Ten
Kai
Ava looked so fucking beautiful as she sat on the opposite side of my desk, her hands resting demurely in her lap, that curtain of hair around her shoulders.
Demure was not a word I would ever have used to associate with the tearaway she had been as a girl.
As my eyes ran over her, Ava was now all woman.
I lowered my body into my chair, aware of how small she looked in the cloak of my shadow, but the stubborn jut of her chin suggested she wouldn’t make it easy for me.
Strong, bold, and courageous, the type of individual who wouldn’t put up with my bullshit. Ava would not bow down and kiss my arse like most women did and the challenge that presented lit a fire in my veins.
I intended to offer her a platonic proposition; a partnership. But if the physical side of things were on offer, I would happily make myself available to scratch that type of itch. After experiencing our chemistry and just how passionate she was, we would both benefit from a sexual relationship. I just had to keep feelings out of it. I had always been cold and had never let emotion rule me and whilst I did care for Ava, I was determined, never to love her.
Never say never.
Love was a dangerous bitch and wasn’t for me. Money and power were all that mattered.
I watched Ava’s face screw up as she tasted one of my best malts, “Not a whisky lover then?”
“Not really,” she replied, placing the tumbler on the desk. “So, are we going to sit here, drink and shoot the shit or are you going to tell me what you want?”
I ran my thumb across my bottom lip, wondering if Ava was still thinking about our kiss. The way her eyes kept dipping towards my mouth I would have said so.
Ava stared across the table; her doll-like features cast into a worried expression.
I tightened my hands into fists as I thought about what Gerard had done to her.
The fact that I had let her down sucked shit until I did something to right that wrong. But what? Fucking put a bullet in my father’s head? How was that justice, more like letting the cunt off easy.
“You said it will get me my freedom. If that’s the case, consider it done,” she replied, some of the stiffness left her shoulders.
“You might not want to be too hasty, Ava. Fools rush in,” I added before she could count her chickens.
Her expression suggested she was plotting my death before curiosity overshadowed her dark look, “Just tell me what you want.”
I drew in a breath before I replied, “You.” My tone was predatory and I hadn’t intended it to be.
Her brow creased and she swallowed, “You already have me.”
“Not totally. I want you, for a year. As my wife.” I could feel my composure starting to crack.
She didn’t fly out of her chair as I expected, her face remained impassive and I wasn’t sure how I felt about that.
“Why?” Ava said with troubled eyes.
I took a deep breath and tried to calm down, I was itching to touch her, reassure her. Leaning back in my seat, I surveyed her, taking in the slight flush against her sharp cheekbones.
“I need to change my image,” I informed her, wondering when the hysterics would kick in.
A bitter laugh escaped her lips before she said, “You look fine to me.”
My mouth twisted. “ Just fine?”
“You know you’re hot shit Kai, but you’re not husband material,” she stated, clearly amused.
So that’s why she hadn’t run screaming from the room. She thought I was joking.
“I’m not joking, Ava. To clean up my appearance and appeal to some business associates of mine I need to become a family man. They don’t trust me. They see me as a playboy with no family values. They’re threatening to pull a business merger and I can’t let that happen.”
“You, a family man,” Ava snorted as if we were speaking of the impossible.
I nodded slowly, “Yes, for appearance's sake. Call it a PR stunt, but a necessary one. I must project that I am a serious man who intends to settle down.”
“And you really think that marriage to me will do that?”
“Yes.” I tapped my fingers against the solid surface before me. Agitation started to snake up my spine as I watched a cocktail of emotions rush through her.
Shock, anger, curiosity, and defeat and all of the above.
“You would get married to impress some business associates? I thought you always worked alone?”
“‘The Kinlan’s don’t play well with others’ is a false myth. I wouldn’t be in business if I didn’t involve external parties.”
“I think you're insane. You know I want out. Why on earth would I do the one thing that would draw me even further in?”
My heartbeat quickened as I started to dictate my terms, “Please, calm down and just listen. You want out and I will give you that but you must earn it.”
Ava’s brow knitted, “I have to earn my freedom? How, on my back?”
I didn’t like her crudeness and my nostrils flared, “Nothing so crass. You owe me a debt and this is how I wish you to pay it.”
Ava’s jaw trembled as she grabbed the tumbler, necked the last of her whisky and slammed the glass down. At least she hadn’t thrown the contents in my face. “Debt. What debt?”
“The shitstorm you left behind when you ran. We may have discussed what you did to Gerard but you shot me if my memory serves me correctly. Did you think I would just forget about that part?”
“But my beef was your father, it had nothing to do with you. You just got in the crossfire.” I watched as Ava pulled her bottom lip between her teeth. The motion conjured up images of our mouths, hungrily feeding off each other.
Clearing my throat, I managed, “But your actions affected me.” My gaze became hooded as I watched her body language. She was so easy to read. I used to enjoy riling her up, watching the fire in her eyes as she yelled at me, and called me a bastard.
Folding her arms over her perfect breasts, she glared across the space.
“How? By giving you all your father’s power. I don’t understand on what planet you’d see that as a negative thing. You’re the big boss now, surely that was always inevitable, irrespective of us speeding up the process.”
“Us?” I repeated with a raised eyebrow.
Her jaw ticked as she realised her mistake, “I meant me.”
Ava thought I had forgotten about her not being the sole offending party.
“You don’t understand Ava, it was never my intention to follow in my father’s footsteps. I had set up and created my own business. I was going to run the casino independent of the Cartel. Legitimately.”
“Bullshit,” she huffed, dropping her hands.
“It isn’t bullshit. Before you stuck your nose in and fucked it up, I was only months away from going fully legit.”
“And Gerard would just have let you go? I don’t believe you. You were raised as a criminal. Next, you’ll be telling me you’ve never killed anybody.”
I didn’t bother to correct her, what would be the point, “We’re straying from the point. I’m not proud of my past but I won’t apologise for it either. It’s the future that we now need to focus on.”
“We? Ava’s bright eyes burned with heat.
“Yes, we. You and me?”
“You and me? This is my life, not a game of chess and I refuse to be your pawn.”
“That isn’t what I’m proposing, you’d be more like a queen than a pawn.”
“I hate chess,” she huffed.
Rolling my eyes I pointed out, “Then you should choose a better metaphor. You’d be my wife not some fucking lackey.”
“You’re not making any sense. I hate this life. Why would I marry into it?” Ava was babbling now, her features expressing panic.
“Because I demand it. You owe me and this is how to repay your debt. I don’t think I’m being unreasonable. I only need a year of your life. Then you will be free. We will divorce, I will give you a settlement and you can go and do whatever you want.”
“Is this about what happened upstairs?” she questioned, her eyes dipping to my lips.
I smiled at how innocent she sounded, “What I have in mind is much more respectable than a quick lay, Ava. I don’t need to coerce women into bed with me.”
“I know, I remember,” she said under her breath.
I placed my hands on my desk and leaned forward, “I want a year from you, Ava. That’s it.” I didn’t attempt to hide the lash from my voice.
“You’ve already had two! Chasing me across bloody Europe.” Ava had lowered her arms and placed them on the table. I could see her hands were shaking slightly.
“I am proposing a business arrangement. I won’t touch you. Not unless you want me to.”
“So, we would just live together as man and wife and then in twelve months, me and my mother would be free?”
“Yes. If that’s what you want.”
“How real would it be?”
“That would be up to you. If you want me to perform my husbandly duties, I wouldn’t have a problem with that. But either way, we would share a bedroom. No one can know that the match isn’t real, including the staff.”
“I don’t know if I’m that good an actress.”
“Well, if the other night is anything to go by, I think you’ll manage.”
Anger flared across her face, “I knew you’d throw that back in my face.”
“You asked for it. We may not like each other very much right now, but there’s an attraction between us; a chemistry. There always has been.”
Her eyebrows rose, “Really? Could have fooled me. You physically recoiled from me before.”
“You were a teenager, Ava and I was a fully grown man, it would have been wrong. I did the right thing by backing away, surely you see that now?”
Ava dashed a hand of frustration through her hair, “I don’t know. This is just so messed up.”
“It isn’t that messed up. You know arranged marriages are popular in the mafia. Few marry for love.”
“But they still screw each other.”
“As I said, that isn’t part of the deal. Not unless you want it to be.”
“How can I trust you?”
“I would never force you to sleep with me,” I growled.
“So, you’d be celibate for a year?”
“I didn’t say that. I would go elsewhere. But I would be discreet about it.”
Her eyes narrowed and I could see she was jealous, “And what about me?”
Clearing my throat, I felt my own green-eyed monster stir, “What about you?”
“Would I be allowed to find my pleasure elsewhere?”
Fury shot through my veins like lava as I glared across the space, “Certainly not. If you need to get off, it would be with me and me alone.”
Her indignant expression pissed me off more, “Oh, don’t look so affronted. You’ve been panting after me for years.”
Ava had the balls to chuckle, “That was then. This is now, so much has changed. I don’t even know who you are anymore.” She yelled the last sentence.
Pushing to my feet, I glared down at her, “I am the man that will keep you safe. You will want for nothing and you will be free to come and go as you please. To a certain extent.”
“And there it is, to a certain extent. That’s the bit I don’t like. It all sounds a little archaic. And if I say no,” Ava said, glancing back at me from beneath her lashes.
The weight of the situation set in, I couldn’t let her leave, not yet. I also couldn’t play the Quinn card just yet. She’d want to see him and I needed his face to heal first.
So, I pulled out the big guns and acted like the arsehole she thought I was.
“Then I would keep both you and your mother here. But your stay won’t be as pleasant.”
“So, I’m to be a pawn in your sick game of playing the family man. I can’t believe your ego is so fragile that you would need to dance to the tune of another Cartel. You don’t own me Kai, and I won’t allow you to control my life again.”
“It doesn’t need to be that way. See it as a partnership.”
“How can you expect me to sign a year of my life away, I think I hate you,” Ava sighed, glancing around the office with a defeated look. Fuck I hated that. I knew she didn’t mean it but the words hit me like daggers anyway, “No, you don’t. I wish you did. It would make it easier. And your head and body are certainly not in tune, what happened upstairs is proof of that.” If Ava did hate me, it would make things so much easier. I’d then have no expectations to live up to.
“That proves nothing,” she said with a stutter, her face flushed.
“If Nico hadn’t interrupted us, I would have been balls deep inside you against the fucking wall, and you know it.”
Ava’s pupils dilated and her mouth dropped open. I could see from the heat on her neck that she was reliving the moment. And then she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and I knew I had won.
“Fine. One year and that’s it.”
I took a deep breath, relief pooling into my gut.
“If I do this. I want a full partnership,” she said.
I nodded in agreement, “That’s what I’m suggesting.” If Ava was agreeable, I fully intended for her to share my bed; and feel her lush little body against mine whilst I plunged deep inside her, repeatedly. Ava had started the fire there with her little stunt in the gym and I felt my cock throb against my fly. The chemistry between us was off the chart and she’d felt that too.
“No. I mean. I want in for the whole twelve months. I don’t want to be left in the dark about business stuff. I’m not my mother. If I am part of this, it’s all or nothing. No lies or burying my head in the sand like most women in this twisted business do.”
I lowered myself back into my seat and placed my elbows on the desk, “You know women are not involved in the darker side of this life. Especially not wives. It isn’t for the faint-hearted.”
“And I’m not fainted-hearted. You know I can handle myself. You’ve seen it.”
“You don’t know what you’re asking, Ava.”
A sick feeling punched me in the gut at the thought of introducing a not-yet-twenty-year-old girl to the dark side of the business. For Ava to see my monster in all his nasty glory.
“I know exactly what I’m asking. I want to see the true evil of this sad little world for myself. So that I know when I leave it, I have done the right thing and will never need to look back.”
“Maybe you should sleep on it,” I said, my voice deep and scratchy.
“If we are to be partners. I need to be told the truth and not lied to,” Ava batted back.
“Even though you will see things that you’ll find hard to stomach? Hear things?”
“Yes, I’m tougher than I look,” she replied, her face deadly serious.
Fuck.
Grasping my hands together, I watched her across the table. She sat so straight, resembling the queen I knew she could be with time, “I know you’re tough, Ava. But your request sounds counter-productive.”
It was at that point that the worst thing happened, a phone started ringing, the one I had confiscated from Quinn. The ringtone was unique and I saw that Ava recognised it instantly.
Shit. I slid open the drawer, grabbed the phone and ended the call, keeping my finger on the power button until the screen went black.
Ava watched me with eyes blazing as I closed the drawer. She shot to her feet and fisted her hands. “You son of a bitch,” Ava snarled.
I remained seated, determined not to lose my cool. Placing my arms back on the desk.
“What?”
“That’s Anton’s phone. I know his ringtone. You absolute swine , what have you done with him?”
I could feel a muscle in my jaw start to tick with annoyance. Why the fuck hadn’t I silenced it or better yet, thrown the fucker in the Thames.
Ava’s hair swirled around her shoulders as she moved around my desk, forcing me to rise. I was ready for battle as she threw herself at me, smacking me on the chest. My hands shot out to take her wrists.
“Calm down,” I cautioned her as she rocked into me.
“You monster. After your speech about no more lies? How could you?”
I subdued her easily and as gently as I could.
Once she stopped struggling, I let go of her hands and she leaned against my torso, saying in a sad little voice, “Is he dead?”
I gently took her upper arms and perched her on my desk, “No, he isn’t dead.”
“But you forced him to confess?”
After a deep swallow, I replied, “Yes.”
“I want to see him,” Ava said, a lone tear sliding down her face. “Please, Kai.”
Letting her go, I took a step back. Probably not the wisest move taking my eye off her. I moved to the window. I needed to catch my breath. Replaying Ava’s demands about a partnership, I realised that I couldn’t give her what she wanted. Not that I couldn’t, I didn’t want to. A partnership would mean we were equals, and she wasn’t ready to be a queen. Not yet. The few women in mafia circles who were leaders were not like Ava, they were cut from a tougher cloth and had seen and experienced things you wouldn’t dream of. They were born into the organisation; they were not forced into it through marriage.
Turning back to face her, Ava’s face was flushed and tear-stained and I hated myself at that moment.
She already makes you weak and you’re going to marry this woman?
Forcing Ava to become my wife would rekindle the hatred she used to feel towards me. That made her the perfect candidate to play that role. If she hated me, feelings wouldn’t get involved. I’d had mistresses that had fallen too quickly in the past. Affection made things messy and complicated. I also believed that as Ava was indebted to me, she would be easier to manipulate.
How wrong I was.
My fingers itched to reach out and tug her toward me again. My entire body was desperate to touch her, feel her mouth on mine again. The woman would be my downfall.
You can make her hate you again. Just show your true colours.
If Ava wanted to see the darker side of the organisation, so be it. I would introduce her to it.
She’d see the raw underbelly of real mafia life and my monster in all his glory. Not the one that bossed her around and was a mean fucker. The one that maimed and killed.
I imagined Ava would have second thoughts about her request for a partnership then, but I had my trump card.
I would give Ava, Quinn's life for those twelve months. As a wedding present.
*****
As expected, Ava demanded I take her to Quinn immediately so I had Sean and Lester bring the car around. I messaged Cillian and arranged for him to meet me in the basement. He was already with Suki as they had dined in the restaurant at Pacino’s.
He’s sleeping. Want me to wake him up?
I knew exactly what method Cillian would use to do that. I paused, my thumb hovering over the send button. Yes. But I want him conscious.
Whilst she was changing out of her dress, Nico appeared in the doorway with a strange expression on his face. I told him Ava had agreed to my proposal and that I was taking her to the basement.
“I don’t think this is a good idea, Kai.”
“Ava wants to see the harsher side of the business. So be it.”
“Even though she will hate you?”
“That’s what I’m counting on,” I replied.
Nico shook his head, “You aren’t talking sense.” He then walked away.
Ava appeared downstairs after around fifteen minutes. Her hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and she wore, jeans, a hoodie, and sneakers. Her face was scrubbed of makeup and she looked incredibly young.
What the fuck was I doing?
When we got to the casino, I purposefully took her in through the front so as not to alarm her further.
As I led her down the stairs, her face was expressionless. She’d stopped crying in the car.
Leading her into the viewing area and over towards Quinn, she trembled. He was sitting in the interrogation room, visible through the one-way glass. It was mirrored so no one could see out. Standing beside her, Ava’s face dropped as terror twisted her features.
“Are you fucking insane?” Ava yelled, her horrified gaze flicking to mine when she saw Quinn tied to the chair.
I shrugged, “No more than usual.” It took everything in my power to harden my heart. She needed to see this. This is who you really are.
Turning back to her friend, I watched as Ava started shaking her head, her feet rooted to the spot. At that point, her body language was hard to determine and I didn’t know if she would sink to the floor or throw herself against the glass.
Ava started to drag her hands down her face as she stared into the room. Quinn’s eyes were still bruised but even if the poor fucker could see, he wouldn’t be able to see us.
I hated that look on her face when Ava realised where I had brought her; that place, she’d mentioned that first night at dinner, where the ‘magic’ happened.
“Don’t forget. You asked to be here,” I reminded her.
“Did I?” she panted back, her gaze riveted.
Narrowing my eyes, I stepped back to give her space and a moment to soak in what she was seeing. Ava stood in front of the glass window, staring, her hands wrapped around her middle like she was cold.
“Have you seen enough?” I asked softly from some distance behind her.
She then turned and started moving toward me. Was she stupid enough to try and attack me with my men there? Under normal circumstances, I would have found the thought of that cute; but cute didn’t belong anywhere near that fucking moment. Hamish, Lester, and Sean stood behind us, covering the door and Cill was in the room standing behind Quinn.
“Please Kai,” Ava cried, throwing herself onto her knees before me. Tears were streaming down her face and I would be lying if I said that didn’t move me.
Seeing her humble herself like that got on my last fucking nerve. I couldn’t stand the level of fear that was radiating from her slight, trim body. And it was all my fault. But this was all necessary, I needed to make a point.
What have you done?
My time for attempting to appear casual ran out and my patience snapped, “Get up, Ava,” I barked, trying to step back but she wrapped her arms around my legs, hindering my retreat. Ava clung to me tightly, like she was drowning and I was her lifejacket, but that couldn’t have been further from the truth.
I am the reason you are here.
Hamish moved forward to grab Ava by the arm, no doubt to drag her away from my feet. I raised my hand, snarling, “Don’t fucking touch her.” I struggled to keep my cool as I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone’s hands on her but mine.
Hamish paled, raised his arms, and backed the fuck off. That was a good thing as I was so close to punching him in his shit. Seeing sense, he walked over and positioned himself strategically by the door.
I did my best to rein in the overwhelming surge of anger I felt at myself for doing this, putting her in such a position. My hands were curled into fists so tight that my knuckles were white.
That confident version of Ava I had sparred with in the gym had been destroyed. Gone was her tough fighting exterior and in its place, lay a broken, delicate female. My thoughts jumped back to that day at the wedding when she’d run from the bullies. That day I saved her. And now, I was no better than them.
Fuck. I had made a mistake, but my men were watching and I couldn’t back down now and appear weak, even for her. Fuck that, especially for her.
Ava’s face was buried against my knees and I leaned over and grabbed her upper arms; my grip tight but not enough to hurt her. I had to be firm, if I didn’t, that would send the wrong message to all fucking parties.
Untangling her from my legs, I dragged Ava to her feet. She was like a rag doll in my arms and I felt a surge of anger towards the others who were witnessing her crumble.
Some of Ava’s hair had come free from its hairband and was stuck against her smeared face. I shook her slightly, attempting to get her attention as she stared at a space on the wall behind me.
“Ava, look at me,” I whispered gruffly, raising a hand to push a chunk of hair away from her face.
“ Look at me,” I repeated, scanning her beautiful, pained features. Fuck me, seeing her like that left a sick taste in my mouth. Ava’s weakened state, made the beast in me roar. I so wanted to take out my anger on someone else.
Ava stared up at me, her eyes bloodshot and watery and I longed to kiss away her tears, hold her close and tell her it would all be OK. And it would be, eventually. Quinn had seen sense and had confessed. I wouldn’t end his life. I knew if I did that Ava would never forgive me and I couldn’t live with that.
Once we were done here, I would make things right.
“Please Kai, please don’t kill him. I’ll do anything you say,” she panted. The fact that she was so protective of the prick injected jealousy into my veins like a hypodermic full of fucking acid.
“I’d already decided I won’t kill him,” I said gruffly. It felt like there was something caught at the back of my throat.
Keep your fucking cool Kinlan! The level of emotions storming through me was unmatched.
Moving Ava’s damp hair, I cleared a path for her to see me better, her eyes were wide and fearful, and I hated that I was responsible for that expression.
But I had to get the message across. She wanted to be my wife and in the loop. Welcome to the fucking loop princess! I needed her to see how wrong that request was.
Turning Ava in my arms, I made her face the glass window where Quinn was being held. He was conscious but his face had taken a beating. I could see what appeared to be a couple of fresh wounds. No doubt Cillian’s alarm clock.
If Ava had seen what men in his position usually looked like, she would have realised just how lucky her partner in crime was. Cillian usually started with delivering a broken jaw before moving on to debilitating fingers and kneecaps.
Yes, Anton Quinn was one lucky motherfucker and all because of Ava. After I had questioned him early that week for going after my father, he earned my respect. He was protecting Ava. I had thought he’d sob like a baby and point the finger elsewhere but he’d done the opposite. That is the only reason he was alive now and would see another fucking day. His feelings towards Ava were genuine and he’d taken his punishment like a man. It turned out that he hadn’t begged for his life as Nico had suggested. That type of man I could get on board with.
“No, please, no more,” Ava sobbed as I secured her against my body and moved us closer. Her back was flush against my chest and I slowly positioned her so she could clearly see Quinn. He was still tied to the chair and his head had lolled forwards.
Releasing one of her arms, I lifted her head slowly by the chin, needing her to see what happened to the people who attacked the family. Her skin was almost porcelain white in the fluorescent light; a contrast to my tanned fingers.
“Keep your eyes open and look at him,” I whispered gruffly.
“I can’t, it’s too painful to see. I feel sick,” Ava sobbed.
“Please baby, stay with me, I just need you to take one more look and then this will all be over,” I whispered, my thumb caressing the side of her face where I held her. Fuck me this whole situation blew. I had done more bad than good in my life but this was hands down the hardest thing I’d ever dealt with.
“I hate you,” Ava said weakly. I felt those words like a fucking bullet but what could I do, my hands were tied.
That’s what you wanted wasn’t it?
Releasing Ava, I stepped back and withdrew my phone, watching as she placed her palms against the glass, leaning against the surface for support.
Dialling Cillian who was standing in the corner of the room waiting for his next instruction, I drew in a breath.
Cill stared at the mirrored glass, almost like he knew we were there. As he reached into his jacket and pulled out his phone, Ava turned to glance back at me, her expression a mixture of torment and shock.
“Enough, untie him and have Farmer check him out,” I said, my eyes locked on hers. Ava’s mouth dropped open and she closed her eyes with a sigh of relief.
As Cill started to assist Quinn, her head flipped back around. I moved to stand behind her, as Cillian pulled Quinn’s head back before he untied his hands. I nodded to Lester and Sean for them to assist and they moved past us and went in through the side door.
We both watched as the three men, helped Quinn to his feet. As he swayed, Ava placed her hand on the glass of the window and I heard her moan.
Fuck! She was losing it and I lunged toward her.
The sight of Quinn’s bloodied face was too much for her to bear. As she sank low, I bent down and lifted her into my arms. She didn’t struggle and allowed me to pull her towards my chest as her eyes fluttered close.
Gone. Asleep. The pain I had caused now numbed.
She was like an angel among the demons of hell in that basement and she didn’t belong there.
“She’s seen enough. Clean him up and bring him to the house,” I instructed.
As I moved to leave the room, I saw Hamish’s face. He was confused and of course he would be. I hadn’t given Cillian the order to end it. To end Anton Quinn's life.
“Boss?”
“Did I stutter?”
“No, but…”
I stopped my entire body bristling that he had the balls to question me. Turning, with a passed-out Ava in my arms, I shot him a look intended to terrify. “And if you ever question me again, you’ll trade places with that man in there. Understand?”
Hamish paled and swallowed, beads of sweat running down his pudgy face.
“Yes, boss.”
I then set off up the stairs out of the basement. As I got to the room I used as an office, Sean and Lester met me at the door.
“She, OK?” Sean said with a concerned flick of his head.
I nodded as both men flanked me as I moved to exit the building, “Yes. Ava fears the sight of blood. She fainted. I got my point across. It’s over.”
Lester opened the backdoor of the parked black SUV we’d arrived in.
Carefully placing Ava on the back seat, I slid her seatbelt on; just like I had that time in Milan, although back then I craved vengeance.
As I climbed beside her, I realised how my feelings had changed.
Fuck hate. The one thing I needed from Ava now, was her forgiveness.
Once we arrived back at the house, I asked one of my staff to make up the blue room, it was the only bedroom with a working lock. I explained that we would be having a male house guest. Quinn would have the comfort of my house until he recovered, and then I would give him my terms. I hadn’t decided if I would expose him as the man who sent my father down. If I did that it would paint a target on his back. My thoughts drifted to Hamish and the way he had challenged me. I also needed to consider the fact that Hamish may report shit to my father. He hadn’t been there when I’d beat the confession from Quinn but there was a chance, he’d heard the reason for him being questioned. And then there was the question of how Ava was connected.
Fuck. How had everything turned to shit so quickly?
I rang Nico who was back at the house to ensure members of staff were on hand for when we arrived home.
Nobody blinked as I walked in through the main doors with an unconscious female in my arms. Ava was still out of it.
When I got to Ava’s room, I laid her on the bed. Another twinge of guilt cut through me as I stared down at her limp, motionless body. Her hair had fallen partly over her face again and I threaded it back with my finger.
That organ in my chest that I had always believed didn’t work the same way as other people’s, squeezed.
At that point, I knew that would be the last time I would ever be the cause of this woman’s tears.