Page 24 of Against The Tide

“I don’t want to be charged with kidnapping my daughter either, so I guess I have no other choice.”

“You can go back to DC, stay at your dad’s house, and get your bearings from there.” Callie gives her an option that doesn’t actually sound like one from her gritted tone.

“I can put someone on you, make sure Carl doesn’t step out of line,” Rowan tells her, all his usual humor still nowhere to be seen. “But you must know that I can’t do much more in terms of Iris.”

Avery looks at me, brushing her long hair from her face. It never ceases to surprise me how beautiful she is, even with all the injuries she’s sustained. There’s a light in her eyes that’s so compelling especially with the circumstances she’s in.

“Would you, umm, would you…” Her voice trembles, making my chest tighten.

“Anything you need.” I try to smile at her even though catching my breath seems almost impossible.

“Alison said that we need a detailed report and photos,” Callie says, her voice quieter than before.

She’s worried, and if that’s the case, then so am I because Callie doesn’t worry without cause. She’s the kind of person that believes in her ability to tackle anything that comes at her. She’s got that in common with Rowan.

“You can use my office.” He starts past Avery, leaving her staring at me in his wake.

Her eyes have this hypnotic catch that makes it impossible for me to look away. It draws me closer the longer we stand in silence.

“Umm.” Callie clears her voice. “Do you want me to come with you?”

Avery looks between the two of us before shaking her head. “That’s okay.”

I follow her to Rowan’s office; the room feels smaller than usual as I watch her come to a stop in the middle of the space. The warm light gives her naturally golden complexion an otherworldly glow. It’s staggering how she’s still holding herself up, still pushing through all the pain evident in her stiff movements and glistening eyes, and I know I’m not the kind of man to delve deeper than the surface, but she…Avery makes me curious. She makes me want to unpick all her knots so I can see all there is to her. So that I can open her up to me, maybe ease some of the haunting ache that’s stolen her smile. It’s all I’ve been able to think about since she walked out of this room days ago.

“I’ve cleared the desk, and if there’s anything else you need…” Rowan pauses beside me. He’s giving me a warning look and I have no idea what it’s for. I don’t know what he’s warning me about, but it doesn’t matter because all the alarm bells are going off inside me already. Loud sirens that fail to drown out all my thoughts and the anger that’s been twisting and winding within me.

A part of me wants to tell him to get someone else to take my place. He knows people. He doesn’t need me. But at the same time, I can’t stand the thought of letting another person near Avery. And that’s a problem. That’s major trouble…for me. For her.

“I’ll be right outside,” he states, gaze narrowing with meaning.

“Sure.” I clear my throat, trying to shake the thoughts out of my head.

Maybe if I stop the wonderings, I’ll be able to keep her out of my mind completely. It’s what I keep telling myself, but so far it hasn’t worked.

Avery looks nervous as I come closer. Her eyes dart between my hands and my feet as though she’s trying to figure out which to fret about the most.

“Are you sure you don’t want Callie here?”

“No.” Avery shakes her head adamantly, fisting her hands at her sides when I stand in front of her.

“It’s okay if you do.”

“No.”

“Avery…” I don’t know why I say her name, but I like how it feels on my lips and on my tongue. The way her eyes widen on mine in the silence that follows, as though she really is opening herself up to me. Trusting me. It makes my chest tighten with the need to protect her from her own hurt. It’s an impossible task, though.

“Here’s what we’re going to do.” I take her hand and look it over, unfurling her fingers to splay over my palms. “You’re going to talk me through what happened, and I’m going to listen to every word so I can sign that report for you.”

“Okay.” She swallows, staring at her hand resting in mine. “I thought you said you had to see and umm…”

“Talk me through it, Avery. Where does it hurt the most?”

“I don’t—” Shaking her head, she sputters a sob that she’s obviously tried to contain. “I don’t know.”

“Does your face hurt?” I thumb the solitary tear that rolls down her bruised cheek, feeling the swollen, tender bump to her temple where her eyebrow is lightly scabbed over.

“The cream helped.”