Unity

I can fix this

John nodded too, looking at his son who only nodded in agreement. "The rebels." I wanted to scream, I hadn't heard that name in years and it was something I'd tried to forget. I'd killed one of their members protecting Cain and had paid for it after when I'd been attacked outside my old apartment block. "They want revenge."

"For what?" Ronan asked, tucking one of his hands into his suit trousers. John glanced at me warily and it gave me a sick feeling, making me uneasy. "What is it John?"

"A member was killed about three years ago and they haven't let it go." My heart sank again when I realised what he was telling us, they still wanted to even the scales. "They went quiet while we were inside and we let our guard down but now they're back onto the club again."

Ronan slowly nodded, his eyes narrowing into the calculated look that he always seemed to possess. It was actually one of the first things that had drawn me to him. "I feel like there's a vital bit of information you're not telling me here."

John sighed loudly, a flash of regret on his face. "They want Ava Ronan." He told him, all of the eyes in the room avoiding me. Ronan however looked straight at me, a protective look building on his features. "She killed a guy named Santos and it was the presidents son, they're not gonna let that go." I couldn't hold Ronans intense stare, shame and guilt filling me up from the inside out.

I'd never told Ronan about the things I'd done, wanting to forget about it all even though I'd never been able to do so. It had been a moment of panic, I'd wanted to protect Cain and now it may even cost his life as well as Tahlias. The guilt was eating away at me and I couldn't even look at John, it made me wonder if he maybe blamed me for what happened today. "You're right." Ronan finally spoke but I kept my focus on the tiled floor in front of me. "They're not gonna let it go but they sure as hell aren't getting their hands on her either."

"We'd never let that happen." John reassured him, I kept my eyes on the same tile tracing the red and blue pattern that decorated it before moving onto the next. I couldn't look at them not when I now knew it was my fault. All this time I blamed the club for all the losses I had suffered and now I was actually beginning to question if it was maybe my fault. My brother never would've been after Mac if I hadn't of gotten involved with him and Tahlia nor Cain would've been shot if I hadn't of killed that man those years ago.

I was silently crying, my head down as I focused on the ground. My guilt was eating me up, like a massive hole had just opened up in the ground to only swallow me up into a free fall into an unwelcoming abyss. I don't know how long I sat like that, listening to the others try and devise some kind of plan to get this all to stop but I already had a solution of my own. I'd let them have me, I'd let them finally get what they wanted if it meant the few people I had left would stay alive and safe.

"Ava." The voice snapped me out of my thoughts but I didn't lift my head, I made a noise in the back of my throat to let them know that I'd heard them. "Ava, look at me." I didn't budge, keeping my head focused on the same two tiles before a pair of shoes and trousered legs appeared before me. Ace crouched down in front of me, worried green eyes scanning my face and once again I was riddled with guilt. I'd nearly attacked him for what happened today even though it had all been my fault. "Stop it."

"What?" I mumbled, confused for a few seconds.

"I know what you're doing." He told me. "So stop it, none of this is your fault." I leaned back in the chair, refocusing my eyes on the ceiling above me. It irritated me that even though we'd spent three years apart he could still read my emotions like a book. "Ava don't. This is my fault, I should've handled this properly years ago."

I blinked at the ceiling, taking in a few deep breaths before I finally found the courage to look at him. He had stood up now, towering over me as he looked down at me. I saw the longing in his eyes again, the look I'd seen on repeat since I'd returned back to California. His face crumpled, he used the back of his hand to brush away a stray tear from my cheek. "I can stop this." I mumbled, keeping my voice quiet. His eyes widened, a panic gripping him.

"Don't say stupid shit." He sat down in the seat next to me, the leather on his cut brushing my forearm. "I've been talking to Ronan, we're gonna keep you safe and get all this shit sorted." I really must've zoned out to of missed them having a civilised conversation without a fist being thrown. At the mention of Ronan I found myself looking around the room but he wasn't here, I was already frowning. Had he even said goodbye? Honestly I couldn't remember, maybe he had and I hadn't been listening. Gunner was leaned up against John in the chairs opposite us, his eyes shut as he slept where as John was wide awake and staring right at us.

"I can fix this." I looked away from John, not being able to look at him without seeing Tahlia. "Arrange the meeting Ace and this can all go away."

"Ava if you don't shut up we're going to have a problem." My eyes snapped back over to John who had just spoken to me, his facial expression was very stern but his eyes were tired and sympathetic. "This ain't your fault."

I bit my bottom lip, stopping the tears from falling. Ace snaked his arm over my shoulders to try and pull me into a hug but I instantly pulled out of it. His touch no longer provided me comfort, the only person that could do that wasn't here. "Don't Ace." I whispered half heartedly, he looked defeated but nodded and shuffled into the seat next to him to move further away.

"Get some rest Ava." John instructed, looking even more tired than before. "We'll all need to sleep so we can think about this properly." I looked towards the double doors knowing that was where my best friends were fighting for their lives and knew I'd never be able to sleep without knowing if they were going to be okay. "I'll wake you as soon as I hear anything."

"I won't be able to sleep." I told him honestly and he nodded, slightly shuffling slowly so he didn't wake gunner. Ace stood up from his seat, the both of us looking up at him.

"I'm going for a smoke." He didn't look at me, his jaw clenched tightly as he made his way back outside. I wasn't sure if he'd noticed but John glared at him the whole way outside and it made me wonder if something else had happened that had caused today, or maybe it was just wishful thinking that this whole entire thing wasn't my fault.

As he opened the door to get outside Ronan passed by, he nodded his head at Ace before stepping into the waiting room. Our eyes connected and he made a beeline straight towards me, as he got closed I noticed he was carrying a bag. "Hey." He greeted me quietly, not wasting anytime in sitting beside me to take my hand in his. "How you holding up?"

I nodded and shrugged my shoulders. "I'm holding."

"She ain't." John interrupted. "She's coming up with stupid ideas." Ronan thrown a look at me but didn't push me for an answer, something told me he already knew. Instead he pulled open the bag, handing John some drinks and food before pulling out a blanket I'd left on the end of my bed the day before. He threw it over me, his arm snaking over my shoulder and pulling me to him.

"Sleep Ava." He told me and I opened my mouth to tell him I couldn't but it somehow became a yawn. I couldn't believe the effect he had on me, it was like everything slotted into place when he was around and when he touched me I wanted to fulfil all of his wishes. My body was now fighting to be awake, enjoying the warmth that his body offered and before I knew it my eyelids were heavier than before. I couldn't fight the sleep even though I knew I should stay awake. I'd fallen asleep listening to John and Ronan talk to one another.