Chapter 5 Ava's Pov

The man’s question sounded like a threat, he stood by the door, eyes locked on me as he waited for an answer. 

But all I could think about at that moment was that Damian’s wide connections had finally found me in this small town.

That was surprisingly fast considering how isolated and forgotten this town was. What even gave him the clue that I was here?

How the hell did he find me?

I felt my heart begin to pound against my chest, sweat cascading down my forehead despite the freezing weather.

Could he have sent this man to bring me back?

But Damian wasn’t the type to think that small. He would never send just one man to bring me back.

One man wouldn’t do the job.

I might be little, but Damian knew how sneaky and stubborn I could get. I had outsmarted and escaped him and his damn securities.

Although it took me years, but I did it anyway.

As though Cain sensed the fear radiating from me, he stepped forward, his hefty frame completely blocking my view. He spoke on my behalf, once again choosing to protect me for some reasons still unknown to me. “What’s the problem?” He asked in a calm, commanding voice.

“That damn thing has been there all night.” The man said in frustration, pointing out the door like my dead car was anywhere close. “It’s blocking the turn outside my cabin. Nearly backed my truck into a ditch trying to get around it.”

Oh!

Relief instantly settled within me.

Thank goodness. Damian hasn’t found me yet.

I could say I was safe away from him, for now at least. 

But not exactly sure if I was safe in Greystone and the people living here.

This man looked like he wanted to single-handedly drag me out there to get my dead car out of his way.

But I can’t do that.

The car’s dead.

I was as good as broke.

Mara continued to wipe the glasses, seeing that the man wasn’t a threat. 

“I’ll handle it,” Cain simply told him.

The man’s brows furrowed, “And when will that be?” He asked, more frustration strained his voice, and I wished he hadn’t asked that question, because Cain’s face suddenly darkened.

The man immediately thought better of pushing further as he cautiously backed away towards the door, “I need it moved before noon.” He said, and with that, he left.

Mara huffed a laugh, “He should have waited a bit,” she muttered while cleaning the wooden counter.

Cain turned to me, “Why didn’t you answer him?”

“What?”

“The man asked a question. You froze.”

If I answered Cain’s question now, I’d be clarifying his notion that I was indeed running away from someone. And I wasn’t about to fall for his mind games.

“Fine. Don’t tell me,” he surrendered, taking up the toolbox, then nudged his head towards the food on the counter, “Finish it.”

“Stop treating me like a child,” I protested. Because I hate every bit of kindness he kept showing me. It made me more extremely distrustful.

It was unsettling.

“I’m not.”

“It’s clearly what you’ve been doing since I stepped foot into this bar.”

Mara sighed, possibly exhausted from seeing Cain and I argue like we’ve been enemies for years.

“Finish up and start working.” He simply said, And there was that authoritative tone I despised so much.

He turned and left through the stairs, leaving me boiling with rage.

To hell with you, Cain Harlow. I wanted to say, but I couldn’t openly cuss him at the moment. 

His job offer was the only way my car would be repaired.

It was the only way I’d get some money again. 

It was the only way I’d be able to get out of here.

So, work it was.

I turned to Mara, “So…” I tucked my fingers inside my pants pocket. “How do I start?”

She smiled warmly, placing the napkin over her shoulder, “Over here,” she gestured for me to come behind the counter, “I’ll put you through.”

—————

Just as Mara had said earlier, the bar was a restaurant by afternoon. And just as much as I was focused on working here, my eyes constantly shifted towards the door every time someone walked inside the pit.

Fear was toying with my mental health.

People came and left, satisfied with their meals.

Some even tipped us. It was probably a usual thing they do to appraise Mara’s cooking skills. 

I couldn’t deny it. She could cook. 

“Here,” Mara placed part of the tips into my palm after the day’s work.

“No, I can’t take…”I began.

“You need money flowing again, don’t you?” Mara asked. It immediately graced my heart that she recalled that I had said that earlier.

“I already owe y’all a lot,”

“Just take it.” She said, closing my palm over the token.

I didn’t protest this time around, because I knew how desperate I needed the money. 

I’d keep my pride aside for now if it meant leaving this bar as soon as possible.

Mara glanced at the old grandfather clock on the wall across the room, then started to set up for the evening.

I guess it was another night to host the biker club.

Does this gathering happen very often?

Where do they disappear in the morning?

And how does Mara even cope around all the drinking, smoking and so many men?

All these questions tugged at my mind, but it didn’t really matter since I’d be out of here in no time.

And where was Cain Harlow? 

I realized I haven’t set eyes on him since this morning.

I doubted he could’ve walked through that door without me noticing. For a man as huge as him, he wasn’t exactly hard to miss.

“No one can hurt you here, you know,” Mara said, drawing me out of my thoughts while I sat down in one of the scrapped chairs.

Her eyes landed on me, carrying a sense of reassurance.

“What?”

“You’ve been glancing at the door like you’re expecting someone to walk in anytime soon.”

I shook my head, trying to force a relaxing smile. “Not at all.”

“You can lie all you want, but I know, ” She stated firmly, “Someone’s after you, Ava,” she said, like she knew my current fear more than I did.

Before the conversation could give more room for awkwardness, the door burst open.

Our heads snapped towards it.

Seeing what was before me, I completely went mute.

One of the bikers, Rafe, was bleeding profusely from the arm, growling in pain.

Cain Harlow entered, dominating the entire room.

He didn’t look perplexed.

Typical.

I turned back to Rafe, they had placed him on a chair, trying to stop the blood from flowing with an already soaking cloth. But I doubted he’d last long if they didn't get medical help.

“Mara,”Cain’s voice cut through the bar. “Get the med kit. Grim, shut that damn door.”

I scoffed, astonished,"What now? You guys suddenly switched from being bikers to doctors?” I asked, my gaze darting between all of them.

No one looked alarmed, and that was when I understood this was nothing new to them.

Mara brought the kit without question, ignoring all that I had said. For some stupid reasons, I thought she’d be on my side. But who was I kidding? She was clearly loyal to these bikers. 

What the hell have I really gotten myself into?