Ava's Revenge: (Salvation Series Book 2)

by Jaime Whitley

  “Ava,” Killian warns in his calming tone, but I hold my hand up to stop him.

  “Okay, fine. You want to know what’s bugging me? You got it! You sit here saying how you grieved me and you’re so lost and devastated at the fact that I was dead but it didn’t take you any time to jump into his bed.” He points to Killian. My cheeks become flushed as a mixture of embarrassment and humility starts to set in. He knows I slept with Killian and though it wasn’t one of my prouder moments, it still happened and there’s no going back to change that night. But that feeling is short lived, quickly being overtaken by anger. How dare he judge me?

  “How dare you?! You have no right to be angry! You deceived me into thinking you were dead. What happened between Killian and me isn’t any of your business, nor is how I dealt with the situation at that time. How did you find out about it anyway?” I refuse to let him make me feel bad. I thought he was gone, dead and buried somewhere and I was going to be alone for the rest of my life. I took a minute of comfort in the arms of Killian and I refuse to feel bad about that.

  “Silas told me.” He crosses his arms across his chest like a petulant child and looks away from me. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the father of my children.

  “Are you kidding me? He knew you were alive and I didn’t? How the fuck did Silas even know you were alive!” The more answers I get, the more questions I have and the more furious I become with this whole thing. Yeah sure, I’m happy he’s alive, but none of this is adding up.

  “That day when we met Joe at the crime scene. You remember that Silas called me aside and you asked me what that was about? I told you nothing, but I lied. He pulled me aside to say if I laid another hand on you he would kill me himself.” Killian says, swallowing hard. “He said it was fucked up that I allowed you to sleep with me when…” he pauses.

  “When what, Killian?” I feel like the blood is running cold through my body. My voice falters when I fear that I already know the answer.

  “When I knew Dante was still alive.”

  I feel like a ton of bricks just landed on me. My chest begins to rise and fall faster, and I clutch at my heart because I feel the air not getting to my lungs. He knew Dante was alive this whole time and didn’t tell me. Now I now fully comprehend how he was feeling when he felt betrayed by me when he learned that Sal was my father. And even though I understand it, I can’t deal with it right now.

  “I need you to leave.” I don’t look at him as I stare at the blanket covering me, trying to calm myself before I go into a panic attack.

  “I understand. When you’re ready to talk, I’ll be here.” I hear the door open but I just can’t look at him, I can’t see him right now.

  Dante mumbles something under his breath as Killian walks out the door, closing it behind him. Turning my head to him, I can’t help the death glare I’m giving him. I have so many mixed emotions, but anger seems to be trumping them all right about now.

  “I thought for sure you would be ecstatic to find out I was alive but the way you’re shooting daggers at me, I think I’m going to be wishing I was dead in a couple minutes.” Dante jokes, climbing into bed with me; and wrapping his arms around me, surrounding me with his smell. I know he's trying to lighten the mood, but I don’t laugh.

  “I am happy, Dante.” I rest my head on his chest and listen the sound of his beating heart, just enjoying the fact that he's here. He gives me a moment before he places a kiss on my head. “It’s just, you can’t be mad at him. I’m just as much at fault for what happened as he is. We’re both are grown adults and we both could have stopped it.”

  “But you didn’t.” The hurt in his voice doesn’t go unnoticed and I look up to him and pull his head down to mine so our lips are inches apart.

  “No I didn’t, but it doesn’t matter because he wasn’t you and no one could have ever replaced you. I needed some comfort, someone to hold me. I missed you so much and I felt so alone. Killian was a warm body to ease the pain. I think deep down you know what I'm talking about. I understand you were hurt by it, but if you’re going to place blame, you need to do it properly and blame me as well.” Licking my lips, I close the distance between us and slide my tongue into his mouth. As our tongues dance along with each other as if they’d never stopped, the flutters that fill my stomach are most welcome. I haven’t felt them since the last time I kissed Dante. Sliding my hand up the back of his head, I grab a fist full of hair and tug on it, causing him to groan into my mouth. He pulls away and stares into my eyes. “Only you can give me butterflies just by kissing me, Dante. Don’t ever forget that.” He adjust his pants and I giggle.

  “Oh, you think that’s funny do you?” I giggle some more. “You won’t think it’s funny when I have no choice but to have my way with you on this bed. I don’t think the nurses will think kindly of it but I know I sure as hell will enjoy it.” He tickles my side gently and I cringe at the pain, but am so ticklish at the same time that I laugh through it. Suddenly feeling the urge to pee, I try begging in between laughs for him to stop, but he keeps going. It isn’t until I tell him that I’m still in pain and I’m about to pee my pants, that he takes pity and stops, helping me out of bed. I have an IV attached to my arm so I wheel the pole it’s attached to into the bathroom with me.

  “You must think I’m hideous.” I say, walking into the bathroom. I shut the door behind me for some privacy.

  “You never looked better.” His words are filled with love and they come from the other side of the door. After flushing and washing my hands I open the door and give him an ‘are you kidding me?’ look.

  “Yeah right. The last time you saw me I had a rocking body and now…” He cuts me off.

  “And now you have a rocking body that’s carrying two of my babies. I’ve watched you grow and you’ve only gotten more beautiful as time has gone on.”

  I feel tears filling my eyes at his words and a blush works up my cheeks, “Thank you. Wait a minute.” He’s smirking at me. “Did you just say you’ve watched me grow? You better start explaining now mister. I can’t take more of this being in the dark shit.” He helps me back into bed and climbs into it, right alongside of me, and clasps our hands together.

  “I’m just going to start from the beginning and you can stop me along the way if you need to.” I nod, needing him to tell me what happened to him. “That day I had no choice but to blow my cover, I thought for sure I was a goner. When Killian found me, I tried everything I could to get him to turn the car around and let me go. He even knew I was going to be a father. I saw something in his eyes when I mentioned that but he played it off like he didn’t care. Just as we were about to pull up, I attempted one last-ditch effort to save my life, I needed to try anything to get him to let me go. I knew how much he liked you, so I admitted that you were the mother of my child. That’s all it seemed to take to make him change his mind and I promised him if he helped me, I would make sure he made it out of this with a clean record and able to walk away and have a fresh start over.”

  “But I still don’t understand. I watched Sal shoot you in the chest, there was blood everywhere.” I pinch my eyes closed as the painful memory comes to mind. Dante places his fingers under my chin, lifting my face up.

  “Look at me.” He softly demands. “I’m sorry you had to see that, but it had to look as convincing as possible. Killian texted Sal and said he was on his way, but that he was going to need a body that was recognizable in order to send a message to the cops, but in reality it was to make sure I didn’t really die.” He laughs nervously.

  “Did you even stop to think that if he didn’t listen to Killian that he could have shot you in the head and you wouldn’t even be sitting here with me?”

  “It was a risk I was willing to take, Ava. Either way, I was a dead man. Whether I stayed dead or not wasn’t going to be sure until after that moment in the warehouse. But I had to try.” My vision is blurring as my eyes fill with unshed tears. I try to hold them back but I’m unable to as they flow freel
y down my face. Dante is quickly brushing them away with his thumb and he cradles me into his chest. “Shhh, it’s okay, Pop Tart. I’m here and I’m not going anywhere this time.”

  “I’m sorry,” I manage to say between sniffles. “All this is just so overwhelming and this pregnancy is making my hormones out of whack. I’m so emotional these days. I feel so weak lately.”

  “You’re anything but weak, in fact you’re the strongest person I’ve ever met, Ava. Do you need a minute?” I shake my head no and he continues. “I pulled down the seat accessing the trunk and grabbed my vest. I filled the pockets with the packets of fake blood before putting it on. You know I always like to be prepared and I knew I had to move fast. Killian did the best he could to delay getting us there without it looking suspicious. Anyway, we got there and thank God that idiot listened to Killian and went straight for the vest and not the head. I was surprised when Joe showed up, because I didn’t have time to call him.”

  “What were you going to do after you were shot?”

  “I may not like the guy right now, but Killian can read Sal like a book. He knew he would leave me there and not have one of his guys clean up his mess. He likes to boast whenever he can and he did. Honestly, I was just going to lie there until Killian found a way to clear everyone out then get up and call for Joe. But I didn’t need to since you tried to save my life by texting him. Thanks for that, by the way.” He kisses me on my cheek and I smile.

  “So then what?”

  “Then, I went into hiding. We decided a closed casket funeral because I flat out didn’t want to be lying in a coffin alive. That’s straight up creepy. Plus, knowing me, I’d probably fuck up and sneeze or something, ruining my own funeral, starting rumors about a zombie apocalypse.” We both laugh. “So anyway, when it came time to hide, I went to the one place no one knew about, Mema’s cabin on the lake.”

  Now it all makes sense. Him saying he’s watched me grow, and Mema’s hesitation to let me use the lake house. It’s because Dante was there. He was alive and even Mema knew. That woman is a damn vault, I tell ya. “She got nervous when you called her to use the lake house and sent me a text while she was on the phone with you.”

  “She told me she doesn’t like texting.” I laugh into his chest.

  “She doesn’t but what was she going to do? Say hey, let me check with Dante and I’ll call you right back? So I went to a hotel in town and just stayed there while you were using the house.” He kisses my head again, it’s like he needs to touch me as much as he can.

  “You were there, weren’t you? The noise I heard when I was on the hammock that day, that was you watching me, wasn’t it?” He nods. “And when Sylva came to see me, I dreamt that you carried me into the bedroom. I could smell you, feel you even in my sleep.”

  “Also me.” He confirms.

  “God, is there anyone who didn’t know you weren’t really dead?” I feel so stupid for not seeing it, I'm an FBI agent and I couldn’t work out all the clues pointing to my fiancé still being alive.

  “Ali didn’t know. She knows now because I came with you to the hospital, but she was definitely pissed off when she found out I was alive. I got quite a few smacks from her, I'm pretty sure she left bruises.” If Ali is the only one who didn’t know, that means Lance knew too and that infuriates me. I’ve been working with her for years. She was so worried about me being a loose cannon and tried to pull me from my job, when it all could have been prevented by her or Joe telling me he wasn’t dead.

  “How often did you check up on me?” I’m curious to know how much he’s seen since his time away.

  “I would go to the park and watch you from the rental car I was using. The windows were tinted so I would just sit and imagine what we would be talking about if I was on that bench with you. One day I saw you talking to a woman and after you left, I got out of the car and talked with her a little.”

  “Ferris.” I tell him her name.

  “Yeah. I thought maybe if I could get to know your friends it would make me feel a little closer to you. Like somehow I was still involved with you and the babies.”

  “How do you know we’re having twins?” I question since I haven’t told Joe or Ali this piece of information yet.

  “Remember the crash from Sylva’s house?” My mouth hangs open with realization how close he’s been to me at times and I didn’t even know. “That was me too. I thought I blew it that day. I heard you say twins and everything just vanished from sight, making me drop the dishes I was holding. I wanted to run to you so badly but I couldn’t. I did call Killian and give him shit about not telling me but he told me he wanted that to be something you told me when everything came to light. He told me he went with you and that there was a DVD of the ultrasound, which I want to see ASAP, by the way. I may hate the man for sleeping with my fiancé but he has been there for you and kept you safe like he promised me he would do.” Suddenly my conversation with Sylva from that day makes sense. He knew I was going to be pissed at him when I found out that he knew Dante was alive.

  “So does that mean you will get over it?” I look up at him hopefully, needing this rift between them to be over. They’re both important to me and I don’t want to live without either of them.

  “No, I’ll never be okay with another man putting his hands on you.”

  Tilting my head to the side, “Dante,” I start, but he stops me.

  “I know you’ve developed a friendship with him. I’m not going to say you can’t have that with him and I can’t expect you to stop talking to him. I trust you and know where your heart lies. I’m just going to need some time getting used to the idea of being around him without wanting to punch him in the face. But, if you give me time, I may be able to get there. I’m not making any promises though.”

  “I can understand that. So is that everything?” I'm hoping it is, I just want to rest and let Dante hold me.

  “No, there’s one more thing. And this needs to stay between us.”

  “You have my word.”

  “I killed Angelo.” His admission stuns me and I’m completely taken back.

  “Dante, have you lost your mind?! Why would you do that? This could be really bad. What if they find out it was you?” I blurt it all out, not taking a second to let him answer any of my questions.

  “They won’t. I made sure it was done right and how can you ask me why I did it? He drugged you, Ava. He could have harmed you and even worse, our babies. He had to pay for what he did.” Suddenly the note that was found on the body makes perfect sense.

  “How did you even find him?”

  “Killian called me to fill me in.”

  “Hold up? Excuse me? Killian told you I was drugged?”

  “Since the day he saved my life, not only has he been helping Riggs and Lance but he also promised that he would keep me updated on you. So yes, he told me.”

  “That’s why Lance was so quick to approve bringing him on board. God, I feel so stupid for not seeing it.” I cover my face and shake my head, trying to clear out the cobwebs of lies. “I’m sorry, go ahead.”

  “It’s okay. It’s a lot to take in at once, I get it. So that night when Killian called me, I was having drinks with Silas at the cabin. Silas tried to get me to calm down but I was on a rampage, I actually knocked him out so he couldn’t stop me.” I have to chuckle at the visual of Silas lying on the ground out cold, it gives me a strange sort of satisfaction. Dante smiles but continues. “I was determined to lure Angelo out. I remembered his number and I got a burner so I could call him. I knew he couldn’t afford to have any loose ends when it came to me and I also knew he wouldn’t risk telling Sal I was alive so he’d come alone. I was so pissed. I swear I was seeing red and I told him to come try to finish what he started. I wasn’t thinking straight, I just reacted. I felt like it was my fault you were in the hospital and that I couldn’t protect you. But I sure as hell could keep it from happening again. Next thing I knew I was in an alley slitting Angelo’s throat. The fucke
d up thing is I didn’t even feel bad about it. He’s a piece of shit and deserved everything he got. When the fog lifted, the reality of what I did make me realize that I needed to make sure this was covered up right. Silas was blowing up my phone when he came to and realized I wasn’t there so I finally answered informing him where I was. Thankfully it happened to go down in their jurisdiction so Lucas and him were able to get things rolling the way they needed to, so no one suspected that it was me.” I can’t believe what he's telling me. I should be sickened that he killed Angelo, but all I feel is a deep sense of love that he was protecting me when I didn’t know.

  “That’s why Silas kept looking at me the way he did. I thought for sure he was convinced I killed him, but he was trying to see if I would pick up that it was you.” Everything is so clear now.

  “Yes, he was trying to read you but it came off the wrong way. I swear he’s not a dick, but I give you props for decking him. He told me we were made for each other since I knocked him out the night before and you almost did the next day.” I laugh. “He’s a little worried he made a bad first impression on you.”

  “He did, but I totally get it now. Everything makes perfect sense. So this won’t come back to you?” I can’t help but worry that I might lose Dante now that I’ve just gotten him back.

  He shakes his head. “No, the case has already been wrapped up. They chalked it up to a turf war, some pissed off gang members getting their own payback on him.”

  “Is there anything else I need to know?” I ask while yawning, the tiredness starting to catch up with me.

  “Nothing that can’t wait until you’re rested.” Placing his hand on my stomach, it pops up as one of the babies kicks his hand and he holds it up. “Holy shit, what was that?”

  Taking his hand and placing it back on my belly I answer, “That is either baby A or baby B saying hello to their daddy.” The babies kick again and start rolling around in my stomach.