Ava's POVI was beyond perplexed as I lay in bed next to Miguel, unable to get any sleep. My mind was a den of chaos, and the unrest filled my soul. I had spent the last hours since we returned to the room roaming around the sheets and thinking over the document I had seen in Miguel’s office earlier.I still couldn't believe it even though the words say clearly in my mind.The document wasn't fake at all. Those were their real names and Miguel had even signed already.Yet, there was no sense to it, and I knew very well what I saw. It was real. Those business documents were in Fernando's name. Miguel had put those businesses in his name, but that didn't make any sense either. If they were Fernando's businesses —If Miguel had given him the legal business that he wanted, then why would he have betrayed Miguel? How did he even betray him? And In what way?What exactly happened? I wondered, and turned to my other side, facing Miguel, who was fast asleep. He had fallen asleep the insta
Ava's POVThe car stopped at the shopping mall. It was almost three o’clock. I had timed everything to the fucking minute, and I wasn't going to screw this up no matter what. I stepped out of the car and made my way into the mall. Two guards accompanied me inside the building, watching me like a hawk. Everywhere I went, they went, and I figured it was going to be more difficult than I thought to slip away from them, but I'd be damned if I gave up.I spent the first few minutes of my arrival buying jewelry and looking around before making my way to the first floor. I did the same on the first floor, the second, and the third, and by this time, the guards were letting up their guard out of pure exhaustion.I darted my eyes to my watch. It was twenty minutes after three, and I made my way up to the last floor. The second I walked into the room, I cautiously glanced around for any sign of Indira, but there was none.Where was she?I browsed through the line of dresses and feigned intere
Miguel's POVShe even looked guilty.I cocked my head to the side, dropping my gaze to the shopping bag in her hand and studying it carefully. It was small, and from the looks of it, one could only expect about three to four clothes, at most five.Where had she gone for almost an hour? I wondered as I stared at her keenly. The question was still bugging me, but there was some relief, knowing she hadn't taken off like I suspected when I first got the call from the guards. But at the back of my mind, I still found it strange. There was no actual explanation as to where she had been for the past hour.Almost an hour and yet just one bag. Clearly, something was wrong.Everything felt off, and it had me on edge. The thought that I had almost lost her made me feel so cold inside. After that dinner with Mason, I had come to realize how crazy she was capable of driving me, and I really didn't want to lose her.Perez was right. I did feel something strongly for her, and it wasn't something
Ava's POVHours had passed since I heard Miguel's side of the story, but it felt like days. I had barely slept a wink all night. There was just so much to think about, and my mind wouldn't stop working.Miguel’s side had given me a different perspective on things, and my perception of him had been altered in a way. Not only that, things seemed to have changed between us as well. Miguel had changed toward me in just hours, and I could feel it all over me.He felt closer, and there was this soft touch in the way he acted afterward when he put my hand on his chest. It was hard to explain, but he just appeared more human and less of a devil.I didn't even know exactly what that meant, but it was good. It was like I was seeing him in a new light, and he was so...I couldn't find the right word to sum it up, but I liked the change.All night, I had thought about the tears that had dropped from his eyes when he spoke of his mom. The pain in his voice and how real it felt —how real it was,
Miguel's POVI spotted the thick black smoke in the sky from half a mile away from the orphanage, and my heart twisted in my chest. It looked bad.Perez had emphasized that on his call, but seeing the sight of the smoke made everything way more real, and my heart couldn't take it. I thought of the children, the nuns, and the lives I had promised to make better.Tears laced my vision, and I increased my speed, driving through multiple red lights without care. They needed me, and I had to be there. I wasn't one to pray. I didn't believe in anything other than death. But for the first time since my mother's death, I found myself praying again.I prayed that the smoke was only exaggerated and no one had gotten hurt. As I got closer, I saw that the cops blocked the entire front yard of the orphanage. I swerved my car off the road and pulled to a stop on the other side of the road, and there was no getting any closer than I already was.The second I stepped down, I was greeted by a gut-
Ava's POVI paced around the room, feeling deeply unsettled. Miguel had been gone since last night, and he still wasn't back. What was going on over there?I was worried sick, especially with the way he just left after telling me the orphanage was on fire. That was quite the news to drop on someone before rushing out like that.Not knowing what was going on out there was driving me crazy, and staying in here wasn't doing anything to help me calm down. I needed to go to him and know what was going on.I unlocked the door and went to meet the guards downstairs for the second time. “I need a ride to the orphanage.”“I'm sorry, Ma’am. We already told you. We can't let you leave the premises without permission from the boss,” the leader said.I hissed, “You've got to be kidding me,” I breathed, “Miguel is out there, and I—” I sighed, realizing how pointless this was.They had their orders. They were obviously not going to let me leave because they thought I'd run away. I headed upstairs
Ava's POV“I'll go get you a drink,” Miguel suddenly offered and left us alone.Awkward silence filled the room as I tried not to stare at the little girl for too long.We barely knew each other, yet the way she looked at me was as if, she knew me in another world.“I think you should sit,” she suddenly said breaking the silence.My brows raised and for a second my brain went blank before her words replayed themself.“Oh! Yeah. Thanks,” I settled into Miguel’s seat. “So what's your name?” I asked.“Gracie.”“I'm Ava,” I whispered.“I know,” she said with a smile.“You do?” I raised a brow.“Yeah. He mentioned you.”“He did?”“Mmh. Mmh,” she nodded.“What did he say?”Gracie opened her mouth to speak when Miguel returned, and that was the end of it. We spend the next hour talking about Gracie’s love for elephants, colors, and all sorts.By the end of the conversation, I was certain the little girl loved Miguel to death, and he loved her, and honestly, I knew I'd love her, too. I was b
Ava's POVThe DiAngelos were the enemy? I couldn't believe it.My heart drummed in my chest, and my entire body trembled as I stood there, rooted to the ground at the sight of them. I couldn't believe this, nor did I understand it.They were CIA agents, and yet they were at this party. It didn't make any sense. I swallowed the bile that had settled in my throat and darted my eyes to the broken champagne glass on the ground. Everyone was staring at us —at me.“I'm so sorry,” I gushed and held my dress up as I attempted to crouch and clear it up, but Miguel stopped me.“Leave it. The cleaners will get it,” he looked at me carefully, concern etching itself on his face as he pulled me aside, “Are you okay?” he asked with a hand on my shoulders.My eyes darted to the DiAngelos, who were now glaring at me, and I felt a cold chill run down my spine. Did this mean they were never actually CIA agents? Did this mean they fooled me?“Ava,” Miguel jerked me out of my thoughts, “Are you okay?