A PRANK

"Don't say my name," Lucian spat, her voice venomous. "You don't get to say my name. Not after everything you've done."

Ace's eyes narrowed, his gaze flashing with anger, but Lucian didn't back down. She took a step closer to him, her eyes blazing with fury.

"You're a monster," she hissed. "A manipulative, controlling monster. And I'm not going to let you do it anymore."

Ace's face twisted into a snarl, and for a moment, Lucian thought he was going to lash out at her. But then, his expression smoothed out, and he smiled, his eyes glinting with amusement.

"We'll see about that," he said, his voice dripping with menace.

Lucian's heart skipped a beat as Ace took a step closer to her. She could feel the air thickening with tension, and she knew she had to stand her ground.

"I'm not afraid of you," she lied, trying to keep her voice steady.

Ace chuckled, a low, menacing sound. "Oh, I think you are," he said, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I think you're terrified of me."

Lucian felt a surge of anger at his words, but she tried to keep her cool. She knew that Ace was trying to provoke her, to get a reaction out of her.

But she refused to give it to him.

Instead, she stood tall, her eyes locked on his, and said, "I'm not afraid of you, Ace. I'm just done with you."

The words hung in the air, a challenge, a declaration of independence. And for a moment, Lucian thought she saw a flicker of uncertainty in Ace's eyes.

Ace's eyes seemed to gleam with a mixture of surprise and amusement at Lucian's bold declaration. But then, in a swift and unexpected move, he reached out and gently grasped Lucian's face, his fingers wrapping around her jaw.

Before Lucian could react, Ace leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was soft and gentle, but it sent a jolt of electricity through Lucian's body.

For a moment, Lucian forgot about her anger, forgot about her fear. All she could think about was the sensation of Ace's lips on hers, the way his tongue seemed to dance across her mouth.

It was a kiss that seemed to melt all her defenses, to calm the stormy emotions that had been raging inside her. Lucian felt herself relaxing, felt herself leaning into the kiss.

But as the kiss deepened, Lucian's senses began to return. She remembered all the reasons she was angry with Ace, all the reasons she was afraid of him. And with a jolt, she pushed him away, her heart racing with confusion and fear.

Ace's expression softened, and he took a step closer to Lucian. "I'm sorry, Lucian," he said, his voice sincere. "I know I scared you, and I'm truly sorry for that. But I had to know... I had to know if you still had feelings for me."

Lucian's eyes narrowed, unsure of what to make of Ace's words. "What are you talking about?" she asked, her voice cautious.

Ace took another step closer, his eyes locked on hers. "I love you, Lucian," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "I know I've made mistakes in the past, but I want to make it right. I want to be with you, to see if you feel the same way."

Lucian's heart skipped a beat as she processed Ace's words. She had thought he was just trying to manipulate her again, but now... now she wasn't so sure.

"It was all a prank, Lucian," Ace said, his voice filled with remorse. "Nora was in on it too. We just wanted to see how you would react, to see if you still cared."

Lucian's eyes widened in surprise. A prank? She couldn't believe it. But as she looked into Ace's eyes, she saw something there that gave her hope. Maybe, just maybe, he was telling the truth.

Lucian's mind was reeling as she tried to process everything Ace had just told her. A prank? It seemed so unbelievable, but at the same time, it kind of made sense. Ace had always been a bit of a wild card, and she could see him doing something like this just to see how she would react.

But even if it was just a prank, Lucian couldn't shake the feeling that Ace was still hiding something from her. She looked into his eyes, searching for any sign of deception, but all she saw was sincerity.

"Ace, I..." Lucian started to say, but she didn't know how to finish. She was still trying to wrap her head around everything.

Ace took another step closer to her, his eyes locked on hers. "Lucian, I know I've hurt you in the past," he said, his voice filled with emotion. "But I promise you, I'm not going to hurt you again. I love you, and I want to be with you."

Lucian's heart skipped a beat as she heard Ace's words. She had been so hurt by him in the past, but a part of her still had feelings for him. She didn't know what to do, or how to feel.

"Ace, I need time to think," Lucian said finally, trying to sound calm.

Ace nodded, his eyes never leaving hers. "I understand," he said. "Take all the time you need. But know this, Lucian: I'm not going anywhere. I'm going to be right here, waiting for you."