Page 49 of Secret Redemption

Chapter Nineteen

Ava awoke and felt a large hand holding hers in a light grasp, she had a very dull ache in her head, so tentatively opened her eyes. Ava blinked away sleep to gaze at the beautiful vision in front of her. She remained silent so as not to wake the two males in her life who slumbered cuddled up.

Zack was lying in the big king size bed next to her, on his side, a grey t-shirt covering the perfection of his body. Riley was snuggled into his father’s body on his back, his head on Zack’s large bicep, using it as a pillow, his little knees bent and slumped open, so his father was on the edge of the bed while he was spread out like a starfish out in the middle. Riley had his thumb in his mouth and his other hand over his head with his hand on Zack’s cheek.

Zack’s arm was across their boy and holding her hand, the sight brought burning tears to her eyes, which were instantly blinked away. Yesterday had been too close of a call! If they had wanted her dead, a knife in the back or bullet would have done the job, and she wouldn’t have been able to do a thing about it.

She never would have got to know what it felt like to watch her boy on his first day of school or to watch him fall in love. She wouldn’t have been able to watch Zack’s face as she walked down the aisle to him.

A sob bubbled up and caught her off guard. Zack’s eyes instantly opened and concern filled them. He rubbed her knuckles with his thumb. “You okay Green Eyes?” he asked in a sleep-roughened voice.

Ava nodded and pulled her hand back and slipped from the bed.

Zack with the finesse of a seasoned pro eased his arm from his sleeping child and followed her to the adjoining bedroom, so as not to disturb Riley.

His hand caught her waist and pulled her gently to sit on the bed beside him when she would have walked to the wardrobe. Curling his arm around her, he pulled her head to his chest and kissed the top of it. They stayed that way for a few moments, and then she raised her head to look at him,

“I’m so sorry Zack! I didn’t think. I was stupid and thoughtless!” Ava said gruffly as tears threatened.

Zack held her cheek in his palm and touched his nose to hers. “Hey, none of that. You made a mistake Ava, we all do, it’s human nature. But you’re safe, and I’m going to keep you that way.

“You’re not angry with me?” she asked as she hiccupped back the tears.

“No baby, not angry. I was scared, terrified, and helpless, but not angry with you. As long as you’re prepared to love a man with way more grey hair this morning than yesterday, then I’m good,” he chuckled at the last sentence and Ava smiled. He could be completely grey, and she wouldn’t give a hoot.

“I love you, Zack!”

“I know baby, I love you too, and I promise you I will find the man or woman who did this and they will pay and pay dearly for touching you.”

Ava saw a look of pure cold rage cross his handsome face and shuddered. He meant every word. Zack protected what was his and whoever had touched her had brought the war to them, and if it was one thing Zack was good at, it was war.

“How has Riley been?” she asked as she pulled back and looked at his strong thighs, only covered by boxer shorts.

“Good. The fever broke around three and then he slept properly. He kept wanting me to hold him, and in the end, it seemed that the easiest way to keep an eye on you both was to bring him in with us.”

“No, you did great, and that’s exactly what I would have done.” Ava moved so that she was straddling his thighs, his hands instantly smoothing over the skin of her legs, and grasping her ass cheeks.

“What are you doing Green Eyes?” Zack’s hands gripped harder, bringing her core flush against his hard cock.

“Just saying ‘good morning and thank you’ for looking after me,” she said coyly as she kissed his neck and ran her hands over his muscled back.

“Um, well much as I would love to take you up on this, you have a concussion and need to rest.”

“But I feel fine,” Ava replied rattily.

“Yes, you do,” Zack responded as his hands ran over her body, “but it is still no.”

She went to complain again when he stopped her.

“I’ll help you take a bath though, for medical reasons of course.” A devilishly sexy smile lit up his face.

“Now that sounds like a plan.”

Standing, Zack helped her shed his t-shirt she was wearing before scooping her up and carrying her to the bathroom.

Setting her down, he ran the taps to fill the big bath with warm water, tipping in some bubbles, that she had brought with her. Ava was a whore for a bath and would happily sit in the bath for hours given the chance.

Testing the water, he picked her up and set her down in the warm sudsy water, kneeling beside the bath he dipped his hand in and with a sponge and started washing her. His hands started at her feet, then trailed softly up her calves to the back of her knees, causing her to shiver at the sparks that were flying from her legs to her clit.