Savory Deceits: Intemperate Redemption (Volume 4)
By: Skye Heart
Tags: Rape, Romance, Violence Against Women, Erotica For Women, Fiction

To cherish what we love, we must destroy what threatens it, And to maintain our resolve, we must remember who we are…

-Ace

~CHRIS~

I could see him standing near the corner of the room watching me as his thugs repeatedly punched me in the face for insulting him. When they finally stopped, I managed to get on my knees and spat out blood. “You might as well kill me now, because I will never give up trying to get her back.” I spoke, glaring at him. Smoothly, he tapped a few more times at the screen of his phone and then tucked it inside his suit jacket. “Make no mistake,” Ace finally spoke while coming up to me. “The only reason you’re still breathing right now is because of her.” He said to me, and then casually stepped aside. Angrily, I glowered at him, but then stopped when Nena suddenly appeared in the doorway with Hinata.

Taken aback by Nena’s beauty, my eyes trailed down her voluptuous silhouette in awe. The body hugging bodysuit she wore fit her tightly in all the right places and those thigh-high diamond encrusted boots she had on made her appear several inches taller than usual; not to mention downright sexy. As Nena came closer, I studied every inch of her. I watched as her long straightened hair blew softly behind her and then my eyes trailed downwards to those sparkling heels that she walked so perfectly in having never missed a step. When Nena stopped short in front of me, her fiery optics stared down at me with contempt and I prepensely kept my eyes on her face. Her dark eye makeup enhanced her beguiling brown eyes and I suddenly found it hard to look away.

“Beautiful, isn’t she?” Ace finally spoke, staring down at me. “I’m not a stranger to her beauty.” I mocked, glaring at him. “Chris,” Nena spoke up, causing me to look back at her. “What happened to you, Nena?” I asked, shaking my head as if I were dissatisfied with her appearance. “Did you try to have me killed?” She asked, ignoring my question. “Are you being serious right now, Nena?” I countered, stalling. “Answer the question.” She demanded as Hinata came forward brandishing a thin silver wire between her gloved hands. Fortunately, for me, when Hinata tried to walk past her to me, Nena raised her arm blocking her path. Obediently, Hinata stopped, but then stared at me with eyes that were unquestionably lethal.

“Please,” Nena said to me with pleading eyes. “I need to know Chris.” She spoke again as if she were afraid for me. “Why would you think…” I began, still stalling, when Ace suddenly opened his mouth. “If you don’t want to die,” he began. “Then I suggest you answer the question.” He angrily warned. “You son of a bitch!” I said to Ace when the woman behind me immediately put a knife to my throat. “Oren!” Nena said, stopping my would-be executioner. “Last chance.” Ace spoke again. It was hard to tell who was giving the orders. One minute it seemed as though Ace was in charge, but the way these killers immediately stopped when Nena spoke to them made me wonder. Nonetheless, I knew that I had to think fast because the look in everyone’s eyes told me that each one of them wanted to be the one to kill me first.

“She promised they wouldn’t hurt you.” I admitted in my most repentant voice ever. I figured by now that my only redeeming quality would be Nena’s love for me, so I had to use that to my advantage. “I just wanted to take you away from all of this and be like we were before.” I began to explain. “Nena, I love you and you know that I would never try to hurt you.” I pleaded. “You put our son in danger.” Nena said, seeming the least bit moved by my words. “And,” she continued, while taking a step closer to me. “You teamed up with a woman that wanted me dead.” She said, angrily. “Isabel promised that she wouldn’t hurt you.” I insisted.

Suddenly, Nena stopped talking and looked into my eyes. It was not hard for me to see that she still had feelings for me. Other than pity, the look in Nena’s eyes was full of compassion. She was such a softy and it was obvious that she still loved me. Determinately, with eyes locked on mine as I stared back at her, I knew that everything would be all right. In reference to our love, Ace was just a roadblock that needed to be demolished. Nena would never leave me. Regardless of whom she was with, I still owned her heart.

~NENA~

He was lying; I could see it in his eyes.

The only reason he was saying what he presumed I wanted to hear was to save his own ass. Chris took me for a fool and had it not been for Ace, I would have fallen for every word he said. “She gave me her word, Nena.” Chris spoke again. “She said she wouldn’t hurt you.” He ensured me. Feeling annoyed, I narrowed my eyes at him and started to get angry. “Even you don’t believe that.” I retorted, refusing to fall for his bullshit. When Chris’ eyes widened in shock, I continued. “You knew she wanted me dead.” I said, glaring at him. “Yet you teamed up with her anyway.” I figured, watching him with contempt.

“Nena,” Chris spoke again. “You put our son in danger.” I interrupted. “No, Nena, please listen to me.” Chris begged, desperately trying to convince me otherwise. “They would have killed him.” I spoke again, ignoring his pleas. “And for that,” I continued, looking him square in the eye. “I will not forgive you.” I said, and then took a step back when Ace came to stand beside me. As I looked up at the man I loved; protectively, he put his arm around me and stared down at me with such devotion. Then, I looked back at Chris who watched the both of us with vengeful eyes.

“Don’t look so surprised.” I said to Chris, reiterating Hinata’s words. “You’ve always said I preferred the dangerous one.” I reminded Chris, as he narrowed his eyes at me. “Hinata!” I suddenly called, when she looked up at me. Hinata’s insatiable dark eyes remained calm and focused as she waited for me to give the order. Then, I looked back at Chris again who now gaped at me with mortification. “Kill him.” I said softly, and his eyes got bigger. “Wait! Nena! No!” He screamed, as Oren held his arms back. “Please! Nena!” Chris screamed, when Hinata got behind him. “You don’t have to watch.” Ace said, pulling me to him. “No,” I responded, looking up at him before turning back to Chris. “I want to.” I told him, and then nodded my head at Hinata.

Seemingly satisfied, Hinata smiled at me and then quickly wrapped her deadly wire around Chris’ neck. “Ne…” Chris tried to say again when the silver wire ripped through his flesh. Callously, I stood by and watched while the life of the man that I once loved with all my heart and soul slowly slipped away. Had it not been for my benign instinct to protect my son at all costs, I would have not been able to stomach the amount of blood that was now gushing through Chris’ neck. I felt absolutely no remorse because my son was the most important person in the world to me. Ultimately, his father had crossed a line that should have never been drawn.

Finally, when Chris’ head dropped low, literally hanging on by a thread, Hinata released the wire and his lifeless body instantly fell forward. Now, with Ace’s hands on my waist and mine resting on his arms, we both presented a united front while several members of the Faceless Tribunal watched us in reverence. Just as Hinata had stated before, the moment I stepped into this building, the old me had died and a new woman was reborn in her place. Carefully, Hinata crouched down to check Chris’ pulse, and then she looked up at me and nodded confirming his death. Now, I turned back to Ace who peered into my eyes once more.

“Are you okay?” He asked me. “Yes.” I replied nodding my head in assurance. “Good.” He responded, pulling me closer. “Take a look around you,” Ace then suggested. Slowly, I looked around at the many faces that now stared back at me with deference. “You are now the Queen of my Empire.” He said to me. Confused, I looked back at Ace drawing my brows together in wonder. “What does that mean?” I asked him. “It means that you have now become the most powerful and also the most dangerous woman in the world.” He told me. “Everything you want is literally at your fingertips.” Ace explained. “If you say it, it will happen.” He concluded.

“Really?” I asked, staring back at him. “Yes.” He confirmed, holding me tight. “Then I want to go home.” I told him. “To the house?” He asked me. “No.” I replied. “To the states.” I revealed. “I want to be close to my family.” I said to him. “Is that even possible?” I then asked him, thinking about what my newfound status could mean for the safety of those I loved. “Yes.” Ace replied, still holding me. “As long as you’re with me, anything’s possible.” He assured me, and I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you.” I told him. “I love you.” He suddenly said to me. “I love you too.” I replied with a smile.

“For a long time now, I’ve been living my life with perilous ambition and conquering every country that I set foot in.” Ace began. “I’ve acquired a massive amount of wealth over the years and have every foreign government you can think of in my back pocket.” He told me. “I can have anything I want all around the world,” he divulged, but then paused to search my eyes once more. “However, I now realize that none of it will ever mean anything without you by my side.” He said to me. “I am yours Ace.” I told him. “Now and forever.” I added with absolute certainty. Then, without warning, Ace lowered his head to mine and kissed me in front of everyone. I almost heard gasps coming from the people around us, and I threw my arms around his neck and showed him my loyalty as I openly returned his passion with no reservations. Kissing Ace in front of his subordinates felt empowering and I suddenly wanted him to make love to me again. The words ‘Queen of my Empire’ rang in my head and I nearly lost myself in his dynamic world of influence. When Ace finally broke our kiss, he looked into my eyes and then said, “Let’s go home.”