Page 6

Chapter six

Ryder

As Danie emerges from the crowd, I notice that Ava isn't by her side. It's a bit surprising, considering these two seem joined at the hip most of the time. I've always found it amusing how women tend to travel in packs, especially when it comes to bathroom breaks. It's like they have some unspoken rule about never going alone.

Leaning down to get closer to Danie's ear, I have to practically shout to be heard over the music. The bass is so loud I can feel it reverberating in my chest. "Hey, where's Ava?" My eyes are still scanning the crowd just in case I missed her.

I watch as Danie's face scrunches up in confusion, and she pivots on her heels. She scans the crowd, her eyes darting from face to face in search of Ava. The flashing lights cast alternating shadows across her features, making her expression even more dramatic. It is clear she is just as surprised that Ava isn’t behind her as I am. A knot of unease begins to form in my stomach. Something about this doesn’t feel right, and my instincts, honed by years in the military and security work, are on high alert.

"I don't know Ryder, she was right behind me. Maybe she is still in the restroom." She looks around nervously, betraying her growing concern. "I'm going to go see where she is," she says, already turning and weaving her body through the crowd towards the restrooms.

I fall into step behind her, my long strides easily keeping pace with her much shorter ones. I tell myself I am following just in case something is wrong, but deep down, I know there is much more to it. The pull I feel towards Ava, it’s a need to ensure her safety that goes beyond a mere professional instinct. As we navigate the throng of club-goers, my senses remain on high alert, scanning for any sign of trouble, or of Ava's distinctive blonde hair amidst the sea of faces.

Danie goes into the restroom and comes back out shortly after looking concerned. "She's not in there."

"I'll go check the bar, maybe she went to get a drink. You go back to the table and tell Keith and Ethan to meet me back here." I put my hands on her shoulders and look into her scared green eyes. "We will find her, Danie. She has to be here somewhere. She wouldn’t have left without telling anyone."

Nodding her head, "Yeah, you're probably right. There's just some stuff that's been going on with her ex. It's got me on edge, you know?"

Well, this is new information. "Is he dangerous?" I ask as I study Danie's face for any clues she might be holding back.

"Yes, he is. She just filed for a restraining order on him today. We don't know when he'll be served with it, but I can only imagine how he'll react. God, Ryder, I try to keep an eye on her as much as I can. Clint's not just bad news, he's completely fucking crazy."

I've seen enough in my line of work to know how these situations can escalate quickly. And when they do, it almost always ends badly. My mind is already racing, planning to ensure Ava's safety. This night has just taken a serious turn, and I know I'll do whatever it takes to protect her.

Danie continues, "The only good thing is that he isn't here in Seattle. He has just been messaging and calling her. I'm just being overprotective, I guess. But with a guy like that, you can never be too careful."

Hearing that gives me some relief, but I know better than to fully relax. I am keenly aware that the situation could spiral out of control at any second, and I am determined to be ready for whatever comes our way.

I will be asking Ava more about Clint when we find her. I knew he had been messaging her, but I didn't realize he was harassing her. "We're not taking any chances. Go get Keith and Ethan, and meet me back here."

If we need to, I can have Keith go look at the cameras. He will be able to track her every move from the time she walked out of the restroom. He is the one that installed the cameras, making sure that every nook and cranny of this clu b is covered.

After thoroughly scanning the crowded bar area, I make my way back to the dimly lit hallway where I'm to meet up with Danie and my team. Ava has to be here somewhere in this club. I walk purposefully down the corridor searching for any sign of her.

That’s when I notice the back exit door isn't closed all the way. "Guys, over here." I shout while swinging the exit door open.

The sight in the alley steals the air from my lungs and stops me dead in my tracks. Ava's crumpled body lies motionless on the cold, unforgiving ground. Her beautiful face is streaked with so much blood it almost appears as if she’s wearing some kind of gruesome mask. She looks to be completely unconscious. Her eyes are closed, and her body is unnaturally still. The man standing over her is in a blind rage, screaming incoherently at her unresponsive form. The sheer brutality of the situation ignites something inside of me that I've never felt before. My fists clench at my sides, my jaw tightens, and for a moment, I'm paralyzed by the conflicting urges. I want to rush to Ava's aid, but I also feel the need to unleash my rage on her attacker.

Danie's blood-curdling scream jerks me out of my frozen state. I spring into action, my combat training taking over. I lunge forward, grabbing the back of this fucker's collar with both hands, and violently ripping him away from Ava.

In one fluid motion, I pivot and hurl him against the nearest wall with all my strength. The sickening thud of his body hitting the concrete should have been satisfying, but the only emotion I feel right now is uncontrollable anger. Before he can even catch his breath, I'm on him. My fists become relentless pistons, pummeling every inch of him I can reach. Each punch punctuated by the satisfying crunch of bone and cartilage giving way under my knuckles. The world narrows to just me, this piece of trash, and the rhythmic impact of my fists.

Too soon, I feel two sets of strong arms wrap around mine, yanking me backward with surprising force. My vision blurs with rage as I struggle against their grip. "Let me go, damn it!”

"Dude, Ava needs you right now. Look at him, he isn't going anywhere." Ethan's calm voice cuts through the haze.

I tear my eyes away from the bloodied heap on the ground and look over to where Ava is lying. My chest tightens at the sight of her. Danie is by her side, with tears streaming down her cheeks as she yells urgently into the phone. She's c lutching Ava's hand like a lifeline, her knuckles white with the force of her grip. Ethan is right, I need to be there for Ava now, more than I need to finish what I started with this fucker.

The first thing I do is check for a pulse, my fingers trembling slightly as I press them against Ava's neck. Thank God, she is alive. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. I start checking her injuries, my heart sinking with each new mark I discover. Her left eye is swollen shut, an angry purple bruise already forming. Her nose appears to be broken, a thin trickle of blood still seeping from one nostril. Her lip is busted, and a faint bruise has started to form on her cheek.

"An ambulance and the police are on their way," Danie says as she continues to clutch Ava’s hand. "Come on Ava, wake up. Don't let Clint win. You're stronger than this, I know you are."

Clint, the ex. The name alone makes my blood boil. I take a look over to where he is slumped on the ground, still knocked out cold from the beating I gave him. I turn back to Ava, gently brushing a strand of hair from her face, silently willing her to open her eyes.

I watch as Ava begins to stir. The eyelid of her right eye slowly flutters open. The relief I feel when I hear her weak voice is indescribable.

"Danie?" Ava’s voice sounds so weak and fragile. She slowly releases my hand, which I hadn't even realized I'd been clutching so tightly. I feel a touch of sadness at the loss of her touch. Ava gingerly brings her fingers to her lips, wincing as she grazes the swollen, tender flesh.

"Ava, oh my gosh, you're awake," Danie’s voice is thick with relief. I can see tears welling up in her eyes as she leans closer to her friend. "Don't move, sweetie. Just stay still." Danie’s hand hovers protectively over Ava's shoulder to try and keep her from moving. "The ambulance is on the way, Ava. They'll be here any minute now."

I resist the urge to gather Ava into my arms, knowing it's best not to move her until the paramedics arrive. Instead, I settle for gently stroking her hair, silently vowing to never let anyone hurt her like this again.

"What happened? Was I in an accident?" Ava asks, clearly confused. She took a few hard blows to her head from what I can tell, most likely causing a concussion.

Danie looks at me and I see the emotions playing out across her face. She doesn’t want to tell Ava it was Clint, but she knows she has to.

"No, Clint found you," is all she manages to say before her voice cracks.

Just then, the wail of sirens pierces the air, growing louder as the ambulance pulls up, followed closely by a police cruiser. I reluctantly move back to give the paramedics space to work. I keep my eyes fixed on her, as if I’m afraid she might disappear if I look away for even a second.

A police officer approaches me and begins his line of questioning, trying to find out what has happened to Ava. I struggle to focus on his words, my mind only on Ava and wondering if she will be okay. I clench my fists at my sides, fighting the urge to push past everyone and gather Ava into my arms.

Keith and Ethan step in, fielding most of the inquiries while I watch the paramedics tend to Ava and her injuries. The voices of everyone around me fade into the background as I watch the paramedics carefully load Ava into the back of the ambulance. I want nothing more than to climb in beside her, to hold her hand and tell her that everything will be alright. I have her now, and I’ll never allow anything like this to ever happen again.

The paramedics approach, their eyes darting between the officer, Clint, and me.

"Are you responsible for this?" The older of the two paramedics pulls on a fresh pair of gloves.

"Yes Sir. I am" I tear my eyes away from Ava and focus on the older paramedic.

"Good job, son," he says, clapping me on the shoulder as he moves past me. "No man should lay a hand on a woman and think he can get away with it."

I nod my head in agreement as he walks over to Clint. The paramedics quickly assess him. After a brief discussion with the officer, they decide to call for another ambulance to transport Clint separately to another area hospital. I’ll make sure he’s never anywhere near her ever again.

I pace back and forth in the ER waiting room, my boots leaving scuff marks on the linol eum floor.

"Dude, you need to chill," Ethan says, leaning back in one of the hard plastic chairs. "The doc said she'll be fine after they get her stitched up."

I shoot him a withering look. "You're really gonna sit there and act like that piece of shit ex of hers didn't just brutalize her in our back alley?"

Keith places a hand on my shoulder trying to calm me down. "Ryder, getting riled up isn't helping anyone right now. Just be glad we got to Ava before he did even more damage. She’s a little banged up but she’s going to be okay.” I exhale slowly, running a hand through my hair as I try to regain my composure.

Ethan comes up beside me, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by genuine worry. "Are you okay man?" His face is etched with concern as he studies my face intently.

I let out a tired sigh that seems to come from the depths of my soul. "Yeah, I'm okay. I just... I didn't realize how much I've fallen for her until I saw her there like that." I pause, the image of Ava's bloody face flashing through my mind again. "Seeing her so badly beaten—" I trail off, the anger starting to rise up inside me again as the images of her beaten body lying on the cold hard ground play on repeat behind my eyes.

My knuckles turn white on my balled fists struggling to maintain my composure and not unleash my temper on the nearest object not bolted to the floor. My mind is filled with thoughts of payback and giving that bastard Clint exactly what he deserves for hurting Ava.

I take a deep breath, trying to focus on Ethan. It isn’t like him to be the voice of reason.

"Just try to calm down, man. She is going to be okay." Ethan repeats, his typically cheerful face replaced by an unusually serious expression.

"I know, I know," I mutter, more to myself than to Ethan. "It's just, seeing her like that. I want to tear that bastard apart with my bare hands."

"I know man, it doesn't help that you are falling for her." He says in a matter-of-fact way.

Just then the sliding doors to the emergency department open and Danie is walking towards us. The poor girl is exhausted. Her brown curls are unruly and wild. Dark circles hang beneath her puffy eyes, and streaks of dried mascara mixed with tears streak her cheeks.

I listen carefu lly as Danie runs through the laundry list of injuries Ava has suffered—her face is swollen and bruised from being slammed against the brick wall, her left eye swollen shut, stitches in the back of her head, a broken nose, and a concussion.

“The nurses are working on the discharge paperwork now. We’ll be able to take Ava home soon.”

"Thank you, Danie.” I bring Danie in for a hug, and I think she’s just as surprised by my actions as I am. “The guys will have a car waiting out front. We’ll be ready to go whenever you two are."

“I’m glad you’re here Ryder. Ava needs someone like you.” She squeezes me a little tighter before letting go and turning to head back towards the emergency room doors.

Keith approaches after ending a phone call. "I've got a mixed update for you. On the bright side, the DA's moving forward with charges against Clint. They're confident it's a sure thing. But here's the catch—Clint is retaliating with charges against you. He's still hospitalized on the other side of the city, but he's already reached out to his lawyer. The DA thinks it'll amount to nothing, but they suggested you seek legal counsel. I’ve already called your uncle, and he'll be here later in the week. He is currently in New York on business."

I can already picture my Uncle Chuck sighing in exasperation when Keith informed him about my altercation and subsequent need for legal aid. It's not the first time I've required his services. I might have called on him on a handful of occasions during my rebellious late teens—and possibly 20’s, but this is definitely the first time in my 30’s.

When August and Ava moved away after their parents died, I struggled to make new friends. Which led to me being bored and trying to find ways to occupy my time and getting into a lot of trouble.

"Thanks Keith, let's just focus on getting Ava home safe for now." I don’t want to begin to unpack the mess of feelings swirling around inside of me right now. "We can regroup and figure out our next steps once she's resting."

After a few hours, Ava is finally discharged from the hospital with strict orders from the doctor for her recovery. As Danie wheels her out in a hospital wheelchair, Ava looks at me. The flirty looks she had given me back at Blaze are long gone. It's the hollow, haunted look in her eyes now that hits me the hardest. The strong, passionate woman I'd come to know is nowhere to be found after her attack. At this moment, she looks impossibly small a nd fragile.

"Let's get you home." I say to Ava as they approach, unable to tear my eyes away from the damage marring her beautiful face. Ava keeps her eyes downcast and remains silent as Keith holds the door open for us to pass through, and I lead them out to the waiting car.

The ride back to Ava and Danie’s apartment is quiet. The weight of what happened seems to have put us all in a somber mood, not knowing quite what to say. I keep stealing glances over at Ava. She isn't just suffering from her injuries; I can tell there is something deeper bothering her. Hopefully she isn’t still in love with the bastard, especially after what he has done to her.

We arrive at their apartment building. I quickly get out and open Ava's door, offering her my arm for support as she gingerly climbs out with Danie's assistance.

"I've got it from here," Danie assures me with a tight smile as they make their way towards the entrance. She turns back briefly, meeting my concerned stare. "Thanks for… you know, for being there tonight."

After I watch them enter their building, my sole focus shifts to ensuring Ava's safety and the looming threat of her ex. When I get back to the office, I’ll be putting together a surveillance team for Ava and Danie. This will never happen again.