Page 49 of The Afterthought

"Ava, you can't be serious. You're quitting because some drunk fuck at the bar made dirty comments to you?" Alec chuckles.

"I'm quitting because I should have never been working here in the first place." I eye him carefully, not wanting him to know that there is more to this. If he finds out I was in the VIP rooms and connects the dots, I'm fucked.

"There's no way I can change your mind?" He scoots closer to me, and I immediately stand. I know this pig did not just fuck Candy and then try to flirt with me. It's gross.

"I'm leaving. I wish you nothing but the best. Oh, and by the way, I broke a bottle. Feel free to take it out of my check."

I can read the look on his face, and he's questioning whether or not he wants to let me leave. I move quickly before he can try to stop me and shuffle out of his office. I practically run to grab the rest of my things. I don't take a full breath until I've made it out of the club and to my car. I put the car into gear to get home as fast as possible and pull out my phone to call Grey to tell him what I know.

Chapter 23

Greyson

Icouldn't exactly ask Ava where to find David because I want it to be a surprise for her—a nice little romantic gesture, if you will. I snooped around in her room a bit while she was working one night and found exactly what I needed. Ava is the sentimental type. She likes to keep things for memories. Usually, it's for good memories, but I figured it was worth checking. If there was a chance that she kept it, that would be the easiest route for me.

I found the hospital bracelet I was looking for in the top drawer of her desk, mixed in with a few other miscellaneous things that she's added since coming back to town. When I googled the hospital’s name, I was able to get the location and phone number. I quickly called them to confirm that she was there during that time. They advised that she was there; however, they could not release personal details regarding her stay. I don't need the details. I already have them.

It's a small hospital just outside of Orlando, Florida. Of course, the crazy fucker lives in Florida. It was pretty simple at this point. Ava told me Ashley Banks hired her, so I searched for David Banks within a 25-mile radius of the hospital and ended up with two options.

When I drove to the first one, the house was nothing like what Ava described, so I moved on to the second. This house matches her description perfectly. I've been sitting in my car across the street watching it for a bit now. My eyes occasionally land on the lawn, and I wonder where she crawled through that grass to fight for her life. Nothing but sheer anger courses through me as I picture her helpless and alone. My poor girl had to be so scared. I'll ensure his fear is double what hers was.

This guy will probably think me kidnapping him is the worst thing to ever happen to him. I can't wait to see how he reacts to waking up in my little torture shed with my queen standing right next to me and my blowtorch. The thought alone makes my cock strain in my pants. She is going to look fucking stunning getting her revenge.

My phone rings, and it pulls my attention away from the house. It's Ava, so I swiftly answer. "Hey, little shadow."

"Grey, some stuff happened tonight at Temptations. I need to talk to you. Do you have a minute?" She sounds on edge, and I don't like it one bit.

“Did someone hurt you?" I immediately regret leaving her there. I should have brought her with me.

"I'm fine, but I overheard something tonight that I think you should know about."

"Okay, I'm listening." My heart is racing in my chest as I wait for whatever she is about to say.

"For starters, I quit my job."

"Little shadow, that's the best news I've heard all week. I thought you were going to tell me bad news." Thank fuck she quit. I thought I was going to have to burn that place down and start a war.

"I am, at least I think it will be. I just wanted to start with something that would break the ice a bit."

"Why did you quit? I swear, if someone put their hands on you, I'll cut them off, cook them, and then force feed them to the piece of shit."

"Nobody touched me," she reassures me.

"What was it then?" I've been trying to get her to quit for weeks. Her being there around all those Cobras was always a disaster waiting to happen. I'm surprised they left her alone, considering Alec knows very well who she belongs to.

"There was some creep at the bar making lewd comments to me. I tried to brush it off for a while, but he ended up pushing me to the point where I couldn't take it anymore."

"What did he say to you?"

"He brought up being between my legs, so I held a broken bottle to his face and told him to say it again." I'm met with a mixture of emotions when she tells me this. I want to skin the fucker alive for talking to her like that, but I'm proud of her for not sitting back and taking it.

"Listen, baby, I'm so proud of you for sticking up for yourself. Nobody should be talking to you like that. I will take care of that place, don't you worry. I'll find him and make sure he realizes who he spoke to. Nobody disrespects my girl and lives to speak about it."

"Don't be crazy. I handled it. I don't need you sticking your nose in. That's not why I wanted to talk to you anyway."

"I swear, if Alec did something, I'll come home right now and slit his throat."

"No. Would you stop being so murdery and let me say what I need to say?"

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