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Chapter One
Ava Stone stood concealed in the parking garage of the Danvers International Office Building staring as her longtiirlfriend Mac was nothing if not polite, so if he had noticed her, he would have insisted on introducing her to Gwen But Ava already knew all about the other wo someone who also worked for Danvers, she’dshe could about Gwen for two reasons First, Mac was a friend and in her --and perhaps most especially--herself Second, Ava had been in love with Mac for years and if she couldn’t have him, then she didn’t want to see him end up with just anyone
The relationship between Ava and Mac had been corown up next door to their grandfather Ava and her brothers, Brant and Declan, had corandfather when their parents were killed in a plane crash At the time Ava was thirteen and her brothers a few years older Their grandfather had been an indifferent bastard who accepted responsibility for them but s had known Mac and his family for most of their lives, since their parents had insisted that they visit their grandfather on a regular basis, even though they weren’t particularly close to hirandfather had divorced when Ava’s father was still young She had packed her bags and walked away As far as Ava knew, her father had never seen or spoken to her again Actually, no one randfather werea couple of weeks aithout having to drag their kids along than any real fa tiic turn when they didn’t coone in the blink of an eye
Ava had been crushed at the death of her parents, seely more so than Declan or Brant Later she carief in different ways Brant, as the oldest, had grown up alht and tried to watch over her and Declan He had also atte an interest in his company that she wasn’t sure he’d had back then Hell, she wasn’t sure if he had ever really developed a genuine interest for the business, but he felt it was expected of him as the eldest And Declan, well, he turned into a hell-raiser The old ht every tiot into trouble, but Declan didn’t care She was pretty sure that their grandfather had secretly loved it She suspected he felt as though he was reliving his youth through his younger grandson
She, on the other hand, had struggled to find her place in the world with the loss of the two people she had depended on to watch over her They ht not have been Ward and June Cleaver, but they were her parents and a life without theinable So, on the days that she just couldn’t cope, she turned to Declan’s friend Mac Even when she was a teenager, he had been a caring presence in her life and he always made time for her She felt special when she ith hihts and dreae crush on him, which she was sure was no secret
As the years passed and she got older, she started to resent Mac for not returning her feelings Her resentment had come to a head around the ti at that point Noshe dressed, he still ruffled her hair and slung his aresture whenever they were together He asked about her dates and told her about his Unlike withat her in any way other than as just another brother
Her emotions had been all over the place as she dressed for the senior pro the pretty dress that her grandfather had given her the money to buy, but she was less than thrilled with her date She had gone out with him several times, mainly to take her mind off Mac, but she wasn’t really interested in him He was handsy and deteret under her clothes Sometimes it seemed as if he had waywas over, she planned to tell hih He was siht
Later, she would come to know him as the ani in a bed of dried leaves in the woods, a mile from her house It would take her ould seem like hours to walk, stuhts of a house in the distance Mac’s house She had lain bruised, cut, and bleeding on his doorstep, unable to suth to reach the doorbell The beautiful iridescent gown that she had twirled in earlier on the dance floor was tattered The delicate ed by first her date, then by the weeds and briars as she crawled through the dark forest
She had no idea how long she had lain there, staring into the starry night as if in a trance, when the door suddenly opened The bright light in the rooer even certain where she was
A foot connected with her bruised leg, causing her to cry out in pain "What the hell?" she heard as she tried to struggle into a sitting position Suddenly, strong hands were on her shoulders She was breathing hard, terrified that he’d come back She twisted away frantically, terrified of ould happen next "Ava? Honey, is that you?"
She stopped suddenly, causing the hands holding her to slide She knew that voice He’d never hurt her Even as her body screa next to her and held on with everything she had She was shaking so hard she could barely keep her arms looped around his neck "Macplease helpfrantically
He stood in one swifta word, he walked back into the house with her, kicking the door shut behind the rooht flooded the room as he used one arm to flip on the lamp on the table beside them "Honey, what happened?" He tried to ht, afraid of ould happen if he let go He stroked her hair, ainst her head, until the shudders subsided When he h distance between them to see his face She heard his quick intake of breath, then a barrage of profanity She started crying then, not able to handle hi else that had happened