Chapter 9
ALEX
Alex stalked closer to the counter separating him and Kyle, his eyes narrowed. Something had definitely happened inside that carousel tent, but no one would tell him the truth. He could read it in every move Ava made, and now Kyle was keeping things from him, too.
Was it to protect him? But from what?
It was driving him crazy. He had to know the truth. “Doc…if there’s something going on here…”
“What?” Kyle furrowed his brows, offering him a confused glance that looked a little too practiced.
“Look, I know something’s going on here, okay? I can feel it. I just…” Alex’s features pinched as he fought the upset swirling inside of him. “I don’t know why everyone is lying to me about it.”
“I’m not lying, Mav. There’s nothing to be upset over.”
Alex studied Kyle’s face, certain he was withholding the truth from him. But why? Had Ava asked him to?
“Doc, listen…I want to believe you but…”
“Look, I get it. The radio silence was weird. It freaked you out. But it’s nothing to be concerned about, okay?”
Alex crossed his arms, still not convinced. “Does it have to do with Chris?”
Kyle’s brow furrowed. “Chris?”
“Was he coming on to Ava? Was she responding to it?” The words spilled out of his mouth faster than he wanted as guilt swirled inside of him. Had he really just accused Ava of almost cheating?
Alex knew he was being paranoid, but after everything they’d been through, the thought of losing her to someone like Chris was unbearable.
Kyle’s features twisted with surprise, his eyebrows shooting up. “No. No, nothing like that happened.”
“Doc, I need you to be up front with me, even if it’s painful. They have a history. Chris wanted her back even after we got together. If he said something…maybe threatened her in some way to try to break us up–”
“Mav, no. There’s nothing going on like that. Chris seemed…concerned…about the bug, like I was. But he wasn’t flirting with her, and she definitely wasn’t into him at all. Dude, she’d never cheat on you. She loves you.”
Alex smacked a palm against his forehead with a groan. “Ugh, I know that. I just…”
“Are afraid to lose her because she’s awesome?” Kyle asked.
“Yeah. It’s like waiting for the other shoe to drop. You know? Ava and I…we’ve been friends forever. And even when we were friends there were times when I was surprised. Times when I felt like she’d just disappear from my life because she’s way out of my league.”
“She loves you, Alex. That was so obvious from the moment I kissed her, and she definitely was up front about it.”
“Yeah, but…no offense, Doc, but she was engaged to him, you know?” Alex shook his head. “I feel bad even talking about this because she literally just reassured me when I took her breakfast, but there’s something off. I don’t know what, but something is.”
Kyle glanced at him. “Well, it’s not that she’s cheating. She loves you. A lot. Like a crazy amount. You’re really lucky.”
Alex felt his chest tighten, his breath coming in short, shallow bursts. He slumped against the counter, rubbing his temples as if he could massage the worry away. “I know I’m lucky. But I can’t shake this feeling, Doc. It’s like she’s hiding something, and it’s eating me alive.”
Kyle stared down at the marble countertop, his eyebrows pinching. “The thing is, Mav…”
Before he could finish, Ava appeared in the doorway.
“Ava!” Alex said, his eyes widening as he rose from his lean against the counter. “Hey, babe, what’s up?”
He offered her a nervous chuckle and a grin, hoping she hadn’t heard anything he’d just said to Kyle.
“Trouble is what’s up.”
“So, what else is new?” Kyle asked. “Trouble is always what’s up. Which trouble is it this time?”
“Shadow trouble.”
Alex rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms. “Now what does he want?”
“It’s not what he wants. I haven’t heard from him–”
“That seems like a good thing,” Alex said. “Maybe he slinked back to The Board and they’re going to leave us alone.”
Ava shook her head, hopping onto the stool next to Kyle. “No. Since I haven’t heard from him, and that’s super weird, I called his cell.”
“And got his voicemail because he’s sulking somewhere because you came home with me and brought Chris with you. So now he’s like fourth in line,” Kyle said.
Ava’s forehead creased as she glanced at him. “What?”
“He’s upset because he’s fourth.”
“Fourth for what?” she asked.
“You, Ava. Like it’s Alex, then me, then Chris, then Shadow.”
Ava stared at the counter for a second before she shook her head. “That’s not even…okay, no. Focus here, guys. He’s not sulking. I called his phone, and Miranda answered.”
“He’s hanging out with Miranda?!” Kyle asked. “Another plot twist I never saw coming!”
“That’s what I’m concerned about. I don’t think he’s hanging out with Miranda. I’m concerned Miranda grabbed him. There’s a war within The Board. And she was testing him. What if this is the test?”
“So what do you want us to do, Avs?” Alex asked.
“I think we need to track his phone and go get him.”
“Whoa, whoa.” Kyle waved a hand in the air. “What if the test is that no one comes to get him?”
“What if the test is that she kills him?”
“That’s a stupid test,” Kyle said with a shrug.
“Stupid or not, we can’t chance it. If Miranda has him, we need to help him. He’s helped us.”
Alex mulled it over. He preferred the man to be out of the picture for several reasons.
But Ava had a point–a tiny one. Sebastian did provide them with information.
Not a ton, but maybe enough to help them defeat The Board.
And he supposed it didn’t hurt to look into the location of the man’s phone.
“All right. I’ll find his phone. But I’m not sure we should go charging into whatever location it’s at. It could be a setup. I mean, why would Miranda answer it?”
Ava’s eyebrows shot up. “My guess? He has me listed under some obscured name, and she wanted to see who was on the other end of the line.”
“Why wouldn’t he just list you as Ava since he was into you?” Alex asked.
“Because that would be stupid. Alex, please…find him so we can figure this out. In the meantime, I’ll try calling Vivienne. Maybe she’ll know something.”
Alex bobbed his head as he raised his phone in the air. “Text me his number.”
Ava nodded, sending the information to him before she scrolled to find Vivienne’s contact information.
Alex kissed her cheek as she pressed the phone to her ear. “Meet me in the living room.”
She nodded as he strode out of the kitchen and grabbed his laptop before he settled onto the couch.
He glanced over his shoulder as he waited for his tracing program to load, lamenting the fact that Kyle had stayed behind in the kitchen with Ava.
Had he done that on purpose? He’d been about to tell Alex something, but with Ava’s interruption, he’d never had the chance.
Would Alex ever learn the truth about what was going on between the three of them?
He shoved the thought aside, focusing on tracing Sebastian’s cell phone. He dug his phone from his pocket and toggled to Ava’s message, tapping the cell phone number she’d sent into his program.
He set it running and stretched his neck. With a glance over his shoulder, he considered tiptoeing into the kitchen and dragging Kyle away from Ava to finish their conversation.
What had the man been about to tell him?
“I knew there was a secret,” he murmured, shifting his laptop off his lap and climbing to his feet. “And I’m going to find out what it is.”
Before he could take another step, Ava and Kyle strode into the room. Her eyes went wide, her eyebrows arching. “Did you find him?”
Alex shook his head. “No, I was just going…to get another cup of coffee.”
He cleared his throat, shoving his hands into his pockets and hoping she didn’t notice the lie.
Ava stared at him for a minute. “Hey, Doc, would you mind grabbing Alex a cup of coffee?”
“Uhhh, nope,” the man said before he scurried toward the kitchen. “Be right back.”
Ava arched an eyebrow, settling her arms across her chest. “What’s up, Ace?”
“Need some caffeine,” he said with a grin. “I’m tired.”
“Something keeping you awake?” she asked.
“Nah,” he said with a shake of his head, avoiding her gaze. Why was she so terrifying when she questioned him?
“You’re not telling me the truth. What’s on your mind?”
He pressed his lips together, the accusation burning him. He wasn’t telling her the truth, but he wasn’t the only one lying.
“Okay, maybe I’m not. Maybe there is something on my mind.”
“Is it the thing about me going back to Chris? Because, babe, that’s not happening.”
“No,” Alex said, his features pinching. “It’s…Ava, you’re keeping something from me. I know you are. I can tell. I just…don’t know what it is or why you’re doing that, and I honestly feel like it’s because you don’t want us to be together anymore and you don’t know how to say it.”
Her features shifted, her eyes softening as she hurried toward him, wrapping her arms around his waist. “That’s the furthest thing from the truth, Alex. I want us.”
He licked his lips, nodding. “Okay, good. So, then why are you keeping things from me? What are you hiding? Is it Chris? Is he still interested, and you don’t want me to know?”
“No,” she said with a shake of her head.
“Ava, then what? Because I’m going crazy here. You’ve lied to me at least three times already, and every time I just get this sick feeling in my stomach about what this could be about. I can’t think of anything good.”
“What if I was planning a surprise birthday party? That’s a good lie,” she answered.
“My birthday isn’t for months,” he answered.
She tugged one corner of her lips back. “I know.”
With a sigh, she raised her gaze to meet his. “I know that. And I am keeping something from you. And it’s not because I want to hurt you, it’s just the opposite.”
“So, it’s something bad. I knew it. What is it? Is it Shadow? Is he coming on to you?”
“No. Alex–”
“Doc?! He’s been acting super sketchy. Did he kiss you again?”
“No,” she said with a shake of her head. “Alex, no. It’s... no one flirting with me.”
“Then what is it?”
She licked her lips, her expression turning serious. “I’ve been having some strange symptoms. I asked Kyle to look into it. When I was in the carousel, I almost fainted.”
“Ava…” His heart plummeted at the words. Was something wrong with her? Was this something fixable or not?
“I know, it’s kind of scary. That’s why I didn’t want anyone to tell you until we had a better handle on it. But I’m sure I’m fine. Doc thinks it could be stress, maybe.”
“What are the symptoms?” Alex asked, a tremble in his voice.
“I get hot all over, sweaty, weak-kneed, blackening vision. No, I’m not pregnant, we checked.”
“You took a pregnancy test and didn’t tell me?”
She wrinkled her nose. “Yeah, sorry. I mean, I didn’t think I was pregnant, but Doc insisted we had to check.”
“Well, now what? What is he doing for you now?”
“Blood work. We’ll see what comes out of that.”
“Okay, I have questions. Lots of questions.” Alex peered over her head toward the kitchen. “Doc, get in here.”
Kyle hurried in with a steaming coffee mug. “Got your coffee just the way you like it, Mav.”
He grinned nervously as he passed the cup to Alex. “Great. I’d also like a side of answers.”
“There was a bug in the tent, that was it.” Kyle pressed his lips together, his hands wringing.
“Doc, I told him. He was really upset about me lying.”
Kyle slid his eyes closed, heaving a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness. I hated this whole lying thing too. I almost caved this morning and told you.”
“I knew it. I can’t believe you are my bro and you lied to me.”
“You said we weren’t really bros.”
“Dude, it’s bros before–”
“Don’t say that word in reference to me, Alex.” Ava wagged a finger at him.
“Fine, but you know you’re supposed to tell me stuff. Come on! Anyway, Ava said you did blood work. Then what?”
“We wait and see if anything shows up, and then if it does, we treat it. If it doesn’t, we try something else. We need to keep monitoring her symptoms carefully in the meantime.”
Alex heaved as a sigh as he shook his head. “I can’t believe you tried to keep this from me. I should know so I can help.”
“I just didn’t want you worrying, babe. You worry all the time about everything. Now you’ll be worried about this.”
“Yes, I will,” he answered. “And I should. At least I’m not worried about you leaving me for Crossbeam Chris.”
“That was never going to happen,” Ava said with a roll of her eyes. “Now, can we please move on to the other crisis facing us right now? I’m fine, okay?”
Alex glanced over his shoulder as the laptop. “Yeah. Looks like the program located him.”
“Good,” Ava said, releasing him so he could grab the device. “Where is he?”
Alex furrowed his brow, tapping on the keyboard. “That can’t be right.”
“Where?” Ava prompted.
“Uhhh, Hong Kong–”
“Hong Kong? Seriously?”
Alex shook his head, running the application again. “No, that can’t be right. I’m running it again.”
The trio grouped around the screen as the new result popped up. Alex screwed up his face. “South Africa?”
“Dude, your program’s on the fritz.”
“No,” Alex argued with a shake of his head. “My program is flawless. Something else is going on here.”
He stared at the location on the screen, his features twisting with concern. “And it’s something that means we can’t track Shadow. We can’t find him.”
His stomach dropped as he realized their one source connecting them to The Board had just dropped off the face of the earth.