Touching the Heart of Ace novel Chapter 70

"Do you think he will help us?"

"Yes." I nodded. I had no doubt.

"Maybe... we can... t... try somewhere... else... no... biggie... j... just, in... in..."

I waited patiently for Tina to finish her sentence. She tried again when she noticed I was willing to wait. "In... ind... industrial visit."

"I know, guys. But he will help. He and the Director of X-FACT are friends. This is where we want to go right?"

They all nodded.

"If he can't help us, we can go somewhere else. But we would not know if we don't try."

"Fine, then. If this does not work out, it is on you." I rolled my eyes.

Pierce was the pessimistic one and if Robbie... Robert, refused to help us, 'I told you so' was going to throw at me every five minutes. I could barely tolerate him. He had no ideas of his own, he would not take over the leadership but if we met with some obstacles he would be the one to throw the first stone.

I fixed my hair and smoothed my shirt down before leading my five team members for the industrial visits.

I kicked myself when I noticed I was worried about how I looked because I was not put together like other times, when we met.

I should have talked to him beforehand. But every time I thought of calling him I chickened out. Mom talked to him, so it was fine.

I could almost physically feel the judgemental eyes on us as we walked into the Brantley's Empire Building.

Media was right to call this Empire Building.

This was huge. Very very huge.

I walked to the receptionist who was already looking us with 'fed up' face. It irked her when I asked my classmates to take a seat on plush leather couches, without her permission.

Suck it up!

We looked like stray kittens amongst suited corporate sharks but that did not mean we did not deserve any respect.

"I have a 10.30 appointment with Mr. Brantley." She rolled her eyes and went through her computer.

"Name?"

"Ace Davidson Truscott."

"No appointment for anyone at 10.30." Shouldn't receptionist be cordial?

"Please check the V.V.I.P list." She scoffed and I could hear my classmates mumble.

"Look here... whoever you are. There is nothing scheduled at 10.30. You can come back tomorrow. Please leave the premises before I call the security." Wow! People really judged others by the clothes they wore. Mom was right!

"May I help you, young man?" Another lady who was listening asked me.

"Yes, Ma'am. I have a 10.30 appointment with Robert Brantley. My mother Claire Daphne Truscott fixed it beforehand. Can you please show me where he is?" She also went through the list on the computer but I beat her before she could say anything. "Please check the V.V.I.P list."

She kindly smiled at me but she did click a few times just to appease me. But soon she frowned. "Mr. Truscott? Ace Davidson?"

"Yes, that is me. Now where can I find Robb... Robert?"

Should have called the man directly, you, idiot! I could be really stupid sometimes. But mom's office was different. Everyone treated with kindness and no one normally bothered her. How the hell did I know it was special!

Whatever!

They ladies frowned at each other and I almost bit my tongue out when the first woman dialled the telephone.

"Sir, there is someone who is here to see you claiming he has a 10.30 appointment... does not look like it..." She smirked. "A bunch of kids. For donation I think... I can get rid of him for you." She purred and I almost gagged. "What is your name again?" She asked me.

I sighed before leaning to the mouth piece. "Robbie, it is me. Let me in."

I did not know what he was saying but she went pale and thrusted the phone to the other lady. She pleasantly said a lot of 'Yes Sir' before smiling at me. "Please follow me, Sir."

I motioned my team to wait here and went with her to the elevator.

Wow! Everything about this building screamed power, money and business.

I liked it.

My mom's office was a bit homey with occasional chit-chats and laughs. But here people were so busy with their work, no one noticed anything else. Did Robbie... Robert personally control them?

I was taken to a huge living room but she was still walking, so I followed her to a big door. She knocked three times before opening the door. "Mr. Brantley is waiting for you, Sir. Please call the reception if you need anything."

Yeah, right!

My face might have shown what I thought because she smiled apologetically. "I will attend the call, Sir. She was new."

"Was?"

She smiled again but did not reply.

I went in and saw the man leaning on his desk impatiently. "Ace!"

Should I wave, say hi?

Instead I cleared my throat. He was no one to me. I was just here for the I.V. I was not here to see him or anything. He could flirt with the meanie receptionist. They would be a perfect fit.

I glared at him.

Wait! He was married!

The fucking Asshole. What was I doing here? Oh, right, the I.V!

"Why did you take an appointment to see me?" He glared back.

The nerve of this bastard.

"Have you received my mom's mail?" I raised my face high because I was not shying away from him. Never again.

"I have. But I have not opened it. Whatever this is, you can tell me personally." He was not backing off. "What is it?" His voice had gone soft and it tugged on my heart.

I nibbled my lips but stopped when his eyes slipped to them.

"The curriculum expects an Industrial Visit this semester. We- my team- have been thinking of X-FACT. You are friends with the Director. Could you, perhaps, help us? They do not appreciate 'kids running around between machineries'. Well, we are not kids, we are the future engineers, who they are going to hire when we graduate, so why could not they just... Well, we want to know what we are signing up to." I rambled but stopped abruptly when I noticed his fond smile. I blushed and turned my face.

Stupid Ace and stupid Robbie!

I gulped when he started to walk towards to me but I was frozen on spot. He leaned down and his warm breath fell on my cheek. "What do I get?"

"Huh?"

He leaned closer and I took a step back, but he smiled and stood right in front of me. "You heard me."

I won't blush. I won't blush.

Dammit!

"So beautiful." I felt the back of his forefinger on my cheek. I flicked that finger away.

"Look here, Robert."

"What happened to Robbie?"

"I will never call you that." I was serious. He was Robert. He hated 'Robbie' anyways.

"Was I too rough last time?"

I hoped my eyes were lasers and the angry beams cut his handsome face. But he looked like he was melting... with adoration.

I hated how he found my anger adorable. He did not know how much I wanted to hate him.

"If looks could kill I would be dead right now, then baby, would you kiss me one last time, so I could die happy?"

"I never kissed you!" I spat. I never did. He... he... It was he who... I twisted my face away.

"That could be changed, love."

"In your dreams Asshole Brantley."

"In my dreams you do more than just kiss me, sweetheart."

I fucking blushed like a fragile little lover who ached for empty sweet words. "YOU!!!"

"Here is the deal. I take you and your friends to the X-FACT but you give me a kiss... on my lips."

I saw red!

"Don't bother, Robert Brantley. I am sure we can find some other place. Good bye!"

I turned back to the door, ready to storm out but I had expected his hand to stop me. I was pulled back to his strong firm chest and he whispered to my ears. "Mmm... Love, stop being so angry at me. You know I will do anything you ask me to do, brat. Then again you might have already told your friends how you have me wrapped around your little finger. Haven't you?"

I hated that I had no control over my blush. And I hated that he loved my blushes.

He kissed the nape of my neck and squeezed my stomach. "Let us go. I am taking that kiss after all this. So don't cry... a lot."

"Asshole." I hissed.

"Pretty Baby." He whispered with a fond smile before ushering me out of his office.

His hand was firm on the small of my back but it was okay or I would get lost in this maze of cubicles.

Thankfully his employees were in the elevator. What would have happened if we were alone?

"Didn't want your friends to see you all ruffled up. So we did not take the private elevator." He was staying in my head nowadays or what!

I crossed my hands in front of my chest.

I saw the previous receptionist sniffling and putting everything in her cardboard box. I did not bother to glance at her. She was flirting with her boss; that was very unprofessional of her. So why was she crying?

Robbie pointed his fingers to the other lady who helped me and he called someone from the reception.

"I am coming over there accompanying someone who is precious to me and his friends... Yes... He wants to see your shi..." I pinched his arm and he amended fast. "...machines, codes or something... he says it is in his curriculum... I don't know, man. You can ask him when we come there... Well, if he steals something you can call the cops on me." Robbie winked. "That is why I called you from my reception, not my personal phone... Yes, he is special, very special... Yeah yeah, I call you only when I need something... Consider it done... by Monday... Okay then. See you."

I introduced Robbie to my team and vice versa, keeping in formal and simple. We told him briefly about our expectations from the visit. I wanted to see the programming behind all the machines, Tina wanted to know about the efficiency, Philip wanted to work there after graduation and others honestly just wanted X-FACT visit in their I.V certificate.

"C... can we we... we t... ta... take the Metro?"

"I can give you guys a ride, no problem." Robbie assured everyone but Philip pointed out that we wanted to see the whole factory from public point of view and we were expected to add that to our report as well.

I thought Robbie would ask us to meet him there but he simply shrugged off his suit jacket, handing it to his secretary and asked his driver to take us to the metro station. He asked his secretary to cancel all his plans for rest of the day.

"You don't have to come." I whispered to him.

"And miss an opportunity to be with you?

Whatever. It was his lose anyways. I couldn't care less.

"It will be boring. You already had this day planned out. I just wanted you to call the Director."

"My V.P will handle the important conferences; rest of the people will be given some other day."

I nodded. I sat far away from him in the Limo and thankfully he did not stare... much. My team did their best and asked him some business related questions, asking what he expected from his employees, did he feel the educational qualifications of his employees influenced their working efficiency, and he was impressed by them.

He answered professionally and truthfully; he had a way with his words though he barely spoke. He gave Tina her time to formulate her words and ask her questions without rushing her.

The metro journey was surprisingly not boring though I did not participate in any conversations though I keenly listened to words. He was very wise and practical.

I missed our talks. Did he miss them? Did he miss the times we strolled along my mom's gardens as we shared our dreams and whatnot?

I was not surprised when I knew all of his answers before he said them.

The industrial visit was long and Robbie followed us as a chaperon, not trying to meddle in. He simply followed after introducing us to the Director who assigned his trusted employee and she took us to different sections of X-FACT.

Tina had typed her questions in precise and compact form, so she did not lag our time but Robbie and the Director had assured her that she could have all the time in the world. X-FACT would not be at this level if they did not have patience to listen to intelligent minds. I thought it was a jab at Pierce who asked Tina to kindly shut up and let others ask the questions.

When the I.V was successfully done we were over the moon. We had lunch at cafeteria and Robbie bought us ice cream before getting into the metro but this time the rush was so bad we had to scatter away to stand comfortably.

Robbie did not leave my side and everyone bid us good bye because their stations were before us.

Someone was purposefully pushing me and it was annoying the hell out of me. I knew how Robbie would behave if he saw someone trying to brush their hand on my butt, so I settled with glares and tsks. But when that man refused to take his hand off his own messenger bag which was right on my butt, I moved away.

Robbie frowned but I just shifted my stance.

"What is it?"

"Nothing." I wiggled again and was standing too close to Robbie.

"Are your legs aching?"

"No... just... the rush... and crowd."

"Ignore them. If you are uncomfortable tell me, we will get down."

I nodded but this was fine actually except I was surrounded by his enticing aroma. When a hand creeped around my hip, I took that hand away praying Robbie was not noticing but his eyes were fixed on me for discomfort.

He would make a scene. He would knock the teeth of this fucking... a hand tried to wiggled in front of my jeans.

I had enough!

I elbowed hard on that ugly face who was invading my personal space and he yelled out a howl, clutching his lip. The cabin was so full that only some people next to me saw what I did.

"What the fuck! You..."

"Touch me again and you will regret it. Keep your hands to yourself!" My voice was steadily raising and I could not control it.

"What did I do? You were standing way close to my... aah!"

Robbie twisted the sicko's wrist. "You okay, baby?" He asked me without taking his eyes of the whimpering man.

"I am fine. He tried..."

"Can I please break his arm?"

I touched his elbow comfortingly. "No. I just don't want him near me."

"You heard him. Go somewhere else or I break it." The sicko nodded and rushed away without looking anywhere.

Robbie turned around covering me with his whole body and trapped me to a corner. It was safe; I could only see him now and the comfort was like a warm blanket.

"Why did you not tell me?"

"You know why." He would have done some serious damage. He huffed and angrily looked away from me. "I am fine."

Silence.

I did not like the feeling and my heart felt heavy.

"He did not do anything."

Silence.

I gulped. Well, if he wanted to be this way, so be it. I did not care if he was angry. He could be silent all he wanted.

"I thought he was only being selfish and did not care about personal space but when his hand tried to purposefully touch me, I retaliated and then you scared him away."

"You could have told me. We would have switched the spot."

My left eyebrow rose up. "After you break his bones."

He tried to assure his dominance but we both knew I was right, so I did not back off. Then he chuckled; amused with himself.

"Oh. well..."

I shook my head.

I felt him leaning closer and closer but I was trapped in this corner and only my fists in between our bodies prevented his smothering.

I gulped and glared up to him.

Why was he so...

I surreptitiously looked away concealing my shyness but my blush gave myself away.

"Move." I breathlessly mumbled out.

"Can't."

His hand wound behind me and finally settled on my butt cheek.

What the hell was he doing!

"Take it off." I hissed.

"It is mine. I touch."

I pushed at him angry but the bastard did not budge. He took off his phone, ignored me; with his palm safe and secure on my butt. I did not know what to feel.

So I went with annoyance.

"Pierce has a crush on you."

Viola! There it was!

I was wondering when his nonsense was coming out. I did not bother to reply but the man was always so persistence.

"Jesus, Robbie! Not everyone has a crush on me."

"Well, he has."

I huffed. "Then he has. No one was bothering you when your receptionist had a crush on you or when Tina was ogling when you came back from restroom with wet hair."

Sweaty head, my ass!

I averted my eyes but I knew his astonished eyes were on my face.

His breath fell on my ears. "The receptionist is fired and I do not even remember how Tina looks like."

"What? They are beautiful. You can try again."

"I already have my eyes set on one beauty and I need no one else."

My heart jumped at that.

His wife. He was talking about his wife.

"But... Pierce on the other hand, he was staring at you at every pause."

"I am the team leader. He is supposed to look at me when he is doubtful."

"So you are not interested?"

I ignored him but pushed on his chest to move him away... without success. I stood with an overgrown baby's head on my shoulder until we climbed on his car that was waiting for us.

Yeah, had to walk like that from metro to car and it was annoying as hell but warm.

I had to remind myself that he was married and he would never be anything other than... other than... nothing... when he reminded me of his promise and we kissed.

I thought it would lead somewhere, but he kissed my forehead before taking me to the car my mom had sent for me.

"I missed you so much." He was reluctant to let me go. He played with my hand and I did not know why I was not pulling it away. "There is the Annual Gala next month. Madam is attending. Will you come?"

"No."

I went.

That time I did more than just kissing with someone who I had reminded myself would not be mine.

How times changed huh?

Now I was lying on our bedroom, with his baby hugging my chest.

Yes, our bedroom.

Yes, our beach house.

Though Robbie sold this 12 million house to Jason for 500K, it was still ours. I remembered the first day I came in this house. We were back from the hospital; Baby Lia was so small back then and she was sleeping in my arms held close to my heart.

This time I came here again with my baby sleeping, but on my shoulders.

But this time this was my home.

Mine.

The man who was holding me from behind was mine too.

And this time when I went to my bedroom after putting our kid in hers, his hand had pulled me to him... to his bedroom.

When I opened the door and set my foot in, I noticed it was no longer his... but ours.

His Californian King bed was covered in my bedsheet. The pillowcases were my favourites but the comforter was his. There were two nightstands on either side of the bed instead of one.

"I want you here." His words were stern but I knew it held his vulnerability too.