131

Ava wondered if time had stopped or if God was playing a trick on her by making it flow as slow as molasses. She was grateful to have Gabriel with her, she was convinced she would have gone insane without him. They had called and texted Linda as well. She was furious being locked in a supply room in the hospital. Carlos had even refused to let her out to use the bathroom. Ava knew her friends anger were made worse by her worry. Ava were thrown between agonising worry and searing hot anger. Once an hour, Tom would check in on them, but he refused to tell her what was happening. He just reassured them that both Zane and Ryder were alive. Gabriel cursed for both of them each time Tom declared he would not answer any questions, but he would check in on them in an hour again. The first hours both Ava and Gabriel had obsessively looked through any media outlets to see if they reported anything. No one seemed to know there was a mafia war going on. Gabriel told her it was a good thing, it meant the police didn’t know either. Ava clung to the piece of positive news and the two of them repeated it to each other as the continued to check the news throughout the day.
“At least we’re not starving,” Gabriel told her as he ate another spoonful of applesauce.
“Yeah,” Ava agreed as she did the same. They had been raiding the small fridge in her office on and off during the day. “It’s almost dinner time. I hope Anna is okay, and the rest of the staff,” she added.
“They will be kept safe. Say what you want about our men, but they make sure to protect the innocent if at all possible,” Gabriel said. Ava nodded. There was a click from the shutters over the door and both Ava and Gabriel flew up from the couch. As the shutters lifted, Zane and Ryder walked into the room. Ava’s body filled with relief as she rushed forward and was engulfed by Zane’s strong arms. She was pulled in to him and Zane pressed her against him. Ava wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest.
“You are alive,” she said as she let go of her breath.
“I’m alive and unharmed, as are you,” Zane told her. Something in his voice made Ava look up at him. He had his usual stone face on, she could see he was relieved to have her in his arms. But there was something else there as well.
“I missed you,” she told him. He gave her a smile and kissed her. When he drew back she gave him a hard smack over his bicep. “Not one check in all day? Would it have killed you to tell someone to let Tom know your status?” she told him in an angry voice. Zane’s smile grew bigger.
“I’m sorry,” he said. Ava didn’t buy it for a moment.
“That goes for you too, mister,” Gabriel told Ryder.
“Aww, don’t be mad at me, baby. I didn’t want to worry you. I knew you would be beside yourself if Tom told you I had been shot,” Ryder said.
“You were shot!” Gabriel shouted and started patting Ryder down.
“I was. It’s not serious at all. A little grace on the leg,” Ryder confirmed.
“And you are walking around?! Seriously, Ryder. We need to have a talk about your self-preservation. We need to get you into a bed,” Gabriel said, nudging Ryder to start walking.
“Yes, babe,” Ryder said. When they turned around to walk out of the office, Ava could have sworn he winked at Zane.
“Ready to head home?” Zane asked.
“I am. But this conversation isn’t over. I have had a lot of time to think being locked up here all day. I have… ideas,” she told him. “Is everyone okay?”
“Mostly. Ten men dead in total, another fifteen wounded,” he told her as he walked her out of her office.
“I think Jax might be in need of a doctor before the end of the day. Linda is very upset,” she told him. He chuckled.
“That’s okay. He took a bullet to the arm and refused to see the doctor before going to get Linda.” Ava smiled.
“That might do it,” she agreed. “Some one else of the closest people hurt?”
“No. Anna and the rest of the girls are okay.” She nodded and leaned in a little closer to him. She was still mad, and they would talk about that. But she wanted to go home and she needed to know what Zane was not telling her.
“Only one car?” she asked as they got into the garage.
“We were in a hurry,” Zane told her. For once he got into the car first and then held out his hand to her. Ava smiled and climbed in after him. He pulled her into his lap. “And we didn’t think we would need more space,” he added as he secured her to him. Ryder got in next to them and made Gabriel sit on his lap.
“Ryder, your leg,” Gabriel objected. Ryder scoffed.
“If something like that would stop me from getting your fine ass in my lap, I am either dead or crazy,” Ryder chuckled. Gabriel put both his hands over Ryders mouth.
“Don’t even say something like that!” he hissed. Ava smiled and leaned her head on Zanes shoulder. She enjoyed being close to him and listening to Ryder and Gabriel bickering. Zane leaned closer to her.
“I really have been thinking about you all day,” he whispered.
“We are not having that conversation here. I’m just happy that you are safe and not hurt. It doesn’t mean you are off the hook, honey,” she whispered back. Again, he smiled at her anger.
“I will do what ever you tell me to,” he told her. Ava kissed him. As they arrived at the manor, it was getting dark. Ava looked around but couldn’t see any signs of what had happened there today.
“It looks like it always does,” she said.
“We know how to clean up,” Ryder said.
“Maybe we should let you handle the cleaning of the mansion,” she teased. Ryder and Zane laughed. They got out of the car and like always, Anna stood waiting for them as they got home. Again Ava got a dose of relief. She hugged Anna.
“Mrs Ava, it’s good to see you,” Anna said.
“I’m so happy to see you, Anna. I was worried,” Ava told her.
“That is sweet of you, Mrs. Ava. But master Velky always make sure we are safe,” Anna told her. “You have to be hungry, we have dinner ready for you.”
“You are a life saver. I just need to go and change, this suit has more wrinkles on it than a Shar pai.”
“We will be down in twenty minutes, please start serving dinner as soon as someone sits down at the table. No need to stand on formality to night,” Zane said. Ava was happy he followed her upstairs. As soon as the door closed behind them in their bedroom, Zane had her pressed up against it. He was kissing her with a desperate hunger. Ava returned the kiss with equal intensity. They ended up wrapped around each other with Zane resting his forehead on her shoulder.
“I fucking hated not being able to speak with you today,” Zane told her.
“We can have our dinner in your office and talk,” Ava offered him.
“I would like that. But I need to show everyone that we are strong. You can lay down if you need and Anna will bring you up some food. Maybe we should ask Linda or the doctor to give you a check up,” he told her.
“I’m not tired. I have spent my day in a room with nothing to do. If we need to show that your father won’t effect us, then I’m going to sit right next to you at the dining table. And we will have our talk after. Just tell me one thing; Did you get your father? Is it over?” she told him.
“That is two questions, angel. But yes. He is in the basement as we speak,” he told her.
“Good,” she told him and kissed him again. Ava changed into jeans and a blouse. She really wanted to change into sweat pants and a t-shirt. But appearance was everything on an evening like this. Zane had changed his suit and together they headed down the stairs. As the got to the second floor landing, Anna came walking up the stairs.
“Did we take to long?” Ava asked her. Zane smiled and gave Ava’s cheek a kiss.
“No, Mrs. Ava. We have two detectives at the gate that wants to talk to you or Master Velky,” Anna told them. This day, Ava thought.
“Let them in and show them to the library,” Ava told her. Anna nodded and turned around and walked down the stairs. “I will deal with them,” she then told Zane.
“No! I will talk to them,” he insisted.
“Zane, honey. You have had a bad day. On top of that there is something that is eating at you. I don’t know what and I’m not going to demand you tell me right now. That is for when we get some time to talk. But you are not in a place to deal with the detectives. You will lose your temper and you will end up doing something stupid. I’m good at this part, remember? Let me handle this, as my contribution. Or els I will insist you give me a gun so I can help you defend the family that way,” she told him. He smiled and kissed her.
“Yes, angel. Thank you. And no guns for you. A year of training and it’s still a fifty-fifty chance you hit the target,” he joked with her. She giggled and walked with him down to the diningroom. Ryder, Gabriel, Jax and Linda were already eating together with some of the men. Other men were walking into the dining room to fill their plates at the serving table and then heading to find somewhere to sit. There were two empty chairs next to each other that remained empty.
“I will soon join you. I have to talk to some people first,” Ava told them. Zane kissed her cheek.
“If you aren’t back in ten minutes, I’ll come and get you,” he promised.
“Thank you.”