19. Blayne

NINETEEN

BLAYNE

I'd been sitting in the office with Miles, talking over some random business stuff when a sudden and inexplicable urge to call Ava had hit me. I'd been talking about a new server Steff and I wanted to install in the office to improve our processing speeds. My words had died on my tongue mid-sentence. I knew, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that something was wrong with Ava. She was in danger, was hurt, or just something…

Miles had looked at me like I'd lost my mind. I sat there for several seconds, mouth half-open and staring off into space. It seemed that even though our mating bond had been severed, we still had a slight connection.

As soon as I'd called her and found out she truly was in danger, my mind cleared. Any confusion and concern I'd had about my feelings for her vanished. I needed to go to her. My only instinct was to protect her.

I'd leaped from the table and called for Miles to follow me. Once we were in the parking lot, I told him what was going down. My own flesh-and-blood brother was gone, but Miles and the others were as tight with me as blood ever could be, and he didn't hesitate to leap into the forest with me. We cut across the town, using the woods to make up time.

Coming out of the brush as that jackass slammed the butt of his rifle into Ava's window had been one of the most enraging moments of my life. I'd never been so angry, so full of hate. It took every ounce of my willpower not to tear through all the hunters and destroy them.

After the hunters had been taken care of, and the excitement and chaos of the situation had died, I found myself driving Ava to her father's house. I kept a firm grip on her hand. Things had truly gone mad in the last hour. The entire world had turned upside down.

"Were those guys hunters?" Ava asked, breaking the tense silence.

I nodded. "Definitely."

"Why were they coming after me?"

"One of two reasons I can think of. Either it's a revenge attack for your family catching those three lunatics we sent back to Antonio with a message; or, one of their spies or lookouts tagged you as my mate. They probably don't know about the rejection and are just assuming because they've seen that you mean something to me. Therefore, they've targeted you. To me, that's the most logical reason they'd go after you. That's been Antonio's MO since this all started—go after the mates."

I tightened my grip on her hand. We weren't mates. She'd rejected me and put all that to the side. But when I said the word? My heart somersaulted. Something else was happening, curse or no.

As we drove toward the security gate at Gio's house and pulled up the driveway, I could see Gio pacing on the porch. He looked gray and slightly emaciated. It seemed his appetite hadn't been restored yet. Beside him was his other brother, Mike.

I rubbed my thumb over the skin of her hand in reassurance. "You're okay now. You're safe."

Her lips tugged into a reluctant smile before she got out of the car and jogged to her father. The sheer relief on his face when Ava ran to him made me a little emotional. It made me think of my parents. I typically kept their memories tamped down, but watching Gio embrace his daughter brought them back to the forefront.

Gio and Mike escorted us into the house. Kyle was inside and looked as white as a ghost. He rushed to Ava, lifting her off her feet as he hugged her. "Those pieces of shit are gonna pay for this. You wait and see," he said after breaking the embrace.

Gio's face was twisted with such fury that the rage I'd felt seemed small in comparison. He clenched and unclenched his fists, then gestured toward the living room with an incline of his head. As we walked, I watched Gio lean over and plant a gentle kiss on top of Ava's head. It was strange seeing a man who was that dangerous being so affectionate.

My blood ran cold for his enemies. He wouldn't let this attack go unpunished. Nor should he. I was also out for blood.

Once we were all seated, Gio took Ava's hands and looked her dead in the eye. "Tell me exactly what happened."

Ava relayed everything. Visiting Liam's grave, the man watching and then chasing her, the car chase and near wreck before me, Miles, and her uncles arrived. When she fell silent, Gio was vibrating with rage. Mike and Kyle hissed curses under their breath. I had bit down on the inside of my cheek so hard, I'd drawn blood.

Her going to visit Liam's grave stuck out the most to me. Things had somehow shifted when I'd kissed her. When she'd told me to leave, I'd assumed she was mad at me for coming on to her. But today told a different story. Maybe she was as confused as I was and wanted to talk it out with Liam in her own way. God knew I'd been talking to him non-stop since I'd walked out her door. I'd never expected anything like this to happen, but it was undeniable now. Something was definitely happening between us.

Gio pinned me with a stare. "These were Antonio's men?"

I nodded. "Had to be. Once they saw me and Miles, they were scared but not shocked. One of them even called us abominations. Had to be hunters. No one else would have reacted that way."

Gio nodded gravely. "They've targeted my baby. That means the gloves are off."

A chill slid down my spine. I could see by the look in his eyes that he meant business. I was thankful this man was on my side and not against me.

I nodded. "Things have escalated. I don't like it. I think Antonio believes Ava is my mate. That's why she was targeted. It's the only explanation. She needs to be somewhere safe. My friends are sending most of their mates and kids away. Maybe it would be best if Ava did the same."

Before Gio could say anything, Ava spoke up. "I am not going anywhere."

"Ava, you've seen the tip of the iceberg. These people are dangerous and are hard to predict. I think it's safer for you to get out of town for a few weeks," I said, an almost-pleading note in my voice.

Ava shook her head and gestured to the members of her family. "Blayne, I think I have enough protection, don't you think?"

"Not enough, apparently," I said.

"Well, I think it'll be better now. We know what they want. You or my family can watch over me, but I'm not about to go running away. I refuse to live my life like that. I did that once, and I don't want it to become a trend. Blayne?—"

Gio broke into the argument. "Look, how about this? Ava stays in town, but she'll move in here. No better security anywhere than right here."

Eagerly nodding, I said, "Okay, yeah. That's a good compromise."

Ava sighed. "Maybe, yeah."

"You too, Blayne," Gio said.

Ava and I stiffened. My brow knitted in confusion. "Me too, what? What about me?"

"You should stay here, too."

"Uh, no. I'm not going to stay in your home."

"No need. I have a guesthouse out back. You can stay there if it's weird to stay in here."

I grinned sardonically and shook my head. "Gio, seriously, it's unnecessary. I can take care of myself."

"That's true, but it would be better to have one more person around here watching out for Ava. Besides, she might be more comfortable you around."

"Gio, I'm pretty sure you and your…associates will have no trouble protecting Ava. Adding me to the mix won't do that much."

"I've got cancer. Look at me—I'm a shell of myself. I couldn't even go out today to protect my baby girl. Had to send my brothers. I've accepted that I'll be in this situation for several more months. I'm not too proud to ask for help. Not when it comes to my daughter. I'd like for you to be Ava's personal bodyguard. You and your guys do that, right? Bodyguarding? Name the price. Shit, overcharge me, for all I care."

There was a look of desperation in the man's eyes, which took me by surprise. He wanted me here. I couldn't make that decision, though. Not without Ava agreeing.

"What do you want?" I asked her.

Ava studied me for several minutes. The pull I felt toward her was so strong, it was startling. Even with the bond being severed, something still twined us together. Perhaps the rejection hadn't been complete—although it sure as shit had felt like it. Whatever was still between us, it was strong, and it was all I could do to tamp down the budding feelings.

Ava sighed. "I won't tell you that you need to stay. Though…I do feel safer when you're around."

A switch flipped inside me, and protective desire surged through me. My panther leapt inside me, delighted that she wanted our protection.

I forgot her father was even in the room. I knelt in front of her and cupped her cheek in my hand. "I'll always keep you safe. I'm not fond of the idea of staying in the guesthouse, though. I like my privacy. I don't want people watching me too closely, but if it makes you safer, I'll do it."

Had Liam experienced this same compulsive need to protect Ava and care for her? If this was what it had been like for him all those years ago, it was no wonder he'd ignored all my protests about being in a relationship with her. It was too hard to deny. Too powerful to overcome.

Ava's eyes fluttered shut and she sighed. "Thank you."

Our moment of connection was only broken because Gio spoke. "I'll have the guesthouse ready for you by tonight." He turned to the other two men. "Kyle, get Marissa. You two go get the house ready."

Kyle grimaced. "Uncle Gio? You want me to clean?"

Gio growled. "Yes, you brat. Clean, make up the bed, do whatever the hell Marissa tells you to do. Be a good boy and go."

Kyle's shoulders sagged, but he trudged off to find the housekeeper.

I took Ava's hand again, twining our fingers together. "I need to take care of a few things. I'll be back later to get settled."

Ava's eyes told me all I needed to know. She looked at me with gratitude, relief, and warmth I'd not seen before. It sent a little shiver through my body. A million thoughts and questions rocketed through my mind, but as we stared into each other's eyes, one thing wouldn't be put to rest. One thing, above all else, had to happen. There was no way to stop it. It was inevitable, like a tsunami rolling toward shore.

"Fuck it." I kissed her.

This wasn't the chaste, timid kiss we'd shared in at her dining room table. It was a deep and demanding kiss. Desirous and claiming. Ava gripped my shirt and pulled me closer. An ember deep in my chest sparked and billowed until a firestorm swirled inside me.

Finally, our lips broke apart, and Ava looked at me again. "Are you okay with this?" she whispered.

I gasped in a breath and nodded. "It's too late to go back now. But if you want it to stop here, I'll make sure it does."

She put her hand on my chest, symbolically sealing a fate I'd been running from since the moment I bumped into her in the cemetery. Whispering even quieter, she said, "I don't want it to end."

Gio cleared his throat, and I suddenly remembered Ava and I weren't alone. I turned and saw her father and Mike staring at us uncomfortably.

"So…uh." Gio fidgeted with his cell phone. "If you two are done, Sam said he'd like to see you," he said, nodding toward me. "I'll send you the address. It's a warehouse on the outskirts of the county. He wants to talk about what to do with the jackass we caught."

"Sure, I can meet him there. I'll see if one of my friends can stop by, too," I said as I stood. Ava clung to my hand for a second before she reluctantly let go.

"See you soon," she said.

"You sure will. I shouldn't be gone too long."

Gio texted me the address, and I left, not wanting to linger any longer. My emotions required some time alone. I texted Steff to meet me at the warehouse.

On the drive, I reflected on how much things had changed, and how quickly. Five days ago, I'd been desperate to be rid of Ava. To get back to the life I'd had before seeing her. Now? I just wanted to go back and see her again. My body craved being near her, and there was a sexual stirring deep in my loins that would have horrified me a week before. Instead of horror, it now filled me with a longing excitement.

Steff must have been closer to the warehouse because he was already waiting with Luis when I pulled up. The two were engaged in conversation. When I walked up, they stopped talking and turned to look at me.

"I don't know about this family, Blayne," Steff said.

I frowned and looked at Luis, then back at Steff. "What do you mean?"

He cocked a thumb at Luis. "The guy's a Bears fan, for Christ's sake. How are you gonna live in Colorado and not pull for the Broncos?"

I sighed and rolled my eyes. "Can we get on with this?"

Luis pointed toward the building. "Sammy's inside."

Steff and I followed Luis to the door. He unlocked the padlock and escorted us inside. The building was cavernous but wasn't abandoned. Massive metal shelving packed with construction supplies were lined all throughout. Bags of concrete, and asphalt patch, lumber, and drywall were stacked on the shelves. This was being used for some kind of legitimate business. Or at least it was being used to hide some of the Francis family's more unscrupulous dealings.

The hunter was bound to a chair with what looked like barbed wire. Upon closer inspection, I was proven right. The wire was wrapped tightly around the man, with barbs every few inches digging into his flesh and drawing beads of blood. It looked like he'd struggled against his restraints at one point. Deep, jagged gashes showed where he'd attempted to pull himself free of the wire and been punished by the steel teeth of the barbs.

Sam nodded to us and walked over. "Looks like these assholes did target Ava because of Gio. Not you, Blayne."

Steff and I stopped dead in our tracks. I looked at Sam. "What? They aren't hunters?"

Sam shrugged. "No, they're hunters, all right. I think Antonio has gotten wind of Gio trying to dig up some dirt on him. Not sure if he knows how tight you are with Ava yet, but it seems Senior Shithead Lowry was wanting to take my baby niece as a hostage to get Gio to back off. At least, that's the info I got out of this guy."

"Okay," I said. "What do we do now?"

Luis and Sam exchanged a look. Sam smirked. "I think it's time we let Antonio know the Francis family and their friends don't take well to our people being hurt. We send a message they can't misconstrue. Seems the guys we let go didn't get the message across enough. Are you cool with this?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

I glanced over at Steff. His eyes were telling me it was my choice. This was a dangerous path to keep going down. The other option was more dangerous, though. We had to let our enemies know they couldn't keep fucking with us without repercussions.

I gave a curt nod. "All right. My priority is to keep my family safe, and Ava's part of that group now. I'm down for whatever you have planned."