Page 53 of Aussie
Ava’s smile softened. “Me too. It’s like this huge weight has been lifted. I can’t wait to tell Christian. This has affected him just as much as it has me.”
Just then, Ava’s phone vibrated on the desk, interrupting their conversation. She glanced down to see a text from Aussie.
Aussie:Christian is with me, and we need to talk to you as soon as possible. Can we meet you at your house?
Her stomach clenched. Christian? With Aussie? He was supposed to be in school. Why would Aussie have him?
Sarah noticed the shift in Ava’s expression immediately. “What’s wrong?”
“Aussie just texted me. He’s with Christian, and they need to talk to me right away. But Christian should be at school right now.” Concern seeped into Ava’s voice.
Sarah’s expression grew serious. “That sounds strange. Go. Go meet them. I’ll cover here for now.”
Ava nodded, quickly gathering her things. “I’ll let you know what’s going on as soon as I can.”
“Okay!” Sarah called after her as Ava headed out the door.
Ava hurried to her car, tossing her bag into the passenger seat and buckling herself in. She pulled out of the parking lot, her fingers gripping the steering wheel a little tighter than usual as worry began to settle in her stomach. She trusted Aussie, but the uneasy feeling gnawed at her as she drove, hoping everything was okay.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Ava paced the family room, her nerves fraying with each step. She couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in her stomach, wondering what could’ve been so urgent for Christian to leave school and why he was with Aussie of all people. She bit her lip, stealing a glance at the clock. The longer she waited, the more her mind spiraled with worry.
Just then, the front door opened. Ava’s head whipped up, her heart stuttering when she saw Aussie step inside, followed by Christian, and then, to her surprise, Snow and an older gentleman dressed in a Navy uniform.
Ava’s first instinct was to go straight to Christian. She closed the distance between them and hugged him tightly. “Are you okay? Why aren’t you at school?”
Before Christian could answer, Aussie gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s all sit down. We need to talk, Ava.”
Nervously, Ava looked at the man she didn’t recognize, feeling Aussie's calming presence beside her. As they gathered in the living room, Aussie gestured to the older gentleman. “Ava, this is my commander, Derek Connors. Derek, this is Ava.”
“Ma’am,” Derek greeted her with a polite nod, and Ava offered a small, tense smile. The formal introduction did little to ease her nerves.
Once everyone was seated, Derek leaned forward, hands clasped together. “First, I want you to know that Christian here is a brave, smart young man,” he said, giving Christian a nod of approval. “And I assure you, he wasn’t just playing hooky.” Derek’s playful smirk helped lighten the mood for a moment, and Ava couldn’t help but feel a little more at ease.
Derek’s expression grew serious as he continued. “A couple of boys approached Christian at school. It wasn’t the first time.”
Ava’s gaze shot to Christian, who looked back at her, his eyes holding a hint of fear and guilt. The pieces clicked in her mind. “Christian,” she murmured, “are these the same boys I saw you with a few weeks ago?”
Christian’s shoulders slumped, and he nodded, guilt evident on his face. “I’m sorry, Ava. I should’ve told you the truth. They aren’t good people.”
A chill ran through her as the reality of the situation started to sink in.
Derek continued, his tone calm but firm. “These boys have been trying to recruit Christian into their club. And I use the word club loosely as we believe the club is actually a local gang that the FBI and local police are investigating.”
Derek glanced at Aussie, signaling him to take over. Aussie shifted closer to Ava, his hand still holding hers.
“Ava,” Aussie began, his eyes steady, “this gang is the reason I was at the Snowball with the FBI agent. There were some people in attendance that evening who the FBI believe are connected to this criminal organization. We were undercover, gathering intel.”
Ava’s heart pounded as she listened, absorbing the weight of each word. She was scared, yes, but more than that, she was terrified for Christian.
Derek spoke up again, his voice reassuring. “The next step is for me to reach out to my contacts at the PD and FBI and alert them to this situation.” He looked at Ava, sensing her worry. “For now, the best thing you can do is act like you know nothing. Christian should go to school as usual, and both of you should keep to your normal routines. But stay vigilant. Be aware of your surroundings.”
Ava bit her lip, nodding. “Is there anything else I should do? How can I be sure Christian will be safe?”
Derek’s jaw tightened. “I hate saying it, but until we have more concrete info, keeping up appearances and your daily life is the safest option. But you’re not alone in this, Ava. We’re here to support you both.”
After a few more minutes of discussion, Derek and Snow stood to leave, and Aussie rose with them to walk them to the door. Ava watched as they exchanged a few quiet words, then Aussie returned to her and Christian in the living room.
