ACE

| TRIGGER WARNING |

" Great news! The reports came in well. Sage is recovering on a good pace."

Atlas announces it to Shawn and Elliot proudly as he rummaged through the papers.

They sat in Shawn's study room, discussing about Sage and her situation in private. Shawn didn't like bringing out her condition to his family members or Hades, he didn't want Sage to feel vulnerable in any way which Atlas respected.

" But why hasn't she started talking yet?" Elliot asks as he sips on his hot coffee.

Sage's condition broke his heart the most. He knew Sage has lost herself, but his heart denied to accept it. He knew the cheerful, bubbly Sage is alive in her and his hopes weren't dying anytime soon for her.

" Healing isn't as easy as giving the wound is, it will take time." Atlas says, with a little sigh.

" Let me put this into common words. When I was a kid, I had a habit of sucking on my thumb. To make me drop my habit, my mom would apply bitter or spicy things on my thumb. And gradually I did drop the habit. It was painful to carry on, and each time I sucked on it thinking it would provide me comfort, it brought only pain and betrayal with it."

" Sage has seen betrayal a lot of times, she has lost everyone she loved and trusted. At this point, her mind shut off from emotions like love or trust. Her mind doesn't want to feel anything just to avoid getting hurt, we need to inflict those emotions back in her. It might take a month or it might take forever depending on Sage. I just don't see any other way out of this." Atlas sighs, tapping his pen on the table.

" She is healing, I'm sure she will be better soon." Shawn says, assuring the men and himself too.

At this point, Hades who was walking in to quarrel with Elliot halted at the door, listening to them. He peeked in, looking at the mn present in the room.

'They're here but Sage isn't. She must be in Shawn's room.'

He thought as he took silent steps to Shawn's room. This entire month was shifty for him, Shawn and Elliot didn't let him meet Sage and his family were shooting him with curses for abandoning them.

He left them for Sage but now he didn't have Sage too. He felt betrayed, empty and angry.

The door creaked open as he tiptoed on, shutting it behind him. A glare unintentionally sat on his face when he saw Sage sound asleep on the bed.

" She's sleeping so peacefully after destroying my peace." He mutters under his breathe.

He clenched his fists, taking threatening steps towards her. She was covered in warm blankets, hugging a huge Winnie the Pooh plush toy, igniting rage into Hades' heart.

Hades glared at the toy in anger, it was a gift from Elliot, the lover of his wife and she was sleeping with it so proudly.

" After ruining my entire life, this bitch is having the time of her life." He growls, climbing into the bed with her.

Hades snatches the toy from her, ripping it apart as cotton runs onto the bed from it. Sage slept like a baby, unaware of the monster beside her.

After yanking the toy across the room, he turns back to Sage, slipping his hands under her dress until he was caressing her soft thighs.

A smirk sits on his lips as he brutally gives her a harsh pinch. Sage screams, breaking out of her slumber. She cries, immediately rubbing her thigh which was burning in pain.

" Did it hurt? This is how I feel every time I see you close to that bastard." Hades growls, grabbing her hair.

" I left my family for you and you want to whore around, huh!" He roars, catching her throat.

Tears ran down her cheeks as she rubbed her heels against the mattress, trying to push him off.

Sage's face turned into a deeper shade of pink as she struggled agaisnt Hades. He lets go of her throat when he notices her body going loose. He cups her face, wiping her tears gently as if he didn't just try to kill her.

Sage's head lolls to the side, as her eyes were barely open. She breathes softly, slowly gaining her consciousness back.

" I'm so sorry, Sage. But you just bring out the worst in me. I wouldn't have done this if you didn't anger me so much. It's all your fault, baby." He says, playing his manipulation game on her.

Sage sobs, trying to crawl away from him when he digs his fingers into her waist, pulling her underneath him.

" I forgive you, honey. Just remember to stay away from Elliot next time. I'm your husband and you have to please me, not him." He says, placing a kiss on her trembling lips.

His gaze dropped to her heaving breasts, soaked in her tears and sweat as desire sparked into him.

" You're always spreading your legs for him. Come one, spread them for your husband." He says, trying to push her thighs apart.

Sage let's out a little gasp, struggling agaisnt him when she accidently kicks his dick.

Hades groans, feeling immense pain in his sensitive area. He growls grabbing Sage's hair before he flips her over on the bed, pushing her face into the pillows.

" I'm your husband, I have the right to claim you whenever I want." He growls, pulling his fly open.

He places his knee on Sage's thigh, pinning it in place as she wails out in pain. Hades disregards her, ripping off her knickers before he begins to adjust himself.

" God, I was starving to fuck you." He groans, pushing her dress up.

Sage grabs the bowl of soup placed on the nightstand, smashing it on his head. Hades groans, falling back as blood drips down his forehead.

He glares at Sage, his eyes flowing in rage.

" You're going to beg me to stop today, you little bitch." He roars as she rushes out of the bed, throwing random items at him that she finds on the shelves.

" What the fuck is going on here?" Shawn screamed as he stepped in the room.

Hades and Sage froze, looking up at him with wide eyes.

" Why the fuck are you here?" He screams, storming towards Hades.

" I just came to see Sage and then we . . . got romantic and we were just about to make love so excuse us." Hades pulls the lie over his hideous act.

For a moment, he couldn't believe he was going to rape a girl in his anger. 'But she is my wife,' His brain tried to make up for his deeds and as always he made himself look like the hero, giving a reason to his disgusting behavior.

" You definitely don't think I'll believe that." Shawn growled, looking at the mess.

" This is her panties, and my zipper is open. Her hair is a mess and face is pink. What else will we be doing?" Hades snaps, holding up Sage's knickers.

Elliot who was standing at the door felt his heart break for the hundredth time. He leaned against the door frame, trying to convince his heart that his love will always be unrequited.

" I-I said n-no. N-no." Sage speaks up, baffling everyone in the room.

" Did Sage just speak or the weed I smoked was expired!?" Elliot mumbles with wide eyes.

" He. . . He f-for-force-dd m-me." Sage stutters, pointing at Hades with a trembling finger.

Her knees give out as she slumps to the floor, wailing in pain loudly. Shawn immediately runs to her side, pulling her into a comforting hug.

" You tried to rape her! You really have a death wish." Elliot roars, his hands shaking in rage as he stormed to Hades.

" It wasn't rape. She is my wife!" Hades screams.

" She said no, a no means a fucking no! Doesn't matter who she is to you, if she says no, you keep your filthy hands off her." Elliot screams.

Elliot plants a harsh punch on Hades' face, immediately breaking his nose. Before Hades could gain his composure, he punches him again, catching him offguard.

Hades turns around, kicking Elliot in the groin. They tackle each other to the ground, fighting recklessly. Shawn ignores both of them, as he picks Sage up, walking out of the room.

" What's wrong?" Sabrina gasps, when Shawn walks into her room with Sage.

" Stay with her. Change her clothes, put her into something warm and call Atlas here immediately. Just don't leave her side until he is here." Shawn says, placing Sage on the bed.

She grips his hand when he tries to walk out, crying loudly.

" I'll be back soon, baby. Stay with sister for a little while," he says, planting a gentle kiss on her forehead before he rushes out.

Shawn runs into his room to find Hades pointing a gun on Elliot's head. Elliot kicks him back, yanking out a pistol from his pocket, pointing it at Hades.

" Why do you have a gun with you?" Hades snaps, looking at Elliot viciously.

" The same reason as you do," Elliot smirks.

He was so done playing the hide and seek game, it was time to show Hades his real place.

" Aren't you aware that you have to bow down when you meet Ace?" Elliot smirks as color slowly drains from hades' face.

" You gotta be kidding me," Hades scoffs.

" I'm not," Elliot says, his voice strictly serious.

" Ace? Huh . . . You can't be Ace. Do you even know who he is? He is the most ruthless mafia, he kills people like they're nothing. He is a literal God and a weakling like you don't even deserve to talk about him." Hades growls, holding his gun with sweaty hands.

" Do you know why they call me Ace?" Elliot smiles at him.

" You're not A-" Hades screams when Elliot cuts him off.

" I kill my enemies by slitting their throat with an Ace of spades card." Elliot winks at him, pulling out an Ace of spades card from his blazer.

Hades stumbles back, unable to believe what he just heard. He begins to hyperventilate as he looks at Elliot and the card in his hand. His gaze drops on Elliot's arm, there was an Ace of spades card tattoo on his hand, proving his words right. He had never seen Ace but at this moment, Elliot's features were what he had always heard about him.

" Forgive me, Ace." He whispers, falling on his knees, bowing down to Elliot.

" What kinda sorcery is that?" Shawn frowns.

" Just another asshole who is about to die." Elliot says, looking at his card, with a smirk.

" Ell-Ace please, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Forgive me, please." Hades says, as he begins sweating crazily.

He couldn't believe he was picking a fight with Elliot all these days when Elliot can ruin his entire gang with a snap. He knew how powerful Ace is and rebelling to him meant a brutal, merciless death.

" No! You can't kill him, Elliot." Shawn says, making Elliot groan.

" Are you being serious right now because my card and I both want to see some blood." Elliot huffs.

" I said no." Shawn says, giving him a glare.

" Shawn! He was forcing himself on Sage." Elliot protests.

" Still a no." Shawn growls.

Elliot looks at Shawn, anger clear in his eyes. He furiously looks at Hades as Sage's teary face flashes into his mind. He grips his card tightly before stuffing it back into his pocket to control himself from killing Hades.

" Your mumma should've swallowed you when she had the chance to." Elliot growls, looking away from Hades.

He knew he would kill Hades if he stared at the rapist of his love. He just couldn't control his blood boiling at that.

" Oh-. . . DUDE!" Shawn screams, slapping Elliot's shoulder when his words sink in.

" Go away, Hades and I won't save you again if I see you near Sage." Shawn says, as Hades stumbles out of the room.

" WHY THE FUCK DID YOU STOP ME? HE WAS HURTING MY DARLING AND HE SHOULD'VE BEEN DEAD BY NOW FOR THAT." Elliot screams, kicking the wall, as soon as Hades walks out.

" Calm down, Mr. Unicorn. Why kill him so easily and at once when we can kill him brutally a hundred times?" Shawn says, darkness seeping into his voice.

Elliot looks at Shawn, he never heard this type of tone on Shawn before.

" What are you planning?" Elliot questions.

" A vengeance. I was acting maturely till now but today he just proved how dirty Romano blood is. They're all rapists and filthy dogs, they should be treated the same too." Shawn says as his voice grows harsher with each word.

" What are we going to do?"

" Something that gives chills to the next ten generation of the Romanos."