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Ava looks exhausted by the end, and I ignore Nick and Jace’s conversation and questions to me as I round the counter, heading straight for my girl. I tilt her chin up to look at me, stroking my thumb over her cheek gently.
“You did so fucking good, angel,” I praise her in a soft voice, loving the way her eyes light up at my words. I can’t help but dip my head to kiss her, murmuring against her lips, “I’m so damn proud of you.”
She kisses me back, and I lose myself in her, tasting sugary coffee and something uniquely Ava on her lips. It’s addictive. I never want to stop. She’s too damn good for someone like me, but I am never letting her go.
When I pull away, I realize my men have gone totally silent. Ava’s cheeks bloom bright red, and my eyes snap to the side to find Nick and Jace openly staring at us.
“They’re staring,” she whispers, trying to hide her face behind her hands.
I hold my men’s eyes as I pull her hands away, silently instructing her to stand her ground. I make sure Nick and Jace’s attention is on us when I speak to Ava.
“Let them stare,” I say, loud enough for them all to hear. “Head up, Ava. Let them see their new queen.”
4
AVA
One week spent in the home of one of the most feared gang leaders in the country has been like heaven. The statement sounds utterly insane even in my own mind, and I can’t help but giggle at myself. But it’s true. Axel Corbyn, leader of The Crows, has taken care of me so carefully with the same hands I know he has used to end other people’s lives. That should terrify me, but I don’t feel anything except totally safe with him. Something about him calls to me, soothes me, makes me feel like this is exactly where I was always meant to be.
For the first time in my life, I feel happy.
“Whatcha doing, Ava?” a familiar, friendly voice calls out, distracting me from the pot I’m stirring.
I glance over my shoulder, smiling when I see Nick saunter into the kitchen. It became clear very quickly that although he and Jace have their own homes, they’re here more often than not. They’re Axel’s most trusted men, and I’ve come to understand, close friends too.
Jace is dark and brooding but has been nice to me, and Nick is the definition of golden retriever. I spend most of my days with Axel, but if he has to go off to work—which currently involves a lot of hunting people down to keep them away from me, I’ve learned—Nick stays with me. He’s the closest thing to a friend I’ve ever had. I wouldn’t use the word friend for what Axel is to me. I’m not sure a word exists for that. Soulmate, maybe?
“Cooking dinner,” I answer Nick, offering him a smile. They’re all usually far too busy to cook from scratch, surviving off take-out and freezer meals. There was hardly a lot for me to do under my father’s roof, but I was allowed to cook. With blunt ass knives and a ridiculous level of supervision from creepy guards, but still. It helped distract me from reality back then, and I want to contribute something here.
Nick whistles, pausing to peer over my shoulder at the pot. “Shit, Ava, you’re putting my frozen pizza cooking skills to shame here,” he jokes, grinning. “Smells amazing, though. How the hell did Axel get lucky enough to claim you? Don’t suppose you’ve got a sister hiding away somewhere for me?”
I snort with laughter and bat him away with the end of a spoon. “Stop it, Axel will threaten to cut your tongue out again,” I laugh. Nick lives to wind Axel up by pretending to flirt with me or asking him how he tricked me into liking him. He’s never serious about it, though, and I think that’s the only thing that’s kept him alive.
“He’d have to catch me first,” Nick fires back with a grin, and I keep my mouth shut when I see Axel sneaking up behind him.
When a huge hand clamps down on Nick’s shoulder, he jumps and curses, making me laugh so hard my stomach hurts.
“What are you doing so close to my girl, Nick?” Axel growls, yanking him away from me.
“What are you doing trying to give me a heart attack, man?” Nick says back, slapping a hand over his heart dramatically. We all know fine well that Nick sees me as nothing but a friend, but I can’t deny that Axel’s possessiveness makes my blood heat. Nobody in my life has fought for me the way Axel has, and he’s only known me for a week. It feels like we’ve known each other for years, though. Like we were always meant to meet. Like I was made for him, and I just had to wait to find him.
“Trust me, a heart attack is pleasant compared to what I’d do if I found you even an inch closer to her,” Axel says, but the threat is gone from his voice, and when I glance between them, Nick is grinning from ear to ear and Axel’s eyes are fixed on me.
“He’s only winding you up,” I tell Axel, shaking my head at the banter between them. Axel threatening to murder someone would terrify anyone else but Nick. If I’ve learned anything about him, it’s that he lives to test Axel’s sanity. It’s one of the reasons I’ve found such a quick friendship with him.
“If he wasn’t such a good shot, I’d have kicked his ass out years ago,” Axel grumbles, loud enough to make Nick cackle as he grabs a drink from the fridge. I can’t hide my smile as Axel comes up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist, leaning down to kiss the side of my neck. My entire body lights up at the press of his lips, and I nearly splash pasta sauce everywhere.
“Be nice,” I tease, but it comes out all breathy and shaky as Axel nips my shoulder.
“Axel, don’t distract her, I’m hungry!” Nick shouts from somewhere behind us, and Axel tightens his grip on me, making me squirm.
“He’s right,” I gasp out, trying to ignore the way I can feel Axel harden against my ass. “Dinner’s ready.”
I glance over my shoulder, catching the heat in Axel’s eyes as he reluctantly pulls away. Quickly, I dish up the pasta dish I made and set out bowls on the island. Nick grabs his immediately, thanking me profusely, but Axel ignores the food to continue staring at me with that breath-catching darkness in his eyes.
“Take your food and go,” Axel says to Nick, not once tearing his gaze away from me.
“What?!” Nick protests, but he’s already pushing to his feet. “Fine, I’ll take Jace’s up to him too.”
