Chapter 23

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have a secretary?” Ave asked as they were walking along the bar. She had never seen a secretary during the week sive had been in his the. Zane made a gesture towards Veronica that she should met them at the other end of the bar before answering Ave

“Of course I do. Ryder in my secretary

“Ryder?” Awe turned around and looked at the man that were following them.

Zane said with a smile. “You don’t think he can do it?”

No, It’s not that. I just thought he was your bodyguard,” Ava sald.

He is, he is both

But you have him following me around. How can he belp you if he is doing that?”

“He and Tom are my best and most trusted men, of course I used them for your protection. His duties as my secretary aren’t that heavy, Zane told her as they stopped by the end of the bar where Veronica joined them. “I tasted your drink, we enjoyed if it. I would like it to put it on the drink list. Any objections?” Zane asked Veronica. Veronica looked at him in surprise and then at Ave. Ava smiled reassuring at her.

“No, boss, Veronica said.

“Good. We’ll add it for two weeks as a test and then Mario will assess if it should be a permanent feature, you will get 10% of the profit, Zane told her.

“Thank you, Mr Velky,” Veronica said. Zane shrugged and started to move away, then he paused and looked back at her. “By the way, what is its name?” Veronica looked at him and then at Ave. Ava could she her brain working to come up

wit

“Angel’s bliss” Veronica said. Zane smirked and kissed Ava on the head.

“I like it,” he said and then led Ava away from the bar.

“Where are we going?” she asked as she noticed they walked in the opposite direction of Zanes office.

“I have a meeting in my office in a moment, but I don’t want to leave you out here, I have to take By

told her. Ava got nervous, that didn’t sound like a safe meeting.

“Are you going to be okay?” she asked as Zane used his keycard to open the door she knew led to the back part of the

Emergency calls only.

23

club. Ava hadn’t been here since that first evening.

“Are you worried for me, angel?” Zane teased her. She gave him a side glance. She knew she shouldn’t care, but she did. For her own sanity she decided to tell herself it was because he held her future In his hands. She had no idea what would happen with her debt if he died. Zane saw her look at him and he seemed to read her mind like he always did. His hand went from the small of her back to her nape, he gave It a firm squeeze. “Don’t worry, angel. It’s just a precaution. It came on suddenly, If I would have known about it, I would have made sure I had more men with us that I could use for the meeting,” he explained.

“Okay.

“I’m sorry, but I need you to walt in the break room until we are done,” he said and opened a door that led Into a white room with a couch, a table with some chairs and a kitchenette.

“It’s fine, she said, happy to not be in the counting room.

“You’ll wait here until I, Jax or Ryder come and get you,” he told her.

FOkay

“Good girl,” he told her and kissed her. “I think you have earned a big reward,” he whispered in her ear before walking

out of the door.

Ava sighed and looked around. It had been a strange day, two confrontations in one day and her nerves was on edge. She would be the first one to admit that she hadn’t got over her kidnapping and everything she had been through on that evening. The bruises were mostly gone, and her lip was healed. But she still felt raw from the experience. Ava sat down on the couch, she felt overdressed for the bare and unpersonal room. She took out her phone and sent Gabriel a message to tell him about meeting Jess. She continued playing with her phone to have something to do. Ava heard the door open and looked over her shoulder to see who it was. She dropped her phone on the floor as she jumped up from the couch and fled to the other end of the room. Instead of the bar staff that she expected to see, it was Mr Tiny and Mr Muscle. Mr. Tiny’s eyes widened in surprise and then a cold grin spread across his face. Ava knew that grin, she had seen it in her nightmares the past week. Nightmares she had kept to herself. In her nightmares, Zane never came to rescue her. She was left to Mr Tiny and Mr Muscle and now her nightmares were coming true. Ava pressed herself against the counter of the kitchenette, her two enemies were standing just inside the only door.

“Well hello, poppet. I have been wondering when we would run into you again,” Mr Tiny said.

“Tobias, we should leave,” Mr Muscle told his friend, he sounded uncomfortable.

“What are you talking about? Can’t you see we have won a special prize. I’m not leaving until I have enjoyed it

Tohlas, remember what happened last time. Just leave it,” Mr Muscle insisted, rubbing his chest.

“Fuck that. This bitch caused me to get beaten like I haven’t been since I was a tot. And I didn’t even get to fuck the

Emergency calls onlyM

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birch, Mr Tiny growled.

Stay away from me or Mr Velky won’t be happy, I belong to him,” Ava told them. She had never been so happy to proclaim Zanes ownership of her.

“You think I’m afraid of that snot nosed brat? He can suck my dick. I will have what is rightfully mine,” Mr Tiny huffed.

Ava started to desperately open drawers, rummaging through them while only taking her eyes off the duo for short periods of times. What shitty kitchen didn’t have any knives or scissors? Shit, she had used shitty. Double shit, she had used shit. Ava’s mind raced as she tried to find something to use as a weapon. In the end, she settled for a fork. There was a low, rumbling laugh coming from Mr Tiny.

“The kitten has claws,” he mused and looked at Mr Muscle. Ava saw the large man wasn’t amused. In fact, he looked frightened and uncertain. Ava wanted to plead with him to go and get someone, anyone, that could protect her if he didn’t want to. But she was afraid that he would ignore her and team up with Mr Tiny. She was terrified of the small man, but deep in her gut, Ava hadn’t forgotten what the large man had told her about using knives to make her scream. She mentally prepared to fight both of them, knowing full well she would lose. Best case scenario she would fend them off long enough for someone else to come along. Worst case scenario she would at least go out inflicting pain. Mr Tiny licked his lips and then he moved, he had got so far he could reach out for Ava and he grabbed her wrist. Ava prepared to stab him when she noticed that Mr Tiny had stopped moving. She looked passed him and saw Mr Muscle had grabbed Mr Tiny’s collar.

“Let her go,” he told his friend.

“I agree, that is the wise thing to do,” a dark voice said. Ava’s heart placed an extra beat when she heard it and she felt like crying. In all the commotion she hadn’t noticed the door opening. But Zane stood in the doorway, his gaze fixed on Mr Tiny. No one moved, Ava and the other two men looked at Zane. “Take your fucking hand off her, Zane growled. Ava saw him move fast as lightning over to her and Mr Tiny. He grabbed the man’s wrist and twisted, there was a sickening snap and a howl as Mr Tiny let go of her arm and instead cradled his own. Zane had his arm around Ava and Ava clung to him. “I thought you had been told how we do things in my organisation. Fucking scum,” Zane said in a low voice. He didn’t shout, he didn’t even raise his voice. That was scary according to Ava.

“She is just a whore, I just wanted a taste of the product,” Mr Tiny shouted. He had definitively lost his cool Ava saw Ryder walking to through the door and something moved in her peripheral vision. Zane had drawn his gun and before Ava could registered it, he had pulled the trigger, shooting Mr Tiny twice in one knee. Ava screamed.

“You don’t fucking know when to give up. She is mine, only I get to place my hands on her, Zane told the howling Mr Tiny that had crumpled to the floor in a pool of blood that was quickly expanding. Ava knew she should be doing something, she should be helping the bleeding man, but she just turned her face into Zane’s shoulder, feeling his free hand come up and cup the back of her head. She felt, more than saw as he moved his arm holding the gun.

“No, he tried to help me,” she pleaded as she realise Zane had taken alm toward Mr Muscle. Zane hesitated, then he grunted and put his gun away. The air smelled of blood and something that reminded Ava of the way the air smel after you shot off Breworks. Zane cupped her face and turned it up toward

086% 13:10

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“Angel, can you please give me the fork?” he asked. Ava hadn’t realised that she clung to the fork like her life depended on it. She nodded and tried to pry her finger away from it. It was harder than expected. “Good girl,” Zane told her and beld out the fork to someone behind her. When he pulled his hand back, he held a jacket which he wrapped around her shoulders. Ava recognised Ryder’s cologne on It. Zane lifted her effortlessly in his arm and placed a kiss on the side of ber head. “Close your eyes, angel,” he softly told her. Ava nodded and did as he asked, numling into the crock of his neck

she carried her away.

O

Zane was seething with anger, he wante

floor in the break room. He would make Dave follow his friend as well for good measure. But for once he had controlled his bloodlust. The reason was trembling In his arms as he made his way to the back door of the club. He had to remind himself she wasn’t used to the violence which was a natural part of his world. The sight of her trying to defend herself with a fucking fork while that vile creature put his hand on her had Zane close to losing his sanity. She was his, and no other man were to place his hands on her.

Zane, I think I can walk on my own,” Ava’s frall voice said.

“You are precisely where you should be,” he told her as he forced himself to keep his voice soft.

“I’m fine, she insisted.

“I know you are, I’m not,” he told her.

“Okay,” she said, relaxing in his arms again. Zane wasn’t lying, having her in his arms was the only thing keeping him from going on a rampage. He couldn’t afford losing his temper at the moment, not with Mr Johnson sniffing around his territory. Ryder opened the door into the alleyway and then opened the door to the SUV that Tom and brought around. Zane reluctantly let Ava down so she could slide in. As he did, Ryder leaned Into him.

1

“I have Informed Mr Jax about the situation,” Ryder whispered. Zane nodded. He was grateful to have Ryder. He and Tom where the two of his men, except for Jax, he had most trust in. Zane had noticed that both Ryder and Tom had become attached to Ava during the week. Her Innocence inspired them to protect her, and he had seen the fury in Ryder’s eyes when he had walked into the break room. Zane got Into the SUV and pulled Ava into his lap.

“Seatbelt,” she objected, making him chuckle.

“I think we can be bad and skip it this time,” he told her.

1

“If we crash and I break my neck, I’m going to be really mad,” she sighed but relaxed Into him and put her hands around his neck.

“Never going to happen. You are mine and I will protect you,” he said.

“I know.” The words where quiet and Zane almost missed them. But he knew what he heard, and be felt a pain in his chest. They stayed silent the rest of the ride home. It wasn’t until they stopped to let the gate open that Ava looked u at him. “We are at the mansion, she said with surprise.

“Of course. Where did you think we were going?” he asked.

“But it can’t be much later than midnight.”

I’m sorry I made you go home early. You could just have sent me home on my own, or let me sit in another room,” she wald. Zane just looked at her, did she really think he would do that?

“It wasn’t your fault; you didn’t make me. I didn’t have any more business to attend to,” he assured her.

“Oh okey. I think I can walk on my own,” Ava told him as they stopped at the front door. Zane nodded and put her down on the seat before getting out and giving her his hand. As they walked up the steps, he placed his hand on the small of her back, he wanted to let her know he was there. When they got inside, Anna was waiting in the hall as always.

“Good evening master Zane, miss Ava,” she smiled.

“Good evening, Anna. I think that Ava would like some warm chocolate in her room,” Zane said.

“Oh no, just some tea, please,” Ava told Anna. Zane frowned, she always turned down his offers of treats.

“A cup of tea it is. I’ll be right up with it,” Anna said. She had long since stopped checking with Zane if she should listen to his angel. She, and the rest of the household, hand figured out he would give her what she wanted.

1

“Thank you.” Ava smiled at Anna and then took of Ryder’s Jacket and handed it to him. “Thank you, Ryder,” she said.

1

“Any time miss A. If you need me, just let me know,” Ryder said, eyeing her worried.

“I will, thank you,” she said. Zane nodded at Ryder as he followed Ava up the stairs. He saw she had relaxed a little and he was happy she was comfortable enough around him and his closest people to be able to relax. He walked her to her door, and she turned to him with a smile. It didn’t reach all the way to her eyes, but it was an improvement. “Thank you for saving me. Again,” she told him. He shook his head.

“Don’t say that. It was my fault that you were placed in danger. I’m sorry. I should be taking care of you,” he sighed and tucked a strand of her golden hair behind her ear.

“You didn’t know what would happen, I don’t blame you. And you had to cut your night short,” she said. She then hesitated, looking up at him and then at her door. “Do you want to come in?” she asked. Her question threw Zane off, she was asking him to come into her bedroom? He saw himself accepting, them going into her room and him spending

2 the night worshiping her body. But It wasn’t the right night for that.

“I want nothing more,” he said honestly and placed a kiss on her forehead. “But you need to rest tonight. Take a bath and go to bed, angel. I’ll join you when you haven’t had such an exhausting evening,” he added. For a moment he could have sworn he could see something resembling rejection in Ava’s eyes. But it was replaced by a tired smile so quickly he put it off as wishful thinking.

“Okay, good night,” she said, turning toward her door.