CHAPTER 23 #2
“He was in a rush,” I sighed as I turned the see the door slam close.
“His boss is riding him hard at work. He has a pile of cases on his desk he should be working on, but instead he’s been looking for the sick fuck who took Colt and hurt you,” Jack explained.
“I thought he handed everything to the FBI?”
“He was supposed to, but you know what he’s like. Mace wants the chance to handle the monster who hurt people he cares about,” Jack explained.
“What do you want to do today, sweetheart? I don’t need to be at the club until later, so we can head out somewhere or I can take you home?” Deak offered.
“Home would be great, if you don’t mind. I need to get my meds, and talk with Colt about all of this…about us,” I replied.
“Shit! I can’t believe I forgot about your meds,” Deak cursed angrily.
“It’s fine. I’m okay. I just need to take them soon,” I assured him as I cuddled into his side and wrapped my arms around his waist.
“Okay. Grab what you need and we’ll head out now. Jack, you staying here?” Deak asked as he looked behind him to where Jak was beginning to clean up from breakfast.
“I’ll clean up, then head over to my place to pack a bag before work tonight, if that’s okay?”
“All good, man. I’ll see you at Temple tonight,” Deak replied as he moved over to get his keys from where they sat in a bowl on the coffee table.
“You gonna be here when I get back tonight?” Jack asked me as he came closer.
“Yeah. Even if Colt’s not ready for me to move out, I’ll come and stay here tonight with you all. It’ll be our first night together. I don’t want to miss it,” I told him as I looped my arms around his neck and looked up into his deep blue eyes. “Are you sure you’re good with all of this?”
“It’s going to be quite the adjustment, but I’m good with anything that brings me closer to you,” he told me. “Now go, get your meds, and talk to Colt. Text me later to let me know what he says please.”
“I will.” I reached up onto my tiptoes and kissed him briefly. When I tried to pull back he chased me and kissed me again, only harder this time.
“Love you, Ava,” he told me.
“Love you too.” I released him and turned to follow Deacon from the apartment, excited at the prospect of us all being there together later that night and for the foreseeable future. It felt like a dream I hadn’t ever dared to reach for, but was getting anyway.
***
It was almost lunch time when Deacon pulled up outside Colt’s apartment building to drop me off.
We’d agreed he’s leave me to chat with my brother and I’d meet back at his place later that night.
While I was reluctant to leave him after the great night and morning we’d had together, I knew I needed to speak to Colt alone.
While Colt knew I was interested in all three of my guys already, I was pretty sure he’d be surprised to hear we planned to live together so soon.
“You sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Deacon asked and I laughed.
“I think I’ll survive telling my brother I’m moving out again at thirty-four years old,” I chuckled.
“Just make sure he knows we plan to take good care of you,” he worried.
“Excuse me? What is this, the dark ages?”
“I know you take care of yourself. I just meant, I know Colt’s worried about your injury and the bad days you have. I just want him to know we’ll be there when you need us,” he backpedaled.
“I’m sure you guys can do all that macho posturing when you’re alone,” I told him with a roll of my eyes.
“I’m not asking his permission to move out.
I just want to make sure he’ll be okay if I moved out.
He’s been through hell and he only just got back to his life.
I don’t want to abandon him when he needs me, not again. ”
“Okay. Go talk to him, honey. Call me if you want me to pick you up later, okay?”
“I’ll probably just see you back at yours when you get off work, nut I’ll text you so you know what’s happening,” I assured him as I leaned over and kissed him.
I laughed as he watched me walk all of the way into the apartment building and lock closed the door behind me before he’d drive away. He really was so sweet and over protective. I’d never admit it aloud, but I kind of liked it.
I knew Colt was home as I walked in the door, because he’d already sent me a message that morning letting me know he was working from home that day if I needed anything.
He did that a lot now, checked in and let me know I could call if I needed anything from him.
I hated that I’d made him feel like he needed to do that by hiding away from him as I had after the shooting, and I was resolved to do much better as a sister moving forwards.
“Colt?” I called as I walked inside and closed the door behind me. The apartment was quiet so I headed right for Colt’s office as he exited it, walking towards me.
“Hey you. Did you have a good date?” he asked as he smiled and gave me a waggle of his eyebrows.
“I guess being out all night was the clue, huh?” I asked dryly as I rolled my eyes at him.
“It was, though as your big brother I imagined you spent all night talking and doing nothing other than that. Correct?”
“Of course. We even braided each other’s hair and told ghost stories,” I joked. “You doing okay? Ky at work?”
“Yep and yep. Ky had a meeting with a new supplier. He said he’ll be back later this afternoon. I was just catching up on some paperwork. Did you eat lunch?”
“I just finished breakfast. Jack and Mason came over so we could all eat together,” I explained.
“So things are going well then?”
“Yeah, they are actually. Listen, I need to grab my pain meds, but then can we sit down and talk? It won’t take long, but it’s fine if you’re too busy right now.”
“Never too busy for you, bam. Go and get what you need and I’ll make some coffee,” Colt offered and I nodded eagerly.
Once I was in my room I changed into jeans and a baggy sweatshirt, wanting to be comfortable.
After I’d spoken with Colt I had plans for a long, steamy bubble bath to soak my aching body.
The night before with Deacon had been amazing, but his size had taken it’s toll and I was pretty sore between my legs that morning too.
I took all of my meds, including some of the pain pills, brushed my teeth then headed out in search of coffee.
“Sorry, Ava. We’ll have to talk when I get back. Ky just called. Someone slashed his tires while he was in the restaurant and he had to call the cops. I don’t want him handling it all alone,” Colt told me from where he perched in an armchair pulling on his shoes.
“Slashed his tires? Does he know who?” I asked.
“No, but there are cameras in the parking lot. Ky was upset when he called. He’s not great in a crisis,” he told me hurriedly, and I could see how worried he was.
“Just one second. I’ll come with you,” I said as I turned back for my room to grab my slip on sneakers.
As I walked in there I got a feeling of unease about the whole thing and grabbed my gun from my nightstand too.
I checked it was loaded, then tucked it in my jeans at the small of my back.
I slid my feet into my ugly sneakers and hurried back to Colt, who waited with eh apartment door open.
“Where’s your security?” I asked as we exited the apartment and moved to the elevator.
“I told Ky to tell them they weren’t needed today. I wasn’t planning to leave the apartment. Plus, I feel stupid with paid men following me around. It’s been two weeks. The bastard who took me will have moved in now.”
“Colt! What if he’s just been watching and waiting for his chance to get to you?” I asked as my unease increased. “This could all be a ploy to get you out in the open. That psycho probably slashed Ky’s tires knowing you’d come running.”
“Well if he did, then it was a bad plan, since Ky says two cop cars turned up when he called in the damage,” Colt tried to reassure me, but I was far from mollified.
“I’m calling Mason. I want him to meet us…
” my words were cut off as we walked into the underground parking lot and I was instantly thrown off of my feet and to the ground so hard my phone flew from my hand.
My head bounced off of the concrete and blood was trickling down the side of my head as I tried to sit up.
“Ava!” Colt yelled, then he was grunting and I could blurrily see him fighting with someone a few meters from me.
A loud grunt from Colt had my panic rising as I pushed up from the ground and forced myself to stand despite the dizziness clouding my vision.
I took a few deep breaths to try and steady myself as I stumbled around a little, and finally my head seemed to clear enough for me to see.
“Stop!” I yelled as I pulled my gun from the small of my back and held it out in front of me. A tall figure, dressed in a black hooded sweatshirt was on top of my brother, hitting him as Colt struggled to block the hits and get himself free.
When he continued, completely ignoring my command I moved closer until my gun was less than a foot from his head.
“Hands up right now or I put a bullet through you brains,” I warned. I was winded, but I kept my voice calm and steady.
I let out a shaky breath when he released Colt and stood slowly as he lifted his hands above his head. He turned to face me and all of my breath seemed to leave my lungs as I once again saw those evil eyes that had haunted my nightmares and flashbacks for so many years.
***