ACE

“I don’t see any need for this meeting. But I’m going to see if I can create space in my schedule tomorrow. Yes, the meeting will take place in my office at the company. My secretary will call you.” I tossed the phone on the bed and quickly grabbed my tie to loosen it.

The day was hectic and being the boss of the Cosa Nostra and the CEO of the Mason Enterprise wasn't a balancing act... it was a burden. That's why we have a chain of command. But somehow, even with all that, I was always the one cleaning up their messes.

I secured the white towel around my waist and immediately I took a step towards the bathroom, I started hearing another buzzing from my phone.

“What is it again Bob?” I asked without trying to hide the anger in my voice. Bobby was my brother and it pissed me off that he literally comes running to me about everything. That was mainly the reason why nobody thought he could handle any of the family businesses.

Well, he was doing a good job acting that incompetent and deceiving everyone. I could see through him and no matter how long he tried to disguise I always knew that he was more capable of accomplishing more than he was letting on. I didn’t want to force him to change as I wasn’t aware of his reasons for playing dumb. The plan was to play along and hold out as much as possible.

“She ran away again.” Bob said over the phone. This was the third time she tried to escape. It was the fact that she continued to try despite knowing that she would still get caught. That was what amused me the most. I guess I should meet her again.

Suddenly I remembered the first time I looked at her through the big screen. She always had some fight in her but I didn't know she was foolish enough to attempt an escape.

“You know she can’t escape from the premises,” I chuckled a little. “Let her have fun a little.”

“What do mean?” Bob asked.

“Bring her back before dawn. Her tenaciousness is kind of fun to watch.”

“Alright boss.”

“Oh and, I need you to take care of things this night. Give me a full report later. I have not slept in days and I have a long day tomorrow.”

“Yes, boss.” Bob said before hanging up.

Let him be in charge for a few hours, I thought to myself before finally stepping into the bathroom.

HOPE

I tried to move and stopped halfway due to the throbbing headache that was threatening to separate my head from my neck. The pain was excruciating causing an involuntary groan to escape from my lips.

The last thing I remembered was hiding behind a tree trunk in the forest of only God knows where and waking up again, I found myself in an old bed in one tiny room that barely had any ventilation.

I thought I was getting closer to running away. I was hopeful because I could hide from those men for a little longer than I usually did. My plan was supposed to work and even if it failed, whoever caught me did a number on my head.

I guess my relentless escape attempt was starting to wear them off because why else would they drop me in such a dirty room. It was the complete opposite of the former room assigned to me. I wondered if the boss was aware that his men may have given me concussion. Did he even care?

I placed my arm on my forehead and stared at the dirty cobweb infested ceiling which only made me remember what my life was like before the Masons.

A MONTH AGO…

“Hey! You...” I finally looked up at whoever was barking earlier after the tiny lady beside me nudged me on the leg. “Yes ma’am,” I responded to the middle aged woman glaring daggers at me.

“You heard me calling your attention and you kept quiet,” she screamed while she continued to glare at me.

I just stood there and wondered if I was supposed to respond to the accusation or not. The girl beside me seemed as if she figured out what was on my mind because she kept pinching and dragging my worn out shirt. That day was the first time I saw her around the master’s house. Maybe she was one of the new arrivals.

The master was what we called the short fat man who owned the house we were kept at. We did all sorts of things for the master ranging from doing basic maid chores to cooking and being ready to do whatever he wanted in exchange for shelter and food. Most times he would call some ladies and men to perform at his club.

So far, I had spent two months at the master’s house and I was never picked for the club shows. I was grateful for that. I wouldn’t have wanted to get picked and never return. That was what happened to most of the other people held by the master. It was either they found a new owner or they were murdered in one of those reckless activities that goes on at the club.

In my two months of stay, I was able to attend four displays. Six was the limit and if anyone wasn’t able to get picked in those six trials, that person would be stuck as one of the master’s club workers until they got lucky and luck was a rare gem under the master’s watch.

It was finally another display. A day that all the rich nothings and criminals, bored billionaires and so on from all over the world converge at the master’s house. They would bid on the person to buy. It was technically an auction. The highest bidder disappears with their new play thing.

On display days, all the residents who were still up for trials always had two prayers; let me be picked and may I be picked by a better master.

“Take and put it on,” the grumpy woman said tossing a black cocktail dress at me. It had a long shiny silver strap that extended to the neck area. It had a deep ‘v’ neck cut and to be honest, the dress was beautiful. It looked expensive but the price tag was already removed, I looked at the label by the side and I was speechless. It was a Saint Laurent.

“That dress costs more than your worth. You better pray that you get picked. I don’t need to remind you that the cost of that dress will be added to your debt otherwise.”

I didn’t know if she pitied me for getting such an expensive dress for the display or not. That lady never cared about anyone not to mention me specifically. It seemed like she had a personal grudge against me.

It was weekend, Saturday precisely. Every weekend the ladies and the men gathered in the workers’ lounge to get various outfits for the event that was going to take place later at midnight.

Saturdays usually, was a big day for the ones getting displayed, it was the closest any of us could get to freedom.

‘May today be my final display and last day at the master’s house’ I thought to myself and glared at the tiny lady who looked as if she had forgotten her fingers on my body while she pinched and pulled me. She whimpered a little from my glare and took her hands off me as I made my way to the dressing room.

I wasn’t going to willing to let the master add whatever cost of the designer to my debt. It wasn’t like I loaned money from him. He kept the cost of everything each person used for the display recorded. Anyone that failed to be picked after six trials ended up as a worker in the club until the debts got cleared and that would usually mean forever.

I was in my best behaviour because spending another week at the master's house was a big no for me.

THE PRESNT…

“Hope! Hey! Wake up...” someone called out my name while shaking my body vigorously. “Open your eyes Hope!” and I finally did.

Those eyes, I saw it once before. It was enchanting and kind of ethereal. It was the eyes in the mask. The highest bidder who brought me home with him, my new master and the boss. He held my shoulders in his huge palms and pulled me up from the bed. I was feeling dizzy and the only thing I needed was to get back to sleep but he kept compelling me to keep my eyed open.

“Who hit her? I will kill you if anything happens to her.” that was the last thing I heard before falling straight into his hard chest. I got concussion, was he seriously going to kill the culprit or not?

ACE

I was pissed off.

I gave Bob one task, bring the girl back to the mansion before dawn. I didn’t care how he did it. I didn’t need the details. I just needed it done right. But he failed.

One of his guys gave her a concussion. The unlucky bastard who stood before me was paying the price.

I don’t just let anyone into the family. And I had never crossed paths with the one standing in front of me. That meant only one thing, Bob brought him in. Brought someone who couldn’t follow orders. Who didn’t know the first thing about obeying the boss.

She deserved better. He deserved a bullet.

The secrets of my family stay in the family. And he wasn’t going to be part of it much longer.

“Do you know what happens to people who don’t follow orders?” I asked.

He fidgeted, eyes darting, lips trembling. No answer.

“You’re doing it again,” I said, stepping behind him. “I ask a question, you answer. I don’t repeat myself.”

“Wh-what’s the question, boss?”

I stepped around and met his eyes. “The question is: you’re out.”

His face twitched with confusion. Not my problem.

“I don’t play when it comes to my family. Obedience is non-negotiable. You lack every quality that keeps a man alive around here. You’re done. Bob will deal with you later.”

I turned to Bob, who stared out the window like none of this was his mess.

“Bob.”

He turned, just in time for my fist to collide with his jaw.

“Fuck! That was painful!” he said, staggering and clutching his face.

“It should be painful. Do you know what you just made me do?” I said, voice low and sharp. “That guy should be dead. He knows too much about this family. But his offense doesn’t warrant it. Now I’m left with a loose end.”

“I’m sorry, Ace. I didn’t know he was going to knock her out—”

“That’s not the only problem!” I snapped. “Why am I just now meeting him? You brought him in too deep, made him part of my men, without my consent. And he’s not worth it.”

“He is important, Ace. I’m not stupid—I don’t bring just anyone in.”

“Then why should I believe you?”

“I’ll prove it,” Bob insisted. “He might not meet your standard, boss, but I swear I’ll prove he’s useful.”

I stared at him for a moment, then gave a slow nod.

“Fine. But I don’t want to see him again. If he’s so damn useful, use him from the outside. Keep him out of the core. And if he ever talks—if he’s a snitch—I’ll kill you both.”

“Yes, boss.”

He turned to leave, then paused at the door.

“Your punch’s gotten stronger.”

“Of course it has. Get out of my office.”

That girl was my investment. I spent billions on her. I wasn’t about to let anyone fuck that up.

I picked up a document from my desk and scanned it. I had to head to the company soon, but first I called the doctor to check on the girl.

The Cosa Nostra was pulling too much of my attention. Meanwhile, my work at Mason Enterprise was piling up.

---

HOPE

I slowly opened my eyes.

The bed beneath me was soft... too soft. Plush pillows cradled my head, and the duvet felt like clouds against my skin. This wasn’t the same room from before.

I frowned, blinking fully awake.

Then I saw him; my new master ... sitting on the other side of the room, bathed in the soft glow of a lamp.

“Hey,” I squeaked, instantly regretting it. What the hell was that? ‘Hey’?

That man could murder me and dump my body in a ditch and no one would care.

“Hey too, sleepyhead,” he said, closing his laptop. “How’s your head? I called the doctor this morning.”

My eyes widened. He called a doctor? For me? That was funny but I couldn't find the voice to laugh.

He caught my look and smirked.

“I spent billions on your head. Getting your concussion treated was just an unexpected business expense.”

There it was, the reminder.

I wasn’t a person to him. I was a purchase. A property.

“Oh. That’s more like it,” I said, masking the sting in my voice.

He stood, his presence dominating the room.

“My name’s Ace. CEO of Mason Enterprise,” he said. “Nice to finally meet properly after three encounters.”

Like I didn’t already know.

Everyone in the city knew him.

The Mason Enterprise was a multi-billion dollar conglomerate; Mason Electronics, Mason Construction, Mason Flights, Mason Hotels, Mason Motors... you name it. A dynasty that spanned generations. And he was the current king.

I always wondered what was behind the big name and finally it was finally starting to make sense, the masons ran other shady businesses behind closed doors. What's with the guns and men dressed in black in every nook and cranny of the mansion?

“My name is Hope,” I said despite being so sure that he knew that already.

He was a fine man. I looked at him as he just stood there watching me like a soccer game. He was checking to see if I would squirm under his gaze. I wasn’t going to flinch, he may have paid for me but I wasn’t going to surrender my free will that easily.

He chuckled before plastering a smirk on his beautiful lips and said, “I like Hope. That is a nice name for a fire ball like you.”

I didn’t say anything to him.

“How was it?” he asked I raised a brow at him.

“How was your race?” he said with amusement all over his face

“What?”

“I told them to let you play in the forest for a while before bringing you back to the mansion” his smirk spread across his entire face

“Damn…” I whispered. He got me so good if that was the case.

“Did you say something Hopy?”

“You’re sick,” I blotted. If he was going to kill me later too, the least I could do was say mind. He loved playing games with people.

I like games as well. I will show him that fire balls burns.