Page 47 of Destiny

Callie gasps. “Brendan, please…”

“For Christ’s sake, I’m not going to go to the bar association. But you realize, don’t you, that if there was anything else to find at my place, it’s long gone now?”

“Yeah, I know,” Donny says. “And yes, I know it’s all my fault. Not my finest hour.”

I sigh. I can’t give this man any more shit. The first seven years of his life were horrific. He was doing what the Steels always do—looking out for his family.

“I’m going to pay you back.”

“That’s your choice,” he says, “but I don’t expect it. I don’t need it. I don’t want it. No money you can pay me will bring back whatever may have been found at your place. We’ve done what we can. I don’t know how much Ava has told you, but there was some serious shit going down on our property without our knowledge. We put an end to it, but there’s still stuff going on.”

I nod.

“What exactlyhasAva told you?” Donny asks.

“That’s between her and me.”

“I understand.” He nods to Callie. “You ready?”

“Yeah. We should get back to the office.”

I nod again. I don’t open my mouth because I’m not sure what will come out. The two of them leave, and I check my watch.

Two o’clock. I open the bar at four.

I have time.

Time to go see Ava…and find out whether she knew about this all along.

Chapter Fourteen

Ava

Someone’s pounding on my door. I mean really pounding. I hear it all the way up at my place.

Then the yelling.

It’s Brendan. And he’s angry…

Why did he come back? He made it clear where he stood. He’s no doubt angry that I didn’t accept his proposal.

I sigh, scurrying to my clothes, which I haven’t bothered to put on since our lovemaking earlier, and hurry down the stairs to the back door of the bakery.

I open it. “Would you cut out all that racket?”

He walks past me into the bakery. “You’ve got some explaining to do.”

I scoff. “No, I don’t. I’m just not ready—”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.” He runs his fingers through his hair, and it almost looks like a lion’s mane—a red-blond lion’s mane.

“What now?” I set my hands on my hips, trying to maintain a strong stance even though my whole body is throbbing in his presence.

But I don’t feel strong in front of him. I feel…small. Not weak, but small. He is so big, so tall, so muscular… My God, my pulse is racing—and it’s not out of anger or fear.

It’s out of arousal.

“I just had an interesting chat with your cousin.”

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