better.

“You know I got girls out there who would kill to have this.” I burst out laughing and he narrowed his eyes at me.

“Go for it.” I encouraged.

He sighed and stepped aside. “You’re a tease Red and not even in a good way.”