Chapter 4
AVA
Ava slipped the earring she’d intentionally dropped back into her purse before following Sebastian from the panic room. “I thought you already had a pose in mind for the portrait?”
“I think he’s got more than a few poses in mind, if you get my drift,” Kyle’s voice crackled in her ear.
She tried to ignore the running commentary from the peanut gallery back in her living room. At least Alex had found a new buddy to commiserate with while she was busy infiltrating the Bancrofts’ lives.
“After seeing you in action last night, I’m no longer certain. You’re a dynamic woman, Ava. And you deserve nothing but the best.”
“Why did that weirdly sound like a personal attack?” Alex asked.
Ava struggled not to tell him it wasn’t while Kyle confirmed Alex’s worst feels.
“Because it totally was. He basically just said he’s better for her than you.”
“Ava…do not leave me for Bankroll Bancroft, okay?”
She struggled not to shake her head as they meandered through the mansion’s halls to his studio. He pushed through the doors into the room, lit by the glow of the afternoon sun. The scent of oil paints filled her nostrils as she shuffled inside.
“I just…am no longer in love with the sketches I’ve made.”
“Sketches?” Alex asked. “Like more than one of you.”
“I thought they were very good,” she answered.
He offered her a soft smile. “I appreciate that, but when I say I can do better, I mean it. I take it as a personal challenge.”
Kyle scoffed. “Oh, come on, dude.”
He tilted his head, studying her before he eased her onto the red velvet chaise. She arched an eyebrow at him.
“Lay back.”
“On the chaise?” she asked.
“Yes,” he said. “I’m thinking something less formal…more…impromptu.”
“I’ll bet you are,” Alex mumbled.
Ava ignored her husband, easing herself back on the chaise. “Like this?”
Sebastian chuckled. “Not quite what I had in mind.”
“I’ll bet I can guess what he had in mind,” Kyle said.
He crossed to her, glancing down at her, sketchpad in hand before he tossed it down.
“Uh-oh,” Kyle groaned.
“Hands off, Slick,” Alex added.
Ava stared up at him, attempting to keep her features neutral.
Sebastian tilted his head, puckering his lips. “Roll onto your side.”
“I swear, Sparky, if he asks you to get undressed…”
“Okay,” she said as she pivoted onto her hip, struggling to place her hands somewhere.
He chuckled again. “Just relax.”
“This isn’t the most comfortable position,” she said as she shifted, pressing her cheek against the soft velvet as she shot him a glance.
“Oh, don’t move. That is perfect.”
“Is it? What are you doing?” Alex asked.
“There’s no camera in there, we can’t see the pose,” Kyle added.
“This is perfect?” she questioned as his pencil caressed the paper.
“Shh,” he answered, his fingers moving deftly to capture the image in charcoal.
“That was a bold move. Shushing Ava? I’m surprised he’s not in a chokehold right now,” Alex said.
She fluttered her eyelashes as she lay unmoving, frustration building in her.
She didn’t care if he painted her stupid portrait or not; in fact, she’d rather he didn’t, but this had been a prime way into the Bancrofts’ lives.
And while they waited for Grant’s influence to pay off, she needed to keep this line open.
Still, she would have preferred that he work from a photograph. “Maybe you ought to take a picture.”
“The real thing is always better,” he answered. “I can just get all those tiny details that make you perfect so much easier from the way the light hits your cheekbones to the playful expression on your features.”
“Don’t you mean make the painting perfect?”
“What did I say?” Sebastian asked, his focus on the artwork unfolding on the page.
“You said that make me perfect.”
A grin curled the corners of his lips. “Did I? Hmm.”
Ava heaved a sigh at his flirtatious response. She had to curb his enthusiasm if it went much further without jeopardizing their connection. It was a dangerous trapeze act, but she’d have to do it.
“Isn’t he done yet?” Kyle asked after a while. “Seems like it’s been a long time.”
“Twenty-seven minutes to be exact,” Alex answered with a sigh.
“Uh, not to be pushy but…I’m getting stiff.”
“Just a few more minutes,” he answered, his eyes lingering on her. “I just want to memorize a few more details.”
“Way to go, Sparky. You tell him.”
After ten more minutes of sketching, he lifted his pencil. “All right, you can move.”
Ava pushed up to sit with a sigh of relief. “Thanks.”
He snapped the sketchbook closed and returned to his desk.
“Wait…are you not going to show me?”
“I am not,” he said. “It’s a work in progress.”
She arched an eyebrow as she rose. “You mean, I’m going to have to get into that awkward position again?”
“Oh, at least once or twice, yes. But I think you’ll understand why when you see the final product.”
Ava stared at him, her eyebrows knitting. “I guess I will have to trust you.”
“You definitely should trust me.” He grinned at her, his eyes soft and probing. “I am the professional after all.”
“Well, I guess we can discuss another session at some point–”
“Tomorrow,” he replied for her.
“I’ll check my calendar and let you know,” she answered deftly, sidestepping the invitation.
“It’s just that when I get something in my mind, I feel compelled to see it through.”
“Mmmm, that’s not a come on at all,” Kyle said.
“Compelled to see it through,” Alex repeated.
Ava offered him a polite smile. “I’ll see what I can work out. I may have something scheduled with Alex.”
Sebastian’s eyes narrowed at the words, but he smiled at her. “Just let me know.”
“I will. And thanks for your help with the earring. Alex will be so pleased I have it back.”
“Glad I could help. Let me walk you out.”
He led her through the halls to the front door, his eyes lingered on her as he pulled it open. “Well, it was a very productive day. I can’t wait for our next session. You’ll text me?”
“I will,” she promised, eyeing her car as a welcome escape route.
He leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “I’m looking forward to it.”
“Ohhhh, the cheek kiss. That’s one step away from the lips. Believe me, I know this,” Kyle said.
“Yep,” Alex agreed. “Many a time I’ve kissed Ava on the cheek before telling her I loved her.”
She stepped into the waning afternoon sunshine and slid behind the wheel, offering Sebastian a wave before she pulled away. “Will you two please stop with the running commentary?”
“Actually, Sparky,” Alex said, “I have one more piece, only you’re not going to like this one at all.”
“What is it?” she asked as she slowed to a stop at the end of the Bancrofts’ winding driveway.
“Looks like there’s a warrant out for your arrest. Might be best to stay away from home until we get this sorted."
“What?” Ava asked, pressing the earpiece into her ear further as her heart skipped a beat. “Did you just say a warrant for my arrest?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Alex said.
“For what?” she almost shrieked.
Alex heaved a sigh. “Murder.”
Ava’s eyes widened as she tightened her grip on the steering wheel, her jaw flapping open. “Murder? What? What is going on?”
“I’m digging into that now, but…I’d really not like to see you dragged out of here in handcuffs, so maybe…ditch the car and take an Uber to a hotel?”
“Where I will pay with my credit card that can be tracked,” she said. “I’m coming home.”
“Wait, wait,” Kyle said. “I’ll meet you and drive you to another hotel, check in under my card.”
“That’s actually a fairly solid plan,” Alex answered. “Dump the car at the public beach access one mile from here. Doc’ll pick you up.”
“Right,” Ava said, her heart pounding as she whipped the car in the opposite direction, tires squealing. “Mind packing a few things for me, Ace?”
“I’m on it, babe. I’ll send it with Doc.” Rustling sounded through the comm device in her ear. “Stay in your car with the doors locked until he gets there, okay?”
“Got it,” Ava said as the parking lot came into sight.
Her heart skipped a beat as two police cars sped past her. “Ah, babe, you may want to hurry. Looks like the police are on their way to you right now.”
“Almost there, Avs,” Alex said. “Here. Go…quick, the police are on their way.”
“Got it,” Kyle answered. “On my way.”
Ava whipped into the parking lot, backing into a space in the shadow of the building housing the restrooms and hidden from the street. She hopped out despite Alex’s warning and raced back to the rear of the car to unscrew the license plate.
“Sparky, why are you out of the car?”
“Ditching the plate,” she said. “Although, the color is probably a giveaway, but I parked outside of direct sight from the road.”
“We’ll move the car. I’ll take it to StoneCorp HQ,” Alex said.
“Fine. I’ll give Doc the plate when he gets here.”
“He’s en-route, should be there at any second. Ava–”
“He’s here,” she said as Kyle’s rental pulled into the parking lot, slowing as he scanned the space for her.
She rose from her crouch and hurried toward the car, slipping into the passenger seat. “Go.”
Kyle whipped the car around in a tight circle and tromped on the gas. The tires squealed against the pavement before they shot out onto the road.
“Uh, you could be a little more discreet, Doc.”
“Sorry, I always wanted to do that,” he said. “Just felt really…empowering.”
“You men are weird,” Ava said with a shake of her head. “Did Alex tell you what hotel to go to?”
“Riverside Inn. Quiet, discreet,” he said in the earpiece.
“Quiet and discreet? How do you know that?” Ava asked.
“Little birdie told me that’s where people want to go when they don’t want to be seen,” he answered.
“Got an address?”
“I’m sending it to your car’s GPS now,” Alex answered.
“My car’s GP–ohhh,” Kyle said as the map suddenly populated with a set of directions. “Wow, that’s cool, Ace.”
“No,” Alex said through the earpiece as Ava’s phone chimed. “No, Ace is what Ava calls me. You can’t call me Ace.”