Page 115 of Revenge

I rolled my eyes and shot him a ‘you think’ expression. “I must have passed out. Have you seen Ava?”

“What?”

“Ava?”

“Yes. She left, Kai.” That commentrippedsomething wide in my chest.

I remember telling her about the jet and shit, but it wasn’t due to leave for ages, “What do you mean, she left already?

“She said goodbye to Suki this morning. There were tears and hugs and shit. Ava asked her mother to go with her, but she wanted to stay with Cillian. I left them to it. You know I’m not one for pussy drama.”

“And she just walked out,” I said, my face dropping.

“You authorised it last night. Lester has taken her to the airport.”

“You're fuckingkiddingme.” I slid my phone from my pocket.

Fucking hell. The clock in my office was wrong, it must have stopped. What are the chances? My phone showed it wasafterten.

This cannot be happening. I started to pace back and forth like a caged animal.

Nico looked alarmed when I started tugging at my hair, “What the hell, Kai? What's going on? She said you told her she was free to leave. That youwantedher to go.” He moved to stand in front of me, which caused me to stop my frantic path back and forth across the hallway.

“I did, but,” the words left my mouth like vapour.

Eyeing me with a funny look, Nico prompted, “You did, but what?”

I ignored him, too desperate to establish how she was feeling when she’d left. Pissed off, sad? I would go for any of the above. Indifferent or happy would kill me off, “Did she look upset this morning?”

He folded his arms across his chest, “I don't know how to answer that.”

Flexing my shoulders, I stalked towards him, “Am I speaking German? Was she sad, or acting strangely? You know what, it doesn't matter. Shit, I've fucked up, again.” I huffed with a flap of my arms. I had never felt so out of control of a situation and I hated it.

“You think?” Not helpful Nico!

Twisting I instructed, “Bring the car around, now.”

His brow creased, “Why?”

Taking a deep breath, I informed him, “I'm going after her.”

His entire body relaxed and his face lit up, “Finally, somefuckingsense. That's the most intelligent thing you've said in years. At last, I’ll be free from your constant whining about her,” Nico chuntered. My friend had always seen through my bullshit where Ava was concerned. I remember him cornering me a few times, asking me to ask myselfwhyI bitched about her so much over the last two years. He was right, it wasn’t because of Gerard or that night at the vault. I was in love with her.

I saw red and my decision was made in that split second, “Whilst you're making the wise cracks we're wasting time. Get the car.”

I couldn’t recall everything I had said to Ava last night, but I remembered arranging to have her sent away. What the fuck was I thinking? The whole scenario had gradually got more out of hand the drunker I had become. And now she had gone, I realised that was the last thing I wanted.

Nico went to move and then paused when I slid my phone from my jeans, “What are you doing now?”

I growled as I rubbed my forehead, “I'm calling her phone.” The noise of a ringtone started from down the hallway, making me wince. “Where thefuckis that coming from?”

“Ava's phone. She left it,” Nico replied calmly. Why the fuck wasn’t he bringing the car around?

“What?” I questioned, unsure of what he’d just said.

“The phone you gave her.” His attitude was starting to piss me off as he should have been as stressed out as I was. “It’s on the counter in the kitchen.”

Motherfucker!

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