Chapter Seventeen
Wade Cooper
I rapped my knuckles on the table as I scanned the place, watching each person for about two seconds before moving to the next. I take a look at my watch and hiss under my breath.
Typical Arden. He’s been in the military for years now, yet he still can’t keep time when it comes to appointments.
I made up my mind that if he isn’t here in five minutes, I’m leaving this place and forgetting about anything he ever told me about getting my post back in the military.
I can’t believe I had jumped at the first mention of the possibility of me going back to the army. I thought I had forgotten all about it since I had to leave four years ago but it seems a part of me still yearns to head back to the place I felt most fulfilled .
Ava was worried when I told her I had to leave the house for an hour, and I could understand her fear. I was reluctant to leave her too, but I couldn’t ask Arden to come to her house. Something in me just doesn’t want him to meet her.
I called in for a favor from the guys and three of them agreed to help me even though they were off duty. That’s the only way I wouldn’t get told off by the captain. I just need to make this quick and short. I don’t know how Arden planned to get me back into the army but at least, I was willing to hear him out. That is if he gets here on time. I scowl as I watch the time go without any sign of him coming. Then, someone bursts into the cafe and rushes towards me.
“Coops, I’m so sorry I am late. I had to take care of something urgently.” Arden Michaels breathes out heavily as though he had run all the way.
I get up from the chair and we exchange handshakes just like the old times. “Well, I’m glad one of us hasn’t changed that much.” I snicker.
“Gosh, how have you been, boy? It’s been four good years.” Arden settles down on his seat as he observes me carefully.
“I’ve been building my business and helping out at the police station with Marcus. And you? How’s General and the other boys?” I ask just as the waiter comes to serve us iced Americanos.
“Ohh, you still remember.” Arden smiles before gulping down nearly half of the coffee. “The boys are good and General is, well, the General, as always. We’ve all missed you, Coops.”
“I have as well.” I nod my head. “Now, I have little time to spare. Elaborate what you mean when you said I could get back into the military.” I lean forward as I get straight to the point .
“Look, it’s quite simple. I have an in with the big men and they are willing to take in some soldiers who had to leave under unfavorable circumstances. With your brilliant record, it wasn’t hard to do the convincing.” Arden says and I get hopeful.
“Are you being for real? I can really get my post back?”
“Not only that, but they’re also willing to add additional benefits. All of which would be disclosed when it’s time to get you back in. Think about it, Wade. You, I, and the boys, once again in the field. Just like when we first started.” Arden smiles but I narrow my eyes, not wanting to get swayed by the sweet promises he was giving.
The one thing I have come to realize since dealing with black-hearted bastards is that nothing good comes in this world for free. Hardly. There had to be some conditions, some rules, something behind it.
“And what do you get from it?” I ask Arden and I see his expression falters a bit.
“What do you mean? Nothing at all” He huffs. “I’m just helping out my best buddy here, nothing more.” He takes another sip from the coffee.
Something is fishy here. I’ve known Arden ever since I was eighteen, and I know that there is no way he would eagerly do something unless he had something to gain from it.
And to do something huge as getting me back into the military seemed too big for him. He had no such power, nor would it come with no strings at all .
“Tell me, Arden. What is behind this?” I question sternly and Arden sighs. He knows he is not going to leave until he gives me a satisfactory answer.
“There’s nothing big behind it, Coops, trust me. You just need to get off the current case you are working on, and you will be back like you never left.”
“What?” I frown.
“I said you just need to leave—”
“I heard what you said clearly, Arden. What I mean is, why? What on earth does Ava’s case have to do with my military career?” I furrow my eyebrows, not understanding the correlation.
“Coops, you ask too many questions. Just do—”
“Arden, for the love of God!” I hit my fist on the table, and I noticed a few pairs of eyes on us. “You better tell me what is going on here, or else, you know I will do anything to find out myself.”
Arden sighs under his breath. “I can’t tell you more than what I have already said. If you know you don’t want to end up in your grave, then do as I say. You just need to quit, and you can get your old life back. No strings attached.”
“I think there will be a lot of attached strings from the way you are even mentioning death.”
“Listen, Coops. Do as I say or not, that’s all I have to tell you.” He gets up to leave but I hold him back .
“What’s going on, Arden? Don’t tell me you have a hand in whatever is happening to Ava.” I watch him carefully, but he says nothing.
“You’ve always been a tough guy, Wade, but your problem is that you have also been too naive. And that was the reason she stabbed you in the back that way.” Arden says before he walks away.
I grit my teeth in anger and refrain from throwing the table in front of me across the building. I pay for the drinks before I head out of the cafe to return to Ava. I’ve been away for too long. I get into the house shortly after, but I don’t see Ava in the living room or in the kitchen. “How’s it going?” I greet my men and thank them for their help.
“She’s in her room. She has been in there ever since you left.” One of them tells me and I escort them out before heading to Ava’s bedroom.
I knocked a few times but there’s no response. I then opened the door to see her sitting on the bed, her back faced towards me. A smile easily falls on my lips as I breathe in her scent again.
“If I had known you would miss me this badly, I wouldn’t have gone out in the first place.” I tease as I walk into the room.
“Y-You’re here.” She jolts as though I had startled her, and I frown. She sounds off.
“Are you okay? You–” I step towards her to see her face puffy and red. It’s obvious she had been crying. “What happened? Is everything alright? Is DJ okay?” I rush to her side immediately and wrap my arms around her.
“I’m fine. DJ is okay.” She answers in a monotone, making me even more worried .
“Ava, tell me, what is going on? Why are you crying?” I take her hands in mine as I press for a more convincing answer.
“It’s nothing. I just—” Her lips quiver, and I embrace her again.
“Please, tell me what is going on. Let me in so I can help. I hate seeing you like this.” I rub her arms as I continue to soothe her pain.
I don’t know what has her down like this, but it seems pretty serious. I’ve never seen her this devastated since I became her bodyguard.
“It’s Daniel.” She lets out and I unconsciously freeze in the spot. Her ex, Daniel?
“What about him?” I ask calmly but the rage inside me is already growing.
“Nothing. I got a call from him, and he asked about DJ. Just…just hearing his voice again brought back all the memories I tried so hard to forget, you know?” She whimpers and I hug her even tighter.
“It’s fine. It will be fine. Shh.” I rock her gently until she’s calm again.
My head goes back to what Arden said about this case leading me to my death. He’s wrong. It’s going to lead to someone’s death, but not mine.