8. The Shadow
THE SHADOW
A s soon as the door to Ava’s bedroom closed behind her and Lisa, I turned to Ty, my fists already clenched at my sides.
The bastard leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, his expression maddeningly composed. He didn’t even have the decency to look guilty.
“So, you manipulated your way in here without telling me,” I said, my voice sharp with anger.
Ty arched an eyebrow, his calm demeanor like a splash of ice water against my fire. “I could say the same about you, brother. Hacking the system? Very subtle.”
“More subtle than blackmail . Besides, I’m her boyfriend ,” I snapped, taking a step forward. “You have no right to be here.”
His lips curled into a faint smirk, and he tilted his head, regarding me like I was something small and amusing. “What Ava and I have is bigger than something labeled as juvenile as boyfriend .”
“You’re delusional,” I said, my voice low and sharp as Ty’s presence grated against every nerve I had. “And you have ten seconds to get out.”
Ty didn’t even look at me. Instead, he crossed the room with maddening calm, his eyes scanning the front door. He tested the handle, the lock, and gave it a jiggle, his lips tightening in thought.
“We need a better lock,” he muttered, almost to himself. “This one’s flimsy. Probably wouldn’t hold up to a strong kick.”
I stared at him, my fists clenched, heat rising in my chest. “I’m serious, Ty. Get the fuck out.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he said smoothly, his tone dismissive as he moved to the window. He tugged at the latch, checking its sturdiness. “Ava needs me.”
“She doesn’t need you,” I growled, my voice rising with frustration. “I’m protecting her. And when she comes to her fucking senses from whatever brainwashing bullshite you’ve fed her, I’m taking her away from here, just like we planned.”
Ty turned, one brow arched as if amused by my outburst. “You’re not taking Ava anywhere. But you feel free to turn tail and run.”
His words felt like a slap, and anger bubbled to the surface, hot and uncontrollable.
I followed him to the window, practically breathing down his neck. “I’m going to protect her from the Sochai, from her past, and especially from you .”
He didn’t flinch, didn’t even meet my glare as he peered out the glass, his gaze sweeping over the grounds. “The windows are too exposed. We’ll need bars here. Something discreet but strong. ”
“Are you even listening to me?” I snapped, my voice cracking with fury. “You’re going to get her killed.”
Ty turned his head slightly, his expression calm but his eyes sharp. “Ava doesn’t need protection. Ava is a strong woman who needs someone to fight alongside her.”
“Are you fucking crazy?” I spat. “You’re going to encourage her delusional and frankly suicidal idea of taking down the Sochai?”
“Yes,” he said simply, moving past me and heading for the next window. He opened it, glanced outside, and frowned. “And if you knew what she’s capable of, you wouldn’t be treating her like a helpless child.”
“You’re going to get her killed!” I shouted, the weight of his indifference pressing down on my chest like a vise.
He finally turned to face me fully, his voice cold and deliberate. “You don’t know her anymore, Ciaran. She’s outgrown you.”
“Ava loves me,” I roared, my hands itching to throw a punch, to knock that smug look off his face. “She chose me .”
Ty’s eyes narrowed, his glare sharper now, cutting straight through me. “Did she? Or are you clinging to a version of her that doesn’t exist anymore?”
“She’s the same Ava,” I said, though the words felt hollow, even to me. “And she doesn’t need you confusing her.”
“I’m showing her who she is,” he said, his voice low and measured, like he was talking to a child. “Who she can be. You are the one holding her back.”
“What did you do to her?” I demanded, my voice shaking with anger. “What happened at Blackthorn? ”
His lips quirked into a humorless smile. “Don’t ask questions you don’t want the answer to, brother.”
My stomach twisted, the weight of his words settling like a stone. My voice dropped, quieter but no less dangerous. “Did you touch her? Kiss her? Did you fuck her, Ty?”
He stepped closer, his smirk fading, replaced by something darker, heavier. “That’s between Ava and me.”
My vision tunneled, the heat of jealousy and betrayal surging in my veins.
Ty stood there, infuriatingly calm, like this was all some game to him. Like my entire fucking world wasn’t unraveling because of him.
I didn’t think I could ever hurt my brother. Not really. But right now, murder sounded pretty good.
My hand dropped instinctively to the knife hidden at my thigh, my fingers curling tightly around the handle, the skin over my knuckles tightening as the rage simmered, threatening to boil over.
“If you don’t—”
A bloodcurdling scream tore through the apartment, sharp and panicked, freezing the threat in my throat.
Ava .
I was already moving toward the door. My pulse pounded in my ears, her scream reverberating in my chest like a physical blow.
“Ava!” I shouted, my voice raw with fear.
Ty bolted for her bedroom, too, his cold composure cracking.
We both slammed into the doorframe at the same time, our shoulders colliding. Ty shoved me back with surprising force, his eyes wild, and I clawed at him, trying to push past .
“Get the fuck out of my way!” I snarled, the desperation in my voice betraying me.
“She’s mine to protect!” he snapped back, his usually calm voice edged with something raw, almost feral.
The door wouldn’t budge. Locked.
Both of us kicked out at the same time. The wood splintered around the lock, and the door flew open.
Inside the bedroom, the scene was chaos. A flurry of movement confused me at first—Ava and a masked man were fighting.
The intruder caught Ava’s punch, twisting her arm, and Lisa screamed. But Ava didn’t freeze.
Instead, she used his grip against him, twisting into him and jabbing her elbow brutally into his throat.
Where the fuck had she learned that?
Ty .
“Hey!” I yelled at the soon-to-be-dead man. “Touch her and die.”
The masked man shoved Ava to the floor before bolting for the open balcony door. In one swift motion, he climbed over the balustrade, vanishing into the night, leaving nothing behind but the acrid smell of cigarette smoke.
“Coward,” Ty spat, moving to the balcony in pursuit while I ran to Ava, sprawled on the floor, her chest heaving.
I wrapped my arms around her, lifting her gently onto the bed.
“Are you okay?” I asked, my voice shaking with the effort to steady it.
“I’m fine,” Ava replied, her voice shaky but resolute.
Lisa, her face pale and stricken, tried to cut the tension with a weak laugh. “Since when did you become a ninja? ”
Ava managed a small, tight smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
Lisa was shaking so hard, she had to sit down on the corner of the bed.
“He’s gone,” Ty announced from the balcony, his voice cutting through the room like a blade. “Ran into the woods.”
I brushed Ava’s hair from her face, checking her arms for bruises, running my hands over limbs I’d already confirmed unbroken. The fear in me refused to let go.
“Are you hurting anywhere?” I asked. “Where did he hit you? Are you in shock?”
“She said she’s fine,” Ty snapped, his tone colder than the cool dusk air drifting in from the open balcony door.
Ava’s eyes darted to him, something unspoken passing between them. Her breathing slowed, but I could see the weight of what just happened settling over her like a heavy cloak.
“Describe him,” Ty said, his voice sharper now, commanding.
I shot him a glare over my shoulder.
“He was wearing a mask,” I said darkly. “What’s to describe?”
“I wasn’t talking to you, Ci,” Ty replied, his focus locked entirely on Ava.
Ava hesitated, her eyes shifting nervously between us. The air was taut with tension, like a bowstring ready to snap.
“Eye color,” Ty pressed. “Height, build, race, facial hair, distinguishing features, disfigurements, tattoos, odor.”
“Stop harassing her!” I snapped, the rage in my chest igniting again. “That was a hired fucking goon. Even if we could identify him, he won’t know anything about the Sochai.”
“She’s not weak,” Ty said, ignoring me, his focus on Ava unwavering. “Ava?”
Ava’s lips trembled, tears welling in her eyes. “I-I…” she stammered, her voice breaking.
“Tell me what you remember,” Ty repeated, softer this time, but no less firm.
I clenched my fists, ready to break his fucking face, but then Ava spoke.
“Above average build,” she said, her voice low but steady. “Attacked with his left hand. Light-brown eyes. He wore a balaclava—cheap material, probably polyester. He smelled strongly of cigarette smoke. Something heavy like Marlboros or JPs.”
She slumped after that, her strength depleted, the light in her eyes dimming as exhaustion took over.
Ty’s lips twitched, just barely, his voice almost gentle as he said, “Good girl.”
She shivered at the words, and my glare burned holes into him.
Lisa’s mouth hung open, shock written all over her face as she glanced between the three of us, muttering, “What the actual fuck…”
Ty turned to me, his cold gaze cutting through the silence. “We need to talk.”
“I’m not leaving her,” I shot back, tightening my protective hold on Ava.
Ava’s hand rested on my arm, her touch grounding me even as my blood still boiled .
“I’m fine, Scáth,” she said softly, her voice a mixture of reassurance and exhaustion.
I hesitated, the need to stay warring with her quiet plea for space.
Ty didn’t wait for my decision, heading for the door.
Gritting my teeth, I released Ava and followed him into the living room, leaving Lisa to sit with her.
Ty turned to face me, his expression as unreadable as ever.
“Until this is over, we’re going to have to put our… differences aside,” he said, his voice calm but firm. “For Ava.”
I nodded stiffly, the tension between us still thick. “She isn’t ever to be left alone.”
“That we can agree upon,” Ty said, extending his hand. “So… truce.”
I stared at his hand, then grabbed it in mine, squeezing harder than necessary.
Ty didn’t flinch, his grip matching mine, a silent reminder of the underlying tension in our so-called truce.
“Truce.” I narrowed my eyes at my brother—my twin, ultimately, my rival. “For now.”