Page 48 of Secret Redemption

“Did anyone see what happened?” Ava asked, rubbing at the tender bump on her head, her fingers finding a wet patch.

“Nope, not a thing. We got CCTV though. That nice Mr Cunningham had it put in for us last year. Such a nice boy.”

“Oh god, Zack!” Ava knew he was going to lose his shit when he found out she had been jumped.

“Yes, that’s it, Zack. Such a lovely boy he is and so handsome.”

Ava would have laughed as the woman blushed and patted her hair if she hadn’t been in so much pain.

As if on cue the man of the moment came barrelling through the door that was way too small for his wide, sexy frame, with Nate and Drew behind him. He reached her in two strides and bending down, wrapped her gently in his arms.

“Are you okay?” he asked tenderly.

She nodded and held him as she felt tears sting her eyes. “Yeah, it’s just a bump, and the blood looks worse than it is!”

Zack drew back, and she saw her mistake instantly. He hadn’t realised she was hurt, he was just worried because she was out without him, the overbearing, overprotective control freak. Ava wasn’t sure which was worse, the silence that filled the air for a second or the roar that came next.

“Some fucking bastard hurt you?” he yelled, running his hands over her head gently despite the absolute murderous fury on his face. When his hand came away covered in blood, she thought he was going to kill someone. His face became a mask of cold, vicious anger that would have scared her to death if it had been aimed at her, but as it was for her, it made her feel protected and loved.

I must have a concussion.That’s the only explanation for these crazy thoughts.

“Nate, get her car and follow me home. Drew, get the CCTV and follow us to my place.” Zack then scooped her up and holding her against his chest, kissed her head as he went outside and placed her gently in the passenger seat of his car before buckling her in and rounding the front of the car.

Ava must have dozed off because the next thing she knew, someone was shining a light in her eyes. She groaned and tried to turn away. Voices were talking about concussion, and not needing stitches, but she didn’t care, she just wanted to sleep. Her head hurt, and she was so tired.

The next time she woke, Zack was kissing her, and gentle fingers were running over her cheek, making her turn towards the comfort. Then nothing again as sleep pulled her back into oblivion.

~~~

Zack was apoplectic with rage. When he had got the alert that Ava had left the property, he had tried to call her, and her mobile had gone to voicemail. He had tried her father and discovered she had left to get medicine for them all.

He had been furious with Frank and nearly lost his cool, but instead, he had grabbed Nate and Drew and followed the instinct that was screaming at him to get to her. He had been so relieved when he’d walked into the shop and found her alive, and what he thought was well, that he had missed the signs.

Hearing her say that it was only a small bump and then seeing the blood from a head wound had turned his stomach cold with a rage he had never felt before. The need to rip apart the entire world until he found the fucking asshole that had dared to touch his woman was so strong his hands had been shaking with trying to contain it.

Seeing her pale face and the pain in her eyes had calmed him enough to get control and get her home. The Doc had said she had a minor concussion and he should let her sleep, but to check on her regularly. Zack had then realised that Frank and Helen were both sick and his son now had a raging fever.

Drew had given him a note that the shopkeeper had said had been stuck to Ava’s back with tape.

“STOP POKING YOUR NOSE IN WHERE IT DOESN’T BELONG OR NEXT TIME SOMEONE WILL DIE!”

He was going to kill someone. Whoever had done this would die. That was a vow, and he would be the one to do it, but first, his family needed him.

He’d felt out of his element, but determined to look after his family. Zack wasn’t stupid though, and his men were good and loyal, and two hours later Mimi and Dave Jones had arrived. He had never been so glad to see anyone. Nate’s mum instantly took charge, sending a very upset and distraught Frank to bed, seeing to Helen, and getting some soup on. She had shown him how to administer the fever medicine for Riley and kept checking on them all. Ava was in the bed they had shared the night before, which had a connecting door to their son that was now open so Zack could go between the two rooms.

Mimi brought him soup which she forced him to eat, not in the slightest bit deterred by his glare, when he said he wasn’t hungry.

He ate, and he watched his family, and he spoke with his team as he planned retribution on the people who had done this.