Criminal Affinity [18+]

Chapter 88

HAPPY NEW YEARS MY LOVELIES!!!

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Guards barge into the room, alarm coloring their faces. 

“What’s going on?” One of the taller ones steps forward, eyes on Dale’s crumpled form. 

Julien turns to Noah. “Call Operations and let them know we have found the sabotage. Also request a full re-investigation of Pandora.” 

Ava’s world spins and spins. Her ears roar with panic and she tries to meet someone’s eye but everyone is looking everywhere but her. Vulnerability and weakness grip her and tears cloud her vision. 

Too much. She has reached her limit. Even after Ivak and the injury and her kidnapping she had held strong to her anger. She can’t find any of it anymore. She asked for none of it. She never let herself use it as an excuse but with everything crumbling to bits while she watched…

Tears stream down her face but no one notices. No one looks. She steps further and further back but the commotion in front of her doesn’t stop. She opens her mouth to say something but only air hisses out. The shaking in her hands and knees worsens as her eyes dart around for an exit, but all of them are blocked by guards. 

Guards. Like the ones Ivak brought in to punish her, to snuff the breath in her lungs. 

“Uh, miss?” Someone says. “Are you alright?” 

“Ava,” Someone else says. 

“What do you mean I own Pandora?” Ava’s tear-heavy eyes find Julien, voice shaking like the rest of her. 

Julien sighs, that familiar kindness returning to his eyes as he studies her face. “Everything here and everyone here now operates under your command.” 

Ava loosens a breath, then another. “Do you know how fucking insane that sounds?” 

Julien’s eyes go blank. “No one is expecting you to step into position. I can play interim while the investigation goes on. I will not keep you here against your will, but understand the responsibility that now rests on your shoulders.” 

“I’m fucking twenty-two. How do you expect me to run an entire organization?” The tremble in her voice has smoothened, some of the anger now coming back to her. 

“I don’t. I will train you.” Julien says.

Ava shakes her head, but stops herself from saying anything more. The dried tears on her face stretch the skin around her scar, one that the guards have been eyeing since they came in. They have been curiously staring at both Ava and Ivan since they came in. 

“Take him to the high-threat cell. Keep someone on him at all times.” Julien says. The guards fold around Dale, picking him up and marching out in perfect form. 

She is about to look away when she sees a flash of blonde hair. Ava’s eyes widen when she sees Jon and Valdez entering hand in hand. They don’t notice her, but they immediately react to Ivan. 

“What the hell is he doing here?” Jon shouts. She has never heard him sound so aggressive. Both of them scowl straight at Ivan, who doesn’t seem fazed by it.

“I can explain. I want a meeting with everyone in the next hour.” Julien says, eyes darting to Ava. 

Ivan’s massive form completely hides Ava, but she takes a peak at them. They both look paler than she remembers but nothing about them is too different. Julien definitely made Ivan’s defense look dramatic to rile her against him. 

“You might want to say hello.” Julien adds. The pair looks confused before Ava steps to the side. Their eyes widen with surprise, among many other emotions.