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Chapter twenty-nine
STONE
Reid:We’re on our way
She’d been out for fucking ages. I wanted to go straight to the club, knowing she’d be there tonight, but she’s had a lot to process. I wanted to give her time to relax with her friend. Instead, I growled and glared at anyone who dared look in my direction before bailing from the party early, hoping to get back to Ava, but she’s still not fucking here. I wanted to go and get her myself, but Mason and Reid convinced me not to, thinking I’d make things worse, so Reid offered to check on her for me. I paced the whole time, fury bubbling in my chest.
The funny thing is, the only person I’m angry at is myself. Well, and Lewis, but I don’t think angry is the word for that. I would’ve happily killed him for the look on Ava’s face when she found out he was tricking her. But I’m mad at myself for assuming Ava knew and agreed to the arranged marriage and was fucking around behind Lewis’s back, and for assuming she was anything like him or my mother. I should’ve known that the Ava I got to know could never be that manipulative, but I was too fucking stubborn and jaded to hope that she could be as perfect as she seemed. And the way I go about finding that out? Adding another wrong to my list by basically calling her a slut in front of our families. I rush to the foyer as I hear the door open and see Ava walk in, her face pale, top ripped, and her hair a mess.
“What the fuck happened?” I ask, striding towards her, but she scoffs and heads straight upstairs, her arms wrapped around her. Reid holds me back from following and pulls me towards where Mason is lounging in the kitchen snug.
“I think something happened at the club.”
“What do you mean think? You were there to protect her.” The idea of Ava not being okay has warped my mind, and my anger starts breaking out.
“Yeah, but I can only do that when I’m actually there,” Reid points out, his voice hard.
“What happened?” Mason asks.
“She bumped into me running out of this corridor. She was panicked.”
“And you didn’t check who else was in there? Her clothes are ripped, for fuck’s sake!”
“Of course I did, but they’d already left and I was more worried about checking she was okay. Get off my fucking dick, Stone.”
“I swear to god, if something happened to her—”
“Then what?” We stand toe-to-toe, glaring at each other, but clearly Reid has had enough. “Fuck this! Next time don’t piss her off so much so you can check on her yourself, then you’ll have no one else to blame.” He storms out of the house, slamming the door as he goes.
“You’re being an asshole, and now I’ve lost my lift home,” Mason tells me. “Call him when you’re over your shit.” He leaves too, heading upstairs to the spare room he uses. I take a deep breath, running my hand over my face before going up too and heading straight into Ava’s room.
I spot her through the open bathroom door, staring into the mirror. Walking over to her, I notice she’s shaking, and I’m not sure if it’s shock or because she’s cold, but I think a warm bath is a good bet for either. Honestly, I have no fucking idea how to take care of someone, but she makes me want to try. I quietly enter the bathroom, leaving her to her thoughts for a second while I run the taps. I chuck in some bubbly shit from the side that smells nice before turning to Ava again. The look on her face guts me. It’s straight-up trauma.
“Ava, you need to get undressed,” I say quietly. Her eyes flash to mine in the mirror with fear, and I really try to contain the beast within me at what that implies might have happened tonight. “I won’t do it. I’ll turn this way until you’re in the bath.” She doesn’t respond, but I turn anyway, and a minute later I hear the splash of the water as she lowers herself in. Picking the clothes up, I head to the laundry hamper, but her quiet voice stops me.
“The bin.” My chest feels hollow as I do what she says. Who the fuck did this to her? Turning back to her, she looks tiny, hugging her knees that just poke out of the water in the huge tub. Her hair is up on top of her head but a lot hangs loose at the nape of her neck. I stand silently, taking her in, while she sits just as quietly in the water. I don’t know what the fuck to do. She starts to rub at her face, so I grab a washcloth and kneel down next to her.
“Let me get this makeup off.” She doesn’t reply, so I take that as a yes and gently wash her face. I go softly over the red marks around her swollen lips. As soon as I’m done, she takes the cloth from me and scrubs harder at her mouth. The fury that runs through my veins feels like it will make me explode. Trying to keep my touch gentle, I wrap my hand around her wrist and pull it away from her face. “You’re going to make them sore.” Stupid thing to say, they clearly already are, but I don’t want her to make them worse. As I let her hand drop into the warm water, I notice the red marks on the top of her arms. “Ava, who did this to you?”
She doesn’t answer, and I know I need to let her talk about it in her own time, but it’s so fucking hard. The need to hurt someone as payback for this courses through my body. It takes all of my control to stay calm and still. I sit back against the wall and watch her. I will never not be watching her again. I pissed her off and made her run, and now look what’s happened.
When nearly all the bubbles are gone, I stand and grab a huge towel from the radiator. Turning my face away so she knows she at least has some privacy, I hold it out and wrap it around her when I feel her body press against me. She remains stiff as I hug her to me, but I need her to know I’m here for her. It’s not long before she pulls away and I follow her into the bedroom, pulling the covers back for her, tucking her in and turning the main light off before laying on top of the covers facing her. I slowly stroke the hair away from her face, trailing my fingers over her cheekbone and hair while she finally relaxes.
“Ava,” I start gently. “What happened?” There’s no answer, but I know she’s not asleep. I can’t stand seeing her like this. Ava is normally so feisty and vocal, even if she’s the underdog. She’s always telling you how she feels and putting you in your place. I hate this silence from her, as if she’s got too much for her mind to handle. It scares me. “Baby, please talk to me.” Her eyes flick open and she pulls away from my hand, seeming to only just now realise it was soothing her.
“I’m not your baby.”
“Yes, you are.” Her eyes fill up with tears then but they don’t fall, making a sizeable dent in my heart anyway. “Tell me what happened.”
She sniffs. “He wanted a go on the dirty little slut.” Fuck. There goes the rest of my heart. This was my fault.
“Ava—”
“Get out.”
“Baby, I—”
“I’m not your baby!” she yells. “You don’t get to call me that and treat me like you do. This was all your fault.” Tears are steadily falling down the side of her face now as she shouts at me, and I lay there while she gets it all out. She deserves to say it, and I deserve to hear it. “You started the slut rumour. You made people think I was an object, the prize to a bet between guys. You ostracised me again and again and made everything worse. Please, get out,” she sobs.
“I don’t want you to be alone,” I say, only just louder than a whisper.
“I’d rather be alone forever than with you. Please, Stone. Leave.” She says the request with so much pleading in her voice that I can’t refuse it. We both know she’s in no state to force me out, but I need her to know I will do whatever she wants, always. I cup the back of her head, laying a soft kiss on her cheek, and my lips come away wet from her tears. Then I do the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do. I get up and leave, even knowing she’s so vulnerable. But I can’t leave her on her own. I dial the one person I think can comfort her right now. He answers on the second ring.
“Stone?” Of course he’s surprised to hear from me.
“I need you to come over. Ava needs you.”
“I’m on my way.”
