Blake: A Romantic Suspense (V Mafia Series Book 1) Page 17

  Since Blake stayed with me that night we’d found everything, he’d been running through my blood like a drug. I wanted more of him. He made me feel safe and protected, but my mind and body were in complete disagreement over what that actually meant.

  The logical side of me knew that what was speaking most to me was lust. Blake was extremely attractive, charming, and a bit mysterious. He was also the person who’d managed to be there for me through much of what I’d gone through in recent weeks, which put him in a special category.

  “Hey, Ava,” Nina’s chipper voice brought me out of my Blake spiral. “So good to have you back.”

  There was a hug in her voice even though we certainly wouldn’t display any kind of affection in these halls. The patients would take it as a sign of weakness, among other things.

  “It’s amazing to be here.” I stopped in front of my office and leaned against the doorframe.

  “You’ve got a busy day ahead,” she warned. “If you need any help, let me know.”

  “Absolutely.” I grinned and glanced behind me, looking into my office. It was exactly how I’d left it. “You all weren’t kidding about expecting me back.”

  “What can I say? We’re mind readers.” Her smile widened, and she patted my shoulder before taking off down the hall toward the patient rooms.

  My other office had a huge window overlooking the campus. Trees anchored my view, and it wasn’t uncommon to see people wandering outside.

  Here, the only windows I had were three eight-by-eight squares with metal security grating right below the ceiling. There was no crawling out of those windows for the patients or the staff, but light did spray into my room even on the dreariest of days. I sat my bag on my desk and glanced at the filing cabinet. I’d emptied it out before I left, and it wouldn’t take long before I filled it up again.

  I walked slowly around my desk before taking a seat and stuffed my bag in one of the bottom drawers I could lock. Before I closed it up, I glanced at my phone and saw a message from Blake.

  Congratulations on your first day back! Can’t wait to see you tonight to celebrate!

  I laughed out loud and quickly responded. He never reached out to make plans, but that was probably because he knew I’d come up with a reason I couldn’t see him. Over the last few days, he’d made a habit of just showing up. I rather liked that about him.

  The day after we’d found everything in my crawlspace, Blake had to leave the state on a business trip. Since then, every time I opened my door to see him, he had food in hand and wore a boyish grin. It was impossible to turn him away, but once inside, he never tried anything. I twisted my lips into a pucker and quickly texted back.

  You certainly always keep me on my toes.

  He wrote back.

  So is that a yes?

  I texted back.

  I didn’t know you were asking.

  Even texting back and forth with Blake made my mind go back to that night I spent with him. It had been weeks ago, and yet, the feel of his skin against mine was burned into my mind like it had happened this morning.

  I knew I was playing with fire, but it was like I didn’t care.

  I put my phone back in the drawer and locked it up.

  Today was going to be a good day.

  I logged on to my computer and looked over my schedule. The morning was pretty clear to allow me to get settled, but right after lunch, things changed. I had back-to-back meetings with several new patients followed by sessions with a couple of patients I’d already been working with.

  In five minutes or so, the first group session was scheduled, and I noticed several of my new patients were participants. I listed myself as an observer online, locked my computer, and dashed out of my office.

  I might as well jump in feet first to get a feel for what the rest of my afternoon might be like. It was good to hear from the patients first before meeting with them individually, and this would be the perfect opportunity to listen to some of them.

  I took a deep breath and quickly rounded the corner, letting myself through the double doors that led to the patient rooms and group therapy areas. A few nurses were talking at the nurses’ station and I gave a quick nod.

  A rush of adrenaline swam through me as I opened the door to the room where the session was about to take place. Dr. Silian smiled and looked pleased to see me.

  The door closed behind me with a loud click and all eyes looked over at me. The adrenaline rush quickly turned to fear as I spotted one of the men I’d be seeing later today. He was a former patient. He licked his lips as he studied me, and I straightened my posture and marched into the room of men, staring straight ahead.

  They would never get the best of me.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Blake

  Fletcher’s security was still stationed outside Ava’s home, and as far as I was concerned, it would stay that way until Alfred was in custody. I hopped up the steps and rang the doorbell. I’d planned on bringing food, but she’d texted me that she wanted to make dinner.

  Ava opened the door and her beauty took my breath away. A sweet smile traced her lips as she gestured me inside. Her hair was down loose around her face and she looked relaxed. She was wearing a tight pair of yoga pants and a low-cut, slouchy sweatshirt. It was the first time I saw her in something other than what she wore to work.

  “You look incredible.” I smiled, taking her in.

  She shook her head.

  “Workout clothes are always known to get the blood pumping in the opposite sex,” she teased.

  “Well, you can wear them around me anytime you want.”

  “Is that so?” She placed her hand on her hip, her voice filled with the same fire I fell for the first time I met her. “Glad I have your permission.”

  I snaked my arms around her waist and felt her melt into me almost immediately. Maybe an “us” wasn’t impossible.

  She was pointed toward the kitchen so the back of her pressed into me, and I nearly wanted to take her here in the hallway.

  “You have my permission to do anything you like,” I murmured, bringing my mouth to the crook of her neck. She smelled like vanilla, and I doubted she ever made it to the gym. I felt her shudder in my arms as I slid my lips along the bare skin of her shoulder.

  This really was the perfect outfit.

  “How was the first day of work?” I whispered, moving my mouth right behind her ear.

  “Not as good as this,” she breathed, and I couldn’t help but smile. “How was your business trip?”

  I let out an unexpected sigh. “It was fine.”

  She turned around in my arms, connecting her gaze with mine. “That doesn’t sound promising.”

  I shrugged my shoulders, not wanting to get bogged down in details of anything that would ruin what was running between us. That had happened too many times already.

  “Well then.” She flashed a polite smile and backed out of my arms. “Dinner will be ready shortly.”

  I watched her walk away as I came to terms with the thought that I’d been shut down. Ava wasn’t like any woman I’d dated before. Well, maybe I couldn’t really call what I did before dating, but whatever this was threw me into unfamiliar territory.

  And it made me want her even more.

  I heard pots and pans banging around in the kitchen before I went to find her. I wanted to give her time.

  Maybe she’d miss me.

  I smiled to myself.

  It was doubtful.

  I walked into the kitchen and saw every surface of the counter filled with enough food for ten people. She’d just set a skillet on her gas stove and turned around to see me.

  “I hope you like chicken piccata.” She smiled and glanced at the counter. “And eggplant parmesan, manicotti, chop salad, antipasto, and bruschetta.”

  “You managed to make all of this in an hour?” My brows shot up.

  “I made the manicotti and eggplant parmesan last weekend. When I get nervous, I cook and freeze.” She
grinned. “The other stuff is easy. All I had to do was slice and dice.” She tossed an olive in her mouth and turned back to the stove.

  “That’s a habit I can totally get used to.”

  “I got it from my mom. Whenever she had things on her mind, she’d organize and cook.”

  I came up behind her and swept her hair to the side. “Anything I can help with?”

  She turned around and a knowing look flashed through her eyes. A smile quickly followed, which totally turned my world on its side. I hadn’t wanted to push anything between us. She’d been through so much.

  “You can set the table.” She pointed at a drawer and cupboard. “Silverware and plates.”

  “I can handle that.” I slid open the drawer and grabbed the silverware.

  “So about my business trip . . .”

  She stopped stirring the sauce and turned around.

  “Yeah?” I saw relief flutter through her expression.

  Ava was a woman who wanted to be included, needed to be included, and the idea of someone like that was fascinating. To be able to have someone talk to about my day was intriguing, and whether she knew it or not, I think it moved our relationship forward.

  “Have you heard from your friend, Sarina, much?” I asked.

  Her eyes narrowed. “A little. She’s not with that guy any longer. Thank God.” She shook her head. “Even beyond what we suspected of him, he wasn’t a good guy for her. Why do you ask?”

  “I followed up on a lead, and it seems like some guy hired Abram to arrange the attack. Your hunch about him was right.”

  Her expression was threaded with horror as she turned off the stove and reached for a ladle.

  “I can’t believe she could’ve married that creep.” She shook her head and grabbed the platter next to her, placing the chicken on it before pouring sauce over it. “Are you going to go to the police or the league? Why’d he do it?”

  She brought the platter to the table and stopped herself. “Wait. Have you met the guy who ordered—” Her gaze dropped to the table as she set the platter down. “I don’t want to know, actually. Never mind. Tell me about your trip.”

  “I’m still getting my feet wet when it comes to stepping back into my role. Business is good, and my brothers will expect me to carry my own weight in the next couple of months. I always knew I’d be back at Wolf Industries.”

  She caught my expression and studied me for a minute before she poured us each a glass of wine.

  “Is it Wolf Industries that has you concerned, or . . .?” She took a sip, looking at me through her lashes.

  “Do you really want to know the answer to that question?”

  “Never ask a question you don’t want to know the answer to.” She set her wine glass down and laughed.

  “Wise words.”

  Her smile widened and her eyes brightened. It was like the thought of Alfred had finally fled her mind long enough to where she could just enjoy herself.

  Or so I thought.

  “Do you believe in showing people mercy?” Ava asked.

  I took her question with the seriousness it warranted.

  “It depends,” I admitted.

  “What about the guy who did that to you?” She pointed at my leg.

  A wicked curl of my mouth gave away my answer.

  “That could be a problem.” There was no conviction behind her statement.

  “For whom?” I asked.

  “For us.” She took a bite of salad and her gaze fell to the table. “Remember, never ask a question you don’t want the answer to.”

  “I think I’ll have to remember that around you.”

  “Do you miss playing?” she asked.

  “I do. Soccer was my passion, but I knew my time was running out. I knew going into the league that I’d eventually have to leave it to work with my brothers.”

  “Why? Why aren’t you allowed to change your mind?” she questioned.

  “That’s not how it works.”

  “How what works?” she asked.

  “Remember your own rule . . .” My voice trailed off and she nodded.

  It would be so much easier to have a platonic discussion if I weren’t so turned on by Ava and if she didn’t work in the field she did.

  “There are moments when I feel like a failure.” Her words sliced into me.

  “You’re anything but.” I leaned forward, wondering where this was coming from. “Why would you ever feel that way?”

  “Sometimes, it just feels like all of my education and all of my research is for nothing. I don’t have any big successes where I can sit back and say wow, I did it. I can’t even see what’s right in front of me with Alfred. I can’t predict what he’s going to do, and I should be able to.”

  “You can’t predict crazy,” I told her.

  She let out a soft breath.

  “All right.” She made a special point to draw out the syllables. “Then that puts me in an awkward position. My goal is to someday be able to lay out warning signs so others . . .” She shook her head.

  I let out a sigh. We were on opposite sides of life with similar cruelties woven through our lives. Yet, we both viewed and dealt with those events so fundamentally differently that I wasn’t sure the parallels were enough.

  “A method must exist to spot individuals with these certain tendencies. We just haven’t gotten there yet.” She shifted in her seat. “Once we do, many lives will be saved.”

  “I don’t doubt it.” I nodded. “And if anyone can do it, I know it’s you.”

  A blush crept up her neck, settling in her cheeks.

  “Thank you. I hope so.” She took a sip of wine. “I just feel like all of these things in my life have brought me here for a bigger purpose. Between what happened to my mom and Alfred, I feel like I was put here to make a difference.”

  “You are making a difference, and you’ll continue to do so.” I smiled, thinking back to first meeting Ava. “Think about it. Most people would’ve gone about their business, but you went to all that trouble to find me when the injury happened. You’re just driven and determined like no other woman I’ve ever met. It’s why I can’t get you out of my head.”

  “I just believe in doing the right thing,” she said softly, sending a look in my direction.

  Which was what worried me so deeply. It was why I might never get to truly have Ava.

  “I keep stitching up the wounds and Alfred keeps ripping them out.” Her voice caught in her throat, and I wanted nothing more than to catch Alfred myself.

  But then that brought me back to problem number one.

  “Has anything ever healed the wounds from your sister’s murder?” she asked, taking me off-guard.

  Most of the systems my family had in place were generations old, and they made the family’s endeavors run like clockwork, but my mom had made it her mission to spend the last several years finding the men responsible for the murder of our sister.

  When it finally happened, I think we all thought we’d be able to breathe a little easier.

  We were wrong.

  But I wasn’t going to tell Ava that. We were too new, and I’d never put my family in jeopardy.

  “A little, but I think only time heals the pain. I doubt it ever completely goes away.” Our eyes connected and she nodded.

  “I agree.” She took a bite of manicotti and smiled. I suddenly felt like I was losing her before I could even call her mine. “So that place you stayed at while recovering was your mom’s?”

  I nodded, and a slight frown spread across my brows before taking a bite of chicken.

  “You’re an amazing cook.”

  “Thank you.” Her smile deepened. “I’m also the queen of keeping people focused.”

  I laughed and shook my head. “I’ve noticed.”

  “So tell me about the place you called home.”

  “It was a long several weeks recuperating there. Generations of Volkovs have lived there off and on.” It was hard not to include an eye ro
ll. “The main residence was built in 1937.”

  She nodded. “I was surprised at how modern it felt inside, but so much of the original features had been kept. It seems pretty big for just your mom.”

  “You mean a twelve thousand square foot monstrosity of whitewashed brick isn’t typical for one person?”

  She laughed, and the melody washed over me like a drug.

  “My family acquired the manor not long after it was built. It has stayed in the family ever since. Over the years, we’ve expanded it as needed to house staff and conduct business dealings. Before my dad died, he added on several sections. He didn’t like leaving his home, so he brought work home. My brothers and sister always loved spending time there in the summers and on holidays, but the place just never sat well with me. It was over the top and gaudy. It never felt like I was at home when I visited. After my sister’s murder, it was nearly impossible to step inside those walls.”

  She reached for my hand and squeezed it. “I can’t imagine.”

  But I knew she could.

  “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me, by the way.” She finished her glass of wine and poured another. “I know my dad seems a little rough around the edges, but I know he’s been able to sleep better at night.”

  “It’s important to keep you safe.”

  “If only everyone could have service like this.” She sucked on her lip, and thirst for her washed through me.

  Everything about Ava was screaming to me, but I didn’t want to do anything she might regret. When I looked into her eyes, I realized what drew me into her more and more each time I saw her.

  Her strength.

  “Do you feel like what this is between us isn’t meant to be?’ I asked.

  “It’s beginning to feel that way.” A smile lined her lips and heat filled her gaze. “But I’ve never been a quitter. I’ve always liked a challenge.”

  “A challenge?”

  She parted her mouth and tasted the wine off her lips.