Spark: Book 1 (The Heat Series)

by MJ Masucci

  “Damn girl, you have to see this one. She is totally hot, and I am totally straight, but I would do her.”

  “What does she look like?” Suddenly the popcorn and ice cream were not sitting too well in Ava’s stomach.

  “She has blond hair, huge boobs, and a great ass. I heard several of the guys around the office talking about asking her out, but I think she has designs on Xander. Poor guy, he doesn’t even know what he is in for.”

  And then Sam changed the subject. “So Ava, who is this Alex guy you are seeing? Am I ever going to meet him?” Ava looked at Rachel, and she returned a knowing glance at her. Shit, did Uncle Daniel or Jacob tell her that I was dating Xander? She was pretty sure that Rachel knew, but Rachel was not the type to reveal things for other people. So she joined Sam.

  “Yes, Ava! Tell us about this new beau of yours.”

  “He is just some guy that helped a damsel in distress. You will meet him soon enough but right now he is very busy with things.” Sam’s phone buzzed, and she got up to speak on it in the bedroom.

  Rachel leaned over to whisper to Ava, “So how is Xander doing?”

  Ava raised her eyebrows. “You know? Who told you?”

  Sam came back into the room before Rachel could answer. “That was Justin. He said he has a VIP table reserved at Club Olé tomorrow night. Do you guys want to go?”

  “Count me out,” Rachel said.

  “I am working on a wedding dress design and the client is coming to my office tomorrow. If she approves the design, I need to get started on the pattern. If she doesn’t, then I will need to work on revising it and get her approval before she leaves on Sunday.”

  “I guess I can. I haven’t been there for awhile,” Ava said.

  “Don’t sound so enthusiastic. The VIP table is great; you get bottle service, and you don’t have to chase the waitresses.” Ava agreed to go.

  They all fell asleep in the wee hours of the morning, and when Ava woke up at ten, only Sam was still in bed. She found a text on her phone from Rachel. She had left at eight to take care of some last minute fabric selections for her client.

  Ava poked Sam. “Hey, I’m still sleeping. What time is it?”

  “It’s ten, get up.”

  “Wake me up in another hour,” and she snuggled back into bed.

  Ava went about her day cleaning until Sam finally woke up several minutes past noon.

  She watched as Sam packed her things and pulled on a pair of sweats. “Meet me at the club at nine tonight. Justin put your name on the list. I’ll see you later.” She kissed her and left the apartment. Ava texted Xander.

  I don’t know what you are doing, but I miss you. Sam invited me to go to Club Olé tonight. I hope you are having fun.

  I just woke up. We were out until four in the morning. Jon and Bobby tied one on, and they both have hangovers. I’m having a great time with them but not as great as when I spend time with you. I love you.

  I love you too.

  She arrived at the club shortly before nine. The line outside was long, longer than usual for a Saturday, probably because DJ Kid Koo was going to be mixing music. He was one of the hottest up and coming DJs in the nation right now. Sam had dated him a few years back, and he still held a flame for her. She gave the bouncer her name, and he let her enter right away.

  It was a warm night even for May. She had chosen her outfit carefully, a body-hugging black number with a plunging neckline paired with hot four-inch stilettos. She was showing quite a lot of cleavage and had forgone a traditional bra for an adhesive one. She wore diamond studs in her ears and had gone heavier on her makeup than usual. She drew quite a bit of attention as she made her way through the crowd.

  “Wow, look at you sexy girl,” Sam said when she saw her.

  “Look who is talking, Sam. You look beautiful.”

  Justin whistled at Ava. “I wouldn’t let you be seen out alone in that dress if I were your boyfriend.”

  There was another woman sitting at the table with them. She was drop dead gorgeous and was engaged in conversation with a guy who probably thought he might get lucky. After a few minutes, she turned her attention to those at the table. Sam introduced them.

  “Ava, this is Ashley from the office.” Now Ava knew why Xander didn’t want to discuss Ashley. She could rival Ava though Ava had smaller breasts and a much less obnoxious personality.

  The music was so pumping in the club that she could barely hear herself think. Sam and Justin went to the dance floor, and Ava was left with Ashley, who loudly asked her some questions.

  “So I hear that you used to work for my boss, Xander Wilder?”

  “Yes, I was his assistant for awhile.”

  “Isn’t he sexy? I would do him in a minute if he weren't my boss. I can’t believe a hot guy like that doesn’t have a girlfriend.”

  “How do you know he doesn’t have a girlfriend? Did he tell you that?”

  “No, but I asked around and heard that he just broke up with his long-term girlfriend. I would love to have him in my bed.”

  Ava was starting to get irritated. “You do know that the firm has a non-fraternization policy don’t you?”

  “Of course, I signed it when I was hired. But if it so happens that I see him outside of work, what could it hurt?”

  Ava had to get away from this woman. Her prayers were answered when a guy came along and asked Ashley to dance. Ava sipped at her drink and waited for Sam and Justin to get back to the table. When they did, she went to the restroom. Sam had asked her to wait a little while, and she would have if she didn’t notice Ashley on her way back from her dance. She made her way through the crowd turning down several invitations to dance. She got to the hallway where the restrooms were and were pushed back against the wall. She came face to face with Liam, and he was drunk.

  “I told you that I wanted to talk, and you have done nothing but ignore me. I saw you up there, and I was waiting to get you alone.” He pressed her against the wall with his body.

  “Liam, let me go. You’re drunk.” She tried to slip away from him, but he grabbed her wrist hard and pulled her back towards him. A few women came out of the bathroom, but they didn’t realize what was happening.

  “Please, let me go you’re hurting me.”

  “I’ll let you go when I am good and ready. Look at you, dressed like a slut and acting like an innocent little virgin. Did you fuck your new boyfriend? That pussy was for me. I should have never waited.”

  He was scaring her, and tears were streaming down her face. Ava didn’t know what happened but the next thing she knew, Xander was standing over him, red faced with rage in his eyes. Liam lay on the floor with blood pouring out of his nose.

  “Don’t you ever fucking touch her again you piece of shit.” He screamed at Liam. Liam was about to get up when security came into the hallway and escorted Xander and Ava out of the club. Xander took her by the hand and led her to a small alley on the side of the building to avoid prying eyes. He wiped at her tears with his handkerchief.

  “Sweetheart, I’m here, and you’re safe.” When she didn’t answer him, he squatted down to look up at her. “It’s okay. I would never let anything happen to you.” Ava was crying so hard that she started to hiccup. “Come with me.”

  He rose and held out his hand to her. She clung to him as they walked around the corner. They stopped at a black SUV and Xander opened the door for her.

  “Is this your car?” She said between hiccups.

  “Yes, I rarely drive it and keep it in a monthly garage not far from my apartment.” She climbed in, and he shut the door. When he got into the vehicle, she had finally stopped crying.

  “Sam is going to worry about where I am, especially if she heard the commotion.”

  “I’m not worried about Sam right now. I’m worried about you.” He turned the overhead light on in the SUV, and that was when he noticed the bruising on her wrist. “That son of a bitch, I’ll kill him.”

  He opened the door to get out.r />
  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m going in there to beat him within an inch of his life.”

  “Please don’t leave me.” The pleading in her voice was so intense that he forgot his anger. He closed the door and leaned over to kiss her forehead. “We can press charges on him. He shouldn’t get away with this.”

  “I don’t want to do that. I just want Liam to leave me alone. You hit him, suppose he wants to press charges on you for assault.”

  “I’m not concerned. Remember I work with many attorneys and have connections in the court system. If he knows what’s good for him, he will stay away from you.” But having worked as a public defender, Xander knew that this could escalate. This guy might want to continue to harass her. Ava pulled down the visor and looked in the mirror. Her mascara had run from her tears, and she had trails of black down her cheeks. She rubbed at the makeup trying to make herself presentable. Xander must have read her mind.

  “Sweetheart, I don’t care about that. You are beautiful no matter what.” She continued to rub at the mess until his hand stilled hers.

  “I’m taking you home.” He reached over her and pulled the seat belt around her, clicking it closed.

  “I hate wearing seat belts.”

  “When you are in my car or any other, you will wear a seat belt.” He demanded. He started the SUV and pulled away from the curb. They were silent as he drove through the city streets. He pulled up to her building and got out to open the door for her.

  “You’re not coming up?”

  “I am, but I have to park this beast. Will you be alright?”

  “Yes, but I don’t want to go up to my apartment by myself.”

  “Wait in the lobby for me. I will try not to take too long.” She entered the building, and he pulled away from the curb. Gage was on duty and saw her state of dishevelment.

  “Ava, are you alright?” He asked.

  “I’m fine, just some trouble at a club.”

  She waited in the lobby until Xander arrived. “I found a spot a block down.” They got into her apartment, and Xander immediately filled a bag with ice.

  “You should get changed. Do you need my help?”

  “I think I can do it by myself.” The truth was she felt like crying again and didn’t want Xander to see her tears. When she got to her bedroom, she started sobbing again. Xander entered her bedroom and held her against his chest.

  “It’s over. He is never going to touch you again if I can help it.” He sat her down on the bed and put the ice pack on her wrist. “Keep that on for the next twenty minutes.” He went into the closet and started to undress.

  “I think I will be alright. You can go.”

  He peered out of the closet. “Not happening. I’m staying here tonight.”

  “What about your friends?”

  “I texted them and told them what happened. They said I should take care of you and that they will be fine. I called the front desk at my building and explained that they would need to be let into my apartment.”

  “Oh no, I forgot to text Sam. She must be worried about where I am.” She picked up her phone to see several texts and a missed phone call from Sam. She texted her back trying to be careful not to aggravate her wrist.

  I’m fine. Liam attacked me on my way to the bathroom. Alex was there with his friends and hit Liam.

  That bastard! We heard a commotion but with all the music we weren’t sure what happened. Where are you now?

  Alex took me home. I am icing my wrist because Liam bruised it pretty bad.

  Fucking shithead. Maybe I should get some of the truckers my father uses to teach him a lesson.

  I think Alex busted his nose. He was bleeding pretty badly when security came to break it up.

  Good, he deserves it. I’ll talk to you tomorrow. Love you.

  Love you too.

  “Sam wants to kill Liam.”

  “That makes two of us. If Liam comes near you again, we might have to file a restraining order. I don’t want him to hurt you.”

  “I think you taught him a lesson, and I won’t be seeing him again.” But Ava wasn’t sure Liam had gotten the message. She saw several things on his face, one of them being anger, the other, lust.

  “Do you want to talk about what happened at the club? What he did to you?”

  “I promise I will but not now. I just need to rest.”

  Ava had a nightmare and was thrashing around the bed before he woke her up. They had gone to bed, and he had kept his distance from her thinking that she wouldn’t be receptive to his body so close. She hadn’t protested, and they both fell into an uneasy sleep. Now she wanted him close to her. He wrapped his arms around her, and she welcomed his embrace. But sleep wasn’t going to come easy for the rest of the night, for either of them.

  The next morning Xander woke up groggy. He estimated he had gotten about four hours of sleep. Ava was still curled up against him with the covers practically over her head. He pulled them back and watched her slumber. She was so delicate. He couldn’t resist tracing her jaw line with his fingers. When she tried to move away, her wrist caused her some pain, but it gave him an opening to talk about what Liam had done.

  She explained that he called her a slut in the hallway and that he should have taken her pussy because it was all for him, that he shouldn’t have waited.

  Xander’s rage was almost ready to explode. He wanted to punch something. He got out of bed and went to splash cold water on his face. He stood looking in the bathroom mirror, water dripping from his handsome face. He needed to do something. His former coworkers had clients with the same type of pattern. They stalked their ex-girlfriends, injured them and eventually ended up killing them. He wasn’t going to lose Ava to this psycho. He wanted to find out as much about his guy as he could. If he had previous domestic violence in his past, he needed to protect her.

  “Are you okay?” Ava said through the door.

  “Yes, I am just getting ready to take a shower.” He hoped she wouldn’t come in because he needed to take a cold shower. He needed to cool off. As he showered, he felt a stinging in his hand and noticed that he had two cuts on his knuckles. Probably from when I slammed that bastard’s face. He should be glad that I only got one punch.

  He shut the shower off and dried himself. Wrapping the towel around his waist he walked to the bedroom. Ava had gotten back into bed.

  “Sweetheart, are you feeling okay?”

  “I’m fine, but I didn’t sleep very well last night. I’m sorry for ruining your weekend with your friends.”

  “It wasn’t ruined. Jon and Bobby are good friends, but they are confirmed bachelors. They drank me under the table on Friday night, and last night was starting off no better.”

  Ava was curious about how he ended up at Club Olé. “Were you following me last night?”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I told you I was going to be at there. How did you end up there?”

  “Honestly, I had no intention of going there, but Jon and Bobby mentioned it. They wanted to go to the hottest club in Manhattan. I immediately thought of Club Olé because I wanted to see you. Ava, don’t you know how hard it is for me to keep away from you? One night was torture but two. I just couldn’t do it. After what happened I’m glad that I went. What would you have done if I wasn’t there?”

  Ava whispered, “I don’t know.”

  Chapter 16

  Monday morning started off with a bang. Victoria had piled an enormous amount of research on Ava’s plate. She set herself up in the research room. She had passed Xander in the hall, and he winked at her. Her wrist was still sore, and the bruises were now all the shades of the rainbow. But she was in good spirits. Xander had spent the rest of the weekend with her. He had always been protective of her, but now more so since the incident with Liam.

  Around lunch time he slipped into the research room to check on her. No one else was in the room, so they were able to share some kisses. He had only stayed there for a
few minutes since there would be consequences if they were caught. She hated that they had to sneak around at work. He had asked if she was going to eat lunch and she lied and said she had eaten. After Xander had left she fished out a protein bar that she had deposited in her pocket earlier. She knew she was on a slippery slope and that Xander was worried about her.

  During lunch hour Xander closed his office door and made a phone call. He had several contacts in the New York Police Department, and he called in a favor. The information that he was sent a couple of hours later made his stomach twist. His contact had been able to run a check on Liam Chapman. He wasn’t the stand up nice guy that he portrayed himself to be. He had two domestic violence complaints, both dismissed. One was when he was eighteen, and the other was when he was twenty-one. Both of the complainants had dropped the charges claiming they didn’t fully remember the incidents due to intoxication. Since there were no other witnesses to either, there was no choice but to drop the charges.

  Liam was also a suspect in a case of stalking three years ago. There was no evidence to prove that he was guilty, so the police had let him go after several hours of questioning. Xander sat back in his chair and looked at the ceiling. He needed to protect Ava from Liam, who knew what he would try next.

  He took a risk. He called Samantha into his office to have a confidential discussion with him. He brought up Liam attacking Ava on Saturday night, and she wondered but kept her mouth shut. Briefly.

  She had been staring at his nameplate “Alexander R. Wilder” when it dawned on her that he was the Alex dating Ava. She totally interrupted him about it. He made her swear not to say anything, for the second time in the conversation and continued to talk about Liam’s criminal background. Sam contributed how her boyfriend knew him for three years, and none of the strange behavior had been noticed.

  Xander told Sam that he was worried about what Liam might do. Sam mentioned that he was pretty obsessed with Ava, and he pushed her to help him get a date with her. This alarmed Xander that Liam would take the stance that he had to have Ava or that no one could. It was frightening to think she might be in danger.