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  As I stepped in front of Damion, he pulled me into a one-armed bone crushing hug.

  “You straight?” Damion asked.

  “Yep,” I stared into my brother’s eyes.

  He studied my face, nodding his head when he found what he was looking for. “We take front. You got back. Meet in the middle. You see anything call that shit out.”

  “Copy that.” We didn’t waste any more time on pleasantries. “Austin, follow me.”

  We hopped the low cinderblock wall that separated Ava’s side yard and the running trail that ran between the golf course and the housing track. I checked back over the wall, Damion, and his guys were already out of sight.

  As Austin and I silently made our way around the house, I noted the living room and kitchen lights were both on. I tried the kitchen door, and it was locked. Austin continued, moving ahead of me and around the corner of the house. I heard a whistle and hurried around the corner to find Austin picking the lock of the slider. So much for being quiet.

  Austin had the sliding glass door open just enough for us to slide through. I gently closed the door behind me and cleared the kitchen to my right, while Austin went left into the main room. Both of us turned and leveled our weapons when we heard the front door crack open.

  Damion strutted into the living room, his guys following closely behind like he owned the fucking room. No regard for finesse or trying to be quiet. He didn’t give the first fuck if someone heard him or not. In his world, if he entered your house you are dead anyway, there wasn’t a need to be sneaky.

  I stopped at the couch, and white-hot rage coursed through my veins. There was blood on the cushion and floor.

  “They are just droplets, Reid,” Austin said. “Cool your shit. That is barely a bloody nose.” He tried to be reassuring, but even a single drop of my woman’s blood was too much.

  A loud crash above our heads, had us all looking at the stairs. I started to take off, but before I could take my first step a large hand wrapped around my bicep, bringing me to a stop.

  Damion shook his head before he whispered, “Don’t do nothin’ stupid. We don’t know what we’re up against and you don’t want nothin’ to happen to her. Stay focused.”

  Fuck he was right. My head was all over the place. I had to play this smart before I screwed up and got someone else killed. I blew out a breath and allowed my training to take over. I knew better than to rush in. Ava needed me, on point and focused.

  “Austin, you stay down here with Blaze. Trig, Damion follow me.” I started towards the stairs. “One more thing, Carl is mine.”

  “Heard that. Trig, you secure the area once we move in. I’ll look after your girl. You do your thing.”

  “This goes without saying, brother, but you…”

  Damion cut me off before I could finish. “Believe me when I say that I’d take a bullet for somethin’ you care about,” Damion reassured me.

  No further words were needed. I knew Damion would take care of my woman. I was going to gut this fucker, and the last thing I needed was Ava seeing that.

  Another crash upstairs pushed us into action. With Damion and Trig right behind me, we bolted up the stairs. Ava’s bedroom door was open, and I could hear water running. I threw my hand up over my shoulder motioning for the guys to wait. I slowly stepped into the room and peeked around the corner into the master bathroom.

  Carl was naked on the tile floor struggling to find purchase with the shower curtain half wrapped around his legs. Ava was fucking naked on her knees trying to scramble away.

  “Don’t fucking touch me, you disgusting pig,” Ava yelled.

  “Motherfucker!” I shouted.

  I felt Damion at my back, vibrating with anger. I knew my brother well, this was not going to play out as planned. Once he was in a rage, there was no stopping him. Your only hope was to pray you are not on the receiving end of his fury.

  “Son of a bitch!” Damion roared.

  Before I could even register what was going on, Damion stepped around me and had Carl by the hair, pulling his flailing body across the wet floor away from Ava. The sound of bone cracking rang out right before the sickening thud of flesh hitting tile.

  “Get her outta here, Reid! This motherfucker is meetin’ the basement at the clubhouse,” Damion said.

  “Oh shit. Blaze is gonna like that,” Trig added.

  Before I could protest reminding Damion I was taking out Carl, Ava untangled herself from the mess on the bathroom floor and launched herself into my arms. The force of the collision had me taking a step back. Trig grabbed a wet towel off the floor and draped it over Ava’s back covering her naked body.

  “I got you, Ava. You’re safe.” I hugged her to me tightly. “Thanks, man.” I gave Trig a chin lift.

  “I knew you’d come,” Ava whispered. “I knew you’d come. Where’s JJ?” Ava continued to shake in my arms, and for the second time that evening I was torn. Ava needed me, but every part of me wanted to rip Carl’s dick clean off his body and make him choke on it.

  “Safe,” I answered.

  My woman had been naked on the floor with a crazy man.

  Take our girl home, Reid. She needs you.

  Jacob was right. I had to take care of Ava, and JJ. All thoughts of Carl’s torture flew out the window. My woman was my only concern.

  “Trig, get this motherfucker out of here.” Trig moved to get Carl’s body off the floor while Damion wiped the blood off his fists.

  “Don’t worry sweetheart, he won’t be comin’ near you again,” Damion told Ava.

  Ava stiffened at Damion’s voice. She was in shock, and I doubted she’d even realized there were other men in the room. “Damion? What are you doing here?” Ava asked.

  “Your man will fill you in later. Let’s just say it’s family lookin’ out for each other.”

  I squeezed Ava tight and turned to my brother. “Rivers… you hear me D? I want rivers of blood.”

  Damion laughed, “You know me better than that, Logan. There will be oceans.”

  “Appreciate it. I owe you.”

  “You don't owe me shit. Family, brother. Family.”

  I knew Damion would handle Carl. There was no doubt he’d be praying for death long before he drew his last breath.

  With a lift of my head, I turned to leave. “Wait. You gotta cage here? I got someone coming to pick up Carl’s car out front unless you need it, and I can leave Austin here if you need another driver.”

  “I got this brother. I always come prepared. Take care of your girl. Let me handle the rest.”

  “Of course, you do,” I laughed. I pulled a throw blanket off the end of Ava’s bed and tossed the wet towel back on the floor and started for the stairs. I wrapped the blanket around Ava’s back and made sure she was completely covered. “Close your eyes sweetheart, I’ll have you outta here in just a minute.”

  “I knew you’d come,” Ava repeated.

  “Always,” I answered.

  I jogged down the stairs with Ava still in my arms and found Austin and Blaze covering their posts. One at the front windows looking out, the other at the rear sliding door.

  “George already came and got Carl’s car. Do I need to call clean up?” Austin asked.

  “No, Damion and his crew will handle it from here.” I turned to look at Blaze. “My brother has a present for you upstairs. Toy with the motherfucker for me. I want him begging for you to end his miserable life.”

  “It will be a pleasure,” Blaze answered. His features hardening when he saw Ava wrapped around me. “Your girl okay?”

  “No. But she will be,” I answered honestly. Ava was trembling in my arms, her face was already bruising, and I still didn’t know why she was in the shower in the first place.

  “You want me to pull the car around?” Austin asked.

  “No, I want her outta here now. I’ll carry her back to the car.”

  “I knew you’d find me,” Ava whispered into my neck.

  “I will always find you
.”

  19

  In Color

  Ava

  He came.

  Reid found me, and just in time. I didn’t know how much longer I could’ve fought Carl off. I swallowed hard, hoping I wouldn’t throw up on Reid. But between the memories of Carl’s dirty hands on my body and the bouncing from Reid jogging down the dirt trail, my stomach was rolling.

  “Please stop for a minute. I feel like I am going to throw up,” I told Reid.

  “We’re almost there sweetheart. Try and hold it, we can’t stop,” Reid answered.

  I closed my eyes again and really tried, but I couldn’t hold it in. “Reid…” before I could warn him bile rushed up and I barely turned my head in time.

  I threw up. Vomit splattered all over his shoulder and the blanket he used to wrap me in. Reid stopped running and waited for me to finish emptying the contents of my stomach. Uncaring that I was throwing up down his back. Tears mixed with the acidic taste of vomit. I was horrified.

  “Sorry,” I mumbled.

  “Don’t be. You good?” Reid smoothed my wet hair and adjusted my weight in his arms.

  “I think so.”

  Without another word, he took off into a jog again. I let my head fall on his chest and watched the golf course pass by.

  I was safe.

  Austin was already at Reid’s SUV holding out a clean blanket. The cool crisp air hit my naked back and ass when Reid pulled the soiled blanket off my body. Mortification set in. There I was wrapped around Reid like a spider monkey, my bare breasts against his chest. I had no idea how many of his men were in the house when he found me. A clean blanket was once again wrapped around me, and Reid carefully tucked the ends in between our bodies.

  Damion. Crap, Damion was there too. My face and neck burned with embarrassment. Maybe I should’ve been thinking more about the fact I was found, and less about who had seen me naked, but I couldn’t control my racing thoughts. Was Reid mad at me? Would he believe me about what happened?

  “I didn’t want him to touch me. I promise,” I blurted out.

  “Motherfucker,” Austin roared.

  Reid stiffened and tightened his grip on me.

  “I know you didn’t, sweetheart. You’re safe now. He will never hurt you again.” His voice sounded angry, furious even.

  Crestfallen, I rested my forehead on his shoulder. I knew he would be mad at me. I was tainted now. What man wanted to see the woman he had kissed only hours before rolling around on the floor naked with another man?

  Carl ruined everything.

  Reid opened the back passenger door and moved to set me down on the backseat. I lifted my head trying to look around at anything but his face. I wasn’t ready to see the disappointment and disgust in his eyes. Twenty-four hours ago, he had me convinced I could be happy again. He had woken me up from a five-year slumber, with one single press of his lips.

  Now it was gone.

  All the beauty and color he had shown me was gone. Carl Allen took everything away from me in the blink of an eye.

  For the second time in my life, my whole world was destroyed because of someone else’s actions. This had to be the Universe’s way of telling me I was destined to be alone.

  I lost Reid’s body heat when he had me secured in the backseat. He stood in the door frame of the Rover and pulled his shirt over his head and balled it up throwing it to Austin. I was so lost in my own misery I missed when his strong arms picked me back up, and he slid in the seat settling me on his lap.

  “Ava, I don’t know what thoughts are swirling around in that pretty little head of yours, but I won’t let you shut down on me,” Reid said, his tone still hard.

  I remained quiet when Austin got into the driver seat and started the car. I kept my eyes averted, unseeing as the street lights and buildings rushed by. I didn’t want to think about what would happen when we got to where Reid was taking me. I just had to concentrate on JJ, and making sure he was okay, knowing once again we would be alone. I would have to move. Carl took that from me too. I could never step foot back into the house I loved. All the memories JJ and I made in that house, us making it a home after we lost Jacob. The comfort I felt when Reid bought the house next door. It wasn’t quite so lonely knowing he was a few yards away if we needed anything.

  We pulled in front of a nondescript, one-story white building. I should’ve been paying more attention to where we were going instead of having the pity party I had been indulging in.

  “Where are we? Is JJ here?” I asked.

  “We are at Doc Chesterfield’s clinic. You need to be checked and clean up before I take you to JJ,” Reid answered.

  Of course, I must’ve been a mess. Reid was right, I didn’t want JJ to see me like this. And I needed a shower. I wanted to scrub my body with bleach to wash away Carl’s repulsive touch and putrid scent. I hoped the bruising on my face and nose wouldn’t be so bad, I couldn’t cover it with makeup. I didn’t want JJ to be scared, or have a reminder of tonight for weeks to come.

  Who the fuck was I kidding? I’m sure tonight would be burned into my son’s memory for all of eternity. God knows what JJ heard back at the safe house. Tears spilled down my face, my poor baby boy. He must’ve been so scared, and I was completely helpless to comfort him.

  I failed again. Always failing. No wonder Reid was so angry. I was weak, and he had to come in and save the day again.

  Reid opened the car door and stepped out with me in his arms. I allowed myself just a few more seconds of his warmth and comfort. But even in those final seconds, something felt different, the uncertainty and anxiety had already curled in my belly fighting to break free.

  “I can walk,” I snapped.

  I didn’t want to walk, I wanted Reid to wrap me in his warmth and never let me go.

  “I’m sure you can, Ava, but you’re not going to,” Reid replied.

  “Put me down,” I tried again.

  Please don’t let me do this, I screamed in my mind.

  “No. Stop fighting Ava.” Reid’s angry voice was back.

  If I was smart, I would’ve closed my mouth and conceded, but all those toxic emotions swirling around in my belly broke free. And standing in the middle of Doc Chesterfield’s parking lot, the Python in my belly threatened to choke me from inside out if I didn’t let him loose.

  “I said, let me down. Now Reid.” I struggled with all my might until he finally lost his grip on me and had to settle me on the ground. “I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with you and Mac, but you both think you can swoop in and take over my life anytime you think I need your help, but it ends here,” I yelled. I might’ve stomped my barefoot on the pavement for full dramatic flair. “Thank you for finding me and saving me from that bastard Carl, but I know what is happening here. I know you hate me, I got Rick killed, I pulled you into my disastrous life. And, in your misplaced obligation, you think you need to continue to take care of me until you can let the poor, used up, soiled woman down. I get it, I’m dirty now. You don’t need to pretend. I will see the doctor, scrub Carl’s filth and slime off my body, and you can just drop me off with JJ. I won’t bother you again.”

  When I was done with my temper tantrum all I heard was two angry men growling. It sounded something like a mix of a bear and a wounded lion. Austin stomped away muttering a string of curse words that would make the devil himself blush. Reid, well, he just stood in front of me staring. I wasn’t sure if it was relief or anger that flashed in his eyes.

  “All of what you just said is jacked. Totally fucked up. I know you needed to spew out all that shit and get it off your chest. I’ll give you that, Ava. What I won’t give you is you talking about yourself that way, ever again.” Reid grabbed me by both my shoulders and shook me so hard my teeth rattled. “Don’t you ever call yourself, soiled, used up, or dirty again. Do you hear me? Don’t you ever talk about my Goddamn woman that way. Whatever Carl did to you, it’s not your fault. You may not get it now, but you will, Ava. I’ll make sure of it. Nothing t
hat piece of shit did is your fault. And Rick, he died protecting my woman, my family. I can never repay that, but I will not ever allow you to disrespect his sacrifice. He died so I could live another day loving you. Do you get it yet, Ava?” Reid stopped again and searched my confused eyes. “No, I see you don’t. But mark this, you fucking will. And one more thing. No woman of mine is walking barefoot in a parking lot with a Goddamn blanket wrapped around her. I don’t give a flying fuck if you’re in tip-top health and want to skip to my Lou. Not ever gonna happen, sweetheart. So, get over yourself.”

  With that, he scooped me up and marched us into the clinic. There was so much he just said to me I didn’t know where to begin.

  “Did you say you loved me?” I whispered.

  “Jesus Christ, she’s getting it,” he mumbled.

  “That’s not an answer, Reid,” I snapped.

  “Now, she’s breaking my balls… yes, sweetheart, I love you.”

  And with those words, with the sun coming up over the horizon in the early morning hours my world was filled with a little more color.

  Maybe, just maybe, the universe was wrong.

  20

  Relief

  Reid

  Jacked.

  Every fucked-up word she spoke tore me to shreds. I needed to be patient with her, and handle this with care, but I snapped when she called herself ‘used up.’ What the fuck? It was a slow build up, one I tried to control, but the more she spoke, the harder it was to contain my fury.

  I wished I could be there when Damion ripped Carl’s last breath from his body. Making sure that Ava was taken care of was more important than disposing of the scum that Carl was, but there was still nagging in my gut. A nagging feeling that my brother would have the pleasure of killing the man that hurt my woman.

  Doc Chesterfield met us in the lobby of his clinic dressed in casual blue jeans and T-shirt. I was relieved he didn’t have his white doctor coat on. Maybe if this was less formal, Ava would feel more comfortable. Who the fuck was I kidding? No amount of casualness would ease the shock and pain of being violated. That was just a lie I was trying to convince myself of. And this was not about me, this was about getting my woman the treatment she needed to ensure she was safe.