Page 85 of Pride: Kneel Before None

He had gone and retrieved a key. Miracles never ceased to amaze.

The sound of the door opening followed, along with his footsteps.

Didn’t bother opening my eyes as I lounged in the tub. Didn’t need to. I could feel his presence hovering in the doorway of the bathroom.

When he finally spoke, his words were less demanding and more a statement of fact. “We’re leaving.”

“Are we?” One of my eyebrows lifted just enough to convey my disbelief that he thought we were going anywhere together after yesterday.

I heard the sound of his exhale, frustration at my unwillingness to indulge him.

A small and perhaps petty pang of satisfaction tugged at me.

The next time he spoke, he was closer.

“Look at me, Little Spade.”

Opening my eyes, I turned my head to find him crouched down next to the tub. Seeing him dressed in something other than a suit made my expression falter before I schooled it back to indifference.

Never had I seen Ace in something so casual. He wore a pair of black shorts that resembled swim trunks, but in typical him fashion, even those looked tailored. With it, he had on a charcoal henley, sleeves pushed up to his elbows.

“I’m taking you somewhere that will do more for you than the hard porcelain of this tub. Now, you can either stop being difficult and get out on your own or…” He trailed off, leaving the threat unspoken.

“Or what, Ace? Going to pull me out and drag me to wherever you deem appropriate?” It may as well have been his M.O. at this point.

He tipped his head in concession, pursing his lips as he did before responding. “If necessary, yes.”

At least he was fucking honest.

“Five minutes, Eve. Ignatius has already set aside your clothes and packed your bag.” He rose from the crouched position, already assuming that I’d choose to come along. It made me wonder if he had envisioned my compliance just as he had foreseen my arrival at Sevenfold.

Maybe it was the casual outfit, the fact that he hadn’t kicked in the door, or him giving me an illusion of choice, but my curiosity dragged me out of the tub anyway.

Damn him.

The journey to wherever he was taking me wasn’t a short one. Even more out of the norm, he had chosen to drive us there himself as though he didn’t trust anyone else to know where we were going.

My attempts to interrogate him about our destination failed, and instead I was forced to watch as we drove through the desert beyond Superbia’s city limits. We turned onto the road that ran through the mountains, and at some point, Ace veered off onto a trailhead just beyond the jagged range.

Ace navigated the narrow and winding dirt path until he couldn’t go any further with his vehicle. After getting out, he took my hand and led me on a treacherous hike over rocks and twisted trees that looked half dead.

Suddenly the outfit Iggy had picked out for me made far more sense. Because sensible sneakers, faded denim shorts, and a cropped tank top in a rust color that accented my Venetian blonde strands certainly wasn’t what I’d expected.

“This feels the opposite of relaxing in a bath,” I griped, breathless and sweaty as he helped me over another large boulder.

“A little bit further.” He glanced over his shoulder with a smirk. “Trust me.”

A little bit further until what? He left me for dead where no one would find my body?

Just as I began to think we were lost and coming to a dead end, the passage opened up, and before us was a sight that stole my breath away. Vivid tropical trees surrounded an opening in the side of the mountain. Somehow in this desolate space, nature had thrived in otherwise barren conditions. Tree roots spilled into the gaping hole.

Stepping close to the ledge, I leaned over to peer down at what was below. My hand clutched onto Ace’s arm, not trusting I wouldn’t topple forward.

The sight that greeted me was stunning. There was no other way to describe it. About fourteen feet below, there was a cavern filled with ethereal turquoise water that emitted light even in the darker shadows of the surrounding rock.

It wasn’t just some modest pool of water. It was a massive lagoon. From this angle, there was no telling how far it spread beneath us or how deep it went.

Ace leaned in, whispering into my ear, “Told you.”