Ties That Bind Us

by Nicole Knight

  I was a ball of angst, bouncing and fidgeting as I waited for the backup my dad was sending. I’d promised him I would wait until they got here before going in, but that was proving hard to do. I had no idea what was happening to Ava inside of those walls, and it was absolutely wrecking me.

  When I finally couldn’t take it any longer, I crept up to the side of the building and peered into a window. Fuck waiting for my dad, I needed to get my girl or die trying.

  Just as I was about to go in, my dad and Leo pulled up with several other men, ready for a battle.

  “I sure as hell hope you weren’t about to go in there yourself, Nick,” my dad hissed, slapping a bulletproof vest on and throwing one to me.

  “Nope, just scoping things out,” I lied, buckling the vest on. If I was being honest with myself, I would have been grossly overmatched if I had busted in there alone. I felt much better about getting Ava back now that I had reinforcements. “So what’s the plan?”

  “Bust through the door, charge our way through until we find Ava, shoot anyone who gets in the way.” Leo smirked, making it sound as easy as pie.

  My dad groaned, shaking his head at Leo. “Infrared is showing three men at the back entrance. The last fifteen minutes of each hour, one of them goes on break. That’s our window of opportunity. They’re most likely holding Ava in one of the front holding cells, which is in the opposite corner of the entrance. We’ll send Vance and Joey around this side, you and Leo will go the other way,” my dad said, pointing and directing the group.

  “Once we’re inside, we’ll have about ninety seconds before their backup gets here. We need to move fast. If they have Ava in the front, you’re not going to be able to get to her and then get her out in that amount of time.” He slapped a grenade into my hand. “You get her and you blow the side out of the building, and you get her out. Once we get the confirmation that everyone is out, we’ll blow everything. We have to move, we’ve got eight minutes tops for all of this to go down.”

  I chewed on the inside of my lip. It wasn’t going to be easy, that was for sure. Eight minutes to break in, find Ava, and get out was going to be pushing it even if I didn’t run into any of Asnikov’s men. I already knew the place was crawling with them, I could see their shadows in the windows as I waited. Not to mention the place was huge—there were a hundred places they could be holding her. “And what if we need more time?”

  My dad’s face hardened. “Nick, you don’t have more time. If their reserves show up and you don’t have Ava, you throw that shit and you get the fuck out of there, am I clear?”

  I swallowed the lump in my throat. No. No fucking way. He honestly expected me to blow the place up not knowing if Ava was still in there? He may still be in charge, but he was out of his mind. I was either coming out of there with my wife or I wasn’t coming out at all.

  He seemed to know exactly what I was thinking. “Just do your job, and it won’t come to that.” His tone was low so only I could hear.

  “All right. Listen up,” he barked at the other men. “This is a rescue mission, our top priority is getting Ava out of there alive. You take out anyone who gets in your way.”

  The group of men nodded and we hung tight behind the cars until it was time to move. I led the group, approaching Alek’s soldiers from the side. They didn’t even see us coming before Leo and Zane had dropped them, snapping both of their necks silently. So far, everything was going according to plan. Now if only we could keep it that way.

  Zane blew the door out and we charged inside. The noise drew the attention of a couple of Alek’s men who were sitting around a table playing cards. They scrambled up, searching for weapons when they saw us, but we were too quick.

  “We’ll hold them off. You go find her,” my dad ordered.

  I nodded, breaking off from the rest of the group and heading for the hallways. The main room was filling up fast—men were coming from all directions, having heard the ruckus. We didn’t speak but I knew Zane was at my heels, covering me.

  I swept every room, looking for any sign of Ava. She had to be here somewhere. When we got to the last doorway, it was shut. I made eye contact with Zane, and he nodded in agreement, so I counted to three and kicked it in.

  Ava was sitting in the center of the room bound to a wooden chair. She was unconscious, her body limp and bruised, but at least she was breathing.

  “Fuck,” I hissed, dropping my gun and rushing to her side. “Ava, baby, please, can you hear me?” I lightly tapped her cheek trying to wake her up. Blood streaked her face and was caked in her hair. The restraints they had her in were cutting into her wrists and ankles, and there was a large pool of blood underneath the chair. I had no idea where it had all come from, but I could see a few stab wounds and other shallow cuts.

  “Mmm,” she moaned, stirring slightly.

  One of Alek’s guys stepped out of the shadows with his gun drawn. Zane sprayed him with bullets before he could even take a step forward, and the smell of gun smoke filled the air. “We need to get out, Nick,” Zane said, glancing over his shoulder.

  We could hear more people coming, which meant their extra troops had probably shown up. My heart was torn between finding Alek and making him pay for this, and getting Ava to safety. My concern for Ava won out, and I grabbed my knife, using it to loosen the restraints on her arms, then scooped her into mine.

  Zane cleared the hallway and took the grenade from me. “I’ll hold them off and you get Ava out the back door.”

  I was so focused on Ava that I couldn’t think straight, and I appreciated Zane taking charge. I had her in my arms, but that was only half the battle. Now we needed to get everyone out of here safely. My dad and Leo and the rest of our guys were keeping things at bay in the main room, but a few other troops had found their way down the hallway, and we could hear them going through the empty rooms. Our timing had to be perfect. Zane had to pull the pin and throw the grenade at the exact right time so it would stop the men but wouldn’t hurt any of us.

  Zane peeked into the hallway, then nodded at me. It was time. He went first, fanning his gun in all directions. I followed him out and right as we got into the hallway, a few of Alek’s men showed up. “Go!” Zane barked, pulling the pin out of the grenade. I ran out as fast as I could, and right when the fresh night air hit my face, three bullets pierced my back. I fell to the ground on top of Ava.

  “Nick!” Zane shrieked, rushing to my side.

  My mouth filled with the metallic taste of blood and I couldn’t answer. Pain pulsed through my body and my breath became short.

  “Nick,” Ava whispered as everything went black.

  Chapter 42

  Ava

  I could hardly breathe as I sat in the hospital chair next to Nick’s bed, looking at his motionless body. He was hooked up to so many machines that I wasn’t even sure what each one was monitoring anymore. There was one for fluids, one for his heart rate, one for his antibiotics, and about a dozen more I didn’t know. He had made it through surgery, and now all we could do was wait. Except it had been twelve hours and he still hadn’t woken up. He looked so weak and pale lying in front of me. The surgeon had taken two bullets out of him, but the third one, the one closest to his heart, had been too splintered to remove.

  I had left his side only long enough for the doctor to clear me. This was entirely my fault, and I wanted to be there the second he woke up. I didn’t know if my family even knew what had happened, and I didn’t have my phone to call them. Leo had gone back to the penthouse to get a few things for us, and he was going to grab it for me so I could call them.

  Making that call was something I’d been dreading from the very second I was rescued. This was my dad’s fault after all. He was the reason I was kidnapped, and the reason Nick was lying in this hospital bed. It made me sick to my stomach, and the thought of seeing him or even speaking to him right now was infuriating. My family—the family Nick and I were building—was in shambles, and I ha
d no idea how we’d ever recover. If I ever had any doubts about the things Nick had told me about my father, all it took was twenty-four hours being beaten and tortured for my father’s sins to make me see the light. I knew I’d have to talk to my dad and my entire family eventually, but I wanted to put it off as long as I could. Right now, I was having a hard time separating anyone else in my family from him and his mistakes. Battle lines had been drawn, and it felt like my family were all on the opposite side. I didn’t want to let myself think about my dad right now, though. Nick needed me, and this time I was going to put him and our relationship first.

  A few fresh tears trickled down my cheek and fell onto the hand that clutched Nick’s. I needed him to know I was here, and right now this was the only way I could communicate with him. The nurse said he could hear me talking, and even though I wasn’t convinced, I had spent the last hour apologizing for everything. Maybe if I rehearsed the words now, it would make it easier when I said them to him in person. I had to pray to God I got that opportunity. There was a sound at the door, and I looked up right as Gio slipped in.

  “Hi, Ava.” He smiled gently. “How are you feeling?”

  I sniffled, wiping the remaining tears off of my cheek. “I’m doing okay. I can leave so you can—”

  “Nonsense.” He cut me off, his lips turning up in a sympathetic smile. “I actually came to see if you wanted to take a walk with me to the cafeteria. The coffee here is pretty shitty, but it gets the job done, and I know you haven’t left his side since they brought him back.”

  “I want to be here when he wakes up.” I wasn’t sure how Gio could even stand me right now.

  “I know. But you need to take care of yourself too. And besides, it’s a short walk.” He put his hand on my shoulder gently. “Care to join me?”

  I hesitated but eventually gave in. Maybe a little fresh air could do me some good. I’d go for one cup of coffee and then come back.

  Gio matched me step for step as we walked, comfortable in the silence for a few minutes before he finally spoke. “I know a lot has happened in the last few days. How are you doing with everything?”

  “I’m fine.” I mustered up as much of a smile as I could. I didn’t really want to talk but I didn’t want to be rude either.

  “You know it’s okay if you’re not.”

  I hesitated. “I just feel kind of numb, I guess. I don’t know what to feel.”

  “You know, when you and Nick got married, you became one of my children. I am always here if you need to talk.” Gio’s support of me was almost more than I could bear. I didn’t deserve it, especially when I was the reason his son was lying in a hospital bed fighting for his life.

  I could feel tears pooling in my eyes again. We walked a little longer before I could bring myself to speak. “Nick and I had a fight.”

  Gio didn’t respond, just nodded knowingly, and let me continue.

  “I should never have left his apartment that night. Our apartment. I should have just stayed there and fixed things with him instead of—” I shook my head, biting my lip. We had stopped at the end of the hallway and were staring out the window now. It was raining, and every once in a while a strike of lightning would light up the dark sky.

  “Ava, this is not your fault, and please don’t think it is for another second. Your father made some terrible mistakes, and that is the only reason that this happened. You had a fight with your husband, you’re allowed to go blow off some steam. I know as well as anyone Nick can be stubborn. You fighting and leaving the house had nothing to do with Nick getting shot.”

  “Even if that’s true, my dad orchestrated all of this. I feel like I should have seen this coming, you know? I practically led him right to you guys.”

  “Ava, I fell right for your father’s act, does that make me responsible for this too?” he countered.

  I shook my head, not wanting to meet his eyes.

  “You need to let yourself off the hook for this. You are not responsible for the choices he made and you certainly aren’t responsible for believing in him. We like to believe that people are good, especially when it’s our own family, and sometimes that’s just not the case.”

  Gio put his arm around my shoulder to comfort me, but it only made me cry harder. Why couldn’t my own father have been like this? Gio had become more of a father figure to me in the few months I had known him than my dad had been my entire life.

  “What’s going to happen to him now?” I asked, sucking in a sharp breath. There was no way anyone was going to let my dad get away with this, and if I was being honest, that made me happy. The thought that he’d have to pay, and maybe even die, for all the hell he’d put me through brought me an overwhelming sense of relief. What kind of person did that make me?

  “Your father will get exactly what’s coming to him, Ava, I can promise you that. Not only did he violate all kinds of statutes and agreements we have in place, he hurt you, and to me, that’s an offense I just can’t look the other way on. You’re part of my family now, and I know Nick will say the same thing. What your father did is inexcusable, and once Nick wakes up, we’ll come up with a plan and we’ll go after him.”

  “I’m not upset about that at all. He’s my father, and you’re telling me that you’re going to kill him. What kind of person does that make me?” I let out a sharp laugh, completely ashamed of myself. There had to be something wrong with me.

  “Ava, there is nothing wrong with how you’re feeling. He hurt you in unimaginable ways, and it’s perfectly normal to feel a sense of relief that he won’t ever be able to do that again. I’ve known your father for a long time, and never agreed with the way he treated your mother and his children. I don’t ever want you to feel like what he did was normal, that’s not what a father is supposed to do and I am so sorry that you had to go through that.”

  “Thank you, Gio. I’ll try to remember that.” A few errant tears trickled down my cheek. “Nick is so lucky to have you.”

  “You have me, too, Ava.” He smiled and pulled me into a tight hug. “That’s what family is for. And do you know what else? Nick is very lucky to have you too. He adores you, and would do anything under the sun to see you smile. It’s okay to let yourself be loved that way.”

  I smiled sheepishly as Gio and I headed back to Nick’s room with our coffee. Gio had been incredibly sweet, and after talking with him, I felt a little better about everything. He had the same calming and reassuring personality as Nick. Leo had gotten back from our apartment, and he followed us to Nick’s room.

  When we got to the room, I opened the door and nearly fainted when I saw Nick sitting up in the bed, talking with the doctor.

  “Nick!” I shrieked, rushing to him. I threw my arms around his neck, holding on as if my life depended on. Happy tears streamed down my cheeks. Was he really awake?

  “Whoa, easy there.” He chuckled sleepily. “I was shot, you know.”

  He took me in his arms and pulled me into his chest, kissing the top of my head. I was so overcome with emotion I couldn’t speak. I had been planning for hours what I wanted to say to him, but right now, words completely failed me.

  “It’s so good to see you,” Nick whispered, his lips grazing my ear. “I didn’t know if I ever would again.”

  “How are you feeling, buddy?” Gio walked over to Nick, relief on his face.

  “Like I could run a marathon.” Nick smirked at the doctor.

  Gio chuckled and rolled his eyes.

  “I’m glad to hear that but I would advise against it. At least for six to eight weeks.” The doctor smiled. “I want to keep you through the night for observation, but if all goes well, you’ll be able to go home tomorrow.”

  “Thanks, doctor.” Nick shook the man’s hand, and his doctor headed out of the room.

  “You look like hell.” Leo chuckled, giving Nick a big hug.

  “Thanks, asshole.” Nick shook his head, laughing. “I feel like a million bucks!”


  Gio rolled his eyes. “Don’t even start. I’m still in charge around here, and you’re on mandatory leave for at least twelve weeks. It’s not even remotely open for discussion.”

  “Twelve weeks?” Nick looked at his dad like he had handed down a death sentence.

  “Babe, you just had major, life-saving surgery,” I reminded him.

  “And still have one bullet inside of you,” Gio echoed. “We can talk about modified duty once we see how your recovery goes.”

  “You guys act like I almost died or something.” Nick smirked. It was so good to see him strong enough to joke with his dad and brother.

  “I know I don’t generally agree with Dad on this kind of thing, but he’s right. Everything else can wait. And since we obliterated Asnikov and Alessandro is in the wind, you need to take it easy,” Leo chided, arching his eyebrow at Nick.

  A darkness came over Nick’s face. “Alessandro isn’t exactly in the wind.” He sighed. “Can you guys give Ava and me a minute? We need to talk.”

  Gio and Leo shared a concerned glance, but obliged. “We’ll be back later,” Gio said.

  My mind started to wander with possibilities. Obviously, Nick and I had a lot to discuss, but it didn’t feel like the appropriate time when he’d just gotten out of surgery and was still pretty groggy. He needed rest and recovery.

  I sat down next to Nick on the bed. “Are you really feeling okay?”

  He put his hand on my knee, gently rubbing with his thumb. “I’m fine, Ava, I promise. This isn’t even the first time I’ve been shot.” He gave me a placating smile. “I’d much rather talk about you. How are you feeling?”

  “I’m much better now that I’m with you.” I kissed his cheek.