Chapter Forty-Eight - Fletcher

Ava swallowed a mouthful of sushi and sat back. She brought her knee to her chin and looked at me with those too-blue eyes.

“What kind of deal?"

I shrugged while attempting to stomach my food. “The thing is that I’ve never had something to lose until now. Our mother died so many years ago that the Capellos haven’t had any leverage. Now, I have you. You’re what they will use to hurt me. To get underneath our skin and agree to things that I would have never before.”

Ava sighed heavily. “Could they bargain a marriage with Heidi?”

The fear in her voice felt warm against me. I loved that she was afraid of losing us but sick to my stomach that she thought I would ever let that happen.

I touched her cheek and kissed her forehead. “No, Ava. I would never let that happen. Our contract speaks about never divorcing. For our marriage to last forever as each marriage should. They can’t go against that. If they tried…I wouldn’t allow it. But frankly, I think they’ll bargain something bigger.”

Ava took another roll and plopped it into her mouth. “Like what?” she asked.

“Something that would cost us money and give it to them.”

“Is everything about money to them?” she asked. “Is it to you?”

I thought about it for a long time. Dad never spoke of money but it was a silent importance in our life. We weren’t in the mafia because it was a fun hobby.

Making money and staking claims was the most important thing outside of family.

“It’s important to everyone, isn’t it?” I asked.

She chuckled and shook her head. “Do you remember where I lived before this, Fletcher? Or did you block it out? I lived in that apartment because I was more worried about being happy and painting than making money. Some people love money and some people love peace.”

“You’re special because of that.”

“Maybe I’m naïve,” she shrugged and took another roll into her mouth. “But I’d rather be in love than rich. That is where Charlotte and I always differed. She cared more about making money than anything else. I didn’t blame her considering we were raised so poor.”

“Maybe she’ll look at things differently after we find her,” I said.

Ava shut the top of the sushi and crawled over to sit on my lap. I brought her into my arms and held her there. I wasn’t sure what to say at this point.

What else was there to say?

We were attempting to save her sister the best we could. I had people watching the Capellos and looking for the town car from that morning.

Ava relaxed in my arms. “Tell me about your Mom.”

The curiosity on her face was genuine. Though the mention of my mother always made my chest ache.

“What do you want to know?” I asked, pushing her hair from her face.

“What was she like?” she asked.

Running my fingers through her golden blonde hair, I smiled. Mother had a similar shade of blonde hair. Neither Levi nor I inherited it. I heard that she’d always wanted to try for another baby after Levi but the doctor discouraged her from it because of her health.

“She was beautiful. Dark eyes like mine. Blonde hair. She was in college to become a teacher when she met Dad.”

“What made her dare a date with a mafia king?” she asked.

“He was only a prince back then,” I said. “What made you dare a contract with me?”

“It was a way out.”

“Maybe she thought the same,” I said to myself. “Or maybe she truly loved him first. I don’t know. But she was kind. She loved to read.”

“Hence the library,” Ava said.

“Yes, the library. We spent so much time in there growing up. At one point, I loved to read and loved listening to her stories. She was the only piece of normalcy in my life. She was the reason I’m half human and not some deranged kid with a chip on his shoulders.”

Ava touched my bottom lip with her fingertips. “I wish I could have met her.”

“Me, too.”

Jones knocked on the front glass of the gallery and motioned me over. I kissed Ava’s forehead as she slid out of my lap. Jones cupped his hands. “We need to leave. It’s getting late and I don’t think staying here is safe. The alarm system isn’t installed yet.”

He was right, though I wanted to spend the night with Ava alone. Part of me wanted to risk it. I wanted to stay there with her in the silence of a safe haven.

“Okay. I’ll get her home if you want to trail us.”

Jones walked around to get into the car. “We need to finish this at home,” I said, helping her to her feet. “Jones is right. It’s not safe to stay here late. I’ll have someone come and install the alarm system later this week.”

Ava grabbed her things, and I grabbed our leftover sushi. I locked the door behind us and helped her into the passenger seat.

The streets looked so harmless. No wandering vehicles or hitmen in the dark corners. Though I knew for a fact that just because I couldn’t see them didn’t mean they weren’t there.

I drove us home at a slow speed, not wanting to walk into reality. The guards were changing shifts as we got home and walked inside.

The smell of Lucinda’s dinner hung in the air. Levi and Duke’s voices carried from down the hallway but I didn’t feel like hearing them at the moment.

I led Ava to our room and put the remains of our dinner on the ottoman for us. She sat beside me and put another roll in her mouth. “I’ve felt content today,” she said. “I don’t know if that means she’s dead or not scared anymore."

Ava thinking about her sister’s death would slowly drain her.

I reached over, laced my fingers around her neck, and dragged her mouth toward mine. She kissed me back softly and tenderly. I was sure that was how her heart felt at the moment. Tender with fear. One report of bad news and she’d fall to pieces.

“Maybe it’s her telling you not to worry,” I whispered.

She nodded against me. “I’m going to go with that one.”

When I pulled away, I gestured toward the sushi. “Go ahead and eat. I need to shower quickly. I can smell myself.”

She plucked another roll from the tray. “Could I join you?”

“Do you even have to ask?”

She smiled, slipped from her clothes, and walked into the bathroom. I knew releasing all those pent-up feelings would help. Whether it helped for an hour or the night, I would happily take any of her frustrations and let it be mine for however long she needed.

I helped Ava into the water before taking off my clothes. The overhanging shower drenched her and I admired how each droplet raced down her skin.

I stepped in with her and faced the showerhead. I let it drain my emotions and problems while Ava turned and kissed my chest.

Feeling her soft mouth plant small kisses against my chest and shoulders, I tangled my fingers into her hair and brought her mouth to mind.

I savored the taste of her as we kissed like two teenagers. Her pants turned into moans, and before I could think twice, she was pressed against the shower wall with all of me inside of her.

The moments of unnerving pleasure rocketed through me. Ava’s cries grew the harder I thrust into her. All the anger between us, and the Capellos built inside of each of us. It was the calm before the storm.

The night of nails biting into skin and moments of unhinged passion before everything came raining down hard.

Ava’s head hit the wall and she cried out as an orgasm fell from her. I palmed her breast in my hand and roughly bit the place where her neck met her shoulder.

The animalistic side of me felt rabid. It was the rush of chasing after Charlotte with no end in sight.

Ava whimpered as I thrust harshly into her and found my release. She sighed heavily when I stopped moving and braced my face into her chest.

A few moments of silence passed, and Ava maneuvered herself down from the wall. I wanted to say something to reassure her but we both knew what awaited us was unknown and nothing good would come of it.