Criminal Affinity [18+]

Chapter 77

"Who is it?" Ivan asks, audible unhappy with the interruption.

There is a beat of silence before they hear, "It's me."

Lily. Ivan moves to the door and opens it wide for Lily to walk in. Ava is stunned at the controlled movements and the concealment of panic from Ivan. Lily sends Ivan a curt nod before moving to Ava.

"Did someone see you?" Ivan asks before Lily can get a word out, eyes trailing her.

"Of course not." Lily says, eyes fixed on Ava. "Are you okay?"

Ava blinks at her sister before sending her a shaky nod. Lily's brows crease and she looks back to Ivan as if he's a culprit, but something else snags her attention.

Ava can almost hear the wheels turning in Lily's head. The flowers. The wine. Ivan's discarded clothes.

Ava watches as Lily's face turns red enough to pass for a tomato. "Oh."

A laugh gets stuck in Ava's throat, relaxing the tension crowding her shoulders.

"I'm sorry for interrupting." Lily says, bowing her head. "I'll go."

Ava's hand darts out to stop her. When Lily's eyes find her again, Ava is surprised to see sadness in them—longing and something else. Ava has no idea what could be causing that. "No. Stay."

"Actually—" Ivan starts but Ava narrows her eyes at him. Ivan rolls his eyes at her. He's getting way too comfortable with that. 

"Is something wrong?" Ava asks Lily, pulling her closer. At this proximity, Ava can truly see how similar Lily looks to Dale, and the thought sours her mouth faster than Ava expected.

But Lily is nothing like him. Lily is Ava's sister, their mother's daughter. And in her perusal, Ava doesn't miss the purple exhaustion lining her eyes, the cracked lips. Ava's grip tightens on her sister out of instinct. 

"Yes." Lily says gravely. She swallows before turning to Ivan. "We need to talk about something."

Ivan busies himself by getting fresh clothes. "Then talk."

"Stop being rude, Ivan." Ava says, pulling Lily onto the bed beside her. 

Ivan stops in his tracks and turns to look at her, Lily's back to him, and he proceeds to do the most unnecessary, devilish thing.

He sticks up the two fingers that were on her moments ago...and sucks them into his mouth. Ava's mouth falls open, and she knows she should look away, but she watches as he tastes her on his fingers and licks his lips.

By the time Lily notices Ava's face and turns back to look, he goes into the bathroom. Lily just shakes her head as if she knows exactly what he is capable of. She gets a hold of herself and turns her attention back to her sister, who looks like she hasn't slept in a week. 

"I missed you," Ava says before she can change her mind.

Surprise flashes in Lily's eyes before a devastating smile breaks onto her face, altering it. Ava realizes with a pang in her chest that it's their mother's smile. "I missed you, too."

"It got lonely here today," Ava goes on. "I don't really have much to do."

Lily's mouth presses into a line. "I understand. I want to keep you close, but you know the risks. My friends keep watch of you when Ivan and I are busy. It's the safest for now."

Ava nods against her will. Ivan returns, stretching out his towering frame next to them on the mattress with a yawn. Ava's eyes don't miss the fatigue in his eyes as they climb to hers.

"I'm going to get straight to it." Lily says, spinning her body to Ivan's. "We need to contact her."

Ivan's piercing gaze veers to her sister, trapping Lily in place. His entire demeanour shifts, muscles stiffening and the color in his face disappearing rapidly.

"No," Ivan says, voice deeper than before.

"Yes." Lily stresses. "We need her help."

"I didn't give her freedom only to rip it from her so quickly. You know her wishes. She wants to remain ghost." Ivan says firmly.

"I know, Ivie, but we could use any help. This is high-risk. You know she will never turn you down." Lily reasons. Ava remains quiet even though curiosity bites at her gut.

Who is this she?

"That is exactly why contacting her is a bad idea. Even a phone call is a threat. You know the sort of risks she would have to take. That will jeopardize the safety and privacy she has worked hard to create." Ivan says.

"She's the best bet we have of locating Ivak. She's the best we know." Lily says. "All I'm asking is to think about it. The longer we are here, the more we threaten this false sense of peace. It won't last forever."

The tautness around Ivan's lips increases, eyes dark and menacing as he stares at Lily. She remains unbothered under the pressure of his gaze. After a moment of unbearable silence, Ivan says, "I will think about it."

A loud breath of relief escapes from Lily and she surges to her feet. "That's all. Think about it and let me know by tomorrow morning."

"That's not nearly enough time—"

"We don't have time, Ivan. Hurry it up. Or I will have to contact her myself." Lily says sharply.

Ivan tilts his jaw, rising to a sitting position. "You will do no such thing. I won't let you risk her life without planning it."

Lily's jaw snaps up and Ava sees nothing but cold calculation in her eyes. The agent, the woman that gets the job done. "Then plan it, boss. I won't let you risk your life or my sister's either."

With that, Lily stalks out of the room without making a single sound. Ava opens her mouth to call out after her, ask her to stay for a while, but with the threats around them she knows better. Ava's eyes find Ivan as she lays down next to him, shrugging out of her clothes as his gaze stays fixed on the cracking ceiling.

Without another word, she reaches out to dim the lights and curls into his side.

"Sleep on it." Ava tells him, back pressed against Ivan's rigid body. "You will know your answer in the morning."

Ivan doesn't respond and Ava begins to slip away, lulled by the warm radiating from the man behind her. She's partially aware of him shifting, turning towards her and encasing her in more delicious heat.

"She's overworked. So are you. You two need a vacation somewhere far away." Ava mumbles, well aware that it's sleep that's making her tongue loose. She couldn't care less about what she's saying with death looming at all times.

She lets out a sigh just as she's about to fall asleep. A kiss lands on the side of her cheek. "You told me once that you only decided to remain with us because of your sister. You said she was the only reason why you would never leave."

Ava blinks open her sleepy eyes, staring into the dark expanse of the room. Those are not the words she expected from him.

"Is she still the only reason why you're here?"

Ava begins to turn her body, shifting to face him. Ivan's arms stay around her, freely drawing her closer until their breaths mingle.

She closes her eyes again, and this time sleep comes brutal and swift, just after she releases the word that changes everything.

"No."