Bloody knuckles only meant one thing. A sigh fell from my lips as I walked the short distance to his truck. I wasn’t sure what his mood was going to be like and judging by the state of him I was going to assume he had been out all night.
Jared followed behind making sure to keep his distance. I wasn’t sure if he was doing that for my benefit or his own.
“Jared’s taking you home”. He spoke. “I just needed to see you first”.
“Where have you been?”.
“I didn’t know darlin’ I didn’t fucking know what those bastards did”. His nostrils flared his hands balling into fists.
I shrugged. “I just want to go home”.
“I know baby”. Closing the gap between us he wrapped me up in his arms and kissed the top of my head. “Jared will drop you off and stay with you. I won’t be long I promise”.
“I’m going to stay at my mom’s”. I needed to rest, and I know she’d look after Everleigh. Us all being under the one roof was for the best right now.
“Then Jared will drop you off there”.
“Why are your hands covered in blood?”. I asked.
“Had to take care of a few things but it’s nothing for you to worry about”. Again, he placed a kiss on the top of my head.
I wouldn’t be surprised if one of those cops turn up dead. I didn’t want retaliation; I didn’t want anyone going to jail because of me but I wasn’t the one that called the shots, and I knew Blaze and my dad wouldn’t let this one lie.
“Okay”.
“I’ll see you soon okay”.
I nodded.
…..
“You’re quiet”. Jared spoke.
I shrugged. I had nothing to say. I didn’t want to have a conversation. I wanted to get home and see my daughter.
“He was on a job darlin'”.
Once again, I didn’t ask. Why did Jared always feel the need to speak for him? It wasn’t his job to make sure everything was okay between Blaze and me. As much as I loved him, I think it was time he minded his own business and sorted out his own problems.
Even now he shouldn’t be here. He shouldn’t be the one driving me home. He should be at home looking after Sasha and the baby.
“Gotta cut him some slack Ava”.
“Why do you do that?”. I frowned. “Why do you feel the need to always speak for him. Why are you so concerned about Blaze and me?”.
“Cause he loses you then we lose him darling. If he ain’t got you then he ain’t got shit and I can’t sit back and watch him torture himself all over again”.
“He’s not going to lose me”. I muttered. “But I needed him, I need him now and he’s not here. He’s made you drive me home. It shouldn’t be you taking care of me Jared it should be him”. I dug my nails into the leather part of the seat. “It should be him”.
“You really think he’s going to let this one lie?”. He asked. “Don’t be surprised if he’s already started Ava”.
Of course, we were back to revenge. But this wasn’t another MC this was law enforcement. If they did anything they would be jailed or worse killed.
“These are cops Jared. If he does anything, if any one of you do anything then you’ll end up dead”.
“Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve fucked with the cops”. He smirked. “But this time they fucked up and we can’t sit back and do nothing”.
“And what’s my dad saying?”.
“Green light has been given darling”.
“I lost my baby Jared and the last thing I need is a blood bath. I just want him home with me and our daughter. Killing or hurting them isn’t going to fix anything”.
“Maybe not but it’ll sure feel good”.
I was quiet the rest of the journey to my mom’s. The decision had already been made and no matter what I said it wasn’t going to change.
“We take care of our own Ava and believe me those bastards will pay”.
Whatever they were planning wasn’t going to end well I knew that much. I mean look at the guy that attacked Jared. He ended up in hospital and died. But cops, this was bad. I couldn’t have them ending up in jail because of me.
“I can’t lose you all”. I spoke.
“Good thing you ain’t gonna then ain’t it”. He pulled up outside my parents’ house and turned off the engine.
“You don’t have to stay with me”. I unclipped my seatbelt and opened the door. Nothing was going to happen to me here.
“Yeah, I do princess”. He matched my movements and got out of the car. “Can’t be leaving you on your own now can we”.
“Where’s my-…”.
“At the clubhouse”. He cut me off. “Don’t worry Everleigh is safe”.
I knew she was safe but that wasn’t the point. I wanted to see her and have her home with me.
“All I’m going to do is sleep. You really don’t have to stay. I’ll be okay”.
“He wants me here with you so I’m staying here with you”.
I rolled my eyes. “Fine Jared do what you need to do”. I unlocked the door with my key and headed straight upstairs. I loved that I had a room here, Everleigh and I both did.
We always had somewhere to go if things got too much.
“Ava, are you hungry?”. He called from the bottom of the stairs.
“I’m going for a bath and then going to bed Jared”.
“Pizza it is then”.
I couldn’t hide my grin. He was always looking out for me even when I didn’t want him to. I looked out clean pjs and my housecoat and lay them on the bed for when I was finished in the bath.
…
I was a little uncomfortable after my bath but nothing I couldn’t handle. I slipped on my housecoat and put my feet into my slippers before heading downstairs.
My stomach growled with hunger as the smell of pizza hit my nostrils. Maybe I was hungry after all. Entering the living room, I froze when my eyes landed on the police officer.
“Jared?”. I frowned.
“She’s cool darling she just wants to talk”.
“Ava I’m Sargant Beckford I was on scene when-…”.
“I remember”. I nodded. “And I have nothing to say so you can leave”. I didn’t want to talk to anyone never mind a damn cop. They were the reason this happened, they were to blame for the loss of my child.
“They aren’t going to get away with what happened Ava, I can assure you of that. I’m going to leave my card, call me when you’re ready to talk”.
“Yeah, right”. I huffed. “What is it they say? Cops stick up for cops. Don’t bother leaving your card because I’ll never call”.
“I’m going for a smoke”. Jared spoke. “You should talk to her. Sammies alright”.
Sammie?
I turned to look at her. “You’re on my dad’s payroll?”. She had to be. One, she was at my house alone after hours and two, she was on first name bases with Jared.
A laugh fell from Jared’s lips as he headed out the back door. “I’ll leave you two to it”. He called.
“I’m not on your dad’s payroll Ava, I’m not a dirty cop”.
“Yeah, right”. I snorted. “Then why are you here?”.
“I’m not the enemy Ava”.
“So, how do you know my dad?”. I went about the kitchen making some tea.
“May I sit?”. She asked.
I nodded. “Do you want some tea?”.
“Sure”. She smiled. “He saved my life”.
“What?”. I frowned. “How?”. I passed her a cup before lifting my own and sitting opposite her.
My dad saved her life? He saved a cops life?
“I was a rookie, first year on the job. My partner and I at the time were on the streets patrolling. The minute we pulled up to an abandoned warehouse in the middle of nowhere and he told me to stay in the car, I knew”.
“He was dirty, wasn’t he?”. I spoke.
She nodded.
“You didn’t stay in the car, did you?”.
“I didn’t”.
“What happened?”.
“I caught him red handed and he was ordered to kill me. But what I didn’t know was they were planning to set up your dad, maybe even kill him but of course it didn’t get that far”.
I was invested in her story so much, so I forgot all about Jared. I didn’t notice that he was standing at the far end of the kitchen.
“Nothing gets by Franko and long story short he hit first”. She dug her hand into her suit pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. “You mind?”. She asked.
I shook my head no.
“They beat me to a pulp. I’d be dead if your dad didn’t intervene. He found me barely breathing and called 911. I wasn’t expecting him to do that. I had heard so many things about him but that day, that day changed my opinion completely”.
“He’s not all bad”. I smiled. “So, did your partner die?”.
She nodded. “I told them it was a drug bust gone wrong, with James dead and I beaten badly they believed it”.
“What happened after that?”. I asked.
“I moved to Seattle, got married, got divorced, got a promotion and then moved back here”.
Okay so maybe Sammie was okay, but I still wasn’t sure as to why she was here.
“I will always be grateful to your dad Ava. He didn’t need to save me that day, but he did. I’m not dirty I do him no favours but I help when I can and since I was the Sargant on duty that night means I can take the case”.
“I don’t want that”. I sighed. “I just want to get on with my life as peacefully as I can”.
“They are both suspended without pay. They will be put in front of a disciplinary hearing to decide what happens to them”.
“They cops got protection Sammie?”. Jared asked.
“They’re on their own. The department want nothing to do with this. In fact, the lawyers are already talking about a settlement figure for Ava and both to lose their job and never work for the city again”.
Settlement figure?
“Don’t be surprised if those cops turn up dead”. Jared spoke. “He’s in full Blaze mode and we all know what he’s capable of”.
“If they turn up dead then the first place, they’ll come looking is the clubhouse. Franko has to be careful how he plays this one. I can’t do anything if you play that card”. Sammie spoke.
“Make it go away, make them go away. I’ll handle Blaze”. I stubbed out my cigarette before getting to my feet. “If you’re here to help Sammie then I need you to do that”.
“Okay”. She nodded. “Leave it with me”.
Jared walked her out and I headed to bed.