Your Last Everything

Chapter Thirteen - Dimitri

I haven't had a good night's sleep since the incident. It's not like I had nightmares or because I was too scared to fall asleep. What had happened to me wasn't something that had me scared or jittery.

It was normal. It came with the job. I couldn't bitch about it. I came out of it alive. I knew it was because I couldn't stop thinking about a certain woman.

A woman who I wished was here lying with me right now. A woman who I wanted to hold in my arms as I comforted myself and her that I was here, that I was with her.

I had a bruise on my left cheek that was slowly fading, and one of the men had tried to shoot me, but the bullet had grazed my arm.

It wasn't painful, and I didn't have to get stitches. The wound wasn't deep enough that it needed any.

Kira stayed home from school the first two days, just wanting to be around me and reminding me to take my meds.

Besides the security guard, no one else was hurt. They roughed up the manager since he triggered the silent alarm when he opened up the safes for them.

The silent alarm had the safes locked shut once they were in, and the bank manager was able to come back to where we were. He convinced the other two robbers that they needed help with the money.

He undid my cuffs with the keys in my pocket, and I was able to let everyone out of the building before the robbers came back out.

I was able to disarm one of them, but the other one sucker-punched me before I was able to take a shot at him.

The other one reached for the gun on the floor and took a lousy shot, thank god, and I was able to knock the gun out of him before the police swarmed inside.

Kira had come with Ava, and as happy as I was to see my sister, I was happier to see Ava.

I could still see her standing there behind the tape. I could feel her tremulousness, apprehension, and dread from miles away.

Her eyes sent me a pained message-her expression torn as if mortified of taking that one step towards me.

I had the strongest urge to have her in my arms and hold her tightly as we reassured each other with silent words and hushed promises.

I wish she would take that step forward. I wish she would have run right into my arms, tossing every doubt and uncertainty to the wind as she held me.

I took my medicine and reached for my phone to call back Cole, who had called me twice.

Before I could click on his number, there was a knock on the door. I groaned irately as I climbed out of bed and went down the hall to open the door.

Ava stood there, quiet and shy, her hands wringing in front of her as she looked up at me. "Hi."

She looked fresh out of the shower. Her hair was still wet and dangling down her back in wet strands. She was in an oversized hoodie, hiding her body from me, with black pants that clung to her thighs and legs.

"Hi." I ushered her inside and closed the door after her.

"I... I just wanted to see if you were doing okay." Her eyes were set on the ground, and the fact that she refused to meet my gaze pissed me off even more than I already was.

"Ava, look at me when you speak to me."

"Close your eyes, and I'll look at you."

"Fine." Begrudgingly, I closed my eyes.

A second passed before I felt her fingers graze my cheek. Another hand came up, and I felt soft, dainty fingers trace the bruise on my cheek.

Her breathing hitched slightly as her fingers inched down towards my lips.