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Quinn

Kenna and Harry stayed with me while Alex went to pick up Ace that afternoon when he was released and I couldn't stop thinking of all the possibilities of things that could happen or could have happened. But I just prayed to anyone listening out there for Ace to be safe and come back to me.

"Quinn?" Kenna touched my hands. I sucked in a deep breath and my eyes flickered open. "Are you good?"

"Yeah, why?" I said leaning up from the couch. She used her index finger to touch my cheek and showed me the wetness on her finger.

"You're crying."

I didn't even realize I was crying. My body had gotten so used to it at that point that it didn't recognize it as something foreign anymore. I touched my face feeling the tears and wiped them myself.

"I didn't realize," I whispered.

"He'll be okay darling."

"It's getting so late Kenna why aren't they here yet?" I cried squeezing her hand and she squeezed mine back.

"Maybe Ace wanted to look around for a while to get himself back to normal before meeting you because he wouldn't want to make you worried."

"He's making me worried by keeping me like this Kenna. I need to see him now with my own eyes and make sure he's safe."

Kenna's face crumbled at my state and she pulled me into her chest while stroking her hair. "He's alright Quinn, he has to be. I'll kill him if he lets anything happen to him."

Just then Harry walked back in with his phone on his ear. "Alex said he's on his way," he announced but his expression was different from the one that should be on his face when hearing his best friend is back.

"With Ace?" I squirmed and his face paled. My heart dropped to my feet and I glanced at Kenna.

"He isn't coming with Ace?" I asked.

Kenna gave me a soft look before glaring at Harry, "What do you mean? He went to pick up Ace right?"

Harry gulped under her stare and scratched the back of his head just as the door opened and I sprang up. Alex walked in and I instinctively bent my head to see if Ace was walking in next. Alex looked at me before finally moving out of the way and finally, I saw him.

My pretty boy.

A soft gasp left my lips when I saw him. And then he gave me the sweetest smile and my heart melted once again as his eyes crinkled. I couldn't move, feeling like any move I made would result in my waking up from the perfect dream. I couldn't even be aware of anything else around me at that time, my eyes were only stuck on him.

His hair was way too fluffy, looking way too perfect for someone who was just in jail. Then he began to walk towards me. Before I could think his large frame melted into my body and a sob broke from my lips.

"Hey love," his voice that I'd been yearning for days boomed in my ear and I tightened my grip around his torso refusing to let him escape again. His soft chuckle came next and I felt my body get lightweight, he made me so weak in a good way. Lord, I missed him so fucking much. The way his body fitted mine so perfectly, the way his touch felt, the way his voice made life worth living, the way his smell was my drug.

"You're alive," my croaked voice came out and he hummed.

"I'm Ace Winston love, I wouldn't dare to die and leave you," he said softly and placed a kiss on the top of my head. Still feeling my body trembling I looked up at him and he slowly used his thumb to wipe my tear-stained face.

"Have you seen the garden love?" He whispered while leaning close to my ear and shivers went down my spine.

I shook my head. "I was under house arrest Ace."

His laugh brought life into me and I finally smiled. "Let me show you the beauty of this place love." And then he carried me past the others and out the door. The low sunset bathed our bodies together and the smile wouldn't leave my lips even when we got to the large garden and my feet touched the soft grass. A soft gasp left my lips at the beauty before me and I felt him hug me from behind.

"I bought this place a long time ago. Knowing both our families I thought we'll need it. And it came in handy." He kissed the back of my head and I shut my eyes to soak in all of him.

"It's so beautiful Ace, I love it," I smiled as I turned to face him. I couldn't remember when last I genuinely smiled. I found myself stretching on my tiptoes to make our noses touch and his arms wrapped around my waist so easily. We moved our nose back and forth while giggling and his large hands caressed my face before it gently wrapped around my neck and his thumb lifted my chin before our lips met in perfect harmony.

My world instantly lit up again. The kiss was gentle and a way of saying how much we missed each other. We gently showed our love this time. I whispered, "And I love you."

"I love you more, my Quinn."

Filled with joy and more happiness than ever. I went around smelling the different flowers that were planted and he stood from afar watching me like I was the most beautiful thing in the world. Like I was his whole world.

Ace pulled me up to get me to stand still while he went around to make a bouquet for me and I couldn't stop giggling while watching him try to make it as pretty as possible.

I looked behind me and saw the others through the window. I walked over there to join their conversation while Ace was busy. I stopped a few feet away from where they would see me when I heard the discussion they were having and suddenly noticed that they weren't laughing but rather groaning and sighing.

"She made it very clear that she would not stop until he dies," Alex continued and Harry shook his head in annoyance with his hands on his waist.

"I have no idea why Mrs Manchester would do all this knowing Angus would want none of it. Killing Ace? It would break Quinn!" Kenna raged and Alex hushed her while looking around which made me instantly move to the wall beside the window with my heart beating so loud I won't be surprised if that outed my presence.

"Ace didn't want to see Quinn anymore after that conversation. He didn't want to put her in danger. I mean before we went to see Mrs Manchester, he planned on meeting Quinn but after..." Alex trailed and sighed. "I convinced him that he would regret it if he chose to just ignore Quinn to save her. And I really don't think Mr Winston is... sane right now."

I shut my eyes trying to compose myself as all this was flooded into my ears.

"What do you mean by that?!" Harry raged and I imagined Alex hushing him like he did to Kenna.

"While he was in prison he was seeing and hearing things and we all know what he has been through since birth and now this. He was practically insane while he was locked up, It was like some kind of episode thing. I thought he would get over it once he was released but after his conversation with his grandfather today I realised that he has it worse. He looked like he could have killed Mr. Winston. He hated himself for what he was becoming but he can't control it. I don't know what to do, I don't even understand what's wrong with him," Alex explained and my legs gave up on me. I fell to the ground and covered my mouth to hide my sobs as the tears rolled down my face.

I quickly got on my feet and managed to find Ace again. He raised his eyebrows when he came and walked fast to me with a bouquet in his hand. I fixed my face and composure before he noticed and fixed a smile on my face.

He moved the bouquet in front of my face and peeked up with a grin on his face and I forced myself to hold the pain within me. It was just like when we were kids under the tree when he gave me flowers on my birthday and just like that day, I got up and grabbed the bouquet with a huge grin on my face and sniffed it. "Oh my God, it's so huge! It's bigger than my head," I laughed, bubbling with excitement. "And smells so nice. It's truly the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Thank you."

He let out a heartfelt laugh and threw his head back. "You remembered!"

"Of course."

He felt inside his pocket and pursed his lips. "I know you threw this out because you were mad but I took it from my apartment just in case you want it back." I furrowed my eyebrows, confused.

Then he brought out my ring, the diamond sparkled like it recognized its owner. A soft gasp left my lips and I looked up at him, he stared back at me with a shy look on his face. I shook my head with a smile, feeling the bile building in my throat before I laid out my hand.

He let out a sigh of relived and looked up before he got on one knee and slid the ring into my finger again. I looked at the ring on my hands and bent to give him a soft kiss. "I promise to never lose it again. Thank you for bringing it back to me."

"Always," he breathed before carrying me as he got up. I buried my face in his neck and my harsh breaths escaped with tears.

I was so scared.

So scared to lose him.

I couldn't get it out of my head.

Every moment felt like a ticking time bomb.

He carried me back into the now-empty house, I wondered when the others had left. He took me to the kitchen I hadn't even stepped foot in and placed me on the island.

I placed the bouquet beside me and he gave me a sly smile before disappearing into the pantry and coming back with a basket of ceramic plates.

"Do you want to do something crazy love?" His husky voice asked in a way that made it impossible to refuse whatever he wanted. I nodded while looking at him from beneath my lashes and he placed his hands on either side of me, caging me.

I felt my heart racing at the proximity. The feeling was different from the one in the garden. At that point, I was void of tears and felt my head like it was a different part of my body. But it was a good feeling. A weirdly good feeling and with Ace doing what he was doing I couldn't make any decision myself, I fully trusted him.

"That's what we always do Ace, aren't we the most dangerous couple?" I tilted my head and he chuckled before placing a kiss on my lips and his hands reached to take a plate. Before I knew it, he raised his hand and smashed the plate into a thousand pieces beside us and my eyes widened.

I let out two gasps from my chest before finally laughing, grabbing a plate myself, and smashing it on the floor beside us. The pieces from the plates scattered around us like we were on a battlefield.

"That's it, love!" Ace grabbed my head before giving me a rough kiss and then walked behind me with his bare foot, stepping on the pieces. So that was why he placed me on the island.

He took off his shirt leaving him barechested and reached for the cupboard above. Then slipped out a box of cigarettes and a lighter. My eyes widened at him and he smiled seeing my reaction before lighting one stick and taking a whiff. My heart did a summersault on how hot he looked leaning his head back and releasing the smoke from his lips with a chuckle.

"Are you hurt, Ace? Is all this because you're hurt?" My croaked voice asked.

I stayed frozen wondering if that was what Alex was telling the other about. "This Quinn..." his voice boomed, "Is my happy house love."

I folded my hands into a fist and shut my eyes trying to hide the voice behind my head that was telling me to no. I got down from the island and he stood up straight and looked at me like I was about to jump off a skyrise building. I bit my tongue to hold the pain as I walked on the broken pieces and got to where he was.

"What are you-" he was cut off and I took the cigarette from his hand and placed it between my lips. He looked at me void of emotion, as I took a whiff and let it out. It wasn't my first time smoking, hell I'm an actress in Hollywood.

Ace was broken. And that that moment all I wanted was to feel whatever he was feeling with him.

In a split second, he placed me on the table and took the cigarette from my hand. He examined my feet silently. "Why did you hurt yourself love?"

"I wanted to feel everything you're feeling Ace," I breathed and he finally locked his eyes with mine and then again crashed his lips against mine. Aggressive and dominant and claimed what was his.

"If I die-"

"No!" I cut him off immediately and my lips trembled. "Please no." I wrapped my arms around him.

"Please move on Quinn. Don't spend your life thinking and regretting. Live the perfect life you were meant to have." His voice was firm and rough without a hint of sarcasm or laughter. I sobbed silently at his words and his grip on me tightened.

"I won't let you die, Ace, I promise nothing will happen to you. I'll protect you. Just please don't say that again, I'm scared," I cried.

He remained silent from then and just gently caressed my back. After staying like that for a while he asked, "wanna continue trashing this place?" He referred to the plates and I nodded with a chuckle.

Everything had changed, from the day I called him a blonde mess to that moment. And yet if anyone asked me.

I'll fall in love with this man all over again.