Page 37 of Broken
Epilogue
Ava
Istay sat curled up tight on the bed, but on high alert waiting for Ryder for what feels like ages. My breathing has finally calmed down and my tears have stopped falling. Hearing from his lips that he is going to save me, set off a tiny light inside my soul. It isn’t much but it's a little bit of hope that I haven’t allowed myself to properly feel since this whole thing began. I focus on that light, making sure it doesn't get any bigger, but also that it doesn’t go out. This is exactly the type of task that I need, something to keep my brain from thinking about the horrors I faced in that office.
The bedroom door opens and I jump as the noise startles me out of my thoughts, I tremble with the fear that it is anybody but Ryder. When I see his beautiful face appear around the door, for the first time all day, I feel a genuine smile of relief spread across my face. As soon as he sees it, his typical cocky smile hits his face, but I can see the shadow that it’s not quite the same as it once was. He strides over and as he walks, I notice that he is holding his left arm at a strange angle, and that he is covered in blood. Then something in my brain flashes back to the room and I remember that he was like that when I jumped into his lap. His shoulder was hurt even then and yet he let me cling to it and cause more pain without saying anything. My heart pounds at the thought of that, it reminds me of the man I met that night. Not the one that works for a crime family, but the sweet, sexy guy who always put me first.
He is on the bed instantly and I don’t even think, I lean over and I capture his lips with mine. It's a brief kiss, but it's full of passion and hope. It’s also my way of showing him how thankful I am he came back for me. We don’t need words, instead we just hug. Ryder settles down with his back against the pillows on the bed and I lay my head on his right shoulder, careful to avoid his left. He wraps his arm around me and I lock my leg tightly around his. We are wrapped together in peaceful harmony and I hope this is the start of something new. I know we both have so much to talk about and to work through, but I want to and I’m sure he does too. I think we might actually get a chance to see if we can be together like I always dreamt about.
We lay like this for what feels like forever, wrapped up in each other, holding hands and synchronising our heart rates. He provides me with a calmness I desperately need to chase away the darkness. It almost feels like I might relax enough to fall asleep when the door to the room opens and in walks an older man I have never seen before, but Ryder startles. He sits us up, puts me on his lap and sits us over the edge of the bed so we are facing him. Ryder’s body is stiff as a board, yet the hand that is gripping mine, the thumb is gently drawing circles across my skin to calm me. Whoever this man is, Ryder knows him.
Looking over the strange man, there’s something about him that seems familiar, but I have no idea what it is. I don’t think I have ever seen him before. His dark suit gives off an air of authority and it’s not hard to miss that Ryder respects his authority, given the way he is sitting and making eye contact, despite the fact the man looks like he wants to chastise Ryder. He takes a deep breath and his face changes, it morphs into one that is completely professional.
“Miss Delgado, it’s a pleasure to meet you and I’m sorry it has to be under these circumstances. My name is Superintendent Richard Williams and we do not have long to talk I am afraid. I was hoping that my son here would be the one to tell you this, but it appears that he is sticking with his guns. I, however, am here to do a job. Ryder is a police officer, a detective inspector, who has been undercover for the last two years. His job has always been to learn everything he can about the Blakeman crime family so we can bring the entire operation down. He has been on track to achieve this until Grant Blakeman went haywire by focusing on you. That's when it all turned to shit and we thought that the investigation was over for good. You have no idea how many times I had to remind my son of his job when he wanted to pull you out. I insisted that you stay in play and after what happened today, I will apologise for that. But, now an opportunity has presented itself and it requires you. We heard only an hour or so ago that Alan Blakeman is willing to give Grant everything he wants. He has agreed to teach him the whole business and hand it all over to him in six months time, on the proviso that as soon as it is exactly six months after your wedding, you get divorced.” His words hit me like a million little needles and in just one short conversation, my body has been through a roller coaster of emotions and I am stunned. Ryder is a cop. He wanted to help me but couldn’t. Now I know why I felt like I was dealing with two different Ryders and that thought makes my heart race. But I don’t have time to focus on that because the rest of his words finally sink in and I start to shake. Ryder holds me tighter and growls.
“No, she is not doing it,” he shouts at his father with a passion.
“I’m sorry, Ryder, and you too, Ava. If there was any other way, I would never ask you to do this,” he apologises and now I know why I thought I recognised him earlier. When he relaxes his face and doesn’t look as professional, I can see an older version of Ryder. They share the same eyes and mouth, it's sweet to see their similarities. I don’t know why because I don’t know him, but I trust Ryder and that seems to have passed a little over to his father.
“What exactly are you asking me to do?” I whisper and am already shaking because I think I know the answer. Ryder seems to grip me that little bit tighter and I let his warmth give me strength.
“I need you to stay here. Earlier on, we offered Grant a deal, which he has accepted. He will be working with us to bring down the organisation. We will learn how they find, important and finance the drugs, girls, and guns. If we can bring this operation crumbling down, it will be the biggest bust in UK history and will make London an awful lot safer. If we were to pull you out now, and Grant goes back to wanting to learn the business, forgetting all about his revenge, then that would send up a red flag for Alan. He would become suspicious. We put feelers out to find out what kind of deal he would be interested in and it turns out he has a lot of love for you because he is willing to hand over his entire enterprise to his son. He was always going to do it because the Blakeman family must be run by a Blakeman and he is getting on a bit now, but he has been dragging his heels. Now, he has set a deadline. He will teach Grant and Ryder every rope that there is to the business and in six months time, he will hand over the operation, sign everything over to Grant. At that point, we will have everything that we need to take him down. But he will only hand over the final piece at the six month mark once you have signed your divorce papers and are free and clear.” His explanation is calm and rational, but I had already worked all of this out for myself. I need to hear the word from him.
“So, you want me to marry Grant and stay with him for six months so you can bring his organisation down?'' I mutter as I feel Ryder go rigid at the side of me. Richard drops his head like he is genuinely ashamed he’s even asking me. He looks over at his son and at our joined hands with a sadness in his eyes before his gaze captures mine. He looks at me with confidence, like he is asking me to do that because he knows that I can. My heart is racing when he speaks.
“Yes, that is what I am asking you to do.”
Well, fuck me!
To be continued...
