“Yeah.”
“Did you guys meet with her too?”
Maverick shrugged. “Once.”
“I only met with her once too. But Ava keep meeting with her?”
“Yep. She got more trusting as time went on. Of course, she got to know us better too, so I’m sure that helped.”
That urgency stirred within him once more. It was time to talk to Ava, he knew that much. He’d just hoped to figure out who Wren was to her before he did. No, that wasn’t all he wanted. What Richard really wanted was to work himself into some untouchable place. To accept that he didn’t actually have what he thought he had with Ava. And that he’d probably never have that with anyone. He’d be the responsible older brother who made sure everyone else stayed on track, kept the family secret, and…and married off one by one while he turned old and gray alone.
But he couldn’t accept that. Because a very real part of him was still convinced that Ava would be his forever. He just wasn’t sure how.
“You know something weird,” Maverick said, breaking into his thoughts. “I told you Ava seemed scared at first, right?”
“Right.”
“Well, that’s exactly how she looked when I brought up Wren Brandler.”
Richard stared across the room, trying to recall her reaction. It had all been so chaotic…
“And remember how she kept asking if I typed in her old name?”
“That’s right,” Richard said, pointing at his brother. “And did you or not?”
Maverick shook his head. “Heck no! I’dneverdo that.”
“So then how did it come up?”
“I was playing a game on my phone and an advertisement popped up. But when I looked closer, I saw it was a missing persons thing, paid for by him. He’s spending a whole lot of money to get her face out there.”
Richard’s stomach curled. His throat went achy and tight.
“Your rash is showing,” Maverick said, nodding to his neck.
“I’m sure it is. I want to deck the crap out of that guy.”
“What for? He should want to deck the crap out ofyou.”
That was true, but there was something that kept barely escaping Richard’s grasp. Some cryptic piece of this puzzle that he was so close to discovering, and he was certain it had something to do with Ava’s past. Something to do withWren.
“Ava just doesn’t seem like the type to go running around cheating on someone. And if she really cared about the guy, why would she agree to leave in the first place? Especially without telling him. It doesn’t make any sense.”
Maverick nodded. “You’re right.”
“And to take off on a whim, with perfect strangers, no less. It’s like she wasdesperate.”
Maverick frowned. “Watch it.”
“No, I’m just saying. Women don’t usually do things like that. And Ava, she’s smart. And careful.” The missing piece was closer now, he could feel it. Something was coming to him. A conversation they’d had at the Pub and Grill.
“She said she wasn’t concerned about strangers,” he mused aloud, “but that she was more worried about getting harmed by the people close to her.” That was it—the missing piece. “Do you think he was abusive?” It felt like a bomb had gone off in his head and chest at the same time.
Maverick moved a hand to his stomach and shook his head. Not thenokind of shake. The sort that happens when a truth hits you so hard you can only shake your head as it settles. “She had a black eye.”
Richard’s hands tightened into fists. “What!” he boomed.
“I totally forgot until right this minute but she did. At first. She bought makeup to bring on the trip, but of course we saw it. She explained that she was at the gym, pulling on one of those arm weights when the bar got away from her and smacked her in the eye.”
