Chapter 24

24

“Good night,” he replied, walking towards his own door when a thought struck him. Had she asked him to join her because she was afraid to be alone? He cursed at himself for being so fucking single–minded to only think she wanted

He turned to her. “Ava, I will be right next door. If you feel… Ava?” She had opened her door, but she made no effort to go inside. She just stood there looking into her room. Zane wondered if it was a delayed shock from tonight’s trauma. He walked up to her as she didn’t seem to hear him. “Ava,” he said, a little more forcefully. He saw a shiver run through her and she turned towards him. The empty look in her eyes scared him more than her tears would have. Zane was about to ask what was wrong when something made him sift his focus from her to the room behind her. It had been trashed. “What the actual fuck!” he roared, making Ava Jump. “Sorry, angel. It’s okay,” he hurried to say and pulled her into him. He was relieved when she didn’t flinch away, Instead she leaned Into him and let him put his arms around her. Zane could hear his men coming up the stairs after hearing him.

As the hallway filled with his men, Zane walked Ava over to his room. He opened the door and was relieved to see it untouched. He gently pushed Ava inside.

“I’ll be right with you, angel. I just need to talk to the men for two minutes, I will be right outside this door. You are safe, he told her.

“Okay.” There was something fragile in the way she answered him that tore at Zane. But he forced himself to shut the door between them and turn to his men which all were standing outside Ava’s room, looking into it.

“What the fuck have you all been doing? Someone has come up to my floor and destroyed one of the rooms and where were you fuckers?” he shouted. The looks on his men’s‘ faces told him they knew the seriousness of what had happened. No one entered his private floor without an Invitation, everyone knew that. And to have a room on this floor destroyed like this was unthinkable. Zane was furious, his personal space had been invaded and not only that. Zane had brought Ava here because he was sure she would be safe here. “Bring me the one who is responsible for this, I want them brought to me alive with all their limbs attached. I want to have the satisfaction of removing them one by one,” he growled. “Now leave. If I hear so much as a whisper of someone on this floor, I will make sure they live for a long time in absolute agony,” he added. His men all nodded and started to file down the stairs. Ryder gently closed the door to Ava’s room and then walked up to Zane.

“Boss,” he said, and then he hesitated.

“I’m not in the mood Ryder, spit it out,” Zane said.

“Did miss A talk to you about what happened this afternoon?” Ryder asked.

“You are not talking about what that little shit did, are you?” Zane asked.

“No, Boss. While you and Mr Jax was out, miss A ran in to some of the women, words were exchanged,” Ryder said.

“Words were exchanged?”

“Yess, boss. Olivia tried to insult miss A. Miss A didn’t take the balt. I stepped in as soon as I heard what was happening Ryder said.

3/4

24

even

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Pucking Whore Of A. Woman. Say. To. My. Angel?” The words came out hard, almost as physical

book a step back.

hemis A was too Inexperienced to be with you, you would take other women to your bed and, hough Olivia didn’t say it, she inferred she would suit you better.”

“Fucking bitch, And Awn?

“Miss A stayed calm and just said she knew,” Ryder sald. The statement worsened the pain in Zane’s chest.

“You think Olivia had something to do with this?” Zane asked.

“I don’t know anyone else who doesn’t like miss A. Everyone she meets seems to be drawn in by her Innocence.”

“I want to talk to Olivia first thing in the morning, find which bed she crawled Into tonight and make fucking sure she

doesn’t leave until she has a word with me.”

“Yes, boss.” Zane started walking to his room. He hated that Ava had agreed with what Olivia had told her. He knew it had been part of the deal, but he had no interest In other women. He opened the door and found Ave where he had left her. She hadn’t moved an inch.

“Angel,” he softly said.