Chapter 9
AVA
I stared at the table, eyes blurred, as I replayed Cole’s speech in my head. Was I wrong for thinking he was talking about us? I expected his speech to be full of stories about Luke and a few words of congratulations. Instead, it sounded like he was a man fighting for something.
He’s just a smooth talker. My grip on my wine glass tightened. He’d proven he could talk me around even with everything stacked against him. This was just more of the same. Though why he bothered, I didn’t understand.
I stiffened when Becky and Luke walked onto the dance floor for their first dance. The bridal party would join them shortly, and I’d have to dance with Cole. I waited for the last possible moment before taking the hand he offered me.
His arms came around me, and his hand burned against the small of my back.
He held me like I was made of glass, careful not to pull me an inch closer, but his jaw was so tight a muscle ticked in his cheek.
We swayed to the music, and despite everything, my body relaxed in his hold, recognizing his touch and his presence.
I tried to fight the feeling of safety I got being in his arms, but my mind couldn’t override it.
Finally, I couldn’t take the silence between us and whispered, “Why are you doing this?”
His answer was simple, but struck me deeply. “Because I’m not holding back anymore.”
The second the song ended, I left the dance floor. I looked for Maisie, confirming she was still being watched by my parents, then slid into the darkness surrounding the reception area. I needed to breathe. To escape the tug inside me that still wanted the Cole I thought I saw that morning.
But I wouldn’t let him hurt me again. The first time I could blame it on being young. The second time, on being hopeful I could give Maisie the family she deserved. If it happened a third time, there’d be nothing to blame but my foolishness.
I stopped near the edge of the forest, crossing my arms over my chest, and stared up at the stars. Despite the anger and the utter conviction that I was right to walk away when he lied to me, it still hurt. I’d almost let myself believe he had changed. That he would finally choose me.
“Ava.” Cole’s voice, pitched low, drifted toward me on the cool night air.
“I don’t want to talk to you.”
“I know. And I don’t blame you.” He stepped in front of me, hands in his pockets. “But I can’t just let you walk away. I didn’t fight for us six years ago. I will now.”
“You call lying to me fighting for us?” Bitterness coated my tone.
“No. I call it a mistake. I thought I was protecting you. I was wrong.” He pulled a familiar envelope out of the inside pocket of his coat.
“The truth is, I don’t know how to protect you from this.
My grandfather realized Maisie is my daughter, and he threatened to go after custody of her if I don’t agree to marry the woman he chose. ”
It felt like something was squeezing my airway, strangling me. I gasped for air. Cole gripped my shoulders. “Breathe, Ava. I will never let that happen. He can’t have Maisie.”
My head was light, and my heart cracked. “You’re going to do it. You’re going to do what he wants.”
“Not a chance.” He shook his head sharply. “I let him think he’d won. I thought if I bought myself some time, I’d figure out a way to beat him at his game. But I should have told you. You asked me for honesty, and at the first opportunity to prove I could be trusted, I lied.”
He said all the right words, but they weren’t enough. They would never be enough.
Cole kept talking. “I don’t know how to be the partner you deserve. But I want to learn.”
He pulled the papers out of the envelope and handed them to me. I took out my phone and turned on the flashlight, skimming the legal document. The amount of money mentioned made me dizzy. “Oh my god. You talked about a family trust, but I had no idea…”
“I don’t care about the money.” He shook his head like we were talking about pennies. “I walked away from it once and I’ll gladly do it again.”
“There are a lot of zeros here, Cole.” I waved the papers at him.
“You and Maisie are worth more to me.” He said it so simply, I couldn’t help but believe him. I just didn’t know if it changed anything between us.
“Why did you show me this?”
“I need you to realize what we’re up against.” His voice was grim. “My grandfather has money and power. And he hates to lose. He doesn’t see Maisie as a little girl. She’s a chess piece to him, and he’ll sacrifice her if it gets him the win.”
“I won’t let him touch her.” Ice flooded my veins.
“Neither will I.” Cole held my gaze firmly with his. “I promise you, Ava. Maisie will be safe.”
“What’s your plan?”
“I’m done holding back. I’m going to make sure he can never threaten my family ever again.” His eyes were fierce. “He's coming back tonight. I called him. We have ten minutes to set this up. Do you trust me?”
Minutes later, I crouched in the shadow cast by a truck in the parking lot while Cole stood beneath a light. The sleek black car from earlier pulled up, and his grandfather got out. The smug smile on his face made me want to smack him, but I forced myself to stay hidden.
“Finally came to your senses?”
“You left me little choice,” Cole bit out the words. “You threatened my family. My daughter.”
His grandfather scoffed. “You need to toughen up. Maybe this marriage will finally make a real man out of you.”
“Like you? If your idea of a real man is one who threatens to take a child away from the mother who loves them, I want nothing to do with it. You’re weak,” Cole goaded him. “A pathetic excuse of a man.”
“Unlike you, I’m willing to do whatever it takes to succeed.” His grandfather narrowed his gaze. “You need to learn that nothing—and no one—else matters. Now, sign those papers or I will use every bit of power and money I possess to destroy that child you foolishly want to protect.”
Cole yanked the papers from his pocket. “These papers? The ones promising me access to the family trust if I marry the woman you chose for me? I sign these, and you’ll leave my daughter alone?”
“Yes, yes.” He motioned for Cole to sign. “Sign the papers and your bastard child is safe.”
I almost flew from my hiding spot at those words, but I forced myself to stay still. We had a plan.
Cole tilted his head, held the papers in front of his grandfather, and ripped them in half. “I don’t want your money.”
The older man’s face reddened, and his voice filled with rage.
“I don’t bluff, Cole. I will drag that woman through the mud, and take custody of your precious daughter.
You think the court will side with a single mother scraping pennies together over a billionaire?
I will make both of them hate you. And there is nothing you can do to stop me. ”
“Are you sure about that?” Dark amusement edged Cole’s words, and he turned his face toward my hiding spot. “Did you get all of that, Ava?”
“Every word.” I stood up and walked to Cole’s side. “Thank you for standing in the light. The video really pops.”
The color drained from his grandfather’s cheeks as his gaze shot to the cell phone I held.
“Now, Grandfather.” Cole clapped his hands together to get his attention. “Here’s how this is going to go. You will leave my family alone. Ava and Maisie are off-limits to you. Forever.”
“I want that video deleted,” he said, full of bluster.
Cole shook his head. “You’re in no position to bargain. Is he, Ava?”
“Not even remotely.” I glared at the man who threatened my daughter. My body vibrated with barely contained rage. I wanted to let it out, but Cole wasn’t finished.
“If you hadn’t threatened my family, I would have let you walk away.
” Cole’s voice hardened. “I don’t care about the money or the family business.
You could have gone back to the city and kept it all.
Ruled over your little kingdom until the day you died.
But you went after the two people I love more than anything. ”
The world tilted on its axis. Love. He hadn't just said it to the old man. It felt like he’d said it to me.
He stepped closer to his grandfather. “I suspect the board of directors and the shareholders will be very interested in the little video we made. You’re going to be so busy fighting for your position that you won’t have time to think about coming after me and my family.
And you will lose. I’ll also be speaking to an attorney about whether anything you said warrants criminal or civil charges.
You threatened to destroy my daughter. I’m promising to destroy you. ”
I saw real fear in the man’s eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out.
"You should go now. Before Ava decides that ruining you legally isn't enough."
I took a step forward, my hands curling into fists. "He's right. Get out of here. Now."
His grandfather shot a look my way. Whatever he saw must have convinced him because he rushed to open the car door and slid inside. The car peeled away, leaving Cole and I alone.
Now that we’d resolved the threat to Maisie, all that remained was what to do about us. Cole had gone beyond words tonight, but was it enough to restore the fragile trust we’d been building before his grandfather showed up this morning?