He stepped toward the door.
“Leave the key behind you.”
She’d loved it when he’d snuck into her house. The way he’d taken her, made love to her. It was all a lie. A stupid fucking lie.
“No.”
“Fine. Take it.” She’d have the locks changed tomorrow. She was done arguing with him.
“I’m going to leave Hanson outside your house. He’ll keep watch.”
“Scared I’ll run to the cops?” She refused to look at him.
“It’s for your own safety. In case Creed decides to do something else when he sees he hasn’t succeeded.”
She snorted. “He did, Smokey.” She turned toward him. “He completely tore apart what I love. It’s one thing to know of what you do. It’s quite another to be the victim of it, especially when I didn’t do anything wrong.” With her good hand, she rubbed at her temple.
Smokey looked like he wanted to say more.
She waited, not really sure what to expect.
He was a man who’d certainly surprised her. He’d broken her heart. Her relationship with Derek had never come close to the kind of passion and feeling Smokey evoked.
It was all gone.
After several minutes passed, Smokey finally let himself out of the door. She rushed toward it to lock it, and then with as much grace as she could muster, she made her way into the kitchen.
With one good hand, it took a lot more work, but she made herself a nice mug of hot chocolate and then proceeded upstairs where she took a short bath.
Even the bathroom held so many memories, and the tub itself. She could see herself laughing with Smokey, moaning as he touched her in the most intimate of ways.
“It’s over, Ava. You’re not going to allow him to get away with this. You’ve always been open with him. This time, you’re done. You’re not going to be a doormat.”
She sipped at her hot chocolate as her heart continued to break over what might have been.
Life wasn’t fair.
The moment Raven had entered her shop, she’d been happy, figuring the woman had wanted a girl’s chat. Instead, she got a punch to the face and then was tied up and dragged out the back toward a waiting truck.
Never had she been so terrified. Not even when Derek had lost his temper with her.
The club whores had been joyous in hurting her. The pleasure they took was almost scary.
“Don’t think about it.” She put her hot chocolate down, and without wetting the cast, she washed her body.
She tried to wash part of her face, but that was useless.
When the hammer had been brought down on her hand, she thought they’d smashed all the bones, but it was only a small break. One that would be fixed with some rest.
The doctor had constantly been looking at Hanson as if he was the culprit.
All her injuries had been caused by women. Strong women.
Climbing out of the tub, she let the water run away, ignoring the fact it was tinged red from the dried blood on parts of her body.
She wrapped herself in a towel and moved toward the bed. Lying her head down, she pulled the blanket over her. All she wanted to do was block out the world and pretend no one existed.
The truth was, a part of her still wanted Smokey to come and wrap his arms around her, to make her feel safe. It was never going to happen. She’d never allow herself to succumb to him again.
Even though it broke her heart, she and Smokey were well and truly over.
****
The following day, Smokey stood in the church room. The club brothers and Raven were all present. No one had spoken since Hanson had hung up. There was no sign of Ava leaving her house.
He ran a hand down his face, wanting to hurt someone. More importantly, Creed.
“Tomorrow, we collect Ryan,” he said.
Dwelling on what he’d done wasn’t the answer. Not with the club. He had to stay in perfect control.
“We don’t go alone,” Hunter said. “I don’t trust this Carlos at all. It’s a trap.”
“I don’t think it is,” Ugly Beast said. “Sebastian came to us.”
“He’s not the one in control of the entire outfit. Carlos is,” Smokey said.
“Are you guys fucking kidding me right now. That’s it?” Raven asked.
Smokey turned toward Raven. He didn’t dare look at her knuckles. He’d caught sight of them last night when she’d placed a pack of frozen peas across them. Neither of them had spoken any words, but the guilt was so easy to read.
“There is nothing to discuss.”
“There’s not? Are you … fucking wow. We need to go after Creed,” Raven said. “Look what he did.”
Smokey shook his head. “Our time with Creed will come, but not today.” He turned toward Hunter. “I suggest we pack hard. I don’t want to be caught off guard. Ryan’s coming home, and he can be Hanson’s birthday present.”