Page 12 of Claiming Pretty

“Could you send someone to pick me up?”Ava’s voice wavered, just enough to set my nerves on edge.

“Of course, Ava,”Ebony replied, her voice softening, warm with relief.“I’ve… I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too, Ebony,”Ava said, and I could hear the crack of emotion in her tone, the kind of vulnerability she rarely let show.

My chest tightened, the weight of everything pressing in on me suddenly lighter, as if I could finally take a full breath.

Ava was alive. She was really alive.

The words replayed in my head, over and over, like a lifeline I hadn’t realized I was gripping.

She was coming home.

And I would be there to meet her.

AVA

The police officer loomed over me, his judgmental gaze flicking between me and the body on the floor. “What happened here?” he demanded.

I opened my mouth to answer, to confess, my body trembling with the weight of the truth. I took a step forward.

But Ty moved faster.

He stepped in front of me, his hand brushing mine for the briefest moment before shoving me behind him. He pushed me hard into Ciaran’s arms, shielding me with his body.

“I did it,” he said, his voice steady, unshaken. “I poisoned him.”

“No!” The word tore out of me, raw and desperate. “Ty—”

“Quiet, Ava.” He turned on me, his glare like a whip, sharp and commanding, forcing the protest to die on my tongue. Then his eyes shifted to Ciaran, whose face had gone ashen.

“Keep hercalm,” he snapped.

And then it hit me—what he was doing.

He was taking the blame.

“Ty, no!” I screamed again, my voice breaking, but it didn’t matter.

Ciaran’s hand clamped over my mouth, silencing me with a firm grip.

“Quiet, Ava,” he hissed, his voice strained, his hold on me anything but steady.

My vision blurred as the officer snapped handcuffs onto Ty’s wrists, securing them behind his back. The metallic click echoed like a death knell in the room. They began leading him away, the officer’s grip firm and unyielding.

“No!” I struggled harder, my voice muffled against Ciaran’s palm.

Ty twisted his head, his gaze locking on me for a fleeting second. “Wait,” he said, his voice sharp and desperate. “I just need to talk to Ava—”

“No talking,” the officer barked, shoving him toward the door.

Ty’s body tensed, his shoulders pulling back in defiance, but another officer grabbed his other arm, hauling him forward like a caged animal.

I felt Ciaran falter behind me, his hold loosening just enough.

I slammed my elbow into his stomach with all the force I could muster. He let out a guttural groan, his grip releasing.

“Ava, no!” he gasped, but it was too late.

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