CHAPTER 22
AVA
I had no idea why I was so nervous, but I was.
Three days had passed since Colt’s meltdown outside his club, and while he’d been taking things easier, he’d continued returning to work and trying to get things back to normal.
Much to my and Ky’s relief he’d also started for a trauma therapist he felt able to talk to, and seem determined to follow though with the plan.
Seeing Colt fight so hard had pushed me to stop hiding so much too.
While I wasn’t ready to speak to a stranger about my issues yet, I was trying harder to see the sunny side of things.
I was home with the brother I loved. The FBI were working hard to find and stop the monster who hart both of us and killed so many others.
Everyone I loved was safe and I was doing a hell of a lot better than I had been back in Chicago.
I hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol since the night Colt was found, and finding a healthy routine with Colt and Ky seemed to be helping with my injury.
The pain wasn’t any less, but regular meals constantly forced upon me by Ky, and having a clean safe place to live and sleep seemed to be making it all feel more manageable.
I’d reached out to Jack and Mason and we’d spoken.
I’d been honest and told them I wanted to move things forward, but also explained I uncertain of how.
Of course they had it all figured out and assured me we’d all be fine.
We had plans together tomorrow. They had told me they abducting me for the day, which filled me with equal parts excitement and trepidation.
But that night it was about Deak. We’d decided to go on an actual date, sort of.
I’d told him I couldn’t stand to go to some fancy overpriced restaurant.
Dressing fancy wasn’t really my thing and I’d only have been conscious of people watching me and commenting on me if we sat in some stuffy place I clearly didn’t fit in.
But Deak had assured me he had an idea he thought I’d love, and I could wear my jeans if I wanted to.
While I’d shed the jeans for a maxi length floral dress from my very old selection of clothes I’d left at Colt’s, I hadn’t gone over the top.
It was still cold out, so I paired the dress with low heeled brown boots and my denim jacket.
I’d taken the time to straighten my hair and put on some make up, but now as I stood waiting for Deak to pick me up I continuously looked in the mirror and talked myself out of it.
I was in New York and I’d dressed like we were going to a barn dance or something.
I was already halfway through ripping off my jacket to start over when Ky called to tell me Deacon was there. Early.
“Fuck!” I hissed as I struggled back into my jacket and slipped my cell back int the pocket.
I didn’t have time to change. It would take me way too long with how slow I was, and my entire wardrobe was extremely slim pickings.
I had only owned jeans, tees, and sweater in Chicago, and anything I owned before I left New York years ago was now too big on my skinny frame.
I sighed, knowing I didn’t have time to stress about it anymore, and instead picked up my stick and made my way through the apartment.
I’d like to say the sight of Deacon stood in the living room dressed casually in jeans and a henley relaxed me, but it didn’t, because that mad looked like sex on legs no matter what he wore.
His heavily muscled, chiseled body filled everything out perfectly, and when he looked to me and smiled – he was so handsome.
I had no idea what he saw in me. I would never be good enough for him.
“There you are. You look beautiful, sweetheart,” he told me as he moved closer, then I was in his arms. I wrapped my arms around his waist, not realizing how much I’d missed him in the weeks since I saw him until he touched me.
Now I was in his arms I just relaxed and felt at peace.
“You doing okay?” he asked as we pulled apart enough so I could look up and meet his eyes.
“Good. I’m happy to see you. I missed you,” I admitted.
“I’m glad you said it first, because I was desperate to tell you how much I missed you too,” he told me with a shy smile. “Are you ready?”
“Yep. Good to go.” He held his hand out to me and I placed mine into it without hesitation. With a quick call of ‘bye’ to Colt and Ky behind me we left the apartment and headed to the street where Deacon had parked his truck.
“I’m so relieved I finally get to take you out. It seems like every time we’ve spent together before has been amid carnage,” he told me as we left Colt’s apartment building.
“Tell me about it. It’s been a hell of a last few weeks,” I agreed.
“How’s Colt doing? He seemed good?”
“He’s strong, and he’s really good at holding everything inside,” I sighed. “But he’s not okay. It’s going to take time and a lot of work on his part for him to feel like himself again. He’s agreed to see a therapist though, so that’s good.”
“It is. And you? How are you really doing?” He opened the passenger side of his truck and helped me in, then stood staring at me as I sat almost eye level with him in his talk truck.
“I’m doing better,” I answered honestly. “Seeing how strong Colt’s being is pushing me to want to try too. Maybe I’ll even see a therapist or something eventually,” I shrugged.
“I think that could be good for you,” he agreed and I nodded.
“Let’s not spend tonight talking about all of the chaos that’s happened. Let’s just have some fun and get to know each other better, okay?” I suggested, hoping he’d agree. My life had been about nothing but stress, worry, and terror for weeks, and I just wanted to leave it all behind for one night.
“Yeah sweetheart. That sounds good to me,” he agreed. He smiled as he leaned into he car and kissed the end of my nose, making me laugh in surprise. “Buckle up.”
I knew I saw smiling like an idiot as he closed my door and rounded the car to jump into his side. I couldn’t help it though. He was the sweetest.
***
“Oh my God,” I groaned as I sat back in comfortable high back chair and blew out a deep breath. “We ordered way too much. I was joking when I said I wanted the entire menu,” I laughed.
“I didn’t order the entire menu, just a good selection, and speak for yourself. I’m still eating,” Deacon chuckled as he icked up another huge beef rib.
He had booked us a table at a steakhouse outside of the city.
The inside looked rustic with a huge open log fire roaring at its center and tables set with tall, inviting upholstered chairs.
The music was low enough that we could easily talk to each other, but loud enough that you felt you didn’t have to lower your voice when you spoke.
And the food – it had been heaven. I’d eaten far too much from the selection Deak chose but it was like I couldn’t stop myself.
It had been so long since I had a good steak.
“I’m glad to see you eating. You have so much more color in your cheeks since you moved in with Colt and Kylan,” he told me.
“Ky is definitely a feeder. If I keep eating the breakfasts he makes I’ll end up unable to fit through the door and leave the apartment,” I laughed.
“You said he liked to cook?”
“Yeah, he loves it, and he’s amazing. I don’t know why he bothers hiring chefs. He should juts do the cooking himself at his restaurants, or one of them at least.”
“How about you? Do you cook?”
“Do Pop tarts count?” I asked, trying to keep a straight face.
“Seriously?”
“No,” I laughed. “Well, not really. I can do the basics. I make decent pasta, and I can scramble eggs, but I never really bothered when I lived alone. I was a real cop – lived mainly on coffee, donuts, and takeout. You?”
“I cook. I had to be pretty serious about my diet when I was training for Strongman competitions, so I learned to make all my own meals. I can’t make anything fancy, but I don’t starve.”
“Do you miss the competitions?”
“Not anymore. When I first had to stop it broke me. All I had ever wanted was to complete in the World’s Strongest Man, and I had been so close to it that year.
I lost my dream I guess, but I learned wallowing wasn’t going to change any of it, and I moved on.
I have my health for now, and I still get to work out, which was always my true love.
I have a good job and a nice place to lay my head at night.
I’m grateful for what I have, and then you came along and everything just seemed to fall perfectly into place. ”
“Stop,” I told him with a roll of my eyes. “I’m no one’s happy ever after.”
“I’m not looking for happy ever after, Ava. I just want you,” he said as he dropped the rib he was eating, and wiped his hands on his napkin.
“Don’t get all soppy on me, big guy,” I laughed, but I couldn’t remove the smile from my face.
“Fine. For now. You want to go somewhere else after this? A club, or we could find a late night showing some place?” he offered instead.
“Can we just go to your place? Maybe just watch a movie or something? I’d love to see your place,” I suggested. I was exhausted if I were honest, and I really didn’t feel like doing anything but snuggling up against this huge, handsome man I seemed to have by some miracle found myself attached to.
“That sounds perfect, honey,” he agreed, much to my relief.
***
Deacon’s apartment had come as quite a surprise to me.
I knew he use to compete professionally so I suspected he would have some money behind him, but his place exceeded everything I expected.
I had thought it would be something like Jack’s place – a comfortable and sizable modern apartment but smaller than Colt’s, and more on the ‘homey’ side.