My Bad Boy's Secret: A Bad Boy Billionaire Romance (190 page)

"I see two police cars and your door is wide open. There are police coming and going and it looks like they are taking photographs. We can't stay here. We can't even stay in my apartment. I don't know what is happening, but we need to get far away from here."

My heartbeat was racing once more, as I thought about what he was saying. Why are there cops inside my house? Something was up, and not knowing was making me feel panicked and nervous. After the scare of the volcano combined with this new scary situation my stomach started to turn.

"I feel sick to my stomach."

Zak looked over at me huddled over with genuine concern on his face. "Just hang in there, Ava. Think of something that calms you. Think of the ocean, the cold blue water. Or anything else that would keep you calm we need to get a few blocks away before I can stop the truck."

As soon as he said the words think of something that calms you, it was not the ocean that came to mind. Instead, I closed my eyes and imagined his strong arms around me just as he did the night before when I sat on the bathroom floor crying. It was that comforting thought that allowed me to be calm and for my stomach to stop turning. It is what did the trick.

A few minutes later he pulled over on the side of the road. "Okay, you can sit up. Get out and get some air, but we can only stay here for a few seconds,” he said. I got up and looked around, we were on a small dirt road in the jungle area of the island. I was relieved that he picked a spot not in town. Here there were no eyes to watch me. I got out of the truck put my hands above my head and walked back-and-forth, breathing in slowly and trying not to puke. He came over to me and put his hands on my shoulders and then rubbed down my arms to my elbows and then back up again. He was trying to calm me, it was working, but his touch always excited me. "How do you feel? Are you going to be ok?"

"I think so. It was just a lot to take in. Everything that had already taken place, and now the police were at my apartment. I just need to go somewhere where I can take a shower and rest," I said trying not to make direct eye contact with him. With him this close I would not be able to stop myself from kissing him, and after what he had told me earlier he didn't deserve it.

"I know just the place. I've had it lined up for an emergency situation just in case. I scouted it a few days ago," he said as he took his hands from me and went back to the driver side of the truck and jumped in. I was disappointed that he was no longer touching me. I didn't want to I was disappointed that he was no longer touching me. I didn't want it to end. I sighed and followed his movements, I jumped in and said, "Where we going?"

"You will see."

ZAK

It was maybe the hardest thing I had ever done. I had to go from using my Navy Seal skills to evacuating a large group of people to safety, which usually meant being the last to man remaining until I knew everyone was safe. However, in these special circumstances, I had to put all of that aside. I had to concentrate on my assignment, Ava Klein. I had to override my normal reaction to the situation, which would mean taking care of the group, in order to see that one person was safe. It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. I felt very disappointed in myself. It went against everything I had learned in Seal training. It was against my very nature. I had to swallow it down along with my pride, in order to make sure she was safe. Once we were down the trembling mountain and in the truck, I wanted nothing more than to run back and help everyone else, but I had to fight the urge. I gripped the steering wheel, tightly pushing all my rage into my hands as I peeled out of the lot and down the road trying to get as much distance between the angry volcano and Ava. I looked in the rearview mirror and saw a park ranger truck approach the park entrance. I felt a bit of relief. I had to focus on the road and getting Ava out of there, and the fact that I had abandoned so many people.

A few moments later, when we were safe from the volcano and the disappointment had fully washed over me we were faced with the new challenge; police were at Ava's apartment. I once again went into action, instructing her to hide. Dammit! Amid all the chaos I forgot to make sure that she put her disguise on. I was failing at my mission left and right. I was no Navy Seal. No wonder I was booted out of there. I was not worthy. I was not thinking on my feet. I had let lust overtake me. I had let distraction of the emergency situation of the volcano stop me from putting forth action and to order and making sure her disguise was on. I was failing all over the place. I drove slowly in and out of the parking lot of her apartment, and no one seemed to be following us. So at least I had done this right. I know exactly where I had to take her now. When first taking the assignment I made sure to plan a few hideaways on the island, it was always good to be prepared. I had scouted locations where we would blend in. It was a crucial thing that needed preplanning. I looked at her, my poor Ava. She had been through so much in her life, and I felt like I was only making it worse. If I had not become romantically involved with her, there would currently be one less worry on her mind. I had to stay away from her. I owed her that. Hopefully what I said to her earlier would be the start of a clean break, and we could be going back to a working relationship and nothing else.

"We'll be there soon. Please put on your disguise,” I said trying to focus on the mission, which was keeping her concealed. Now that the cops were at her house, it was possible they too were looking for her, for what reason I wouldn't know yet.

She put on her wig hat and glasses in silence. We needed silence after everything that happened today. As I turned into our destination she let out a gasp and looked at me, "You can't be serious?"

"Yes, this is the place. We will blend in here, and it will be the last place they would look," I said as I turned into the luxurious beachfront resort. It was the most expensive resort on the island. Any thug knew to look for us at any and every seedy motel, but no one would think to look at an expensive, overpriced luxury resort. Who in their right mind would spend so much money at a lavish place while they were on the run? It was the perfect way to get somebody off your trail.

Before pulling into the valet, I reached over and opened the glove box. I pulled out a small black velvet box and handed it to her, "here put this on your ring finger."

She opened the box and found a diamond ring, fake of course. She looked at me in surprise, "What is this? Is this a joke to you?"

"It is part of the disguise. We are now honeymooners. Say nothing," I said just in time as I pulled into the valet station. She sighed in annoyance and then slipped the ring on.

I popped open the trunk where I kept a few suitcases filled with supplies, most of it military. But it would work for now, to look like we were legitimately checking in after our honeymoon. At the hotel counter I looked over at Ava encouraging her to smile, she was supposed to be on her honeymoon after all. Upon my luck she smiled. Though it was a weak smile, she kept it on her face.

"Yes Mr. Adrian Black. We have your honeymoon suite ready. Congratulations, and enjoy your stay with us," the hotel attendant said as she handed me the room keys.

I could tell Ava was annoyed, but she kept her cool. That is until we were in the room.

"Honey moon suite?!" She yelled at me. "Are you kidding? Do you go out of your way just to be cruel to me?” She said as she paced the room in anger. I understood her anger.

"No, this was all part of the plan before we ever became…"

"Became what Zak? Just say it! We fucked!" she said as she plopped down on the bed that was covered in red rose petals.

"Intimate,” I said completing my sentence. It is the best disguise. The men do not know that you have a hired bodyguard, and they are looking for you by yourself, hiding out in some seedy hotel. A luxurious resort, and the couple occupying the honeymoon suite will be the last place they look, if ever. It is a good plan, I am sorry that it only accentuates your anger for me. But I have to make decisions that are designed for saving you, not just your heart."

As soon as I said the words I regretted it. The look on her face was complete hurt and sorrow. I didn't mean it to come out the way it did, but it did. I was about to apologize when… ring!

She stomped over to her purse and picked up her cell phone.

"Don't answer that. If it is someone you know they will leave you a message. Your father would be calling you on my phone. You don't know who that is and what information they can get from it."

She narrowed her eyes at me and in defiance of my orders, or out of spite, she answered anyway.

"Hello?"

Then to further spite me, or punish me she looked at me while the other party talk to her on the phone and walked outside on the balcony so that I did not hear or see her reaction. She was pissed. This was more complicated than I ever expected it to be. I should just tell her about my past, if that's what it would take for her to trust me and follow my orders the way she should. I should just tell her everything so that she would cooperate. I couldn't do this job without her cooperation. Otherwise, it was two jobs; doing my normal job of protecting her, and then doing another job of persuading her to do what I needed her to do in order to keep her safe. I leaned against the wall and watched her talk on the phone outside on the balcony, and I caught her doing something. She was extending her hand out and looking at her ring finger, at the fake diamond wedding ring. My heart sank. If anyone had told me the story of what I was doing to this girl, I would assume they were trying to mind fuck her, but I was not. It was just turning out to be this way, and it was fucked up. I would have to tell her the truth.

She walked back in and looked at me and said, "It was the cops. They were calling me to tell me that the landlord reported a break in at my apartment. So they went to check it out. I told them I was out of town. They want me to come down to the police station to file a report when I return."

"That's a relief. I thought it was something much worse, like a body in your apartment. A break-in is minor… it could be anyone, street kids for all they know. It is good. Make sure to call your landlord and talk to them, to make sure that the people you just talked to were in fact the cops. Make sure the stories are straight. The thugs know everything about you, and that includes your phone number. They could've called just to test to see if you were really out of town.

"Well I guess I will be in a few days, won’t I? We have to go to Washington to my father. His team will protect me. I can't be around you any longer."

Her words stung me on a deep level, but I understood. But I couldn't let it end this way, we had a few more days before taking a plane ride to Washington and I couldn't deal with having her hurting right in front of me.

"Ava, you are right. I owe you an explanation for my behavior. I didn't want to tell you this… I never planned on telling you this, but it has become necessary. I have a dark secret concerning my past. It concerns my future just as this assignment and your father concerns my future. I'm going to tell you my secret, and hopefully will understand why I am the way I am."

She sat down on the bed covered in red rose petals, "I'm listening,” she whispered.

PART 4

AVA

I sat down on the bed of roses, waiting for what I had been waiting for, since I first met Zak Flynn. He was about to tell me everything, his past, and why he was cold to me. He was about to tell me why everything changed after we had slept together. I was on edge; did I really want to know? It would put it all into perspective. Was I really ready for that? I patiently waited as he paced the room, gathering his thoughts, trying to figure out a way to tell me what he needed to.

The last 24 hours had been more than one person should have to endure. I had to prepare for the biggest college assignment of the semester, which in itself was mentally exhausting. Then, while I was on the assignment I had to deal with my feelings of jealousy as my college classmates flirted with Zak, once they found out that he was a Navy Seal. It was like flies to honey. Then having to deal with the unexpected eruption of the volcano, and all the chaos and panic that came with it. In an instant we could've all been dead, in the most extreme circumstance of course. I had to admit that Zak going into action to protect me and get me out of there as soon as possible was very attractive. It made me feel safe. It made me feel more protected than I ever had in my life. It felt good. He was a real man, someone that could be relied on. He was the type of man that I could see myself with for the rest of my life, and that frightened me beyond belief. After spending my entire life feeling unsafe with no one to protect me, I longed for a man like Zak in my life. Now here he was, about to tell me something that could ruin that dream for me, forever.