CHAPTER NINETEEN
Ava paced the family room, her nerves fraying with each step. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in her stomach, wondering what could’ve been so urgent for Christian to leave school and why he was with Aussie of all people. She bit her lip, stealing a glance at the clock. The longer she waited, the more her mind spiraled with worry.
Just then, the front door opened. Ava’s head whipped up, her heart stuttering when she saw Aussie step inside, followed by Christian, and then, to her surprise, Snow and an older gentleman dressed in a Navy uniform.
Ava’s first instinct was to go straight to Christian. She closed the distance between them and hugged him tightly. “Are you okay? Why aren’t you at school?”
Before Christian could answer, Aussie gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s all sit down. We need to talk, Ava.”
Nervously, Ava looked at the man she didn’t recognize, feeling Aussie's calming presence beside her. As they gathered in the living room, Aussie gestured to the older gentleman. “Ava, this is my commander, Derek Connors. Derek, this is Ava.”
“Ma’am,” Derek greeted her with a polite nod, and Ava offered a small, tense smile. The formal introduction did little to ease her nerves.
Once everyone was seated, Derek leaned forward, hands clasped together. “First, I want you to know that Christian here is a brave, smart young man,” he said, giving Christian a nod of approval. “And I assure you, he wasn’t just playing hooky.” Derek’s playful smirk helped lighten the mood for a moment, and Ava couldn’t help but feel a little more at ease.
Derek’s expression grew serious as he continued. “A couple of boys approached Christian at school. It wasn’t the first time.”
Ava’s gaze shot to Christian, who looked back at her, his eyes holding a hint of fear and guilt. The pieces clicked in her mind. “Christian,” she murmured, “are these the same boys I saw you with a few weeks ago?”
Christian’s shoulders slumped, and he nodded, guilt evident on his face. “I’m sorry, Ava. I should’ve told you the truth. They aren’t good people.”
A chill ran through her as the reality of the situation started to sink in.
Derek continued, his tone calm but firm. “These boys have been trying to recruit Christian into their club. And I use the word club loosely as we believe the club is actually a local gang that the FBI and local police are investigating.”
Derek glanced at Aussie, signaling him to take over. Aussie shifted closer to Ava, his hand still holding hers.
“Ava,” Aussie began, his eyes steady, “this gang is the reason I was at the Snowball with the FBI agent. There were some people in attendance that evening who the FBI believe are connected to this criminal organization. We were undercover, gathering intel.”
Ava’s heart pounded as she listened, absorbing the weight of each word. She was scared, yes, but more than that, she was terrified for Christian.
Derek spoke up again, his voice reassuring. “The next step is for me to reach out to my contacts at the PD and FBI and alert them to this situation.” He looked at Ava, sensing her worry. “For now, the best thing you can do is act like you know nothing. Christian should go to school as usual, and both of you should keep to your normal routines. But stay vigilant. Be aware of your surroundings.”
Ava bit her lip, nodding. “Is there anything else I should do? How can I be sure Christian will be safe?”
Derek’s jaw tightened. “I hate saying it, but until we have more concrete info, keeping up appearances and your daily life is the safest option. But you’re not alone in this, Ava. We’re here to support you both.”
After a few more minutes of discussion, Derek and Snow stood to leave, and Aussie rose with them to walk them to the door. Ava watched as they exchanged a few quiet words, then Aussie returned to her and Christian in the living room.
“We’ll make sure you’re protected,” Aussie assured her, his gaze steady and unwavering.
Ava hesitated, worry evident in her eyes. “How can you be so sure, Aussie? This is serious.”
Aussie stepped closer, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Because you’re with me now, Ava. I care about you both, and in my world, that means you’re part of our community. SEALs look after their own.”
A faint blush colored Ava’s cheeks, and Aussie chuckled, lightening the mood. “Besides, until Derek hears back from his FBI and PD contacts and we have a plan, I think it’d be best if I stay here with you and Christian. I promise I’ll behave, and I’ll even take the couch.”
Ava’s mind raced at the thought of having Aussie under the same roof, even if only temporarily. She knew he was right that having him there could offer a sense of security, but her heart fluttered at the idea. She nodded, though a blush betrayed her excitement. “I’d feel better if you stayed,” she admitted softly, her gaze dropping to the floor.
Christian glanced between them, grinning. “I’m, uh, gonna go catch up on the schoolwork I missed,” he said with a small smirk before heading to his room.
Once they were alone, Aussie took Ava into his arms, wrapping her in a hug that she hadn’t realized she needed so badly. She closed her eyes, letting his strength reassure her.
“Everything’s going to be fine,” he whispered, his breath warm against her ear. “My team and I have got you and Christian covered.”
He pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes, and before either of them could think twice, their lips met in a kiss that held all the emotions of the past few weeks—relief, love, and the warmth of being together again. Ava melted into him, feeling the weight of her worries lift, even if just for a moment.
She’d missed this. She missed being with him. And right now, with danger looming, having Aussie by her side was exactly where she wanted him to be.
A little while later, Ava took a deep breath as she dried the last dish and placed it in the cabinet.
She had showered earlier, after dinner, and Christian had just gone to bed.She was wearing her flannel reindeer pajamas, a red tank top, and fuzzy socks to keep her feet warm.
She had so much on her mind that she couldn’t think straight. She still couldn’t believe that Christian was pursued by a gang who wanted to recruit him. She was, however, very proud of him for seeking out help.
She also was still coming to grips with the fact that Aussie was staying the night. Or maybe a few nights. She was nervous as hell about it.
Get a grip. He is staying here to protect me and Christian. He’s not here for body-protection duties.
But with Aussie staying here overnight, her heart was doing overtime, and she wasn’t even sure how to act around him. This situation was way beyond her usual comfort zone.
As she closed the last cabinet, she heard Aussie’s deep, smooth voice behind her. “Need some help?”
She turned and immediately regretted it. There was Aussie, fresh from the shower. His damp hair was tousled, and he was standing there all six feet- something of him in nothing but a pair of blue and white pajama pants.
Ava’s jaw nearly hit the floor, and her thoughts did a swan dive from innocent to dirty. Holy shit, he is gorgeous! She knew she was staring, but she couldn’t stop her eyes from wandering over his sculpted chest and defined abs. Her mind veered into territory she was not prepared for. It was a dangerous, tempting, and absolutely unprofessional territory.
Aussie’s amused chuckle jolted her back. “Didn’t mean to turn you speechless, but I have to say, I’m flattered.”
Ava felt heat rush to her cheeks. “I, uh, y-you clean up well,” she stammered, instantly regretting how ridiculous that sounded.
“Well, I’d return the compliment,” he said with a teasing grin, “but I might sound biased, considering the view.” He stepped closer, and Ava felt her pulse quicken. He was close enough now that she could feel the heat radiating from him.
Aussie leaned down, his face a few inches from hers. “Relax, love. It’s not like I’m about to swoop in and ravish you.”
Ava bit her lip, trying to keep a straight face, but her heart was racing. She wanted to thank him for agreeing to stay here and for making her and Christian’s safety a priority. “Thank you for doing this and for making time for us. I know you didn’t have to, and—”
“Ava,” he interrupted, his voice soft. “I’d do anything for either of you. There’s no need to thank me.” He brushed a gentle hand over her arm. “But promise me you’ll keep your guard up at work. Don’t go anywhere alone.”
“I will. I’ll make sure to stick with Sarah if I have to go anywhere,” she assured him.
He gave her a nod, his intense gaze lingering on her for a moment. Then, before she realized what was happening, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. The kiss was soft at first, then grew into something deeper, more electrifying, until her knees felt weak beneath her. Her hands found his shoulders, and for a moment, she felt an emotion she barely recognized. Was she falling in love with this man?
When they pulled apart, her mind was swimming. “We should probably, um, get some sleep,” she said, looking sheepishly at him.
Aussie gave her a gentle smile and nodded. “Yeah. Let’s call it a night.”
They walked into the living room, where Aussie’s blanket and pillow were already set on the couch. Ava took one look at it, then back at him, and bit her lip. The man was enormous. There was no way that couch would be comfortable.
He leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the lips. “Goodnight, Ava.”
“Goodnight.”
But as she turned toward her bedroom, the thought nagged at her of him cramped on the couch while he was doing them a huge favor. Before she could talk herself out of it, she turned back around, marching over to the living room just as Aussie was sitting down.
He looked up, surprised. “What’s wrong?”
She took a breath. “I can’t let you sleep on that couch. You’ll be miserable.”
His eyebrows raised slightly. “Are you suggesting I sleep on the floor?” He smirked, teasing her.
“No, I mean,” Her cheeks warmed again, but she pushed through it. “You could share my bed. It’s big enough for both of us. And we’re adults,” she added quickly.
For a moment, Aussie just stared at her, surprised, and then he smiled, that charming, disarming grin of his. “Are you really sure about that?”
Ava nodded. “Yes. I mean, you’ve more than earned a good night’s sleep.”
He gave her a quick hug and a small kiss on the forehead. “I promise I’ll be a complete gentleman.”
They headed into her bedroom, and as she turned off the light, Ava felt a shiver of nerves settle in. She lay on her side, trying to keep her breathing steady. Then she heard his deep, accented voice in the dark.
“You okay?”
“Yeah,” she whispered, then added, “a little nervous, I guess.”
“Are you nervous because we are sleeping in the same bed or because of everything going on right now?”
“Both,” she answered honestly.
There was a pause, and then she felt him shift closer. “Slide over here. I swear I’m not going to try anything, but I want you to know you’re safe.”
She hesitated, then scooted closer until she felt his arm wrap around her, pulling her into the warmth of his chest. Her head rested on his shoulder. He leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “Close your eyes, Ava. I’ve got your six.”
For the first time in a long while, she let herself relax, comforted by the steady beat of his heart and the strength in his arms. And as sleep began to tug at her, Ava knew she’d never felt more protected.