Chapter 13
Ava’s POV
The people around me made everything spin. A woman asked, “Is she alright?”
Another person replied, “Did she just jump? Holy cow, it’s a miracle she’s alive!”
“Let’s call 911, someone else said.
“Get out of the way!” I heard a familiar voice–Fabio. Everyone gasped as Fabio lifted me from the pool. My eyes were blurry. and I couldn’t even open them. He wrapped something around me and carried me back inside the mansion. Then he barked to his men, “Find the intruder, and I don’t want him alivel
Fabio turned to Diego and Dante, “The party is over. Check everyone… find out who did this to Ava, He’s still somewhere
close!”
He walked upstairs, and his men scattered to search for the intruder. I gasped as my back landed on a couch. He cupped my face, checking my body, then my neck. “Fuck..”
Though still somewhat aware, my head spun. I tried to push him away. “Get away from me!
“Ava, it’s me! It’s Fabio!” he said, lifting me again and carrying me to his master bedroom.
The drug began to take hold, and I found myself instinctively trying to remove my wet dress. Fabio sighed heavily as he carried me to his bathroom and turned on the cold shower. “Ava. I’m doing this for you… please don’t be mad, okay?” He then carefully removed the rest of my dress.
“I feel hot, just take it off…”
“Promise
me you will not be mad at me tomorrow.””
“1. I promise.”
“You’re going to be fine… you’re going to be..
But I couldn’t fight it any longer. I blacked out, losing all sense of what was happening.
The next day, I woke up in the Don’s master bedroom.
Why was I here?
I looked around; the room was all gray and dark, matching his very dark personality.
Then Cecille opened the door, drew back the curtains, and glanced at me with a surprise smile on her face. “Finally, you’re awake, Miss Ava. I was so worried about you… how are you feeling?”
I sat up in bed, straightening my posture. “What happened?”
She paused. “Oh, you don’t remember what happened last night, Miss Ava?”
I shook my head. “No. I only remember sleeping peacefully in my bed, and then someone tried to…” I paused. “I remember someone tried to assault me, and I escaped by jumping… I jumped out of the window.”
“Oh, yes, you jumped out of the window. You’re very brave, Miss Ava. Nobody else could have done that. And I was so worried when the Don brought you to his room because the intruder drugged you.”
nodded, still trying to piece things together. All I could recall was the shower scene, Fabio trying to cool me down with cold water. My body had been burning up. It was like a sex drug. Damn. My eyes widened. “Where’s Fabio? I mean… the Don? Where is he? I need to talk to him.”
“He’s out on the field, Miss Ava. Playing with guns?
I stood up, searching for my slippers. C–handed me my pink robe, which I put on before walking downstairs. I headed
48 Pearls
towards the back of the mansion, where the field was located. He was there, practicing with his men. The multiple gunshots were deafening, but as soon as his eyes landed on me, he raised a hand to stop everyone.
He removed his headset and eye protection, then walked towards me. “Ava…
Then Dante said. “So, here’s the wonder woman… how are you feeling, babe?”
Fabio turned a deadly gaze toward his brother, and Dante immediately shut his mouth, raising his hands. “Im just kidding” “Fabio, I need to talk to you,” I said, my nervousness growing.
“Follow me,” he said, and led me to his study, and I trailed behind, suddenly hyper–aware of my pink robe and the lingering fuzziness in my head.
He shut the heavy oak door, the click echoing in the sudden silence, and crossed his arms. “So What’s so important you needed to pull me from target practice?”
I shifted nervously. The problem is I don’t remember everything. It’s all a blur. Just flashes. And a really weird shower scene I’m not about to mention, I swallowed, trying to piece together the fragmented memories. I remember… someone in my room. Then… jumping. And then… nothing, really”
He let out a long drawn–out sigh like he’d been holding his breath. It was a sigh of… relief? “Nothing?” he echoed, his dark eyes searching mine. “Absolutely nothing?”
Just… bits and pieces,” I repeated, my brow furrowing. “Why? What’s with the sigh?” I wanted to know why he was so relieved. “What happened after I jumped? And where’s my attacker? Did you find him?”
He shifted, a muscle ticking in his jaw. “You don’t have to think about him. What matters is you’re safe. His eyes, dark and intense, flashed over my face, then back to my robe. “And you’re not walking around half–dressed in front of my men.
“What?” I echoed, “Someone violated my space, drugged me, and you say I don’t have to think about him?” I stepped closer, the soft fabric of my robe brushing against his expensive polo shirt. “And who decided what I wear is your concern?”
He didn’t back away. Instead, he closed the distance between us, his voice dropping to a low, husky murmur. “I did. Because you’re in my house, under my protection. And because,” he paused, his gaze locking onto mine, “I don’t like other men looking at you!
“And who changed my clothes?”
He didn’t answer.
The air crackled between us. I could feel the heat radiating off him, the intensity of his gaze making my pulse quicken. “So, you’re just going to avoid my question?” I challenged him, “Who changed my clothes?”
He hesitated, his gaze lingering on my lips for a fraction of a second before returning to my eyes. “It doesn’t matter, Ava. What matters is that you’re alright.”
I stepped back, “So, it was you… right?”
He paused, then stared at me intently to gauge my reaction. “So, who changed your clothes? Me. I did. Because someone had to, and I wasn’t about to let anyone else near you in that state.”
