Siren's Fall [Siren's Mark: Book 2]

Chapter 2

ℤ𝕒𝕟𝕖

I've let this arsehole live for too long.

"What... what are you doing here?" Ava asks.

Mike steps further toward her but I insert my body in between them.

"That's a good bloody question, mate," I say, clenching my fists tightly at my sides.

"The hospital called me. I'm her emergency contact," he says, puffing out his chest. "They told me she has amnesia, is that true?"

"No," I snap, at almost the precise moment that Ava says yes.

Fuck.

"Wow," he says, his narrowed eyes staring me down. "You're lying to my face right now?"

Like this prick has a right to Ava's personal information anyway.

He looks Ava up and down as Kami and Kieran appear in the doorway behind him, clearly unsure of what to do.

"Jesus Christ, Ava, what the hell happened? Did he do this?" he asked, gesturing to me. "Did he hurt you?"

The suggestion alone sends bile up my throat.

"Mike," Ava says softly, sitting up more in her bed. "I'm fine, okay?"

"You son of a bitch!" Mike screams, his fist launching toward me.

My first thought is to grab his arm and snap it off. I glance behind him as his arm flies through the air, catching an expression on Kami's face that I've come to recognize as her "don't be an idiot" look.

Fuck.

She's got a point. If this is Ava's new first impression of me, I don't want it to involve me snapping this douchebag like a twig.

Fine.

I smirk as I allow Mike's fist to connect with my face. He lets out a pained shriek, pulling his hand back in a rapid motion. He stumbles back, cradling one hand in the other as he hisses and curses under his breath.

I try my best not to laugh, though I hear a small chuckle from Kieran.

"I need to talk to Ava," he says. "Alone."

"Fuck no," I say, taking another step toward him.

"It's okay, Zane," Ava says. Her voice is soft and concerned.

No. It's the exact fucking opposite of okay.

"Yeah, like she says," he spits. "It's okay."

"Uh, Z-Man?" Kieran calls, wide eyed. "Why don't you let them talk?"

I shoot him a deadly glare.

"You have no bloody idea what you're talking about, mate. Stay out of this."

"No, Z, he's right," Kami chimes in. "You need a smoke break. NOW."

"The bloody hell are y-"

"Now, Z," she says, stepping around Mike and pulling me out of the room by my elbow.

What is she talking about? I don't smoke.

"Take him outside," she says to Kieran. "I'll keep an eye on Ava."

*****

"You better bloody explain yourself," I hiss at Kieran as he pulls me outside into the cold air.