26
“Travis, please calm down.” I said, pressing my hand against his chest and attempting to push him away from Andrew.
“I did nothing to her, but I would gladly cut off your arm for touching what belongs to me.” Andrew returned the growl.
I was becoming enraged; I could defend myself, and I wasn’t a piece of property Andrew could own.
“For God’s sake, Andrew, I am not your piece of FUCKING PROPERTY.” I screamed at Andrew while standing in front of Travis, facing him.
“Ava, step back.” Andrew said, reaching into his waistband and revealing his gun. “Andrew, don’t you fucking dare, I’m not moving in with you if you touch Travis.” I said.
Andrew drew his hand from his waistband and turned away from Travis to look at me. “Are you going to live with me?” He inquired, perplexed.
“On two conditions: don’t touch Travis and you’ll hire him.” I explained that I knew Travis needed a job, and that this way I could keep Travis out of trouble while also giving him a way to take down his cousin.
“Hire him? I’m not going to hire him.” He spat, returning his gaze to Travis.
“Shortness, I’m not working for Andrew.” Travis stated.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.
“Both of you, shut the fuck up. Andrew, you’re going to hire Travis, and Travis is going to take the job so you can kill your cousin.” I yelled, giving them both death stares.
Andrew looked Travis up and down and nodded; Travis looked at me and then back at Andrew, saying, “Okay fine.”
“And me and you are going to have a long ass conversation when we get to your house,” I said to Andrew.
Andrew and Travis followed me as I began walking to my apartment building.
Travis’ gaze was drawn to me as Andrew placed his hand on the back of my shoulder. “Don’t,” I hissed back at Andrew as I grabbed his hand and shoved it into his chest.
I was furious with both Travis and Andrew, but especially with Andrew for continuing to treat me as if I were a piece of property. A large black SUV was parked in front of my apartment building.
The driver came out and opened the door, and Andrew motioned for me to get in. I waved goodbye to Travis and climbed into the car, with Andrew close behind.
I was still irritated with Andrew, so I sat in the back seat and stared out the window as the tall buildings of New York transformed into mansions.
We arrived at Andrew’s house about 15 minutes later; it was enormous. There was a 7-foot gate in front of the house with four guards standing guard outside; once we got through the gate, I had a better view of his house. As the driver parked in the four-car garage on the side of the house, I caught a glimpse of the backyard. There was no denying that his house outdid his mother’s.
I got out of the car and followed Andrew into his house once it was parked in the garage. In the other room, I noticed three other men dressed all in black. They all stood up and began walking towards Andrew and me when they noticed us. Andrew approached them after noticing them.
“Who is that, boss?” the first man said.
“She’s damn hot,” said the second man.
“Can I have a piece of her when you’re finished with her?” the third man winked at me.
I was disgusted by them all; who did they think they were? I had to remind the male species for the fourth time today that I wasn’t a piece of meat.
“Talk to me like that again, asshole, and I’ll dislocate your head from your neck.” I sneered at him.
“Oh, feisty, I like them like that.” He stated.
God, I absolutely detest men.
“If you speak to her like that again, I’ll put a bullet between your eyes.” Before I could say anything else, Andrew interrupted.
I rolled my eyes at him because he knew I could defend myself and didn’t need anyone else to stand up for me.
“Ava, she’ll show you to your room.” Andrew motioned to a lady who appeared to be a maid.
“Like hell she is, we aren’t done talking about the fucking stunt you pulled.”
“Ava, we’ll talk later, but I have some business to attend to first.” Andrew motioned to the three men standing a few feet away.
“All right,” I said.
***************
Andrew “s POV
I stood there watching Ava storm out of the house and stomp toward the subway. I’ll wait 5 minutes before going to get her.
I had spent the entire day locating her apartment after she had forged her address and then moving all of her personal belongings into my home.
I went to see Dalia in the kitchen, where I told her that I would be home the next day but that I couldn’t stay overnight to tuck her in. She looked disappointed, but I promised I’d make it up to her. I waited for my mother to return home before leaving to pick up Ava.
When my mother arrived home, I got into the car and told him to take me to Ava’s residence.
When we arrived, I saw only the back of Ava before she went up to her now-empty apartment, but what really irritated me was a guy walking away with a smile on his face.
I swear to God he was conversing with Ava.
I got out of the car and stood outside her apartment, expecting her to come running down the stairs. I watched as she dashed onto the sidewalk and stared at me, knowing she was coming home with me regardless.
“I don’t want to force you, but you’re going to live with me for your own protection.” I said.
“Fuck off, Andrew, I’m not going to live with you.” She spat and looked left and right before finding what she was looking for.
Before I could grab her, she began sprinting down the sidewalk; I quickly followed her, knowing she wouldn’t stop go anywhere.
“TRAVISSS!” I quickened my pace in response to her scream. Why was she yelling a guy’s name?
The same guy she had seen before turned around and began running towards her. I was walking faster and angrier than I had ever walked before.
I was enraged when she stumbled into him and he grabbed her arm. “Get your hands off her,” I yelled. He should not dare to touch her.
“NO, ANDREW, LEAVE.” Ava screamed and turned to face me. I took my gaze away from where he was touching her but quickly returned it to him.
“I’m not going to fucking repeat myself.” I hissed at him, telling him he had no right to touch her in any way.
The guy moved his arm away from Ava but took a few steps towards me, challenging me. He was only a few inches taller than me, but I knew I could beat him in a fight.
“What on earth did you do to Ava?” He inquired. I was tempted to sever his throat, but Ava stood between me and him.
“Travis, please calm down.” Ava stated, “Just the act of placing her hand on his chest made me want to shoot him in the knee caps and let him bleed out on the streets.”
“I did nothing to her, but I would gladly cut off your arm for touching what belongs to me.” I hissed in response.
Ava drew her hand away from the man’s chest and turned to face me. “For God’s sake, Andrew, I am not your piece of FUCKING PROPERTY.” She yelled.
I would have been angry at Ava for speaking to me in that manner, but I was more concerned with the guy who challenged me and tried to touch what was mine.
I could tell they knew each other, and the look on his face told me he liked her, which sent rage through my veins. I’d blow his brains out if he ever touched her again.
“Ava, step back.” I growled, reaching for my gun and preparing to murder this son of a bitch.
“Andrew, don’t you fucking dare, I’m not moving in with you if you touch Travis.” She stated.
“You will move in with me?” I asked, taking my hand off my gun.
“On two conditions: don’t fucking touch Travis, and you’ll hire him.” I needed her close to me, she said, but I wasn’t about to hire a man I wanted to kill.
“Hire him? I’m not going to hire him.” I said, my gaze fixed on the man.
“Shortness, I’m not working for Andrew.” Travis stated.
In rage, I balled up my fist. HE DID HAVE A NICKNAME FOR HER. My mind raced through all the different ways I could kill him.
“Both of you, shut the fuck up. Andrew, you’re going to hire Travis, and Travis is going to take the job so you can kill your cousin.” Ava screamed, glaring at me, and I looked at her defeated.
I know I would never be able to convince her to move in with me if I didn’t hire him.