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“Why the fuck have you asked for this meeting?” Zane asked the two men. It looked like he was ready to kill. “And don’t give me the same weak reason you gave the man you sent with your request.” The brothers glanced at each other and there seemed to be a silent conversation going between them.

“We wanted to see if you were as strong as you have been,” the more serious brother said. Ava could see the muscle flex in Zane’s jaw as he bit down. 

“You thought I was weak? Thinking it would be a good idea to stroll in to my club, see if I was weak and then what? Try to take over?” he huffed. Both men shuffled a little in their chairs and Ava had to fight not to roll her eyes at them. They needed to grow a stronger back bone of bigger balls if they were to play in the same neighbourhood as her husband. 

“We intended no offence to you, Mr Velky. But there has been an organisation popping up lately that has been selling their wears on the outskirts of your territory in our city. Nothing has been done about it,” one brother said.

“And since you now are a married man,” the other said, glancing at Ava. “We thought maybe you had become a little more… comfortable,” he added. 

“Fuck comfortable,” Zane barked. “First of all. My wife is not a weakness, neither does she make me weak. Ave is more than capable of handling the two of you if I would ask her to do so,” he continued, lifting Ava’s and placing a kiss on it, before intertwining their fingers and holding it while he continued.

“Secondly, if you think this new player is getting free range of my turf, you are as stupid as you look. Between the two of you, I would think you could at least put together one fucking brain. But I guess that is to much to ask.” The brothers had paled and looked at Zane and then at each other.

“It’s a trap?” the older on asker. 

“Maybe you're not as stupid as I thought. This needs to stay in this office. If I hear a word of it on the streets, or if they take actions to prevent my plan, I will know how the word got out and it will be me coming after you. Do I make myself clear?” Zane said. 

“Yes, Mr Velky,” they said at the same time. Ava almost giggled at the look on their faces. 

“Good. Was there anything else?” The two brothers shook their heads, and Zane dismissively waved his hand. The guests and their guards left the office and Ava turned around to look down on the dancefloor, as did Zane and Jax.

When they saw the guests exit the door at the bottom of the stairs and could make sure none of their guards had got lost on the way, they turned back. “I want the fucker that is infringing on our business caught and delivered to me within two days.

I also want the fucking manager of the area in front of me before tomorrow night to explain to me why I need to get this information from the Ding Ding brothers and not from him,” Zane growled. 

“I’ll make sure of it,” Jax agreed. 

“We are lucky the two of them are as dense as they are,” Zane then said. It took Ava a moment to realise Zane had conned the brothers, that it has been as new to him as it was to her that another organisation was selling products out of his area. 

“Do we think this is connected with all the other things?” she asked. Zane sighed and tugged on her hand. She knew what it meant and stood up and moved over to his lap.

“I don’t know, angel. It may. Or it’s just a new player trying to make his mark in the business. I’m more worried that our men on site didn’t bring it to my attention.” 

“Either he is incompetent, or he has been bought by the other organisation, or he’s not loyal,” Jax counted. 

“I don’t like any of those alternatives,” Ava said. 

“Neither do I,” Zane confessed. “But he will be forced to own up to it. I’m sorry, angel. But we will need to stay for a while. Go downstairs and mingle.”

“I understand. It wouldn’t look good if we just up and left after our meeting.” the men nodded and Ava got up from Zane’s lap and let him lead her downstairs. They spent three hours in the club, talking to VIP guests, drinking and dancing.

Ava made sure to look relaxed and powerful, keeping her image up. It was exhausting to keep a mask on all the time, but she knew it was needed both for her own safety, but also for all the members of the organisation.

If she, and in association, Zane, looked weak, there would be a bloody war about who would get to pick their carcasses clean. She was relived when they finally got back in the car and she could lean her head against Zane’s shoulder as he wrapped his arm around her. 

“You did good today, angel,” he told her and kissed her head. She smiled. That was all she needed to know. 

Early the next morning, when Ava was enjoying a lazy morning in bed, her phone rang and she smiled when she saw Gabriel’s name. 

“Hey, you,” she answered. 

“Hi.” His answer sounded flat, and it made her worry. 

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Um, do you think I could stop by? Or would that be cutting into Zane’s time to get used to the baby?”

“Zane and Jax have things to do today, and even if they didn’t, you are always welcome. Come over as soon as you can,” she told him. When they hung up, she got out of bed and got into tights and one of Zane’s hoodies.

She had a feeling they needed to get comfy. Ava called down to the kitchen and asked for snacks to be brought up to her old room. She didn’t really use it since she and Zane shared a bedroom. But it was a good place to cuddle up with your best friend and get some privacy to talk about whatever was wrong. She put the snacks that were brought up and placed on the nightstands and then she waited until she heard the front door opening and she walked out and watched Gabriel climb the stairs.

He was usually dressed nicely and well put together, even on his days off. But now he was wearing sweats and his hair was standing in every which way. When he reached the top of the stairs, Ava opened up her arms and he walked straight into them. They stood hugging for a long while without saying a word. 

“Come on,” she told him, took his hand and towed him into the spare room. Once they got situated on the bed and Ava had handed Gabriel a bowl with chocolate-covered popcorn, she took his hand again. “Tell me.” He looked up at her and she could see he was tearing up. This must be bad, she thought. 

“So. Fuck, this is hard,” he mumbled and dragged his free hand over his face.

“Gabriel, there is nothing you can tell me that will make me stop loving you. You know that. This is a guilt free zone.”

“Right,” he said and nodded. He took a deep breath. “Two days ago i got a text from Jonas. I don’t know how he got my number, but he did. He told me things and said things to me. I don’t know, it just got me confused,” Gabriel told her. She could hear how close he was to start crying. 

“Oh, Gabriel,” she said. Putting her arm around him and pulling him closer. 

“The things he said, they really messed with me and I started feeling like I did back then. He said he still loved me and he wanted to meet me.” The confession made a cold hand clench Ava’s heart. 

“Gabriel, you didn’t meet him, did you? You haven’t … gone behind Ryder’s back?” she asked and she feared the answer. A soft sob escaped Gabriel.