Love Me Harder [R18]

CHAPTER 10

Ace's POV :

A few moments had passed since our encounter with her family.

We sat in the car and silence filled the air. I could tell she was upset.

I'd never been good with emotions but I can tell when people are hurt, mainly because I'm the one usually hurting them. She was trying so hard to be strong. I hated to see people cry, it disgusted me mostly because of how weak could be.

But when I watched a tear fall from her cheek, I didn't think she was weak. I don't know why but I wanted to make her hurt vanish. I wanted to hear that laugh again, but I'd never made anyone laugh and I was hopeless at these things.

"Are you okay?" the words escaped my lips before I could even think about them. Had I ever asked anyone that question before?

I saw her lip quiver as she shook her head, gazing out the window. I felt a heaviness in my chest as I watched her struggle not to cry. I hated seeing her like this.

A sigh escaped my lips as I looked at her.

"Maybe this was a bad idea," I muttered quietly as I rubbed my forehead stressfully. Sofia nodded agreeing.

"When your father...when he...did your brothers just watch?" I finally asked. She stayed silent until she finally worked up the courage to answer.

"Yes but he abused all of us, I didn't know it was abuse until high school, I thought it was normal to get beaten for the little things, it's how he raised all of us," she responded, hesitant to open up.

"They're p*****s," I snapped angrily, earning a dirty look from Sofia. "Don't look at me like that, you know I'm right."

I was still very worked up from moments ago and I'd have to get a chance to contain myself.

"I may not be a good person and I may do horrific things but I will never let anyone hit you, do you understand?" I demanded her to answer. "They're p*****s, all of them."

My attention turned to the light sobs coming from her direction. She wasn't able to keep it together anymore and it was partly because of my tangent and I.

"I just want to sleep," she muttered as she wiped her tears away. It's weird, I don't sleep and she loves to sleep. She sleeps to avoid her problems, I stay awake to fix mine. We're complete opposites; the same but different.

"You can sleep," I suggested. I watched her lean against the window as she shut her eyes. Eventually, she had fallen asleep. I was scrolling through my phone, responding to emails when Sofia changed positions and decided to lie on my lap. My back stiffened as I watched her stir to get comfortable. The only time someone is this close to me is... never mind, I guess I could make an exception this once, after all, I was the one to set her off.

I got distracted from my emails watching Sofia sleep. Her tear-stained cheeks finally dry. I slowly ran the back of my fingers along the tear stains on her cheeks and found myself wanting to make all of her pain disappear, but I knew it wasn't that simple. I stroked the loose strands of hair behind her ear. She was simply stunning, the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes on and I hated to admit it. Perhaps I'd rather have an ugly wife, then I wouldn't find myself stumbling over my thoughts, then I wouldn't want to marry her. I snapped out of the trance and went back to my business.

I looked back down at Sofia just to see the discomfort on her face as she slept. She must've been having a nightmare. She frowned her eyebrows as she looked for something to grab. For some reason, I held out my hand for her to grab, and she did, the discomfort instantly fading from her face. She had a peaceful look on her face. I stared at our hands. They fit together perfectly.

I need to stop thinking about this girl. I can't let myself love anything.

I called Fiona, one of my sluts. My mom hates me calling them 'sluts'. I have to pay her every time she comes over and she still comes over even though she knows I'm engaged?

"I'll be home in 10, be over at my place in 20," I growled into the phone. "Of course, Mr. Hernandez, would you like me to lick you?" she whispered, trying to be kinky.

"If you ever whisper like that again, your services won't be used again," I snarled as I stared out the window.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Hernandez," she squealed into the phone. I hung up.

My attention was once again broken by Sofia. She held my hand as she stirred around on my lap. "f**k," I mumbled beneath my breath, shutting my eyes. All I could think was to try and not get an erection. I breathed out heavily as she stopped moving. Only for her to move her hand, directly onto my growing erection. I rubbed the bridge of my nose as I tried to calm down. There's no way I'm getting hard at the thought of her. s**t.

It was an agonising 10-minute drive home and I could finally get out of the car.

I stepped out and adjusted myself.

"Yo Ace, would you like me to carry her up to her room?" Kaylo asked, appearing out of thin air.

"No, I'll do myself." I scowled at him.

"Awh come on man, I just want to help." Kaylo had an evil grin on his face.

"Get the f**k inside before I shoot you." I threatened. "Come- I whipped out my gun, interrupting his sentence and held it against his forehead.

"I swear to f*****g god, I will shoot you if you don't leave now, leave and don't ever come back," I grumbled furiously. Kaylo had been getting on my last nerve for way too long. That look on his face gave his true intentions away.

I needed to tighten my inner circle now that she was around. I needed to know that none of my friends would harm her and from what Kaylo's expression was suggesting, I'd be afraid to leave her alone in a room with him.

He went pale, the colour draining from his face. "Y-yes boss."

He almost tripped, stumbling over himself and running away. f*****g coward I thought as I lifted Sofia into my arm. This girl has been through enough without him trying to do unimaginable things to her.

I walked upstairs and gently lay her on my bed. I couldn't leave her in the guest room in case Kaylo came back and tried anything suspicious. Plus this room has a lock on the door and the guest rooms don't.

I quietly shut the door and Fiona walked up the stairs.

"Hey, boss." She smirked.

"Let's get this over with." I rolled my eyes. God, I hated this girl.