Page 84 of Knot a Thief

“This is your home,” I say much too quickly. I’m not ready for my daughter to not have Ava in her life, regardless of how she makes me feel.

Max’s eyes narrow, a predatory gleam in their pale depths. “Is the Omega needy? Do you need knotting?”

The words hang in the air, heavy and ominous. I watch as Ava’s face pales and her hands clench into fists beneath the table. Then she glares at him, disgust clear on the purse of her lips. “Not by you.”

A cruel smile plays on Max’s lips as he replies, “You’re perfuming. Which means you’re lying.”

I don't know what's eating Max, but the dinner, I realize, is about to become a battlefield.

“My fingers are enough,” Ava seethes. Her teeth clenched as the door at the back of the room opens and we’re saved from the argument going any further when a team of silent, efficient servers bring out the first course, which is a delicate lobster bisque.

Ava nibbles on her food, slowly savoring every mouthful but not once glancing at me or Max. And as the meal progresses, she’s quieter than before. In fact, her demeanor has changed completely.

Gone is the defiant young woman from earlier. Now she’s lost in a world of her own. A world which is subdued and guarded.

“Where’s Lily?” Ava turns to me and asks.

After our conversation earlier today, I’m happy she’s asked. I thought she might stay away from her.

She still might.

“She has her bath at six o’clock sharp. I read her a book, and then she’s asleep by seven.”

She gives me a small smile. Her eyes remain on mine when her teeth dig into her lip.

“I’m sorry about your wife.” She swallows. “I thought she’d left you and Lily, but I realized afterwards that she’d died. And …” She glances at the ceiling and then back at me. “I’ll do anything I can for Lily while I’m here.”

“You’ve done enough.” I don’t mean for them to, but my words sound harsher than they should, and come out much quicker than I wanted.

“I understand.” Her shoulders sag as she stares at the food on her plate and pushes it around.

The rest of dinner doesn’t get any better. It remains stilted and tense.

Max calms down and he attempts to engage Ava in small talk, asking about her day and her recent activities, but her responses are no longer sassy. Now they are monosyllabic and disinterested.

I contribute occasionally, trying to keep the atmosphere from becoming too oppressive, though between Max and me, I know it’s too late. I know she’ll never choose to stay now.

Why the fuck would she want to?

We’ve hardly made her life better. Max and I are so fucking stuck in the past. Neither of us are truly fighting for a future with her. Despite wanting it.

Suddenly, Ava breaks her silence. “I’ve been wondering about the Circle of Life jewel,” she says, her voice soft but clear. “Is it fake?”

“What makes you think that?” Max asks.

“You’ve never asked about it.”

Max’s fork pauses halfway to his mouth. “It’s not important,” he says dismissively.

“Not important!” Ava’s eyes narrow slightly. “Why not? It’s worth two hundred and fifty million dollars.”

“I’m sure it’s well hidden. Maybe in one of the two safes on your boat.” Max lets her know how much we already know about her.

She quirks an eyebrow and smirks. “I might have sold it and put the money in a secret offshore bank account.”

“I doubt it,” Max tells her. “You might be a thief, but you’re an honorable one. You’ll finish the deal.”

“The deal.”

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