Chapter 24


    Chapter 24


    Ava''s POV


    I was awakened at 7:30 a.m. by a text from Veronica.


    Veronica: You don''t need toe today; I''m back from the hospital so that I can take care of Dalia.


    Me: Are you sure? I''m always avable toe over and assist you, so you can rest.


    Veronica: I''m sure Andrew is here in case something goes wrong.


    Me: Okay, then! I''ll see you tomorrow!


    I sighed; I wanted answers from Andrew, but it was probably for the best that I had a day to process


    everything that had happened.


    Even though I went to bed at 8 p.m.st night, I was still exhausted. I chose to sleep longer and


    awoke two hourster.


    I got out of bed and walked over to my window. I observed New York''s busy streets, taxis honking at


    cars everywhere, people racing down the street, and office buildings filling with people walking in


    and out.


    People came to New York to either blend in or make it big. I came to hide and be unnoticed, but I


    wasn''t doing a good job because of the people I worked for.


    I stopped admiring the bustling city and began to dress. I decided to just do me today because I had


    just spent some time with my friends.


    I was craving some of my favorite scones from a bakery just a few blocks away, so I dressed down


    in ripped jeans, a t-shirt, and ck boots. I walked down to New York''s busy streets, plugged my


    earphones into my phone, and began drowning out the noise. It only took about ten minutes to get


    to the bakery, and by the time I arrived, the only thing I could hear was my stomach grumbling.


    When I opened the door to my favorite bakery, I was greeted by the tantalizing aroma of baked


    goods floating through the air. I took in the aromas and sights of all the little treats. I walked over to


    the counter and saw the lemon scones I''d been fantasizing about all morning.


    "Can I please have a lemon scone and an espresso?" I inquired of thedy behind the counter.


    "That will cost you $5." She responded.


    Before I could hand over my wallet, a familiar voice said, "I''ve got it."


    I looked up and saw the same guy from yesterday..


    "Are you stalking me now?" I said it sarcastically.


    "Me, stalking you. Haha, I think you''re wrong." As he handed thedy his credit card, he said with a


    smirk.


    "Well, you basically beat me up in an alleyway, you showed up at my house yesterday, and now


    you''re here." I expressed my displeasure.


    When I mentioned the alleyway, his expression changed. "Look, I''m really sorry about the alleyway,


    and I''m trying to make amends, but I''m not stalking you. Ie here for coffee almost every


    morning." He responded.


    "Five dors will notpensate." I responded.


    "I know, I know, but please give me the opportunity to make it up to you. I will answer all of your


    questions over breakfast. I understand your curiosity." He stated.


    I looked around the bakery; there were a lot of people, so he couldn''t hurt me without anyone


    noticing. When I looked up at him again, he looked genuine, as if he was truly sorry and wanted to


    make amends.


    "OK, fine," I said.


    "Great." With a smile on his face, he said.


    Now I could look at him without worrying about him trying something.


    He was really tall, probably taller than Andrew, but he didn''t have Andrew''s dominant aura around


    him.


    He had brown hair that looked almost blonde in the sunlight. His eyes were brown with gold specks


    in them. I took my gaze away from his face to examine his body, and I was impressed. His blue T-


    shirt was baggy, but his biceps were defined and muscr, peeking out of his sleeves. His


    shoulders were wide and strong. Even though I couldn''t see his stomach, I''m guessing he had a six


    pack based on the rest of his body.


    He was undeniably attractive on the outside.


    "Are you enjoying the view?" he inquired.


    When I looked back up at him, I noticed he was staring at me. He noticed me looking at him. "You


    wish, Blue." I responded.


    "Blue?" He inquired, his brow furrowed.


    "Your shirt is blue, and I don''t know your name." Shrugging my shoulders, I said.


    "I''m Travis, Shortness." He responded with a smile on his face.


    "I know you didn''t call me fucking "shortness," I retorted, annoyed.


    "I''m fairly certain I did, shortness." He said, bemusedly looking at me.


    I locked my gaze on him. "I''m going to cut your balls off, bl....." "Here''s your espresso and scone,


    Ma''am." Thedy behind the counter interrupted me. "Sir, here''s your ck coffee." She said this


    while batting her eyshes and raising her voice two octaves to Travis.


    "Come on, shortness, let''s get a table." Heughed as he grabbed his coffee and walked over to an


    empty table.


    "We''re going to have a problem if you keep calling me that." As I walked behind him, I grumbled.


    We sat at a table near the window, and I watched as he sipped his coffee and gazed out the


    window. I studied his movements and eyes; he appeared happy on the outside, but I could see


    sadness in his eyes.


    "So go ahead and ask." He said as he turned away from the window to look at me.


    "Who were the other two men in the alleyway?" I inquired.


    "The one with the tattoos was Ivan, and the other was Matt; they''d both been with my cousin since


    the beginning." Travis responded.


    "What''s the name of your cousin?"


    Robert Tom


    "Why does he hate Andrew?" I inquired.


    "I''m afraid I can''t answer that, shortness." He responded.


    "You promised to answer all of my questions." I responded, more curious now that Travis hadn''t


    respond to my question about Andrew


    "I understand, but that is an answer for another time." Travis responded.


    "Fine, why are you trying so hard to make it up to me?" I inquired.


    "First, because I punched you in the alleyway, and second, because my cousin is still looking for


    you, I want to make sure you''re safe." He stated.


    "Why do you care about my safety?" I inquired.


    "I just feel bad for hurting you, so keeping you safe from further harm seems like a good way to


    relieve my guilt, and who knows, you might end up liking me enough to be friends." With a wink, he


    responded.


    "Exactly in your dreams, Blue." Giggling, I said.


    "I got you to talk to me, and now I''m making youugh." Grinning, he said.


    I kept asking him questions, and I learned a lot about him, but I kept getting vague and ambiguous


    answers.


    He desperately wanted to kill his cousin because Robert was bing increasingly ruthless, but he


    couldn''t do it alone, so he sought assistance.


    Even though he used to be in the Mafia and punched me, he made meugh and conversation


    flowed easily with him by the end of the morning.


    "So, shortness, I spent the entire morning with you; does that mean we''re friends?" he inquired as


    he stood up from his chair.


    "If you keep putting me to the test with that fucking name, we might not be." I said, my gaze fixed on


    him.


    "All right, all right, sorry." He said this while raising both hands in defeat.


    "But you''re officially forgiven." I responded


    "Damn, that wasn''t as difficult as I expected."


    "What exactly do you mean?" Standing up from my chair, I said.


    "Well, you did beat up two of my cousin''s most trusted guys and nearly broke my jaw; I just thought


    getting you to forgive me would be more difficult." He stated.


    "Well, you paid for my breakfast and made my day a lot less boring." I responded.


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    "OK, Ms., 5 dors won''t make it up." He remarked sarcastically.


    "Don''t force me to take it back, Blue." I warned, a smile creeping across my face.


    "You''d never do it." He stated.


    "Of course I would." I said


    "Please allow me to drive you home before you change your mind." He moaned.


    "Oh, stalker, you know where I live." I responded.


    "If it makes you feel better, I only know the building you live in, not the number." He stated.


    "You''re still a stalker." Giggling, I said.


    We exited the bakery and began walking towards my apartment building. I kept asking him


    questions about his cousin and what he was going to do about it.


    "I''m not sure what I''m going to do, but for the time being, I''m trying to keep quiet." He responded as


    we came to a halt outside my apartment building.


    "Well, this is me," I exined.


    "There''s no shit, shortness." He responded.


    "I fucking hate you." I said


    "I''m sure you do... I guess I''ll see you around." Travis said as he walked away from me.


    "Yeah, Blue, see you around." I replied as I walked up to the front door of my apartment building.


    He waved goodbye and walked down New York''s streets. I smiled as I watched him disappear


    around the corner. I finally got some good out of all the crazy in my life, I got a friend.


    Blue