Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Viktor
W hen I arrived home and found that Ava wasn’t there, I was pissed. I called Oliver for an explanation.
“Oliver, are you in the house?”
“No, I had to run an errand,” he answers over the cell.
“Where’s Ava?”
“I dropped her off.”
“She isn’t here. I told you to stay at the house.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
It is not like Oliver to disobey an order.
I don’t know what it is about Ava that unsettles me. I’m being paranoid. I shouldn't care.
After she left the restaurant, I went back to do as my father ordered. I didn’t care about what he wanted. My goal was to learn why Cillian had returned. It’s been almost a year since my father last entertained him, and we no longer have dealings with him. But they kept the reason he was there close to the chest. I wanted to leave several times, but stayed to keep the peace with my father. Ava was right—this battle was not worth fighting.
After a couple hours of pointless conversations, food, and drinks, I excused myself. Oddly, I wanted to see Ava. I managed to deter my father from retaliating against her for speaking to him. Between my mom and me, everything was forgotten. Our focus was on Cillian and his visit. But learning from Mary that Ava never made it home was unacceptable.
Our drive is painfully silent, and she gazes out the window. I find myself missing her smart mouth. The worst part is that I don’t know why I care. She’s an employee like any other, a stubborn employee who needs to learn her place. I pull in beside the house. The SUV has barely come to a stop when she gets out and walks inside without waiting for me. I don’t understand why she’s upset, it makes no sense. I haven’t done anything to her. I’ve been nothing but accommodating. I follow her to see what she does. She takes the stairs in silence. Somehow she knows where she’s going. She opens the door to her bedroom and is about to slam it when I stop her.
“Baby girl, if this is how you’re going to behave from now on, let me know.”
“And if I do, what are you going to do?” she screams.
“You might not like my answer,” I retort and take a step closer.
“I don’t want to be here.” She sounds like a petulant child. She takes her shoes off and puts her purse on her dresser. “Where are my things?” she demands, looking around the room in confusion.
“I imagine they are in your closet or drawers.” I’m standing against the doorframe, amused by her tantrum. She opens the first drawer.
“What is this?”
“Clothes.”
“They aren’t my clothes. Are you having me wear another woman’s clothes? Are you that much of an asshole?” She spits at me.
A split second later, I’m in front of her.
“I’d never have you wear another woman’s anything. These were delivered while you were at the spa with my mother.” I don’t know why I’m explaining this.
She walks around me. “I don’t need anything from you.”
“I can’t have you wearing your clothes. You have an image to keep.”
There’s a look of hatred in her eyes, but I don’t care if I’ve offended her. “The door to your right leads to your ensuite. The one on the other side is your walk-in closet. Everything you might need should be there. If you can’t find something you need, ask Mary. She’ll make sure you get it.”
“I’d like you to go.”
I can’t help but laugh at her insolence. “We would like many things in life, but that doesn’t mean we’ll get it. Sit. We need to talk.”
“I have nothing to talk to you about,” she says sulkily.
“I said sit.” My voice brooks no argument, yet she looks at me, ready to stay in place. I take a step closer. She sits on the bed. “Good girl. You’ll find life will be easier if you do as I say. Let this be the one and only time you disobey me.”
“I’m not yours to order around.”
“That is where you’re wrong. For the next year, you are mine. You will do as I say. I’ll let tonight go since it’s your first night, and you don’t know better.”
“Your father doesn’t approve. I have no interest in being part of some family drama. I have enough drama on my own.”
“My father is my concern.”
“Easy for you to say. You aren’t always going to be with me.”
“This is not up for discussion. How did you leave the house?” She’s quiet. Obviously hiding something. “Ava.”
“I took the bus. You know this thing called a cell can tell you things.” Her sarcasm isn’t lost on me.
I can’t help myself. I take two steps and pin her down on the bed. Her breathing is labored, and there’s hunger in her eyes. She’s going to be a handful, and that excites me. I roll her onto her stomach. I pin her wrists with one hand and unzip her dress with the other. She will learn I’m the boss and I have the last word. I caress her back, feeling the smoothness of her skin.
“You’ll never do it again. You are engaged to a Manarch. My orders aren’t a suggestion.” I whisper in her ear. Her breathing speeds up more. I get off the bed, releasing her. “It’s late. You need to rest. Tomorrow, I expect you to stay here. Explore the house and make it your own. This is your home now. Good night.” I leave, not wanting to spend another second near her. I’m hard as a rock, and it takes all my strength not to claim her. I don’t understand why I’m fighting my needs. I wouldn’t give it a second thought if she were any other woman. Maybe it’s the challenge. Delayed gratification.
I walk to my bedroom, trying not to think of the woman across the hall. But as I undress, I can’t stop thinking of the curve of her back. Seeing her in a bra and panties showed that my imagination didn’t do her justice. I’m so hard it’s beginning to hurt, and I have no choice but to find my release. I picture myself in her mouth and her riding me without reservation. It’s not a matter of if I’m going to claim her. It’s when. Ava O’Brien is mine. There’s nothing anyone can do to change it, not even her.
The ringing of my cell wakes me. It’s five in the morning. I’ve barely slept four hours. The screen reads Oliver.
“What the fuck, Oliver? Someone better be dying.”
“Someone is.” His tone puts me on alert.
“Talk.” I get out of bed and walk to get pants.
“One of the warehouses was hit. Derek has been hurt.”
“Do we know who hit us?” I set the cell down on the speaker.
“We’re working on it.”
“Where are you?”
“Pulling up.”
Who would be dumb enough to attack us?
“I figured you would want to evaluate the situation yourself,” Oliver adds
“I’m getting dressed. I want four men at the house. Ava is here.”
“I didn’t realize she came back.” The comment is out of place, considering he knows about the arrangement.
“Is there a problem?”
“No. Just surprised.”
“She isn’t going anywhere. Get used to it.” I don’t know what his problem is with her. He normally doesn’t question my personal life. I’m sure something went down between them last night. She seemed fine when she left the restaurant, but this is not the time for me to question him. “Call the men. I’ll be down in five minutes.” I end the call as I button my shirt. Once dressed, I walk to Ava’s bedroom and open the door. I walk over to where she’s sleeping peacefully. Looking at her, you’d never believe her feistiness. There are a few strands of hair covering her face, which I move.
She stirs and opens her eyes. “Is something wrong?” she asks, surprised and a little scared.
“No, go back to sleep. It’s early, and I must attend to some business. There will be men guarding the house, but I don’t want you to go outside.”
“Should I be worried?” There’s fear in her voice.
“I told you already. You’ll always be safe with me. I just didn’t want you to be alarmed if you saw them. I’m not sure when I’ll be back. Do as you’re told.”
“Okay. Be careful.” I’m surprised by her words. I think she is too.
“Go back to sleep.”
She closes her eyes. I have a need to kiss and hold her. What the fuck is wrong with me? I leave her bedroom, closing the door behind me. I have too much shit to deal with to think of her. I can’t allow myself to be distracted. It’s dangerous. Downstairs, Oliver is waiting.
“Everyone in place?” I ask.
“Yes.”
“I want the house on lockdown. No one in or out once we leave.”
“Do you want me to drive?”
“No.”
We get in my SUV and drive in silence. First, my brain is struggling to wake up. Second, something isn’t sitting well with this hit. Cillian shows up, and then we’re attacked. This is not a coincidence. Cillian is up to something, but with no proof, there is nothing I can do. What I don’t understand is why someone attacked a warehouse? We don’t store anything of value there, at least not anymore. Our shipments stay at the docks in containers before they’re delivered. We only keep the warehouses for overflow.
“Why was Derek at the warehouse?” I finally ask.
“We were over capacity. Our father requested the overage to be taken there.”
“What overage?” This gets my attention. There shouldn’t be any.
“I’m not sure. Derek said there were over a dozen unopened crates.”
“Why aren’t they open?”
“Father’s orders.”
I’m missing a piece of the puzzle. Normally my father informs me of any transactions, no matter how small, especially if there might be an overflow. I want to say it’s an oversight, but he’s a calculating man. He doesn’t make decisions lightly, and everything has a purpose. Nothing is by chance. Clearly, there’s something he doesn’t want me to know. Father is up to something, and if Cillian is involved, it can’t be good.
“Do you know?” I look at Oliver.
“I was hoping you did.”
“I don’t.”
“I bet it has something to do with Cillian’s reappearance.”
“I don’t doubt it. We need to tread carefully. Who knows what Cillian is up to? Somehow, he has roped our father into his plans.”
The timing is curious. I announce I’m marrying Ava, and Cillian appears. Then our warehouse is hit. My father is doing business without talking to me. Whatever is coming will not be pretty.
I’ve been left out in the cold, and I don’t think it’s by chance.