Unseen Scene — 'It's Time….' (Ava POV)

So this is one of those scenes I had in the plan for Book Three but cut out because of it not really fitting in! But I've been desperate to write for soooo long, and I just couldn't wait anymore, lol.

It's after everything happens at the auction, and the love interest finds out either Bobby or Douglas (Bobby in this case) kind of ruined their plan and got the MC captured, and before all the intensity that comes in the later major love interest scene.

_ _ _

Ava sits in the armchair of the living room, seething.

She tries not to let it show. She keeps as much of her well-practiced stoic mask plastered on her face, even though she’s the only one in the room.

But her hands grip the arms of the chair so tightly that the material creaks as it threatens to tear beneath her force.

“How are you doing?”

Ava flinches, whipping her head around to spy Nat in the doorway, offering an uncertain smile.

The team leader turns back around to stare into the empty fireplace, wondering if her anger alone might be enough to ignite it.

“I am fine.”

Nat steps in closer, her smile turning annoyingly knowing. “Because your body language just screams that you’re fine.”

Ava’s brows cut downwards. “I have no right to be anything but fine.”

There’s a moment of quiet before Nat sighs and sits on the sofa opposite Ava. “That’s true. But our feelings rarely react as they should do. Hearing that Bobby—”

Ava pushes herself out of the chair with a soft growl. “[Name]’s previous love life, as well as their current one, is not something I wish to interfere with.”

Nat snorts, gaining a glare from the team leader.

“Sorry,” Nat mumbles out before leaning back in her chair, balancing one ankle on her other knee. “When we care for people—”

“I—”

Nat holds up a finger. “Don’t lie to me right now and say you don’t care for [Name]. Don’t you dare.”

The team leader rolls her lips shut and turns to stare out of the window.

“When we care for people,” Nat continues, pausing to see if she’s interrupted yet again. When she isn’t, she continues, “It can be hard to hear of others in their lives. Knowing they’ve had a place in their heart when we don’t know if we do.”

Ava rubs at her chin. “It is not the issue that [Name] was once with the reporter. It is that, even with the connection they once had, that the reporter would use their bond and endanger [Name].” The fury returns, burning in her chest until she has to intake a deep breath to stifle it before it burns through her entire system.

Nat nods and sighs. “That was a pretty asshole move.”

“That reporter’s stalking was the reason [Name] got caught and put through all of what occurred.” Ava throws out an arm. “That they had to suffer once again. How can someone who supposedly cared for [Name] cause them such harm?”

“Bobby didn’t know that was going to happen,” Nat replies, folding her hands in her lap. “And Bobby suffered the consequences of that choice”

Ava scoffs and turns away. “Not enough.”

There’s a slight creak as Nat stands from her chair and paces to Ava’s side, resting a hand on her shoulder. “I hate to be the one to say this…but you’re hurting [Name] just as badly as the reporter.”

Shock slices through Ava, but the pain of it radiates with a guilt she is familiar with by now. “I…”

“You are going to have to make a choice. And you are going to have to make it soon,” Nat states, her hand falling back to her side, but a soft smile on her lips in some attempt to cushion the pounding blow of her words. “You either keep offering [Name] hope of something they will never be able to have because you can’t offer it. Or, you tell them how you feel. You both try to let yourselves give into what is obvious between you both.”

The guilt continues to pool through Ava, stinging and gnawing inside of her.

“It’s time, Ava,” Nat says. “Make a decision.”

She steps out of the room, closing the door silently behind her and leaving Ava to her solitude.

Ava continues to stare through the window.

Outside, the world is falling into quiet shadow. The moon is a whisper of a halo in the inky sky, stars winking into existence around it. There’s so much peace, serenity, up there. Whereas all Ava feels is turmoil.

How can being in love with someone cause such joy and heartache all at the same time?

And why does Nat always have to be right?