“You don’t have to be alone.”
“I’m not going to be with you, Smokey. Never. I mean what I said. It’s over between us, and there’s no way to fix it.”
“I don’t believe that.”
She shrugged. “Believe what you want. I’m done. We’re done. I’m glad it happened now instead of a few years down the line. I’ve already wasted ten years of my life with a man who never loved me.”
“Ava…”
“Hey, don’t sweat it, Smokey. Your breakup was certainly one I won’t forget. I’m getting used to it. Believe me. I need some air.” She turned on her heel and walked out the back to where she normally took deliveries. The other shops were enjoying the fully functioning workloads with all their employees while she leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths.
The bakery wasn’t going to make any money. She’d lost it. She knew that now. She’d have to sell the place and would probably lose any kind of profit there as well. The only way to get her shop fixed would be to call through to the city. Pay for someone to travel to her place and to get the job done. It was going to be a headache, but something had to happen.
The shop couldn’t stay that way for long.
She stayed outside long enough, hoping Smokey got the message. That he had to leave.
After opening the door, she came to a stop in the stockroom. Brick was there, picking up the flour that had been tossed across the side. One of the club whores who’d taken pleasure in holding her down was there, holding a trash bin.
Ava tensed up. “What the hell are you doing?” she asked.
Brick stood. He held a pack of chocolate chips this time. All of this was useless. She couldn’t use any of it to bake with and to sell it to the public.
More noise greeted her.
She wanted to go and see what was going on, but the thought of passing Brick and the other woman filled her with fear.
No one moved.
Brick cleared his throat and stepped out, grabbing the woman’s hand as he did.
She stayed perfectly still, and Brick took another step back, keeping his distance.
Her heart raced as she took a step forward, then another, until she was out of the kitchen, but that didn’t make her feel safe.
More of the Hell’s Bastards MC were in her small shop, cleaning. Their leather cuts holding their emblem clear for anyone to see, and it filled her with fear as they all worked.
They were too close.
“Smokey!” Brick yelled for their president.
She put a hand to her chest in an attempt to calm herself.
It didn’t help.
Nothing seemed to be helping. They were in her shop, and when she caught sight of Raven, she covered her ears, bowing her head.
It’s going to be okay.
It’s fine.
She counted to ten again. The first ten numbers were starting to piss her off.
When hands touched her shoulder, she screamed and pulled away. Smokey had tried to touch her.
She’d tried not to cry, but tears were already falling down her cheeks. “Get out,” she said.
“We’re here to help.”
“I don’t want your help. Get out. Please.” She started to pant.
“This isn’t good for you.”
Even as she struggled to breathe, she stared at him. “And neither are you. So get the fuck out before I call the cops.”
“We’re trying to help,” Raven said.
The panic rose, her chest rising and falling with each quickly indrawn breath. This wasn’t good.
In and out.
She watched him.
Waiting. Desperate.
Smokey clicked his fingers and one by one, the club left the bakery.
“Ava, I’m so—”
Smokey snapped his fingers again, and Raven shut up, and much to her surprise, left.
“We will pay for any damages,” Smokey said.
“I don’t want your money.”
“Damn it, Ava, let me do something.”
She looked at him. “You want to do something?”
“Yes.”
“Then respect my wish for you to leave me alone. All of you. I don’t want you or your club anywhere near me. Tell Hanson to stop following me. Please, just leave me alone. Give me that.”
Smokey stared off to the side. “Anything but that.”
“This isn’t going to work. You and I, it’s done. It’s finished.”
“No.”
“Smokey, I don’t want to be with a man who would rather trust the lies of a picture than me. This isn’t going to work. I don’t want to be with you anymore.”
He closed the distance and cupped her face.
The tears fell thick and fast. She tensed up and he growled. “I’m going to find a way to make this right, Ava. I’m not going to lose you. I fucked up. I know this. I know you can’t just stop loving me because you say so.”
She shook from his touch.
Smokey pressed a kiss to her head and then he pulled away.
She watched him leave, thankful that he did.
Collapsing to the floor, she curled her legs close to herself. Everything was hopeless. All of it.