Chapter 15
15
It’s been a long time since I wished there was more than flimsy swim trunks between me and a woman. I’m not a lech. I’m not the type to eye up a passing woman. My sex drive has always come from a word, not a look.
But Ava in that emerald-green bikini is using up every ounce of my willpower to keep my eyes above shoulder height. And when her skin melted against mine, something shifted even further, and like some ticking bomb, it seems to me there isn’t long left before I’m about to explode.
My brothers are right. She is my type. She was already my type without the curves and perfect milky skin and constellations of freckles. She was my type before I saw her hair cascade down over those perfect breasts and the nip of her feminine waist. She was my type when she hacked the system, when she challenged my resolve, when she befriended my father and offered her services at Town Hall. I’m desperate to know her better; each glimpse brings me closer to less of a want and more of a need. She’s magnetic.
Because she has an outside to match those inner qualities, I need to create some space for the attraction to die down. I should. And yet I can’t peel my eyes off her. I don’t trust any of these idiots to be respectful as they tumble into a drunken stupor.
I made her drink festive, despite it being non-alcoholic, and took myself off. She has Penelope and Callum, my dad, Santi… and now, by the looks of it, several stable hands and trainers to keep her company.
It’s getting late; the sun has fallen and the moon has risen. Twinkling ambient lights illuminate the pool area. I nurse a warm beer, leaning against the pool house, like I always do at these parties if I’m still around at this time. Only Rio notices I haven’t left early.
He sidles up next to me, and I sense him following my eyeline.
“So,” he pauses for effect. “You’re a fool after all?”
I take a swig of beer and instantly regret the taste of piss on my tongue. “I stayed to talk to some of the GhostEye staff. Ava thinks we could have an inside hack. We should gather intel.”
He takes a drink of what I know is tequila. It’s the only thing he’d ever have. Me, too, usually, but the last thing I want to be is buzzed, not even in the slightest right now. I have a feeling Bran might make a move. Or someone else. It’s torture to stick around to see it or think I have a right to do anything about it. Guess I’m a masochist .
I can’t help myself wanting to protect her. I still don’t know what she’s been through. If she’s holding it close to her chest, the story isn’t going to be pretty. But the hot-blooded coils simmering below the surface as I watch the guys flirt with her tell me I’m just as jealous as I am protective.
I have to keep reminding myself she works for me. She’s young. Now I know, she’s vulnerable. These all add up to off limits. Still, none of these reasons stop the wanting.
Rio tosses me one of those looks over the rim of his glass that tells me gathering intel is a shit excuse.
I defend my actions. “I’m only as protective as you would be of an asset.”
“Ass being the operative word.” A sly grin slips across his face.
I punch his arm.
Ava is across the pool from us with Penelope, Callum, and a few guys from the stables who are her age. They’ve been hanging out by the lounge chairs for a while. The conversation is animated now that alcohol has dulled inhibition for most of them. I’ve seen one of them put his arm around Ava a few times, and she’s politely moved out from under it as if a natural movement. But she’s not drinking. She knows what she’s doing and he does not.
Rio tips his drink toward her. “Why don’t you just admit you find her attractive? You haven’t taken your eyes off her all night.”
I give him an inch. “Everyone is attracted to her, making my attraction meaningless.”
He leans against the pool house next to me and gazes over to where she is. “Who’s the asshole who just put his arm around her?”
“I think his name is Franz or something. Some German trainer.” I’ll know his exact name by the end of the night, and he’ll be on my shit list.
“Oh, yeah. His name is Karl, actually.”
“Same difference.”
The German fuck needs to know what respect means. I know he’s drinking, I know Ava is laughing, everyone is, but it’s no excuse not to keep your hands to yourself.
Rio and I stand in silence; their conversation grows louder. Loud enough for me to catch parts of it through the night that has now fallen.
Karl’s words float across the aquamarine water. “You could always dress up as Jesus,” he says playfully to Ava.
“I’ll go to the stable yard Halloween party, Karl, but I’m not coming as Jesus!” Ava answers.
“Why not? Steve Jobs did it? You said you’re a computer nerd. Didn’t you?”
“He didn’t go to a party as Jesus…”
“He did!” Karl insists. “If I prove it, you do a shot.”
I hate when men try to get women to drink more. I was right to stay. If he doesn’t prey on Ava it will probably be someone else. I’ve seen these men before in college. Who the hell hired this guy? Santi?
Ava answers, “I don’t drink, so no deal.”
He swipes and taps his cell, apparently searching for proof. “Here. See? Jobs as Jesus. It’s not even fake news.”
Ava reads his cell, but before she finishes, Karl snatches it back, throws it down on a lounger, and picks Ava up in a fireman’s carry, throwing her over his shoulder.
“I win… you lose…” he says while laughing like an idiot.
Her legs kick, and she slaps his back. “Stop!” She laughs, but it’s nervous. “Put me down.”
I put down my beer, but before I can race to the other side to intervene, he shouts, “Not before you have your drink!”
And he throws her in the pool.
Callum stands from his seat next to Pen and shoves Karl hard enough for him to fall onto the lounge chair behind. “The fuck, Karl!”
My eyes are now trained on the deep end of the pool. Ava hasn’t come up. My heart races, and instantly, I don’t even think about looking like a fool. I dive right in. Underwater, Ava pushes her hands against the water but doesn’t move upward, and she holds her breath. Frantic bubbles escape from her nose, panicked eyes shoot wide open. Red waves float around her, as desperate to reach the surface as she is.
I wrap my arm around her and swim her up to air where she takes in a raspy breath and coughs.
“You’re okay… I got you.” I swim us to the edge and hold her in my arms until her breath steadies. “You okay?”
She nods quickly, adrenaline clearly coursing through her, and she breathes hard. “That was less painful than the last time you saved me.”
A wary, meek laugh slips from her lips, and I know that scared the shit out of her, but people have gathered around now. Everyone is watching so she’s slapped on a brave face.
Karl leans over us. “I’m sorry… I didn’t know you couldn’t swim…”
I ignore him for the moment. I need to get Ava out of the pool. She’s shaking with the shock of it.
“Look at me…” I place my hand on her cheek.
Her gaze meets mine. Her pupils are so large I can hardly see the red-brown iris anymore.
“You’re all right… let’s get you out… okay… hold the edge. I’m go ing to pop out and get you on dry land. You okay with that?”
She nods again, still speechless, and reaches both hands to the edge and holds on so tightly she’s white-knuckled. I press myself out of the pool then grip her forearms to pull her out. She stands there soaked and dripping, hair stuck to her neck and the side of her face.
As if the emotion of almost drowning finally occurs to her, she throws herself on me. “Thank you, Enzo.”
My hands land on her waistline, and I wish the world would fall away beneath our feet and the walls of the life around us would disappear so I could enjoy her flesh in my hands. But everyone is watching. Thankfully, Penelope piles in behind Ava for something of a group hug, taking the tone of the embrace down a notch. We lead Ava to a lounge chair, and Callum puts a towel over her shoulders.
Now that she’s okay, I most definitely am not. Rage courses through my veins, and I snap my gaze to the man who did this to her.
Karl starts to apologize again, but he’s interrupted by my fist grabbing his stupid Hawaiian shirt so tightly he nearly comes off the ground. “You fucking leave this property now. You don’t work here anymore.”
“Hey, it was an accident.” He puts his hands up innocently. He glances over to Ava for support.
“Don’t look at her.” I growl. I jostle him with the grip of the fabric I’m grasping so hard my veins are thick and popping. “Get. Off. My. Property.”
By now, Rio is standing behind me with his arms crossed, deliberately making his biceps look twice as big, backing me up. My dad and Santi stand next to Ava, and Dad puts another towel around her shoulders and rubs her back .
“Santiago,” Karl pleads.
Hearing his voice again only makes me tighten my grip.
“Come on, man…”
Santi comes to my side. “Zo… let him go.”
I can’t help but snarl in the fucker’s face but I release him with a shove. Karl attempts to find some dignity and smooths his shirt, but everyone is looking at him with disgust.
Santi places his hand on my shoulder. I’m still heaving with anger.
“My mess, bro, my cleanup. Come on, Karl, I’ll walk you to the gate.”
Shock sparks on his features. “The gate? Wait. What the hell?”
“You’re fired, man.” Santi starts walking, fully expecting Karl to follow.
“What? We have a contract! I gave up my job in Europe…”
“The lawyers will work it out,” Santi says in that nonchalant way of his that if you’re on the receiving end is painfully patronizing. “Are you coming with me or am I giving my brother the pleasure of dragging you?”
Karl spurts something in German that I can only imagine are obscenities. He’d better leave soon because I’m not giving him any more credence.
Thankfully, he grabs his cell from the lounger in complete disgust and follows my brother, disgraced.
Rio announces to the crowd, “All right. Nothing more to see here.”
He claps his hands, and people seem to understand it means get back to the party.
The ring of voyeurs disperses, but there’s a sobering murmur I’m not sure even a few more pitchers of margaritas would liven up.
I go to sit next to Ava on the lounger and bend down to talk to her quietly. “You sure you’re okay?”
She’s still shaking.
“I kind of want to go home now.” She stares at the pool.
“I’ll walk you over. Or I can grab my car?”
“I’ll walk. I need to make sure my legs still work.” She laughs lightly. “I can’t stop shaking.”
Callum bends down in front of her. As a police officer, he’s qualified as an emergency medical responder. “Do you mind if I check you? I think you’re in shock, Ava.”
She offers a thin-lipped smile. “I swear I’m fine. I’d rather not have the attention anymore. I really am okay. More embarrassed than anything.”
Penelope wraps her arm around Ava. “He’s the one who should be embarrassed. What a fuckwit.”
“I should have seen it coming, Ava,” Callum apologizes. “I’m off duty, so I’ve had one too many to be sharp enough.” He sounds genuinely annoyed with himself.
I know how he feels. I stood there for two hours staring with the sole goal of protecting her and failed. Next time, there won’t be any space for Karls.
Because it will be me by her side.