Page 136 of Revenge

I kiss her. It’s loving and gentle, but firm, just like her.

After checking on the kids, I leave the penthouse. I want Ava to have what she’s asking for. As I drive, I try to understand what my outburst was about. My anger was misplaced. It’s not Oliver or her relationship with him that angers me. I trust the man with my life. The problem is her father. He crossed a line, and I wanted to show him what happens to a man who lays his hands on a woman, on my woman, but I can’t. I’ve killed men for far less, but I can’t touch him without hurting her. Since I couldn’t take my anger out on Pat, I took it out on Oliver because he was the closest person. His arrival was bad timing for him.

I’m glad she sees him as a brother, and he sees her as a sister and I know there’s nothing romantic going on between them. I need all this shit with the clan to be over. It has me on edge and makes me reckless. I need our lives to go back to normal, or as normal as our lives can be. But it’s more than that. I hate not waking up and ending my day with Ava. That is the root of my problem. I hate that she’s carrying the weight of the world—of my world—and there is nothing I can do about it. I wish she could let go of the past and move on. Fiona is history. Ava has nothing to worry about. I’ll never hurt her again. I want to make things right and start living our lives like the family we are.

Chapter Sixty

Viktor

The next Manarch Industries board meeting starts in an hour. They bore me to death and make me wonder what possessed me to take the company public. Sitting in a meeting and listening to useless people make decisions on the future of my company pisses me off. Especially when I don’t have the time to deal with them. My lawyer, John, says this is how public companies do business, but I don’t have time to deal with trivial things like Manarch Industries when Ava is still pissed at me because of the other night. She’s giving me the cold shoulder, and I hate it. My cell rings, interrupting my thoughts. The screen reads Oliver.

“Hello, Oliver.”

“Where are you?”

“At Manarch Industries, why?” I hear noises in the background. I stand and start leave my office. “Cancel the rest of my day and reschedule the board meeting,” I order my PA. “Oliver?—”

“Can you get away and come to Eros?”

“Are Ava and the kids safe?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll be there in twenty.” I end the call.

Things have been weird between Oliver and me since the argument, although neither of us has mentioned the fight at the penthouse. I dial Ava, but she doesn’t answer, so I dial Marco, who answers immediately.

“Mr. Manarch, how may I help you?”

“I’m trying to get hold of Ava. She isn’t answering her cell.”

“I believe she’s in the nursery.”

“Take the cell to her.” Even though Oliver said they are safe, I need to hear her voice and make sure myself.

“Hey, Marco, what’s up?” I hear her ask.

“Mr. Manarch is on the cell.”

“Thanks. Viktor, is everything okay?” There’s a slight concern in her voice.

“Yes, I needed to hear your voice. I called your cell, but you didn’t answer.”

“My cell is upstairs, I think. Viktor, what’s going on?” I hear a door open as I get in the car.

“Oliver called. He needs me at Eros. I need to make sure you and the kids are safe.”

“We’re home, safe. Should I be worried?” There’s that concern again.

“I don’t know,” I admit.

“Thank you,” she says.

“For what?”

“For being honest. What do you want me to do?”

“I’m going to be honest again, your question has thrown me for a loop,” I chuckle.

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