Loose Ends (Magnolia Series Book 1)

by Dawn, Taylor

  “Care to explain the thing you’d like to take back?”

  “I think you know the one.” He still didn’t turn around.

  The room became quiet and then he heard her say, “No. I want to hear you say it. Don’t you dare take the coward’s way out of this, Luke.”

  “Don’t make me say it, Ava.”

  “Goddamn it! At least show me the respect of looking at me!” She shouted loud enough to make him jump.

  Luke blanked his features and whirled around to face her. A look of hurt peppered her features and it took all the energy he had not to cross the room and wrap her in his arms. This was going to be the final nail in the coffin of this entire conversation but it had to be done. “Look, I was worked up. After everything that’d happened yesterday, I didn’t think you’d want me near you unless I said it.” He shrugged.

  “Are you fucking serious right now?”

  “Yes. I didn’t know how you’d react if I wanted to go down on you. So I pushed things along a bit to make sure you’d let me.” Damn that sounded horrible when he’d said it.

  “I cannot believe what I’m hearing. You told me you loved me just to get into my pants?”

  “Essentially.”

  “I don’t believe you.” He could see Ava was trying to rationalize everything he was telling her. But he wouldn’t back down.

  “Look, sweetheart, I told you from the beginning, this was only about fucking. It had nothing to do with feelings and shit. Clearly you didn’t listen.”

  “And clearly you’re a dick, just like every other man who’s fucked me over.”

  “That very well may be. But you can’t stand there and tell me the end of this shit wasn’t coming sooner or later.” Damn he just wanted this to end. Why did she have to keep coming at him?

  “Why did you do this? Why did you act like you cared only to treat me like this?” She wiped furiously at her cheeks—the tears streaming down like ribbons of sorrow. Sorrow he’d put there.

  “I think you know why.” He gave a smirk and pointed his gaze at the crotch of her shorts.

  “Just so you could get laid? Is that what this was about?” All he could do was nod. “Fine. I understand. But when I walk out that door, I won’t ever be coming back, Luke.” she warned.

  “I don’t expect you to.”

  She turned to leave the kitchen but pivoted back around. “Do you want to know something, though?”

  He kept up the façade of being a dick. “Lay it on me, sweetheart.”

  “I did give a damn about you. You were the first person who made me feel safe. You were the first person who made me see the beauty in myself. But because of you, Luke Daughtry, I will never trust anyone with my heart again.”

  Her words sliced him to the bone. It felt as though his blood was gushing internally from just four little phrases. He’d done as he’d set out to do, he’d shattered her. But in the process, he’d managed to take his own heart and crush it with the weight of their words combined.

  ***

  No. This was not happening. What’d started out as a dream the night before had morphed into a nightmare that Ava was now listlessly trudging through. She wasn’t sure why but she shook her head to rid the bad thoughts from entering her mind, as if it would help dispatch the bad events from her memory. But they were like sick little demons that wouldn’t let her go. She’d woken with such a blissful outlook this morning and now, everything was blank and putrid.

  As Ava stuffed her clothes into her bags she couldn’t help but flash back to the day she’d began running.

  The day her life had been upended and she landed in Mississippi. That was a day filled with zero hope. She’d looked over her shoulder so many times that day, praying she’d escape without them finding her. It wasn’t until she ended up in Biloxi that she’d finally thought things were going to turn around. Of course they did…until now. The same scared feelings swamped her as she grabbed what she could from Luke’s room and closed her bags—almost breaking the zipper on one with the force of her hands. Every emotion took hold as she fought to rein in each of them. Hurt was the one that kept popping to the forefront. Luke had successfully hurt her worse than any physical damage ever could. He’d reached inside her chest, plucked out her heart and squeezed every last ounce of blood from it. The chill of the sting was such that no amount of warm blankets or thick cable-knit sweaters could erase the frigid loss. What was once a lively beating organ was transformed into a pale, comatose heap that could never be healed. If truth be told, she didn’t want healing. She wanted to leave her heart the way it was so in the future, it would remind her what it was like to be beaten so badly from the inside out. If there was a way to see the scars from heartbreak, Ava knew the one covering her insides would be a grotesque lump with the words ‘you should’ve known better’ scrolled across its surface.

  Each moment she stayed in his house, the more everything became real. Even the scent of Luke while she gathered her things was telling her this was far from over. But why all of a sudden did he change his mind? Why would he so wholeheartedly tell her he loved her and then rip it away? It didn’t make sense. What’d happened between last night and this morning to turn him from a caring, sensual man to a cold-hearted asshole? She didn’t have the answers she was seeking. The only thing she could do was get the hell out of there before she went down and begged him to reconsider. Ava knew without a doubt that wasn’t going to happen. She’d cut off her own tongue before she begged Luke for anything. She did have one thing left…pride.

  As Ava finished packing her things, she looked around the room to make sure she didn’t leave anything out. Having to contact Luke once she was gone wasn’t an option. In fact, she hoped she’d never have to look at his face again.

  “Hey, Ava.” Cole’s voice sounded behind her. It wasn’t like he had anything to do with this, but it didn’t make her want to talk to him either way. “I just wanted to see if you need a ride home.”

  “I’m fine,” she spat.

  “Well, I talked to Brandi. She’s at work and can’t leave.”

  “Then I guess I’ll walk.”

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I can drive you home.” Cole stepped further into the room and grabbed one of her bags off the bed, slinging it over his shoulder. “Come on.”

  Ava didn’t argue, she only picked up the rest of her belongings and followed him out of the room. Funny thing was, she didn’t bother looking back. It wouldn’t have done any good. It was difficult trying to keep the good memories to the forefront as it was. Looking back to see the bed where she and Luke had made love and he’d told her he loved her, no, she didn’t need that.

  There wasn’t any sign of Luke as Cole led her to his truck. It seemed like she was walking to her demise after spending a stint on death row. But even death row inmates were offered a last meal; hell, she hadn’t even gotten to drink her coffee before Luke turned into Mr. Hyde. Whatever, just like everything else she’d ever cared for, it was now in the past. One last look around and Ava knew this was it. This was the last time she’d see any of this and truthfully, she’d already made peace with it. She had to. It wasn’t like Luke would come running out of the house and beg for her to stay like in some romantic drama film.

  Heck, he was probably in the house laughing at her right now. Chuckling about her stupidity in believing he was a decent human being. Well, the joke was on her. She had believed that.

  “I’m sorry about all this,” Cole spoke beside her and sounded remorseful.

  “I guess it is what it is.” Ava continued to gaze out the window, watching the Mississippi scenery pass her by.

  “For what it’s worth, I really thought you two had a shot.”

  “At least that makes two out of three. But apparently the odds were stacked against this deck.” Damn she hated being so negative.

  “Maybe it’ll work out in the end?” Cole said it as a question.

  The cynical laugh that bubbled up was something she couldn’t help. “Yeah
, and pigs will fly and hell will freeze over.”

  “Did you love him?” Cole asked softly.

  “I don’t even know.” Ava sighed.

  “I don’t want to take his side here, but maybe he had his reasons.”

  “Really? There’re reasons for telling someone you love them and taking it back? What kinds of reasons could someone possibly have to do something like that?”

  “I have no clue.”

  “Exactly. There aren’t any reasons to rip someone’s heart out and trample it like it never meant anything to you, Cole.”

  Cole didn’t respond and she couldn’t blame him. He was caught between a rock and a hard place. Luke was his cousin and he owed him some sort of loyalty. He was only trying to be nice to her, which in reality, he didn’t have to. She had to give him credit though, at least he wasn’t acting like a total ass hat.

  “Can I ask you something?” She turned in her seat and looked at Cole’s profile. Something had been bugging her and she thought maybe he could give her some answers now that they were away from Luke.

  “Go for it.”

  “Was Luke in the military?” she blurted out.

  Cole answered instantly, “Nope.”

  “Damn it,” she bit out.

  “Shit,” Cole cursed and smacked the palm of his hand on the top of the steering wheel.

  “What?”

  “Nothing. I just thought of something I forgot to grab before we left.” He turned his head and smiled. But it was one that held secrets. What wasn’t he telling her? Just like Luke, Cole was hiding something.

  “Um, can you do me a favor? I need to be dropped off at Brandi’s work.”

  A partially panicked expression covered his face briefly before he said, “Luke asked me to take you to your house.”

  “I don’t belong to Luke. And after this morning, I don’t give a damn what he says. So take me to her work or I won’t hesitate to jump out of this truck and walk there.” Her anger was bubbling to the surface.

  “Fine.” He drove a few more miles and took the turn that led into the heart of town. More silence filled the cab of the truck while he went down Main Street and parked in front of her best friend’s work. When he reached for the handle to get out, Ava stopped him.

  “Thanks for the lift. I can handle it from here.” She hurriedly removed herself from the vehicle and grabbed her bags. She didn’t bother waving goodbye or say anything else as she quickly entered Brandi’s work.

  Once Ava was in the small building that housed the local newspaper’s headquarters, she darted back to the office at the end of the hall. The door was closed so she knocked twice until she heard Brandi’s voice say “Come in!” on the other side.

  Pushing the door open she tossed her bags down in the corner by the fake potted tree and looked at her friend who gazed at her curiously. “This is a nice surprise,” Brandi’s face raised with a smile but soon fell as she noticed the look of despair on Ava’s face.

  “I need your help,” Ava said, while plopping down in the plastic retro chair across from Brandi’s small desk.

  “Okay. But aren’t you supposed to be at Luke’s house? What the hell are you doing here?” Brandi slammed her laptop shut and propped her hands on her fists.

  “Luke and I are no more.”

  “What? How is that possible? You guys were like watching a fucking Nicholas Sparks movie.”

  “And sort of like those movies, bad shit happened.” Ava told her closest confidant about the events from the night before and this morning.

  “Jesus Christ. Are you alright?” She jumped from her seat and came around the desk, throwing her arms around Ava in a tight hug.

  Ava promised herself she wouldn’t cry a river over this thing but the way Brandi was so caring when she wanted to be had Ava about to shed every tear she’d been holding back. “I’ll be okay,” she squeaked out.

  “How are you going to be okay after something like that, Ava? And how the hell could he go from telling you he loved you to telling you he was only with you to get a piece of ass? That doesn’t make any sense!” Brandi raised her voice.

  “I just don’t know. I thought everything was perfect but as usual…the other shoe dropped. Heck, it dropped so hard I think it fell apart.” Ava sighed and sat back further in her chair. “Brandi, there’s some things I need to tell you. After I tell you them, I need your help.”

  “Okay.”

  “You might want to sit down for this,” Ava said motioning to the chair behind the desk.

  “Wow, this must be some heavy shit. You’ve never told me to take a seat,” she chuckled.

  Ava steadied herself for what she was going to reveal.

  In the two years she’d been in Biloxi, she’d never breathed a word to anyone. It was how she’d survived all this time. She only hoped her friend would stay tight-lipped once she knew the entire story.

  “I’ve not been entirely truthful about where I used to live. I’m not from California, I’m from Chicago,” she began.

  “That’s not so bad. I thought you were gonna tell me you killed someone.”

  “I’m not finished.” She took another breath and continued her story. “In Chicago I used to date this guy named Frankie. His nickname was Frank the Tank. Frankie, at first, was great. He was what I’d want in a boyfriend. But then things changed. I found out what he really did for a living.”

  “Okay, you’re scaring me.” Brandi rose and closed the door to the office to give them more privacy.

  “You’ve heard of the mob, right?” Ava asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Frankie’s dad was the head of one of the biggest money laundering organizations on the East Coast. His dad is in New York and Frankie took care of things in Chicago. They’d funnel the money to Chicago to take some of the heat off the operation in New York.”

  “Jesus,” Brandi breathed.

  “It wasn’t like I agreed with the things they were doing, but in a way, I was scared to leave. I didn’t want them to hurt me. They knew full well that I knew everything about what they were doing, so I stayed. It wasn’t until the day I left that things changed.”

  “Ava, I’m not sure you should be telling me this.”

  “Please, just listen. I need your help.”

  “I don’t know how I can help you.”

  “Let me finish.” Ava waited until Brandi quieted and then continued: “That morning I went to the building where they conducted their business. I was supposed to drop off lunch for Frankie because he couldn’t get away. I parked my car behind the building like I always did and took the back door. I went into the office area they had set up and put the food down on the desk. There was a black duffle bag sitting there and I peeked in. It was a shit ton of money. I didn’t really think anything of it until I heard shouting coming from the area next to the office. I peeked around the corner and was horrified at what I saw.”

  Ava could still remember what’d unfolded like it was taking place right now. “They had a guy tied to a chair and Frankie was beating the shit out of him. He and two other guys kept asking where the rest of their money was. But the guy couldn’t say anything; he was gagged. I stayed there watching them and when Frankie pulled out a gun I almost screamed but stopped myself. It was like watching a movie, Brandi. He lifted the gun to the man’s head and pulled the trigger.”

  “Holy fuck.” Brandi’s eyes were wide and filled with fear.

  “I didn’t know what to do so I darted back inside the office and for some reason, grabbed the duffle bag full of cash. I got the hell out of there as fast as I could.”

  “But if they didn’t see you, how’d they know you were there?”

  “They have security cameras on every inch of that place, inside and out. I drove to my apartment and started packing as fast as I could. Frankie left several voicemails saying he knew I was there and knew I had the money. He threatened to kill me when he found me. So I ran. I didn’t take my car or my phone, I just left. I took a bu
s here and have been hiding here for two years.”

  “Why didn’t you go to the police?”

  “They had so many cops in their back pockets I knew if I’d accidentally told the wrong one, I’d be at the bottom of Lake Michigan.”

  “Why are you telling me this now? Why wait until two years later to tell me?” Brandi had a look of hurt on her face.

  “Because I think Luke and Cole are somehow involved in this.” Ava didn’t want to think that, but so many things were causing her suspicion.

  “No way. They’re just good ole southern boys. There’s no way they could be even remotely involved with the mob.”

  “Luke has a sniper rifle in his basement. Cole had a handgun in his room. Why the hell would they have those things if they weren’t involved?”

  “I don’t know, maybe because they’re men and men like guns.”

  “These aren’t normal guns, Brandi. The one Cole had, it looked like some sort of police issue firearm.”

  “So you think Cole is a dirty cop, and what’s Luke? A fucking hitman out to get you?” A laugh bubbled out of Brandi’s mouth. “I’m sorry, but that sounds insane.”

  “I know it does. But what about the person who knocked me in the head in Luke’s basement? What about the creepy guy staring at me in the grocery store? There’re too many things happening to play it off as coincidence.”

  “Okay well if Luke is some mob-hired hitman, why hasn’t he taken you out yet?” Brandi asked.

  Ava thought for a second and the only reason she could come up with was, “The money. There’s $2 million there. They’d want their money back before taking care of me. Frankie is an idiot but he’s not stupid enough to let $2 mil go missing indefinitely.”

  “You think they have him watching you? To figure out where the money is?”

  “I think so. I think as soon as they figure it out…I’m dead.” Ava’s stomach sank at the thought.

  “Where is the money?” Brandi asked.

  “I’m not telling you. If they somehow get to you and you tell them, they’ll have you taken care of, too. I can’t risk you getting hurt over this thing.”

  “Ava, this sounds like some crazy movie plot. Hitmen, the mob, stolen money, it’s all so ridiculous.”