“Ace! Please, stop!” My voice cracked. “Stop it! You’ll kill him!”

I didn’t want to stay here anymore. I just needed his arms around me right now. I wanted him to get me away from this place.

“He dared to touch you! I’ll fucking kill him!”

Some of the hotel employees finally went forward and tried to get him off Warner, but he shrugged them away and went for him again.

“Ace, please! I-I need you.” More tears sprung out of my eyes as I slid down on the floor. “Please, stop!”

And that got his attention as his murderous gaze fell on me. Realization of my need for him flashed over his features. Soon, concern took the place of his anger. Throwing Warner on the floor, he rushed to me and scooped me in his arms.

“Rosebud, I’m so sorry, baby! I’m here! Everything will be all right!” he said, pulling me into his chest.

Though his voice was soft, the anger was still there. He placed his lips on my forehead as I let out a whimper.

“No one will come near to you. I won’t let anyone touch even a strand of your hair, my Rosebud. I promise you that! Don’t cry, baby.”

The chaos around the room and people’s whispers went vague in my ears. I only concentrated on his soothing voice.

“Get me out of here,” I whispered. My hands clutched his shirt.

Nodding, he stood with me in his arms. My head didn’t move away from his chest, nor did my grip on him loosened.

“Let’s go home.” Placing another kiss on my forehead, he walked out of the room. And I didn’t dare look back.

Reaching the penthouse, he carried me straight to the bathroom. Throughout the whole car ride, I didn’t move away from his arms. Nor did he say anything. The journey was quiet, but his soothing, slow rubbing on my back, lingering soft kisses on my head and forehead, and the tight grip of his arms around me gave me comfort.

When he tried to put me down, my arms tightened around his neck as a protest. A whimper left my lips.

“I’m not going anywhere, baby. I’ll be right here with you. Let me run you a shower,” he murmured.

Hesitantly, I nodded as he put me down on my legs.

“Lift your arms?” he asked, clutching the ends of my dress.

I obeyed. As he pulled the dress off me, I shivered at the frigid air that generated goosebumps across my skin. I tried to hug myself again, but he didn’t let me. Instead, he unhooked my bra and let it fall on the ground, my panties followed next.