Page 10 of Secret Redemption

Chapter Five

Ava threw her clothes into the case that was now spread out on her bed. Her son was asleep, curled up on his side, thumb in his mouth. Tatty Teddy was tucked under his arm. Her emotions were all over the place. Zack had reacted perfectly to the news of Riley.

She’d had many fantasies over the last two and a half years of their first father and son meeting, but none compared to the reality. The wonder in his eyes as he looked at Riley had filled her with longing. Longing that he would look at her that way.

She wasn’t a fool though. She knew he was furious with her, and the chances of him ever looking at her that way again were slim to none. Ava would be happy that her Riley had his father in his life, and a better man she didn’t know. Zack was everything she had ever wanted, and she now acknowledged that despite her best efforts, her feelings for him had never died.

No, she would take whatever shit Zack gave her over this and suck it up. Riley was the one that mattered, and he finally had his father. Ava continued packing, grabbing her stuff from the bathroom and putting it all in the case. Luckily her mother hadn’t unpacked hers and Riley’s things yet.

Surprisingly she hadn’t said much, just placed her hand on Ava’s face and looked into her eyes before declaring, ‘He sure is a looker honey, and now I know why you couldn’t get over him. Riley is the spitting image of him.’ Her mom was right. Riley was like a mini Zack, blond hair, the shape of his jaw and nose. God, even his lips and smile were all Zack. All he had from her were her eyes.

Zipping the case, she cast her eyes around the room to make sure she hadn’t forgotten anything. Her father and Zack had gone quiet a few minutes ago—not that they had been shouting or anything—both men were too civilised for that.

Ava sat on the side of the bed and gently stroked her son’s satin soft hair off his forehead with her fingers. He was so beautiful, and her heart ached with the love she felt for him. He had changed in the last few months, lost some of his chubby baby fat. Running her finger over his cheek in a feather light touch, she vowed that she would never be parted from him again. That thought made her think of Lizzie Bennett and her son.

Watching how her family was suffering from her loss was awful, none must be suffering more than her son though. Tears pricked her eyes, and she leaned down to touch her mouth to Riley’s hair, the scent of him so familiar that her gut clenched.

“He sleeps like you do,” Zack said from behind her, and she jumped. She hadn’t heard him come in.

Her throat was scratchy when she answered with a little laugh. “You mean like the dead?” Ava turned and looked up at him, and caught the reverence in his eyes.

“Yes,” he said and nodded with a smile.

“He does sleep well. When he was a baby, he only woke once a night for a feed, and then went straight back to sleep.”

“I wish I’d been there.”

Ava could hear the small amount of censure in his voice. “Zack, I—” she started, but he stopped her.

“We both made mistakes.” Zack’s hand touched her shoulder, making her shiver. “The focus now is to make sure everyone is safe and that we both do what’s right for Riley.”

Ava let out a relieved breath and nodded, her hand coming up to rest on Zack’s. “I agree, Riley is all that matters now.”

“I’m glad you agree. I’ll sort out the licence first thing.”

Her body jerked as if he had slapped her. “What licence?”

He looked at her as if she was an idiot that he was explaining the basics of 2 plus 2 to, and she felt her blood start to boil.

“The marriage licence,”

Ava felt her eyebrows shoot up into her head. “I’m not marrying you, Zack,” she hissed.

He frowned then. “Of course, you are.” He laughed, and she wanted to slap him. She’d forgotten that he could do this to her. Make her want to kiss him one minute and punch him in his aristocratic nose the next.

“I am not marrying you,” she said loudly, even though she’d had more than one fantasy about it. But that was before she had become a mother and her dreams had started coming second to her son and his wellbeing.

Before Zack had the chance to answer, his phone rang. He pinned her with a look, and she stared him down.

“Yeah?” he answered. Ava watched as he straightened and looked at her. He gave short one-word answers to whoever was on the other end. “Thanks, Will. Tell Liam and Sly to standby. I’m going to need them to cover my six so I can get everyone out of here.” Nodding, even though Will couldn’t see him, Zack hung up.

He cupped her face with his hands, and for one second she thought he was going to kiss her. Her heart sped up, and her tummy flipped. “Zin has been spotted on CCTV a mile from here. We need to get you out of here now.” His words were said softly, but the meaning was there. Her son was in danger. She instantly snapped back to the real world.

“What do you need me to do?”

“Good girl,” he said, and squeezed her shoulder. “Get Riley and your mother. Leave the bags, someone will come back for them. I need to get you out through the back exit.”

Ava nodded, and Zack let her go and left the bedroom.

She gently lifted a sleeping Riley into her arms. He stirred slightly then settled back against her. Holding Riley, Ava walked into the main living space of the hotel room that had been her home for the last few months and saw her father and Zack checking weapons that hadn’t been there a few minutes ago. She couldn’t help but wonder where they had come from.

Ava had never been frightened around guns, but with her sleeping son in her arms, she was suddenly terrified. Zack looked up and saw her stop at the entrance of the room. He walked to her, slipped his arm around her shoulder, and kissed her head.

“It’s just a precaution,” he whispered. She nodded and stayed silent, not sure what she could say. “You and your mother will stay between me and your father. I’m going to lead us out, and Frank will watch our backs. Do you understand?” he asked all business now.

“Yes, I understand,” she replied, with barely a catch in her voice.

Zack nodded and walked to the door. He listened and then flipped his phone open and hit some buttons. “We’re coming out,” he said, and Ava guessed the cavalry had arrived. Turning he looked at Frank, “You ready?”

“Let’s do this son,” her father replied. Ava liked the sound of her father calling Zack son. She then giggled to herself for her stupid thoughts during such a serious situation. Maybe she was losing her mind.

“Ava, stay close behind me and do exactly what I say.” She had never seen this side of Zack before. The SAS captain who was feared and admired in equal measure. So sure of himself and in control, his face a stern mask of concentration and not an ounce of fear in sight. It was something to behold and gave her a glimpse of the man he truly was.

Someone to fear, someone to lead, someone to protect, and someone for their son to be proud of. He was also a man who had the power to break her heart again if she let him. He already owned her heart if she was honest with herself, but the key to getting home to the states with her heart in one piece was not to let him know that.