by C. M. Steele
I wrap her up in my arms, hoping that she’s not too cold. “No.”
She looks up at me with her eyes expectant. “Then what was that? You were upset. Please don’t lie to me.”
“Someone destroyed my front gate and then must have limped off since the vehicle’s still there.” She gasps, pressing her hand to her mouth. “I didn’t want to ruin our night out.”
“But aren’t you upset?” I look around and see the crowd is only growing. I don’t want people in our business, so I move us slightly away from the truck to avoid being recognized.
“I’m pissed as hell, but it’s still going to be there when we get home. It’s not like canceling our date would make it better,” I say, taking her hand in mine and turning her so we’re face to face.
“I suppose,” she sighs, her eyes not meeting mine.
I tip her chin up so I can look at her gorgeous face. When her eyes meet mine, I see unshed tears. “Are you upset with me?”
She shakes her head vehemently. “No. It’s sweet that you tried to save our date.”
“It’s ruined now?” I ask, cupping her face, rubbing my thumb over her cold cheek. Maybe we should go back inside the restaurant until our ride arrives.
“Hardly ruined. I’m sorry about all of this, but you made it a wonderful night.” The genuine smile on her face makes me feel so damn good inside. This woman has changed me in a way that’s hard to explain.
“You made it wonderful. I’m here with the most beautiful woman in the world.” I lean in and kiss her lips lightly. I back off when I feel how cold they are. “Babe, you’re freezing. We should go back inside.”
“I’m fine.” I slip off my coat and slide it onto her.
“You shouldn’t,” she protests, but the added warmth is evident in her face instantly.
“Don’t argue with me or I’ll spank you later,” I warn her playfully.
“But…” she pouts.
“Did I stutter, woman?”
“Maybe you did, now that you’re cold.” She jabs me in the chest with her gloved finger.
“I’m the farthest from cold, but I think you’ve earned a spanking,” I growl in her ear, aching to be alone with her, but I doubt we’ll get a chance to do more than sleep.
“Good. Goal accomplished.” She kisses my cheek with a sultry grin. I wrap her up in my arms again and hold her tightly as we wait for our ride. Less than a minute later, Jessie calls. “I’m down the street. I’ll be there in a minute. Want to meet me on the corner to avoid the crowd?”
“Works for me.”
I hang up and take Ava’s hand. We walk just ten feet to the corner where Jessie’s waiting. I open up the back door to the crew cab. I bow slightly and say, “My lady.”
“Thank you, kind sir,” Ava sasses back, hopping into the back where I swat her ass. She whips her head at me and says, “That’s one.”
“Oh you’re getting a lot more than one,” I growl, following in behind her. Once we’re in and buckled up, Jessie turns back toward the ranch. “Thank you for picking us up, Jessie,” I say.
“No problem, boss man.” He smiles into the rearview mirror. He’s young and handsome, but I try not to be jealous because Ava’s with me.
“Jessie, this is my Ava. Ava, this is Jessie.”
“Hello, Jessie,” she says so sweetly that I feel my hold tightening on her waist.
As if sensing my tension, he doesn’t take this time to goad me. “Hello, Miss Ava.”
“So any ideas who could have done this?” Ava asks.
“I don’t know, but I will find out,” I promise, moving my arm around her shoulder and tugging her down to rest her head on my chest.
She wants answers I don’t have. This was supposed to be a magnificent night. A small demonstration of what it’s like to be my wife. For the first time in my life, I’ve found someone who makes me undeniably happy, and someone’s trying to ruin it.
Ava starts to lose some of the tension in her body, but I know the second she sees the damage to the front of the ranch, she’s going to freak out. Her life has been flipped upside down for weeks now, and I just want it to be right side up again.
I think about how there’s nothing on camera of this person crashing into the ranch. We apparently don’t have enough cameras at the ranch or in town. According to the string of texts I received at dinner, the vehicle was there, but pointless since I learned it was stolen. I do my best not to be upset, but seeing Ava scared pisses me off to the point that I want to smash this person’s head in.
When we arrive at the ranch entrance, I see two ranch hands attempting to move the debris and repair what they can. Jessie doesn’t stop because he knows Ava doesn’t need to be around all this mess. He pulls up to the house and I step out, helping Ava to her feet. “Thanks, Jessie. I’ll be out shortly.”
“Sure thing, Tobias. I’ll see what else John needs from me.” I close the door and then take Ava’s hand as we walk up the front porch. Her tension radiates through her and I’m hoping that I can find a way to calm her down. “Babe. I’m going to make sure no one comes to hurt you.”
“Somehow they found me,” she says as she slides off my coat. I take it and set it on the chair near the door.
Needing to stop that crazy talk of hers, I take her hands in mine. “I don’t believe that. I fired a couple of people at the end of the summer. It could be their way of getting revenge on me. Do you think your father would just commit petty crimes to get to you? He wouldn’t want to tip his hand like that. If he did, he’s a fool because I’m doubling the security by the end of the day tomorrow. I’m betting he’d come to steal you, but that won’t happen.”
My guys are already patrolling the area. The house has security, but it’s nowhere near enough. I’ll be doubling down in the morning. Landon’s already made some calls, and he’s having a friend from Texas come up to install all the equipment we need. Our town is usually super safe. In all my life, I’ve never had an incident on the ranch. Now, I have someone looking to start some shit.
“I’ll be back down later.” I shoot off a couple of texts and then lock up the house, hitting the security alarm. Turning to Ava, I scoop her up into my arms and carry her upstairs to our bedroom.
Setting Ava down on our bed, I stare at her, and I’m pissed. She looks absolutely perfect tonight. It was supposed to be special. We had our first real date. I wanted to show her the best of what we could have together. Now she’s upset, her hands folded in her lap are shaking.
Looking up at me, she says, “I need you to hold me, Tobias.”
I wrap her up in my arms, place a kiss on the top of her head, and whisper, “Forever, Ava. Forever.” I pull back, bend down and take her foot in my hand. Slowly I undo her heels, sliding one and then the other off. Kneeling in front of my love, I skim my hands over her thighs, pushing her dress up. Kissing her thighs then her covered mound, I move upward and take off her dress. She reaches for my sweater, but I grip her hands and halt her movements. “Ava, we don’t need to have sex. I’m just trying to get you ready for bed.”
“I need you, Tobias.”
“Anything for you.” Leaning forward, I taste her lips, kissing her gently. We’re going to take this very slow. We make love until we’re both coming apart. I wrap her up in my arms, holding her tightly.
As soon as she’s asleep, I leave to meet with the guys and make as many calls before I come in for the night. It’s about eleven when we finally call it a night. Stripping out of my clothes, I climb into bed with Ava. “Everything okay?”
“Now it is.” Having Ava with me makes everything better.
Chapter 11
Ava
“It’s been a week since the incident, and I’m still not sure it wasn’t because of me no matter how many times Tobias says otherwise,” I confess to Louisa. We’ve become such great friends, and I know she’s not going to tell anyone what I say.
“Ava, you know that it could be anyone. The cook he fired started rumors and lies ab
out Tobias before she left town. She was extremely vindictive.” Louisa takes a drink of her coffee before setting it down. The boys are off at school, so we decided to have a little girl time.
“What kind of rumors?”
From the look on her face, I already have my answer. “Ones I’m sure you won’t like.” Yep that confirms it. He was fucking his old cook too.
“They were sleeping together too?” Instantly, I feel like I’m going to be sick. There’s something repulsive to me about just being another useful body, no different than any other. I can feel the tears well up in my eyes, so I take a drink of my coffee to stop myself.
Louisa puts her hand on my forearm and glares at me, but she offers a smile afterward. “Before you start that train of thought, don’t do it. He wasn’t sleeping with her, but she used the lie to try and make him look bad.”
Louisa goes on to explain what happened back in September. By the time she finishes, I’m pissed for Tobias. That bitch. “Oh my goodness. On the bed we sleep on? I can’t believe it.”
“No. Not on that bed. Tobias got rid of it that same night and slept on the sofa and then moved into the bedroom you were using when you first came here. A week later he got a replacement brought in. He’s no saint or even a monk, but he’s a good man.”
“I wasn’t a virgin either, but the thought of another woman in the same bed doesn’t sit right with me.”
“It didn’t with him either. John was pissed when he came home and told me. I was so happy you came here. I could tell already that you were perfect for him before you two even met. In fact, I hoped he’d fall in love with you. You bring out the guy he only shows his closest friends and family. Everyone else knows him as a prick.”
“Thanks. I’m glad you told me. I’d hate to meet that woman and be caught by surprise.”
“Honestly, not a single person in town believed that lie, especially after seeing you. Not once were they ever seen together. He’s made it known in town that you’re his.”
“He most definitely has. I’m scared because—”
“You love him, don’t you?” I nod.
“So much. It came out of nowhere. In fact, from the first moment I saw him, I couldn’t control the way my heart danced in my chest. This has never happened to me before.”
“Then don’t let anything or anyone get in your way.” She pats my hand again.
Just then, the bell rings. I look over to the screen on the kitchen counter, and it’s the FedEx guy again. I go to the door and take the envelope from him. Sign and then gasp. Instantly, my world goes dark, but someone catches me before I fall.
“What the fuck are you doing?” A roar comes out, and I swear it’s Tobias but it’s far away.
“She fainted. I was just trying to stop her from hurting herself.”
“Thanks. You can go. I got her now.” I feel Tobias’s strong arms cradle me to his cold body, taking me to lie on the sofa. I barely register what’s going on when he swears. Sitting up, I see him with the package in his hands.
“Wait a second. Don’t move a fucking inch.” He storms out of the room. Two minutes later he comes back and then opens the envelope.
“What is it?” Louisa asks.
I read the letter aloud.
Sweetheart,
We know where you are. And you’re proving to be a whore just like your mother. You picked a football player. Nice touch, but he seems to have problems of his own. You should come home so people can stop worrying. You don’t care who’s upset that you’re missing. Derek is worried sick about you and you’re off gallivanting around with a washed-up athlete, letting him defile you. Come home now.
We can work it all out,
your loving father.
The pictures of Tobias and me aren’t of us in the most intimate moments, but they are of that night at the restaurant. The first three are of him more than likely when he was talking about doing naughty things to me. Then the truck and the person running from our vehicle. I can’t make out the figure, but whoever my father sent to search for me knows who the attacker was.
I have to get this off my chest. “I’m going to call him.”
“What?” he roars, thrusting his hands into his hair. Fuck, his cheeks are red from the cold, but the look in his eyes does something to me that warms me right up. Still, I stay away from the nasty thoughts and focus on my problem.
“Look, he knows where I’m at, right? What he doesn’t know is that there’s evidence of his attack on me. I’m not going to let him come and get me. Are you?”
Tobias drops to his knees in front of me. “Never.”
“I’m an adult, and there’s nothing he can do about it. I’ve committed no crime.”
“Fine, but I’m sitting right here, and I want it on speaker phone,” he demands. Good. I want him at my side. I need him at my side.
I let out a sigh, and then pull out my phone. “Here goes nothing.” I dial his cell phone, and he picks up on the last ring.
“Mr. Henry,” I say, refusing to call him Dad anymore. He lost that right after this sick attempt to force me into marriage.
“Ava. Where are you?” He’s clenching his teeth.
“Where am I? You know damn well where I am. How you know that is a question that I haven’t figured out,” I hiss out, attempting to come off as annoyed and not the anxious way I’m feeling.
“Fine. That’s easy. The surveillance of you at the bank. I had that woman followed. She left for Montana and came back a couple weeks later. We went with the idea that she gave you a place to lay low, so we went with the hunch. My man had been just about ready to give up his search, only to see you with Reynolds. Just dumb luck it seems was in my favor. Ava Marie, enough of all this. When are you coming back?”
“Never.”
“You will be coming back,” he commands. Maybe it’s time or the distance, or the fact that I have Tobias at my side, but I’m not intimidated by him anymore.
“No, I won’t. I want nothing to do with you ever again,” I state with so much power, I actually feel triumphant.
“You’re making me look bad. After all I’ve done for you, this is how you treat me? Do you know that the ethics committee is questioning your sudden disappearance?”
“Oh, they think you killed me?” I laugh.
“No, but they’re more concerned about why you left. Someone saw you running from our home moments after your mother and I drove away. You couldn’t leave without making a fuss, could you?” Always about appearances.
“Sorry to inconvenience you. Imagine that. You looking bad…Just imagine what it was like to walk around with a black eye for weeks. So go fuck yourself about appearances. I actually called to tell you to leave me alone. I have no intention of ever coming back. If you continue harassing me, I’ll go public with the abuse.”
“Or better yet, I’ll destroy you for putting your hands on my woman,” Tobias interjects, clearly pissed off to the point that he’s broken his silence.
“Oh so you’re the tough fucker. You can’t even handle the one problem you have. Don’t go looking for more. I promise you won’t like what I am capable of. My daughter’s better off at home with her fiancé, Derek.”
“You’ve had your warning. I’ve seen what you’re capable of, you poor excuse for a man. It’s already been made clear that you gave her the black eye. We know it. You’re lucky you’re not in front of me because you’d never breathe again. If I ever see you, I’ll do so much more.”
“If you don’t come home, Ava. I will make you both regret it. Heed my warning.”
“I think I’ll make a call to the Indiana State Police or maybe the Montana State Police for stalking and assault.”
“We don’t need all of that. I just want you to come home, Ava. Derek loves you and is waiting for you.” Tobias ends the call, getting more and more livid by the second.
“I’ve heard enough about this Derek asshole.”
“Sorry. I haven’t seen him in a year. I don’t know why he
keeps mentioning him.”
He shakes his head and stands up. “I’ve added extra security for the house. Stay inside. I’m calling my lawyer.”
Louisa comes over, taking Tobias’s place. “Girl, how are you?”
“I’m fine, I suppose. Tobias is pissed at me, but I’m not sure why.”
“He’s a guy. I don’t think he’ll be happy hearing about an ex. Although that’s not what crawled up his ass. Everything your father said continued to set his teeth on edge.”
“I need to go talk to him.”
“I’ll be right here if you need me.”
“Thanks.” I walk down the hallway to Tobias’s office and then knock.
“Come in.” I step in and he’s out of his chair, cupping my face with his mouth on mine before I can react. I moan, clinging to him.
“I never slept with Derek.”
“I’m not mad about that. Although it makes me a little less tense. Your father is a bastard. Some of us lose the best parents and people like him stick around sucking the soul out of everyone.” The phone on his desk rings. “My lawyer’s calling. I have to take this, but you stay right fucking put.” He sits on the edge of his desk and then hits the speaker.
“Hey, Bill. I’ve got a problem. Can you stop by the house?”
“Yeah. Give me two hours.”
“Okay. Thanks.” He ends the call and pulls me between his legs. “Ava, Ava, Ava. Fuck, this is hard for me to say.”
“Are you ending things?”
“Fuck no. I didn’t mean to give you that impression.” He kisses my lips lightly and then says, “This isn’t how I wanted to tell you or even how soon, but I want you to know I love you. I love you so fucking much that I don’t know how to handle someone being rude to you. And I’m without a doubt jealous as fuck seeing another man’s hands on you.”
My mouth opens and closes several times. “I love you too.”
“Say it again, babe.”
“I love you, Tobias. I didn’t expect this, but I’m so grateful that we met.” He wraps me up in a bear hug and our mouths meet. I could kiss this man forever.