Total pages in book: 235
Estimated words: 227851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1139(@200wpm)___ 911(@250wpm)___ 760(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 227851 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1139(@200wpm)___ 911(@250wpm)___ 760(@300wpm)
“I have a meeting with Patrick,” she rushes to remind me. Yes. At two. It’s nearly two. “I’ll speak to him about Mikael.”
I move to a nearby table and rest a palm on the wood, leaning into it, my head hanging, my eyes closed. So now she’s keen? Now she appreciates the danger? “This isn’t the work of Mikael, Ava.” She said it herself yesterday. “Steve confirmed Mikael has been back and forth to London over the last few weeks, but completely legit.” Maybe I should have shared this news as soon as I learned it. I didn’t because maybe I thought that would be the excuse Ava needed to never tell Peterson she can’t work with Mikael. “He couldn’t have drugged you and he couldn’t have been driving my car because both of those times he was in Denmark.”
There’s a beat of silence. “What about the man in the CCTV footage?”
And that’s a point. It was definitely a man. Definitely not Coral. But did I see the suited guy who looked like Van Der Haus actually put anything in Ava’s glass? No. I just assumed it was him because he resembled Van Der Haus. It could have been anyone in that bar. Even Coral. My head banging, I rise and rub at my temple. Sarah’s standing on the threshold of the bar observing me having a meltdown. I turn my back on her, uncomfortable. “I don’t know, Ava. My car was found yesterday. Steve’s looking into it. The tracker’s been deactivated.”
“Should I come to The Manor after work?” she asks quietly, so willing.
“No,” I say, as Sarah passes me, settling with some gents on a table in front of me, now able to see my face again. I turn and walk out of the bar. I’m not surprised when Sam and Drew follow me and meet me on the steps, both concerned. “John will take you home as soon as you’ve spoken to Patrick,” I say. “I’ll meet you there. Given this new information I’ve just found out, I’ve got Steve swinging by. Don’t leave that office, and once John’s taken you home, you stay put. Do you understand me?”
“I understand,” she says quietly.
“Good girl.” Fuck, I shouldn’t have yelled at her. “I’ll speak with Steve, but I’m out of here the second I’m done.” She needs a hug. I need a hug.
“I love you,” she blurts in a panic.
“I know you do, baby.” I look to the heavens, praying for some answers soon. I can’t say I will ever relax completely when it comes to Ava and the babies, won’t bother even trying to convince myself I will, but knowing who’s responsible for all this shit will obviously take the edge off. “We’ll have a bath when I’m home. Deal?”
She agrees, and I hang up. Sam’s on my left, Drew’s on my right. All of us staring down the driveway. “Ava’s been getting threats,” I say, almost robotically, like drama is all I have to give today. It is.
“Coral said she didn’t drug Ava,” Drew murmurs. “Or run her off the road.”
I look at him, shocked. “You asked her?”
“In the heat of the moment, yes.” He rolls his shoulder, pouting moodily. “I wasn’t thinking straight, I’m sorry.”
Don’t lose your shit.
“What did you expect her to say?” Sam asks, laughing. “Oh, yes, baby daddy,” he squeaks in a pathetic female tone. “It was me, it was me.”
“For fuck’s sake, Drew.”
“I’m sorry.” He shrugs. “Is it bad I want to fuck?”
“Why would you think it’s bad? It’s your go-to.”
“But I’m possibly going to be a dad.” He flinches at the very words. “Best-case, it was Coral, mystery solved, she gets banged up, and I get the kid,” Drew says.
“Best-case?” Sam asks.
“I’ll get a nanny. It’ll be fine.” He puffs out his chest. “How hard can it be?”
“You won’t be able to fuck willy-nilly,” I say.
“Who’s willy-nilly?” Sam asks, and Drew and I burst into laughter, bending at the waist. “What?” Sam asks. “What did I say?”
“Nothing.” I chuckle, the laughter feeling good. A brief reprieve from the nightmare. But . . . back to the nightmare.
I sigh, turning and heading back inside. “Jesus, who would have thought, eh? Me, married with twins on the way, Sam settling down and departing from The Manor, and Drew being used as a sperm donor.”
“I’m not changing,” Drew grunts. “It’s who I am. What I do.”
I believe it. I poke my head around the bar door, seeing Sarah still holding court with the table of guys, so I head to my office and wait for Cook, calling John.
“You didn’t listen to me, did you?” he grumbles. “I could see Ava from across the road at her desk trembling.”
I grimace. I’m not proud. “Cook’s coming over now. Ava’s in a meeting with Peterson, then she’s leaving. Can you take her home? I won’t be far behind.”