Total pages in book: 235
Estimated words: 224334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1122(@200wpm)___ 897(@250wpm)___ 748(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 224334 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1122(@200wpm)___ 897(@250wpm)___ 748(@300wpm)
“What advice?”
“Doing things the right way.”
“You already did the thing.”
“I’m re-doing it.” I go to hang up and quickly put the phone back to my ear when I remember something. “Hey, John, how old are you?”
“Fuck off.” He hangs up and I look at my phone incredulously.
“Charming.” I lower to a stool and try Jay again, and this time he answers. “Anything?”
“The camera’s down,” he says, and I roll my eyes. “I’ve asked the barmen who were on that night if they saw anything untoward.”
“And?”
“Nothing.”
I deflate. “The guy at the bar.”
“In the suit? I assume he’s the problem here. Who is he?”
I laugh. “I haven’t got time to explain.” Just thinking of that snake brings on a murderous sweat. Not tonight.
I’m nearly knocked off my stool when Ava walks into the kitchen looking like a gorgeous, shimmering goddess. Fuck . . . me. That beauty will soon be my wife. And judging by the way she’s taking me in with delighted eyes, she’ll be absolutely fine about me being her husband once she sees her parents are fine with it.
I invite her onto my lap, her face now curious as she walks over and puts herself between my legs. “So, what can you tell me other than that?” I ignore Ava’s interest and kiss her frown away. “It’s fucking convenient that the other camera’s broken. Have you checked the footage from outside the bar?” Ava stills and scans my face, her look telling me to calm down. I’m calm. Perfectly calm.
“The one camera that’s working is the footage you saw. Maintaining CCTV is expensive. Cameras break all the time. Some have glasses thrown at them. The manager can’t afford to replace them constantly. I’ll keep digging.”
“Fine, let me know what you find.” I cast my phone aside, scowling, thinking, wondering. “It’s a fucking joke.”
“You think it was Mikael in the footage, don’t you?” Ava says quietly.
“Yes, I do.”
“Do you think that Mikael drugged me?”
“I don’t know, Ava.” I sigh. I need proof.
“It’s a bit farfetched, isn’t it?”
“He hates me. He knows you’re my Achilles heel. He’s been waiting for this.”
“Should we go to the police?” she asks, facing me. She looks so worried, finding it hard to comprehend. Me too, to be honest. It’s the lowest of blows, unbelievable, and yet I saw him with my own eyes.
“No, I’m dealing with it.”
She doesn’t argue with me, and it’s a fucking novelty. Because she’s scared. God, how simple her life would be without me. “I should be walking away from you.” I let my thoughts roll out of my mouth. “If I could bear it, I would.”
She looks at me in horror. “What?”
Her aversion is a small consolation. “I’ve upset a lot of people, Ava.” Jesus, the reality is, the weight of my guilt is lifting, but now I may have to deal with the repercussions. Ava’s my weak spot. And she hasn’t led the life I have. She’s been sheltered to an extent. I’ve seen what people are capable of, therefore my worry is warranted.
“Shut up, don’t say things like that.”
“Ava, the drink, the women—”
“I said, don’t. I don’t need a reminder that there have been other women since I’ve met you.”
I match her wince, apologizing. “I wish I could change everything, except you. You’re the only right thing in my life, and I’m even making that all wrong.”
My face is grabbed and pulled up. She’s fuming. Really, really mad. “Don’t.”
“I don’t know what I’ve done to deserve you.”
“You reminded me.”
Reminded her. God, the strength, the determination. It’s potent. Why am I ruining what should be a wonderful evening? Dwelling on . . . everything. Surely now we’re stronger than ever. And I’m about to make us even stronger. And Ava’s flushed cheeks need to be flushed for another reason. Get us back on track. So I feel up her leg to her lace knickers. “I like your dress.”
“I like my dress too.” She holds my shoulders, and I jolt when I hear something hit the floor. Her bag.
I smile and collect some of her wetness and wipe it across her lips. “I’m a very lucky man.” And then I kiss it off, tasting her gloss mixed with her desire.
“That color doesn’t suit you,” she whispers, wiping my mouth.
Puckering my lips, I feel the sticky remnants of her lip color. “No?” Her laugh is pure joy, and it brings untold joy to me too. “I want to dance with you,” I declare as I turn on some music, totally random, quite inappropriate, but the upbeat tempo is perfect.
She smiles, unsure, questioning me, as I pull her close. And then she says, “You make me so happy,” and I just know in this moment that she’ll never leave me. I don’t know whether it’s just this moment, I truly hope not, but the feeling inside of completeness is strong, and I can see it in her too. Regardless of my transgressions. Regardless of her suspicions about her pills. She’s here, and she’s loving me with a fierceness equal to mine.