Chapter 59

Chapter Fifty-Nine

Viktor

W alking out of our apartment's private elevator, I hear shouting. I rush to the voices since I recognize one of them as Ava. In the living room, I find Ava and her father having a heated argument. She looks flustered and angry. Her father is just a couple of steps from her.

"Dad, I've done everything for you. I've always been there for you. But all you do is think of yourself."

Before she can say anything else, he slaps her.

"What the fuck?" I yell, grabbing him from the back of his shirt and pulling him away from Ava. I turn him to face me. "Who the fuck do you think you are to come into my home and lay a hand on Ava?"

"I'm her father."

I push him further away from Ava.

"Some father you are. She's only your daughter when you need something from her."

"I love my daughter. You have no right to question my love for her."

I'm going to punch him when Ava speaks.

"Let him go, Viktor. He isn't worth it." Her voice breaks, and when I look at her, there's pain written all over her face.

"You should listen to her and let me go, or will you threaten your son's grandfather?"

Before I can answer, Ava gets between us.

"I should have known. All you care about is your goddamned gambling. I thought you came to spend time with your family."

I can see Ava trying to hold back her tears.

"That little girl isn't your daughter. She's not my grandchild. Nikolas is the son of a criminal. What kind of life is that? You're no different than he is." He looks at me as though I'm something stuck to his shoe. I'm going to step around Ava and put him in his place but Ava grabs my arm, stopping me.

"It's okay, Viktor." She looks at me, and I take a step back. She picks up an envelope from the coffee table. "I guess I was hoping to be wrong. Here's the money, don't ever call me again. I hope the money is worth losing your family for." She hands him the envelope and starts walking out of the living room. I see her silent tears as she hurries away. I wait until she's out of earshot before I speak.

"You're a despicable, worthless piece of shit. If you ever come near her or call her again, you'll regret it. You're no father to her."

"I could say the same about you. I hear the rumors. My little girl is nothing but a plaything to you, even if she hasn't realized that you're using her. She'll see soon enough."

I grab him by the neck. His hands are trying to pry mine away.

"Pat, I swear I'll put a bullet in your head without a second thought. Don't ever contact her again."

"Mr. Manarch," Marco calls from behind me. "Everything okay?"

"Get this piece of shit out of my house. He's to never set foot here or near my family ever again," I say as I let Pat go.

He holds his chest, trying to catch his breath.

"You'll pay for this," he shouts as Marco escorts him out.

I take a breath to calm my anger. I need to find Ava. I call her name but get no answer. I open the door to the downstairs nursery, but she isn't there, so I go upstairs. I'm about to check the kid's bedrooms, but I stop at her bedroom instead. I open the door and find her sitting on her bed. It reminds me of the night of the Christmas Party. That was the first time I saw real pain in her eyes. It breaks me to see her like this. She looks up, but unlike that night, she doesn't say anything. I hate that she's hurting. I feel useless. All I can do is sit beside her, embrace her, and hold her as she silently cries. I want to shred her father to pieces, he has brought her nothing but pain, and she doesn't deserve it.

"Do you want to talk?" I finally ask.

She turns to look at me, and I think she will say something, but she doesn't. Instead, she kisses me, and I taste the saltiness of her tears. She breaks the kiss to sit on my lap and then resumes, her fingers digging into my hair. I leave her lips and let mine explore her neck. She moves her head to the side to give me better access.

"I need you," she whispers.

I stand with her and lay her on the bed. I'll do whatever she needs me to. Whatever she needs for her not to be broken. She deserves to be worshipped, and I know she also needs to be worshipped right now. This moment is about her, and I need her to know how much I love her. She doesn't need her father. I will always do whatever it takes for her not to feel any pain.

As my lips roam her body, the bedroom is filled with her soft moans. I take my time. Her body arches toward me at every touch. I want her to feel loved. I want her to know I'm here and never leaving her. I need her to know she isn't alone. She might not admit it, but it's what she needs. She needs to be reminded of her worth.

It's been an hour since I made Ava mine. Shortly after she fell asleep, so I left her bedroom, wanting to let her rest. After checking on the kids, I told the staff not to disturb Ava. They were more than happy to comply. It amazes me how differently she runs the staff from me. I command people to do my bidding, but she simply asks them. Because of this, they're willing to do anything for her without a second thought. I understand them. I feel the same way.

I'm in the living room enjoying a drink when I hear the elevator. I set my glass down and head to the elevator to see who it is. There's no reason for anyone to be here.

The door opens to reveal Oliver, who greets me with his usual "Hey."

"Why are you here?" I demand as Oliver walks toward me.

"Hello to you too."

"I asked a question." I'm annoyed. I don't get why he's here. No one knows I'm here. If he needs me, he should have called.

"Ava invited me for dinner. I don't know what's going on with you, but you need to cool down."

"There's no need for you to be here or accept any invitation from Ava. You've become too friendly with her."

"I won't entertain this. You're truly losing it." He moves to sidestep me, but I grab his arm to stop him. "Are you really going to act this way? You have to see how stupid you're acting."

"You need to get the fuck out." I'm not sure why I suddenly feel territorial.

"What the hell is going on?" Ava asks from the top of the stairs. I let go of Oliver.

"Nothing," I say.

"It doesn't look like nothing. Hi, Oliver."

"Hi, Ava. I'll take a rain check on dinner."

She looks between us.

"What did you do?" She directs her question at me.

"I didn't do anything, and I don't need to fucking explain myself," I bark.

"Oliver, you're staying for dinner," she says pointedly, ignoring me.

"He isn't staying," I snarl.

"Oliver, can you please check on dinner? It should be ready by now. I need a moment with Viktor," she says calmly.

He walks around me to go to the kitchen as she reaches me. "What the fuck are you doing? Who the hell do you think you are?" she barks.

"There shouldn't be another man at the penthouse besides me. Oliver is here more than he should be."

"Are you listening to yourself? He's your brother and like a brother to me."

"That doesn't mean shit."

"It does to me." She sighs. "It's been a long trying day. I won't stand here and have you insult me with your implications. And I won't deal with your bullshit. There's no room for your misplaced jealousy. I've told you that."

I take a step forward. "I'm not jealous," I say through clenched teeth.

"You could have fooled me. I have enough on my plate without starting an argument with you over something so stupid. This is why we shouldn't be together. Nothing is ever simple with you." She closes her eyes, and I close the gap.

"You're mine," I finally say.

"I'm not your property or one of your men. Stop trying to control everything. If Oliver wants to come over or invite himself here every day, that's my business, not yours." Her stare holds me in place.

"Ava—"

"I don't know what has gotten into you, but I won't tolerate this behavior no matter how much I love you. You need to control your anger if you want to be part of my life, or the kids' lives. There's no reason to be jealous of Oliver. There isn't, nor has there ever been, anything between Oliver and me. He was in my life when I needed someone. He's been like a brother to me. So whatever emotion is triggering this, shut it down and quick."

I don't know exactly why I got angry when Oliver walked in. There's no logic to it. I know there's nothing between them because he'd be dead if there were. But it bothers me that he thinks he can come and go as he pleases, without my consent. He might be my brother, but he's also a man. He shouldn't be here with her, especially without my consent.

"It bothers me he's always around," I finally confess.

"Your implication hurts. Oliver. Is. Like. A. Brother, and I'm in love with you. Over and over again, you show me that you don't trust me when I should be the one who doesn't trust you. At moments like these, it is extremely hard to be with you. You remind me why I should just leave once and for all."

"I'm sorry, Ava."

"Have you realized how many ‘ I'm sorry's' you've given me lately? Because let me tell you, I'm losing count. I needed you here to comfort me after my father's visit. Instead, you're having a fit of jealousy over the one person who has been nothing but good to us." She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she opens them, I see I've hurt her again. "I want you to leave. I don't have the energy to put your feelings ahead of my own." She takes a few steps away from me.

"Ava—" I take a step forward.

"Not tonight, Viktor. Whatever energy I have left is enough for me to eat and take a shower. You need to cool off and deal with whatever is bothering you."

I pull her into my arms. "Nothing is bothering me."

"The last time you said those words, you slept with Fiona and started the path we're on." I want to say something, but there is nothing I can say. She puts her hands on my shoulders. "You have a lot of shit you need to sort out, and I, for once, will not be your punching bag."

Ava is so different now from the woman I met two years ago. If I thought she wasn't afraid to stand up to me before, this is another ball game. I have to admit I'm proud of her for standing up for herself, I just wish it wasn't me on the other end of her anger.

Accepting defeat for once, I nod. "I'll check on our kids," I say quietly.

"Okay," she replies.

I kiss her. It's loving and gentle, but firm, just like her.

After checking on the kids, I leave the penthouse. I want Ava to have what she's asking for. As I drive, I try to understand what my outburst was about. My anger was misplaced. It's not Oliver or her relationship with him that angers me. I trust the man with my life. The problem is her father. He crossed a line, and I wanted to show him what happens to a man who lays his hands on a woman, on my woman, but I can't. I've killed men for far less, but I can't touch him without hurting her. Since I couldn't take my anger out on Pat, I took it out on Oliver because he was the closest person. His arrival was bad timing for him.

I'm glad she sees him as a brother, and he sees her as a sister and I know there's nothing romantic going on between them. I need all this shit with the clan to be over. It has me on edge and makes me reckless. I need our lives to go back to normal, or as normal as our lives can be. But it's more than that. I hate not waking up and ending my day with Ava. That is the root of my problem. I hate that she's carrying the weight of the world—of my world—and there is nothing I can do about it. I wish she could let go of the past and move on. Fiona is history. Ava has nothing to worry about. I'll never hurt her again. I want to make things right and start living our lives like the family we are.