100

“Gabriel?” Ava softly asked and drew him into a hug. 

“I haven’t met him, I promise,” her best friend sobbed. 

“It’s okay, I believe you.”

“But he keeps asking me to meet, and he tells me things and I don’t know if they are true or not. But if they are, I think I should do something,” he then said. 

“What has he been telling you?” she asked.

“He said that when we were together, he went on one of his trips and he felt so lonely, so he spent the evening drinking in the bar. There was a woman there, and she seduced him.” Gabriel paused to collect himself. 

“Let me guess, he had no choice and it was all her fault?” Ava said. She knew she should be softer and more mindful, but she was just so angry at Jonas and his constant bullshit. 

“That’s what he said.” Gabriel nodded.

“Do you believe him?” Ava asked.

“No,” he said in a whisper. 

“Good.”

“But there is more. He said that she go pregnant and that’s why he acted like he did towards me, because he was so guilty and tried to deal with this woman at the same time,” he told her. 

“Oh, darling. I know you might want to blame all of what happened on some strange woman, but Gabriel.” She was interrupted by him shaking his head. 

“That’s not it. I see how messed up me and Jonas were. Our relationship was never healthy. Not even in the beginning, when things were good. And I don’t blame this woman,” he told her. 

“Then I don’t see the issue? Tell him to go away.”

“He says after the woman gave birth to the child, they were a family. As I had ended things, he felt like he had to be there for their son. Then six months ago, the woman left him and his son. He doesn’t know where she is and now he needs to deal with this toddler and he told me he doesn’t know what to do. He said he never stopped loving me and he wants us to be a family.” Ava looked at her friend with scared eyes. Was he contemplating dumping Ryder and taking up with Jonas? If he was, she would have him locked in the basement until she could get him to see reason.

“Are you thinking about it?” she asked.

“Well no, not really. Not like that,” he told her.

“Then how?”

“I’m not stupid, Ava. Being with Ryder has thought me a lot about how a relationship should be. I love him. He might be a little rough around the edges, and he is in the mafia and I know he does bad things. But he has never hurt me and never acted like I don’t matter. Well, the exception being when he kept me from finding you, but I have mostly forgiven him for that,” he said. It made Ava giggle. “I do realise that if this woman left Jonas and hasn’t been in touch with him. It’s most likely because he treated her like he treated me, or worse.” Ava nodded. She was proud that Gabriel had come so far that he was able to see the pattern. “But I can’t help but to think about the child. I can’t let a child grow up all alone with a man like him,” he said. Avas heart ached when she realised what he meant. She understood him. If she did some calculations in her head, if Jonas was telling the truth, and that was a big if. The child should be around four or five years old. She shuddered to think what Jonas would put that child through. 

“And you have been handling this all on your own?” she asked. He looked at her with teary eyes and nodded. She hugged him again. “Please tell me your solution isn’t to agree to play happy family?” 

“I don’t know. I don’t know what else to do to save the kid. Maybe I could pretend to want to be a family and then when Jonas relaxes, I could take the kid and get out?”

“Gabriel, do you realise what you would have to do before Jonas relaxes to that point?”

“I know, but I can’t just leave him with that monster!” Gabriel exclaimed. 

“First, you don’t even know if this kid exists. It can just be a ruse to get you back. Jonas knows how amazing you are and that you wouldn’t ignore a kid in need. Second, don’t sacrifice yourself,” she told him and slapped him over the head. “We are no longer alone,” she then reminded him with a smile.

“So what should I do?” he asked her, wiping tears off his face with his sleeves. 

“You are going to have a talk with your boyfriend. One moment,” she told him and took out her phone and sent a text.

A: Hey honey, are you busy?”

Z: Never when it comes to you, angel.

Ava smiled at her phone. 

A: Are you going out anytime soon, or could I borrow Ryder for a while?

Z: Jax and I will be in for the rest of the day. Why do you need Ryder? Has something happened?

A: It’s not for me, but for Gabriel. 

Ava thought for a moment and then sent another text.

A: And could you tell him he isn’t allowed to leave the mansion until you give him permission?

Z: You need to tell me what this is about, angel. 

A: I will. I need to talk to you about some things. 

Z: He will be right over

“Ryder is coming over and you are telling him everything. Including your kamikaze plan. And the two of you are to stay here until Zane or I call for you. Got it?” she asked. 

“Is it really necessary?” he asked and squirmed. 

“Afraid Ryder will tan you ass?” she joked. To her surprise, her friend turned a shade of deep red. 

“No,” he murmured. She smiled and kissed his cheek, and gave him a hug. They heard footsteps walk past the door and knock on the door to Ava’s and Zane’s bedroom. Ava got out of bed and opened the door and saw Ryder waiting by the wrong door. 

“Ryder, over here,” she called and walked out of the room. He frowned. 

“The boss said you were in your bedroom,” he told her. She shrugged.

“Go in and take care of Gabriel. Be gentle, he is upset. And remember, don’t leave the mansion without permission,” she told him. 

“Why is he upset?” Ryder asked, looking worried.

“He’ll tell you, but it’s not anything you have done,” she comforted him and sent him into the room. Then she walked over to her husband’s office. She had told Gabriel the truth. They were no longer alone. The two of them had found kindred spirits in each other. Both had been used to doing things by themselves, for themselves. But that was before. Now she had Zane and a complete organisation on her side. If Jonas wanted to mess with Gabriel, he would find out that messing with him meant messing with her. And messing with Ava meant taking on the strongest mafia organisation in the country. She would show him that Gabriel was no longer alone. He was no longer an easy target. Ava knocked on the door and walked in. Jax was sprawled on the couch, and Zane sat behind his desk.

“Time to spill the beans, Angel,” Zane told her in a dark voice. She smiled at him. Ava would enjoy this, she thought. She had already told Zane about Jonas, but she did a short recap, for Jax’s sake. Then she told them about the latest development. 

“I told him to tell Ryder everything,” she concluded. She was standing beside Zane and looked at the two men. They both looked pissed, and she smiled. 

“So that is why you asked me to make sure Ryder stayed put,” Zane said and took her hand. She nodded.

“Otherwise he would be on his way to turn Jonas into something resembling raspberry jelly,” she told them. 

“Don’t see the problem with thar,” Jax said with a shrug. 

“If there is a child involved, we need to handle it a little differently.”

“You know he wouldn’t hurt the kid,” Zane told her.

“I know. But still. We will need information, and that will be hard to get from a terrified child or from a pile of jelly,” she pointed out. 

“That is true,” Zane reluctantly admitted.

“So, what’s the plan? We go easy on him?” Jax asked. The look on his face told Ava how repulsive he found the idea. 

“Oh, not at all. He has hurt Gabriel, and he tried to do it again. He will suffer,” she told him. Jax laughed.

“You have rubbed off on her,” he told Zane.

“My dark angel,” Zane mused and smiled. His eyes were full of pride and heat. It sent a throb of heat through Avas core. She wondered if she had time to drag Zane into their bedroom, just for a quicky. Then she sighed. Who was she kidding? If she dragged him in there now, it wouldn’t be for a quicky. 

“So, can you loan me some men? I don’t think I can take Ryder, but Carlos and a handful of the others will be just as good,” she said. Both Zane’s and Jax’s eyebrows shot up. “What?”

“You think we would let you do this on your own?” Zane asked.

“Well, it’s not like I would do much. Mostly stay in the car. The two of you have plans for the day,” Ava told him. There was a dry laugh from Jax.

“Don’t think so, Angel. Are you seriously thinking I will let my pregnant wife take some men and grab a fucking abuser and kidnap his kid?” 

“When you put it like that…”

“Ava, you will leave this to us. Tell me what you want to happen and we’ll make sure it happens,” he told her. She was about to object, thinking she could handle it just as well as they could. But the look in Zane’s eyes made her hesitate. She glanced at Jax and he had the same expression. She sighed.

“Fine. But once you have… collected him, I will be part of the rest,” she insisted. Zane’s brows furrowed. “Don’t. That is not negotiable. And Simon as well, if he wishes,” she told her husband. It was his turn to sigh. 

“Alright, as long as you stay safe,” he agreed.

“You have a deal. I’m guessing finding him won’t be an issue for the two of you?”

“Please,” Jax huffed. “Child’s play.”

“when you have found out where he is, take him and bring him back here. Set him up in the basement. Bring some of the females in your service, make sure the child is safe. Bring him as well. He can stay in a guest room until we find his mother,” she told them. 

“We’ll get right on it, angel,” Zane told her and nodded to Jax. He stood from the couch and headed for his own office. When they were alone, Zane stood up and crowded her space. “Are you sure about this, angel?” he asked, making her look at him. 

“I’m sure,” she stubbornly said. He smiled and kissed her.