Page 14 of Accidentally Checked By My Brother's Best Friend

“See me. I hate that you cansee me,Duncan.” Her voice was filled with discomfort. “I can hide from everyone. Except Fi and you.”

Ava has always presented a collected front to the world, one I could always easily see through.

Despite the fact that I’m working to keep my distance from her while she’s here, that ability hasn’t gone away. Neither has the desire to protect her. But right now, I don’t question any of my actions. My only concern is ensuring the woman in front of me is unhurt.

Her breathing slows down, and her eyes pool with tears. I feel my stomach twist. Her hand gripping my shirt kneads me like a kitten.

My heart rate spikes, and I stand at my full height. Wrapping my arms around her and pulling her close in an attempt to relieve her from whatever is causing her this pain.

Click.

A gasp falls from Ava’s lips. We both whip our heads toward the sound, but there’s nothing. I feel pressure on my chest and look down to see the golden crown of Ava’s head resting on me.

Shaking racks her body, and an overwhelming feeling of dread fills me. I place a finger under her chin and gently lift her face up, only to find her laughing with no humor behind it.

“Great! Another scandal.” She says, not meeting my eyes. A delirious smile spread across her lips. “Me caught with another man. In an empty hallway. Perfect!”

Quietly, I watch the emotions playing over her face. Her beautiful face. Suddenly, she whips her round eyes to mine, panic filling them.

“Nathan,” she says quietly, fisting my shirt.

“What about Nathan?” I place my hand gently over her fist, trying to settle the panic I can feel oozing from her body.

Glassy blue eyes rise to mine, and a wrench squeezes my heart at the desperation reflected in them. “I’m afraid.” Her fist squeezes my shirt tighter.

In an attempt to calm her, I rub my hands slowly up and down her arms. “Afraid of what Ava? You’re here with me. No one is going to hurt you.”

She shakes her head back and forth furiously but doesn’t say a word. Her lips are tight, and her eyes are round. My stomach drops.

Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her close to me. Once again, I can’t help but marvel at how fragile she feels in my arms. Her head barely reaches the top of my chest. The soft smell of sandalwood invades my nostrils while the warmth of her pressed against me penetrates my frozen heart.

Tiny shakes move her body, and wetness seeps through my shirt. My chest tightens, and my stomach dips. Apparently, the fairytale relationship stories presented about Ava and Nathan weren’t even close to being true.

Gently swaying back and forth, I wait for her breathing to return to normal.

“Now I know why Scarlett would always stop crying when you were holding her.” Her words vibrate against my chest. “You’re good at this.”

My lip curves up at the corner. “I do have some redeeming qualities.”

“Not just some, Duncan.” She pulls away from my chest and pins me with her gaze. “You have many good qualities.”

Afraid to ruin the moment happening, I stay still and hold my breath.

“When you’re not being a complete grump, that is.” A gleam of humor enters her eyes, and my stomach clenches.

This woman is my kryptonite, even after all these years. I silently watch her lift her hand from my chest and wipe the tears from her face. When I feel my hand lift to her face, I catch myself and take a step back, putting distance between us.

A buzz against my leg grabs my attention, and I reach into my pocket, pulling out my phone.

“Hey,” I answer, meeting Ava’s gaze, and mouth the words. “It’s David.”

“Dunc, where are you?” His voice is tinged with worry. “Is Ava with you?”

“Ava’s with me. When I got out of the locker room, she was surrounded by people hounding her, and my instinct was just to get her out of there.”

“Thank goodness.” Relief pours through the phone. “I was worried. Ava hasn’t said anything outright, but I know she’s concerned about Nathan.”

“Yeah. I get that feeling, too.”

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