CHAPTER 18 #4
“Jesus Christ, Bam. I don’t even know what to say,” Colt whispered as he rested back and closed his eyes.
“I’m sorry, Colt. I fucked up. I know that now,” I sniffled as Jack held me closer.
“Just tell her she’s not running away now you’re safe Colt, because I’m worried that’s what she plans to do, no matter how hard Mace and I have tried to convince her she needs to be here, with all of us,” Jack spoke up.
“Jack! Just shut the fuck up!” I snapped angrily.
“You are not leaving. Don’t you fucking dare, Ava Scott,” Colt snapped and when I looked at him he had me pinned in place with he scariest look I’d ever seen from him.
“You are moving back home, with me, where I can take care of you. Don’t even bother arguing.
I won’t listen, and if you run I’m sending someone to drag you right back.
No more of your independent bullshit, you hear me?
You belong here and here is where you’ll stay.
I have someone deal with you house in Chicago and ship your belongings to our place. ”
“You sound like a crazy kidnapper,” I threw back at him with some ire.
“I’m your damned brother and you’re going to listen to me this time!
You have struggled on your own for two fucking years because of your pride, while I was here clueless to it all.
No more.” I had never seen Colt so angry.
Even when he first took me in and I rebelled in a major way, he had never ever gotten so angry with me.
It shocked me and actually made me listen to him.
I knew he was scared for me and that was why he was reacting as he was.
That was the only reason I didn’t bite his head off.
“You’re engaged. You’re going to get married. I can’t live with you,” I argued instead.
“I have no objections. You’re gonna be my kid sister too and I plan to take the role seriously,” Ky spoke up.
“I’m thirty-four years old,” I reminded him with a roll of my eyes. Ky just shrugged with he hint of a smile.
“It’s settled. I’ll have my lawyer make arrangements to clear out your house and put it up for sale.” Colt said firmly. I groaned as I realized I had something else to come clean about.
“What is it, love?” Jack asked.
“I…um…I haven’t exactly been living at the place you set up for me,” I admitted as I glanced guiltily to my brother.
“What do you mean?” Jack asked.
“Where have you been living?” Colt demanded, still sounding pissed.
“I…after I was released from the hospital I was scared you’d come to visit me…like a surprise visit, and I didn’t want you finding me the way I was so I…I rented a place.”
“What place?” Colt asked knowingly. He knew me too well and he read my reluctance.
“It was in the city. I didn’t have much money after I got medically retired, so it wasn’t much. My stuff though, it’s all there.”
“What do you mean you didn’t have much money? I set an account up for you filled with money, and you have several credit cards with no limit?”
“I didn’t want to use them. I knew you’d worry if I started using all of the money you gave me.”
“So you lived in a shit hole? Is that what you’re not telling me? Was it even safe, Ava?” he growled as he looked at me. When I looked away I gave him the answer without words.
“Fuck!” Colt cursed loudly.
“Colt, just take a breath. No, it wasn’t the best place to live but I can take care of myself and you know it. I was okay. I managed perfectly well alone,” That was a lie but one I had been selling to myself for months, so it was easy to spout.
“She’s home now, Colt. The past is the past. Let’s all just focus on the future.
We need to get you on your feet and keep you safe while the cops chase down the psycho who took you.
Ava can get moved in at your place and I’ve hired security, so you’ll both be safe.
Everything will be alright now,” Ky soothed as he brushed his hand over Colts greasy and dirty looking hair.
“Mason, Deacon, and I are here for you both too. Kylan’s right. We all need to look forwards, not backwards,” Jack agreed.
A nurse chose that moment to come in and take Colt’s vitals and check his dressings. Jack and I left the room to make some space, and Ky stayed with him.
“What the fuck was that?” I snapped at Jack the second we were out in the hall.
“It was being honest. You needed to do it.”
“Not when he just woke up, and not after everything he’s been through, you asshole! I planned to tell him, but not until he was home and feeling better. You just piled more stress on him he really didn’t need,” I growled.
“He can handle it, Ave. He seemed fine,” Jack smirked and I shoved him hard.
“He’s not fucking fine! He was held for over a week by a psycho who gets off on inflicting pain like you cannot imagine.
He will have faced a week of torture and being told over and over how evil he is.
That monster will be in his head just as prominently as the marks he left on Colt’s body.
I bet his body is a patchwork of welts and cuts under those bandages, as well as the three stab wounds!
You have no idea Jack!” I pushed him away again when he moved to grab my hands, then stormed past him.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
“None of your business!” I said as I walked as steadily as I could away from him.
I didn’t have my stick. I didn’t even know where it went when I got in that wheelchair, but walking without it was a nightmare, especially when I was trying so hard not to falter and stumble, knowing Jack would be watching me.
I made it to the elevator without him following me. When I stepped out on the ground floor I called Mason, grateful I had thought to put my cell in my pocket on my way out of the apartment.
“Ava?” Mason asked, sounding worried almost the second I hit call.
“I’m okay,” I reassured him quickly. “Are you still at the crime scene?” I asked.
“Yeah. Colt was definitely here, we found his busted up cell phone and his wallet. How is he?”
“Awake. He was talking to us all. He seemed good,” I told him. “I want to see the crime scene. Can you send me the location?”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, honey. There’s a lot of blood and….other stuff. You don’t want to see it,” he cautioned.
“I need to, Mason, please. I won’t freak out.
I just have to see it.” I wanted to know exactly what Colt had been through so I could be there for him when the darkness crept in.
I knew what he had been through to some extent and I wanted to do all I could to be there for him.
“I can handle this,” I added when he still hadn’t replied.
“Okay. I’ll send you a pin, but have Deacon or Jack drive you over here.”
“I won’t be long,” I told him, then hung up.
There was no way I was asking Jack to drive me anywhere.
I was so pissed off with him. I understood him wanting me to be honest with Colt, but he should have trusted me to judge when it would be the right time.
That had not been it and now I had the guilt of knowing Colt was stressed and worrying about me after everything he’d already been through.
This was why I had planned to leave the city again once I knew he was safe.
All I could bring him was worry and stress and he deserved so much more.