Page 53 of Keeping Ava

“I swear.” With two fingers, I tip her face up and out of its hiding spot in my neck. Watery blue eyes meet mine, and as much of a pussy as this might make me seem, in them I see my forever. Home. It’s a moment that tethers me to this earth solely so I can walk by her side. Those three words sit on my tongue, and although I’ve said them before, right this second, they take on a more profound meaning. Losing her would’ve killed me. Taken my very soul as I followed her into the next life. This courageous woman in my arms is my life. Everything. “Ava,” I choke up, hands trembling as I pull her impossibly closer. Press her heart against my beating one. “I love you. All of you. There is no one else for me in this life and every single one that follows.”

“I love you, too. Christ, when he said that you—”

“We’re here, and that’s all that matters. For the rest of our lives, it’ll be just you and me.”

“Against the world.”

“Something either of you want to explain?” Perez comes up behind me then, but I pay him no mind. While I hid this—our relationship—he hid his own. Not that I care, but I won’t let him be a hypocrite either.

“Not really.”

“Baby, I—”

“Ford, you—”

They both start, but I hold a hand up to silence the two. Walking out of the room and away from the last reminder of her nightmare, I take us into the living room and sit down with her in my lap. Perez follows, eyeing me, but takes a seat across from us.

Watching. Gauging.

“You know.” That’s all he says.

“I do.” Ava stiffens but doesn’t leap up. To ease her tension, I bring a hand up and rub her back in slow and soothing strokes. It takes a minute or two, but she does calm down and then melts into me, burrowing against my chest as the stress of the day catches up.

People come in and out of the apartment—cops and a medical team, all checking and documenting to corroborate my story and later, hers, with the physical evidence.

No one speaks to us. They let us be for the time being, and I keep my eyes on Perez the entire time. Even raise a brow to help him get on with the explanation that, to be honest, isn’t needed, but I know he’ll give.

“How?”

“Looking into possible connections to the case; familial or friends.”

“Why not say anything?” he asks, scratching his chin, not the least bit sorry.

“Because I get it.” At that, Ava looks up at me, remorse in her puffy eyes, but I shake my head, letting her know I’m not the least bit angry. “She’s your niece, Cap. You were just trying to protect Miss Perez here, not to be confused with a Perry. Good choice, though, on the last name change. It’s close enough that she wouldn’t mess up.”

“So, you’re not upset?” Ava asks, her tone hopeful.

“Not in the least.” Lowering my face to her, I kiss her lips once. A soft peck. “All that matters is that I have you and you’re safe. Everything else is inconsequential.”

“I do love you, Elijah.”

“With all my heart.”

“Looks like I’ll be giving you the talk her parents won’t be able to,” he says, and my eyes leave her sweet face and shift toward his. “It’s my duty, after all.”

“More like you’ll get a kick out of it, Tio.” Ava shakes her head, still wiping at the stray tears falling.

“So true...” he lets out a low chuckle “...besides, I trust Ford. I knew he would keep you safe.”

“Is that your way of saying you approve?” Perez nods at my words. “Good. Because I’m not going anywhere.”

“What about when she goes back to Lubbock?”

That makes me pause. It’s not something either of us has discussed or thought about. To be honest, we haven’t had the time to, but without a second of hesitation, I know the answer. “Where she goes—”

“My home is with him. Here or there...it makes no difference to me.” Her words pierce me straight in the heart. So much conviction. So much trust in me.

It also helps to settle some of my own nerves.

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