Chapter 20

Rowan.

I sat at my desk going through some papers that needed my attention. I try to focus but I can’t. My mind still on the fact that Ava ignored my call yet again. If it wasn’t for hiring Lydia, I doubt I would ever know how she was fairing.

I still can’t believe how much she’s F***ing changed. It was safe to say that the AvaI knew was long gone and in her place is a total stranger.

When Emma decided that she was moving back, I was afraid that Ava would cause us problems.

That she would be a nuisance like she was back when she was a teenager. She proved me wrong though.

I should be happy that she was keeping her distance. That she wasn’t causing me trouble, but a part of me was bothered by it. It was so F***ing strange how bothered I was and I hated how she was now constantly on my F***ing mind.

I eventually give up on trying to focus and stand up. Moving to the windows, I stare outside, trying to clear Ava from my mind.

“Sir, the chief inspector is here” Christine, my secretary tells me.

I was so lost in thought that I didn’t even hear her entering my office.

“Let him in” I turn to face her before going back to my chair.

Brian, the chief enters just as I was settling down. We shake hands and then he takes his seat.

“Do you have anything for me?” I ask him.

Brian was around sixty years. Despite his age, he was still fit and on top of that, he was still sharp.

He was a retired detective and had also served in the army when he was younger.

“Nothing yet…we can’t find the gang and we don’t have anything that connects them to the two incidents when your ex–wife was hurt”

I’ve been working closely with him since James was shot and killed. The gang seemed to disappear underground after that and no one can find any of them.

“There’s got to be something, anything that could help us figure out why the F*** they were targeting Ava” I was frustrated.

When Ava said that the gang shouldn’t be going after her, she was right. If we’re being honest, given how things are with her family and me, the one they should target is Emma. It made no sense at all.

“I wish I had good news for you Mr. Wood but I don’t. These people whoever they are know what they’re doing. They’re professionals. There hasn’t been a single clue at the crime scenes so we don’t even have a starting point” he says through clenched jaws

This whole situation clearly affects him too. He is the best at what he does and there has never be an unsolved case in his files. The fact that he is yet to find any piece of information that points us to the right direction, pisses him off.

“Do you think something like what happened last time could happen again?”

“I can’t say for sure but if we’re to follow the pattem of what has happened in the past few weeks, then yes….there is a chance that whoever it is will keep coming after Miss Sharp, until she’s either dead or the persons involved are caught”

His words chill me to the bone. I don’t want to think of the two times she almost died. Or that she still has a F***ing target on her back.

I stand up and dismiss him “Keep me updated if something comes up”

He also stands up and shakes my hand once again, “Sure, I will”

He then leaves and I’m left once again alone, with the thoughts of my ex–wife occupying my head.

Taking my phone, I ring Christine. She picks up immediately, not wasting time.

“Send Drake up” I command her before hanging up.

Within minutes, Drake, the head of my security team enters my office.

“You called boss”

His voice is unnaturally deep, but it might be because he once got his throat slit. The doctors were able to save him but his vocal cords were irrevocably damaged.

“I want you and two others on Ava twenty four seven. Close enough to step in if there is any danger but far enough that she won’t notice that she’s being tailed”

“She’s still in danger?” he asks.

“According to Brian… let her not leave your sight even for a second, am I understood? I want her –safe and protected at all costs”

He looks at me strangely but he agrees,

“On it, boss” he says then he’s out the door.

I know he was probably wondering what the hell was happening. Everyone knows I never really cared for Ava. I mean damn it, we were married. I am influential and have enemies but I never even assigned a b*dyguard to her, while Noah had two.

Hell, Ava herself had asked me what was wrong with me. Why I was all of a sudden interested in her safety and wellbeing. Everyone could join the club because I was also as confused on why she all of a sudden mattered to me.

I sigh feeling worn out.

Checking my watch, I realize it was six. I was supposed to meet with Travis and Gabe for drinks at six thirty before heading home.

Taking the files with me, I leave my office. I was in a mood so none of my employees even dared to bid me a good evening.

I get to the club just in time and immediately head to the private section. This was one of the many exclusive clubs that Gabe and I owned.

“Finally you’re here can you F***ing deal with him because I can’t stand him being a pussy” Gabe grumbles before gulping his drink and looking at Travis in disgust.

“What’s wrong?” I turn to Travis.

He looked like shit.

“I went to see Ava a couple of days ago and she kicked me out after telling me to consider her dead and to forget I had another sister he answers miserably.

“What the hell is wrong with her?” I was F***ing puzzled because this was unlike her.

Gabe shorts at us. “What the hell did you guys expect? Years of treating her like shit, do you honestly think that she would continue taking your bullshit like she’s thankful for it?”

My frown deepens as I stare at my brother. Although Gabe wasn’t warm towards Ava, he never treated her like shit. He mainly ignored her but he never went out of his way to be mean to her.

“You guys have basically broken the camel’s back, so of course she wants nothing to do with you after everything that has happened” Gabe takes another gulp of his drink.

“But I’m trying to make it up to her How can I fix what I broke if she doesn’t let me?” Travis asks

“You people are total idiots. It doesn’t matter. You guys have hurt her more times than she can ever count, right now she’s doing the obvious thing

“And that is?” I cut Gabe off.

“What happens when an animal is wounded and you try getting close to it?” his eyes slices through us like a damn sword. “It lashes out as a form of protection. All Ava is doing is trying to protect the remaining pieces of her broken heart and she will lash out at anyone who tries getting near her heart.”

“Especially those who hurt in the first place” I conclude.

“Exactly, so you can’t blame her for her reaction” Gabe finishes and we stay in silence.

The weight that settles over my heart and soul is F***ing heavy. I don’t know what to say so I keep quiet

What else can I even say? I knew my actions hurt her back then but I didn’t care. I continued doing it because I rationalized that she deserved it after costing me the love of my life.

‘How does it feel to have a taste of your own medicine?’ my inner voice asks

Bitter, that how it feels, because now I was getting the same cold indifference I used to give her. When she needs to be taken care of, she’s adamant on pushing us away. Pushing me away, and I just don’t know how to bridge the gap that I had created.

“Emma is here” Gabe announces, pulling me out of my thoughts

“Who the F*** invited her?” I growl and both Travis and Gabe turn to face me, confusion written all over their faces.

“She heard I was meeting up with you guys so she said she would stop by to see you” Travis answers with a shrug.

I groan in annoyance. She was the last person I wanted to see right now.

It’s honestly funny, I couldn’t stop imagining me and Emma back together. Now that we are, she’s become more of a nuisance. Don’t get me wrong, there are times when things just flow and I can’t help but think that that’s how things were supposed to be.

Most of the times, though, things aren’t flowing and they feel forced. She is supposed to be the love of my life so why the F*** did being with her feel so wrong?