Page 34 of Ava After Midnight

“Ava Marie Williams!” Her mother’s voice slices through the air, sharp and commanding. “Why aren’t you answering? Makeup is ready!”

Zoe practically shoves me toward the door. “Go. Now.”

Through the narrow gap between the door and the wall, I glimpse Ava pressing a hand against the mirror, her reflection staring back at her like a stranger. The woman who came alive under my hands, wild and unfiltered, is already fading. I see the cage closing in around her, and my mastery over myself shatters like broken glass.

But I leave.

As I slip out into the morning, Zoe’s cheerful distractions fade behind me, replaced by the rhythmic pounding of my heartbeat. I move on autopilot, navigating the city with the muscle memory of someone who’s been lost before.

***

Back in my apartment, last night clings to me like a ghost. I step into the shower, but the steam just conjures images of her—Ava’s eyes, heavy-lidded and hungry, her body moving against mine like we were made to fit together. I brace my hands against the tile, sucking in breath after breath, but nothing can wash away the feel of her.

A fist pounds against my door, yanking me back to reality. I grab a towel and swing it open to find Mateo, arms crossed, already assessing the disaster that is me.

“You’re late,” he says, stepping inside like he owns the place. “I was about to call hospitals.”

“Last night got... complicated.”

One eyebrow lifts as he takes in the fresh bruises along my collarbone. “I can see that.”

“It’s not like that.”

Mateo snorts. “Isn’t it? A gorgeous woman, a stormy night—every bartender’s fantasy.” His expression shifts. “Or is there more I should know?”

I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. How do I explain what Ava did to me? How do I put into words the way she’s rearranged every truth I thought I knew about myself?

“I’m fucked,” I mutter instead, dropping onto the couch, my head in my hands.

Mateo leans against the counter, studying me. “For real?”

I think about the way Ava looked at me, like I was the answer to a question she never dared to ask. The way she came undone in my arms, not just from pleasure but from something deeper, something real.

“Real enough that I’m losing my mind over a woman who’s getting married in a few hours.”

Mateo exhales. “Damn,hermano.” A beat of silence. “So fight for her.”

I let out a bitter laugh. “She’s getting married, Mateo.”

“Is she, though?” He cocks his head. “You said it yourself—he’s not right for her. But you... If anyone could make a bride think twice, it’s you.”

Hope stabs through me, sharp and unwelcome. “She’s not just any bride.”

“No,” Mateo agrees. “She’s your bride. The one you’ll regret losing for the rest of your life if you don’t at least try.”

His words hit harder than they should. I see Ava again—pressed against that mirror, torn between duty and the fire we sparked together.

And suddenly, I know. I have to see her.

I surge to my feet, already moving. “I have to go.”

Mateo grins. “Now we’re talking.”

I grab my keys, but he stops me with a look. “Wait. You’re going like that?”

I glance down at my worn jeans and t-shirt. “What’s wrong with this?”

“Domingo. My guy. You’re crashing a black tie event.” He strides past me, yanking open my closet. “At least try to look the part.”

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