Vengeance

Chapter 38

Ava's POV

I sat there in the car beside Ryan, nervous as hell.
We had left the estate and were speeding out of Long Island. It was dark and cold outside with bright city lights and traffic, typical New York.
I turned towards Ryan, his eyes were strictly on the road.
"Where are we going exactly?" I asked him out of curiosity. 

"One of my restaurants in the main city." He replied without looking at me. 

"So you own Restaurants?" 

He chuckled deeply.
"I own almost everything, love." 

"Like the Hunts did?" 

I saw his fingers tighten around the steering wheel, knuckles turning white and his eyes turning hard. 

"More than them. In fact none of it belonged to them, to begin with. Hunt stole everything from us." He said with clenched teeth. 

"Oh, I'm sorry." 

"Don't apologize. We have it all back now, right?" He smirked.

With Hunt imprisoned in his own basement..?? Yeah, sure! 

"I guess so."

I looked away out of the window.
The trees and vehicles were passing by so fast, it was hard to train my eyes on anything in particular.
I felt this sudden urge to feel the wind.
"Ryan?"
"Yes?" 

"Can I lower this window?" He just did it in reply. 

Cold air hit my face, blowing my hair away.
I slightly leaned my head outwards to feel more of the speeding wind.
I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply. 

For the first time in 13 years, I am free.
I don't have someone watching me constantly.
I don't feel creeped out by that feeling of being stalked.
I don't have look over my shoulder every several minute.
I don't have to hurry back home.
I don't have answer anyone. 

I glanced at Ryan once again, he was staring at me as well. 

I don't have to be scared anymore.
I am free.

I smiled at him.
I saw his lips curve upwards slightly into a small smile before his eyes went back on the road.
I sat back again and he rolled up the window.
"You look beautiful when you are happy. That smile is absolutely.. Gorgeous." He said making me beetroot red.
"Thank you." I replied shyly. He just nodded.

"When you said you own it all..? You meant all the Hunt's shady businesses too?" I asked him being a curious cat that I am.
"You knew about those?" He looked at me questioningly. 

"I spied on them a lot since I had not much to do in that house. I was trying to find something I could use to escape him." I confessed.
"That's smart, Ava, but also very dangerous. And as to answer your question.. When I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING." 

Wow.. So all this is really deep-shit.
All the men with big guns, though it was normal.. But those were surely not Hunt's minions.
There are so many things I want to know! 

"I can feel your eyes boring holes in me." He chuckled.
I quickly looked away. I hadn't realized I was staring at him while having internal thoughts.
"You have questions." And that was not a question. 

"A lot of them, yes." I told him. 

"As much as I wish to quench your thirst for answers.. I think it's better if we do all the revelations in the presence of your brothers." 

"Revelations? Is it bad?" I asked him getting a little worried.
He just shrugged.

I just stared him.
His sexy chiseled face, full pink lips, stubble beard, sharp nose, beautiful silvery- grey eyes and his perfectly styled black hair. 

How can someone be so mouth-wateringly beautiful.
He looks dashing prince..
No!
More like a powerful king.
Yes! 

It was so hard not to feel attracted to him when I was sitting this small compact sexy car, with his cologne filling my nostrils and he, himself in such close proximity.
I could just half extend my arm and my fingers would touch him easily.
Not that I would dare to..
But how much I wanted to do just that! 

Is he even real?
Does he feel this weird tension as I do?
Is he attracted to me as well? 

There they were... the butterflies, again.

He turned towards me, and sat back.
His eyes were on me.. staring darkly.
He leaned towards me once again before I could even comprehend. I sat still as his fingers held my chin and his thumb released the lower lip I didn't know I was biting.
I could see a dark desire swirling in his eyes as he stared at my lips, making my heart skip a beat.

"Don't do that." His thumb lingered on my lips for  few seconds, caressing them with a  feathered touch, before he leaned back again. 

"We're here." He announced, making me look around.
I never realized when we reached as I was deep in thoughts of him. 

He left the car and quickly walked towards my door to open it.
He extended his hand for me and took it gladly. 

Such a gentleman!
My heart is gonna burst out at this rate! 

"I guessed you would want to eat Italian.. So I suggested my best Italian Restaurant. I hope you like the place."
I couldn't help but be touched by his thoughtfulness.
It had been more than a decade since I last ate Italian food.

The restaurant looked high-toned and classy, with Kings logo on it.
When we entered the place, I was absolutely stunned.
The interior was so luxurious and elegant. It screamed richness.
I only realized that my mouth was hanging open when I heard a receptionist welcome us.
"Welcome Sir, Ma'am." 

She was beautiful, well-dressed and well-mannered. But like all the other girls, she couldn't help but ogle at Ryan.
But he didn't even spare a single glance towards her. 

Why is that making me feel nice instead of feeling bad for her..? 

The palm of his right hand was resting on my lower back as he led me through the restaurant.
We ended up in a private room which was even more stunning than the rest of the place.
He let go of me as I walked further in, to explore it myself, completely in trance.
Until I heard them scream..

HAPPY BIRTHDAY AVA!