My eyes drop and dart across the floor, my head in my hands. I can hear Sarah calling me in the distance, but I’m in a total stupor. Gutted. Hurt. Furious. My eyes land on Ava’s lace bra. I scoop it up and stuff it in the top drawer of the cabinet, just as Sarah bowls in. I swing around, fighting to regain my composure and hold back my anger. “What are you doing here?” I ask quietly.

“I got a call from a member who needed some attention. I’ll sort your apartment tomorrow.”

“Fine,” I reply, willing her to fuck the hell off, trying not to be hostile and failing miserably.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” I glare at her, and I can see she’s desperate to know what the fuck’s gotten into me. I motion to my bathroom. “I’m busy, Sarah.”

Her eyes drift across to the door, where I suspect Ava is beyond having a full-blown meltdown, full of regret. But why? And why the fuck did Sarah have to interrupt and give Ava that time to backpedal?

“Oh, I see.” Sarah smiles. She thinks I’ve got one of the ladies of The Manor in there. Good. “See you later.” She closes the door, and my head goes straight back into my hands.

Fuck.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

My body heavy, I drag my feet to the bathroom. I can turn this around. Talk to her. Ask her what’s going through her mind. Reassure her. Get her back to where we both want to be. I feel my body reheating with that unfathomable rage.

Because of Sarah.

Fucking hell, Ward, keep your cool. Approach carefully.

I swallow and knock on the door. “Ava?” My voice is gruff, sounding a bit impatient. So, not surprisingly, she doesn’t answer. I close my eyes and try to reset, try to find some calm.

And then I hear the door lock click, and my hands are out before I’ve even registered they’ve moved, shoving the door open, my body naturally filling the doorway. Instinct.

She glances past me, probably checking the coast is clear, as I wonder where the fuck she got the willpower to abandon that moment because I couldn’t have, not for anything. Her pretty face looks at me in contempt, and I’m absolutely stunned by it. She pushes past me aggressively, and my body turns, following her path.

“Where the hell are you going?” I blurt without thought.