Chapter 3

3

AXEL

A va falls asleep in seconds, curled up wearing nothing but my t-shirt, which is so big on her it looks like a dress. The sight is too fucking good to tear my eyes away from, and for a long moment, I just stand there taking her in. Her chest rises and falls with slow, rhythmic breaths, her expression relaxed for the first time since she arrived.

The mere thought of what she's been through makes my hands clench into fists at my sides. I checked every inch of her body in the shower, and aside from a few shallow scrapes and grazes, she seems physically unharmed. But even those small marks are unacceptable. Not to mention the dirt and torn clothes she was in. What sort of conditions was her monster of a father keeping her in?

One thing's for fucking sure…

Ava will never be treated as anything less than the goddamn angel she is ever again.

The chiming of my phone breaks me from my thoughts. I've dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt, having thrown on whatever was closest as Ava fell asleep, and shoved my phone into the pocket on automatic. I can't go anywhere without it, can't risk my team not being able to reach me or vice versa. We always wear earpieces when we go out on jobs, but when we're not out shedding blood, everyone knows they have to keep their phones on and close to them at all times. If something happens and we can't reach each other, it could be life or death.

It's only that knowledge that has me opening my phone to read the message.

Nick: sorry to interrupt but we have urgent info, Boss.

"Fuck," I mumble under my breath, careful not to make too much noise to wake up the girl in my bed. It takes all the effort I possess to drag my eyes away from her and leave the room.

I nearly smack right into my second-in-command as I exit my bedroom.

"What the fuck are you lurking outside my room for?" I snap at him and yank the door closed behind me, far too possessive to let him get a glimpse at my girl when she's vulnerable.

My girl. That's what she is now.

"I was gonna come get you, but then I heard her scream your name and thought better of it since I quite like keeping my limbs intact," Nick says, holding his hands up in surrender when I scowl at him. "Hey, no judgment here, man."

I grind my teeth together but have to admit I'm glad he didn't barge in like he usually does. He's right, I'd have had to gouge his eyes out if he'd seen Ava like that.

"What's this urgent news you need to tell me?" I say darkly, getting this conversation back on track.

Nick's back straightens, and his features harden into the dangerous mask he always wears when we're working. It's hard to imagine anyone being scared of him until you see him like this. "We found more on her while you two were…"—he waves his hand in the air and grimaces, obviously unsure of how to word it—"...getting cleaned up. Anyway, there's more to this shit show than just her asshole dad using her like currency."

Dread flows through my blood at his tone. "She's in danger?" I surmise, reading between the lines.

Nick nods, and I curse under my breath. "Ford is a bigger problem than we realized," he continues. "He's pissed off every gang, crime boss, and underling in this entire city—hell, this entire half of the country."

"Jesus Christ," I breathe, shaking my head.

"And, well, since nobody's been able to pin down his location and flush him out, they're all after his weakest link," Nick says, leaving the implication hanging between us.

"His daughter," I conclude, knowing I'm right even before Nick gives a sharp nod. "They're coming after Ava."

"And he's made it very clear who has her now."

Shit.

This is worse than I thought. So much fucking worse.

"He set us up," I growl, fury rising to new heights. "He's using his daughter as some sort of bait or prize."

Nick looks as disgusted by the whole situation as I feel. How did Ava survive under that man's thumb for so long? How did she stay so sweet when she must have been treated so terribly? Something in my chest tugs, as though pulling me back towards the girl I've claimed as mine.

"We keep her hidden," I tell Nick, my rage hardening into steely determination. "She is to be kept safe at all costs, do you understand?"

Nick's brows furrow together like he's trying to figure out a puzzle. "Of course, Boss," he says, though I can tell he wants to ask more questions but wisely keeps his mouth shut.

"I will protect that girl no matter what," I tell him, making sure he knows how serious this is. "She is under my protection now, and if anyone so much as touches a hair on her head, they will lose their hand."

Nick raises a brow but nods in understanding. My mind is running every possible scenario, trying to come up with a faultless plan. I had just promised myself, and her, that I was going to improve, to be better, to become the kind of man she so clearly deserves.

But that kind of man can't keep her safe.

One last time, then. One last embrace of the darkness. One final plan to bring anyone who comes after what's mine to ruin. One more rampage before I wash my hands of blood so they'll be good enough to touch her.

Ava is mine. Mine to protect, mine to touch, mine to keep. Nobody else's. There's not a single man in this city I won't cut down in her name. I want to be worthy of her, want to give her a life like she's always deserved, one full of sweetness and light instead of the dark horrors she's grown up with. But before I can do that, I have to do this.

I need to fight for us to have any future at all.

I snap back out of my thoughts to find that Jace has joined us, talking low to Nick about everything he and I have just discussed.

"Put everyone on high alert," I order, interrupting them but not having the ability to care. All that matters is Ava. "Inform everyone that she is our main priority. I expect all of you to follow my lead in protecting her over everything, understood?"

Jace and Nick both nod sternly and turn to do as I asked. I hear Nick bark out orders down the hall for everyone to join him for a briefing, and I'm immensely glad I have him as my second in command. I know he will truly help me protect Ava, even if he doesn't understand why I'm so protective of her so soon.

The creak of a door catches my attention, and I spin around to find a pair of big, bright blue eyes peeking out through a small gap in the bedroom door.

"Angel," I say, my voice instantly softer than it was when speaking to my men. "You're supposed to be resting."

Ava blushes as she opens the door and slides out, coming to my side. I lose my breath at the sight of her in my t-shirt, the hem skimming her mid-thigh and showing off her gorgeous legs. Her hair is still damp and her flushed cheeks are the most perfect shade of pink.

"I was, but I heard you all talking," she admits softly. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to listen in, it just?—"

She gasps as I grab her chin between my thumb and forefinger, tilting her head up to meet my eyes.

"You will never have to apologize to me," I tell her sincerely, hating that she's been forced to feel like she has to say sorry for everything. "You did nothing wrong, beautiful girl."

"Oh," she breathes, blinking up at me. It takes everything in me not to drag her back inside that bedroom and explore every inch of her.

"Now, what did you want to say?" I ask, bringing the conversation back on track because it's clear she has something to say about what she overheard. I wish I could have told her everything in a better way, but it's good that she knows everything regardless. She deserves to know what's happening and what her father has done.

She swallows, and there's a flash of fear in her eyes that makes me want to murder whoever put it there. I have a feeling I know exactly who it was.

"Am…am I in danger, Axel?" she asks, her voice quiet but strong.

I drop my hand from her face and wrap my arm around her waist instead, tugging her to my side. She comes willingly, melting against me like we've known each other our whole lives and not just half a damn day. It's the most incredible feeling, and one I'm quickly becoming addicted to.

"You will never be in danger again as long as I live," I promise her, despite the stakes stacked up against the statement. "You have me and my entire team protecting you now, Ava. I will stop at nothing to keep you safe, the way you always should have been."

"You mean that?" she asks, a little crease between her brows appearing as she frowns. "Axel, you only just met me. Why would you risk yourself or your men to protect me? Is it because I'm payment?"

I need to banish that thought from her head immediately. "I will never think of you as payment, angel. You should never have been used like that, and I vow to you that you never will be again. I am protecting you because from the second I laid eyes on you, I knew you were mine. And I protect what's mine with everything I have."

That seems to squash any of her doubts, at least for now, and she nods, relaxing a little more. "Okay," she whispers. "If I can help, though, I want to. Not to fight or anything, but I've been in this world my whole life. Maybe I know something that can be useful?"

I consider it for a moment. On one hand, I hate to get her involved at all, since she's already been through more than enough. On the other hand, she's the daughter of the man who's just started a war in this city, and if she can tell us anything, it could help us massively. It could help me help her massively.

Mind made up, I nod to her. After pausing to get her dressed in some sweatpants that hang off her comically so she's not half naked, I lead her downstairs to the kitchen, calling for Nick and Jace to join us on the way.

While we wait for them to join us, I make Ava coffee as she perches on a barstool at the breakfast bar, her eyes wide as she takes in her surroundings. Once the others arrive, I lean against the counter across from her, keeping my voice soft, and start to ask questions.

She knows more than she even realizes is useful, and an hour later, we have the location of multiple of her father's hideouts, inside information on his team, and details about a deal that went bad that landed him in a ton of debt—which is why he now owes so many other gangs money.

Ava looks exhausted by the end, and I ignore Nick and Jace's conversation and questions to me as I round the counter, heading straight for my girl. I tilt her chin up to look at me, stroking my thumb over her cheek gently.

"You did so fucking good, angel," I praise her in a soft voice, loving the way her eyes light up at my words. I can't help but dip my head to kiss her, murmuring against her lips, "I'm so damn proud of you."

She kisses me back, and I lose myself in her, tasting sugary coffee and something uniquely Ava on her lips. It's addictive. I never want to stop. She's too damn good for someone like me, but I am never letting her go.

When I pull away, I realize my men have gone totally silent. Ava's cheeks bloom bright red, and my eyes snap to the side to find Nick and Jace openly staring at us.

"They're staring," she whispers, trying to hide her face behind her hands.

I hold my men's eyes as I pull her hands away, silently instructing her to stand her ground. I make sure Nick and Jace's attention is on us when I speak to Ava.

"Let them stare," I say, loud enough for them all to hear. "Head up, Ava. Let them see their new queen."