AVA POV

I was exhausted, and my mind kept wandering back to the fight. Was it even a fight, considering we were barely acquaintances? I was sick of this charade.

Now was my time for revenge.

I scanned the room, my eyes settling on a man with a cigar. I wasn't interested in him, though. I was searching for Ryder, and I had noticed this man during my wait. He was annoying, but not as annoying as the woman clinging to him, who was too young to be wearing that dress.

I spotted Ryder Montgomery, the son and heir to the Montgomery empire, my lover, and my murderer. He was as handsome as ever, and the reason I was here.

The room seemed to revolve around him, and I watched as he dismissed the woman hanging on his arm. His gaze met mine, and I felt a spark.

I made my move, sliding into a bar stool and ordering a drink. Ryder looked surprised, then pleased, as I gestured to the woman beside him.

"Am I interrupting?" I asked, and he shrugged her off.

We chatted, and I could sense his interest. He had secrets, and I aimed to uncover them.

As we talked, a man appeared beside me, his eyes pale blue, and his presence unnerving.

"Wrong person to be going home with, don't you think?" he whispered, his gaze locked on mine.

I was taken aback, but I tried to brush him off. He handed me a bottle of pepper spray before disappearing into the crowd.

I returned to Ryder, who was waiting for me with a smile. We left the bar, and I found myself in his apartment, trying to play it cool while I snooped around.

I searched for anything incriminating, but found nothing. That was when I saw the locked drawer, and my heart skipped a beat. What secrets was Ryder hiding?

I heard footsteps and quickly grabbed a picture frame, trying to appear nonchalant. Ryder walked in, and I smiled, angling myself to hide the open drawer.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" he asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"I was curious," I replied, laughing breathily, trying to distract him.

He looked at me skeptically but said nothing. I knew I had to be careful; one misstep, and he would suspect something.

We went back to the living room, and he handed me a drink. I took a sip, trying to calm my nerves.

As we chatted, I couldn't help but think about the locked drawer. What secrets was Ryder hiding? And who was that mysterious man who gave me the pepper spray?

I knew I had to be careful, but I was determined to uncover the truth. Little did I know, my life was about to take a drastic turn.

As the night wore on, Ryder's behavior became more erratic. He was nervous, glancing around the room as if he expected someone to burst in.

Suddenly, he grabbed my hand, his eyes locked on mine. "I have to tell you something," he whispered urgently. "Something that could put us both in danger."

My heart raced as he pulled me closer. "What is it?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

But before he could answer, the door burst open, and a group of men stormed in. Ryder's eyes widened in fear as they surrounded us.

"Ava, run!" he yelled, pushing me away from him.

I didn't hesitate. I grabbed my bag and sprinted out of the apartment, the pepper spray clutched in my hand. I didn't know what was happening, but I knew I had to get out of there.

As I ran down the stairs, I heard the sound of footsteps behind me. I didn't dare look back, fearing what I might see.

Finally, I reached the street, gasping for breath. I hailed a taxi and jumped in, locking the door behind me.

As we drove away, I looked back at the apartment building, wondering what had just happened. And who was that mysterious man who seemed to be watching me?

I knew I had to be careful. My life was no longer my own. But I was determined to uncover the truth, no matter what it took.