~Thor~
I don’t think I will ever get over her words to me. How could I ever have compared her to Katherine? Ava showed me in just one moment that I had what I never had with my ex-fiancé - acceptance. She promised that I would never have to defend who I was to her and that had never been the case in my last serious relationship. From my chosen career path to my tattoos and even the music I listened to, I was constantly fighting for my own sense of identity with Katherine. And combined with the need to prove to her parents that I wasn’t the scum of the Earth just because I was an immigrant with a middle-class background, we had a quite contentious relationship, even with the freaky sex. And yes, there was tons of that. Like any pompous and repressed princess, Katherine was one of the kinkiest women I had ever been with. But our time together still couldn’t hold a candle to Ava. Mm, just thinking about her is making me…
“Dude, what the fuck?” Axel’s exclamation tore me away from my thoughts and made me cripplingly aware of reality. “Did you bring me here under false pretenses or some shit? ‘Cuz I hate to break it you, but I’m taken and am seriously not interested.”
I couldn’t stop the slight blush to my cheeks as I realized how my body had immediately reacted to just the mere thought of Ava. As can clearly be noted by the rising erection in my pants at this very moment, I was addicted to her. Unfortunately, I was showing that perennial sexual desire in front of my colleague and friend.
Axel grunted in disgust and looked away.
“Okay, obviously this is not for you asshole. No need to go questioning my sexual tastes. I’m not interested, no matter how much you want me to be.” I adjusted myself but did nothing else to hide my body’s reaction.
“Gay jokes aside, I’m assuming you heard absolutely none of what I just said. Too busy fantasizing! Could you please leave that to you and your internet service provider?”
I flashed a mischievous grin. “No need for porn, my friend. The real thing is so much sweeter. Especially when it’s coming from Ava.”
The look of disgust that crossed Axel’s face made me crack up with laughter. He knew exactly where I was going because he held up a hand before I could continue.
“I don’t need or want to hear what you do with Ava on your free time. I am, however, happy to hear that you corrected your fuck-up. So, she took you back then, huh?”
I nodded, resting my arm on the back of the couch with my legs spread in a comfortable position. Manspreading to show my masculine dominance if you will. I need to appear as confident and in control as possible There’s no way I’m going to let Axel know that I had to literally beg and plead for her to take me back. Fuck that! He’d just laugh in my fucking face.
“Fuck yeah, she did.”
Axel didn’t appear to buy my act however. With a raised brow and looking at me through narrowed eyes, he asked,
“So, how did you do it?”
Damned if I’m going to tell him the whole truth. So, I didn’t. Instead, I gave him a shortened and slightly skewed version of the truth. Hey, my relationship between Ava is just that. Between her and me. No one else needs to know. You should be happy I’m willing to tell you as much as I am.
“Well, the good news is that I don’t have to see you moping around like a teenage girl anymore.”
“What-the-fuck-ever, Ax!”
“Nope, I spoke too soon!” he laughed at my disgruntled expression. But then his face took a note of seriousness again. “But what about Katherine? Did you let Ava know she’s back in town?”
“What do you mean back in town? She’s never been here before! Even when we were together she refused to come to Boston. There’s no ‘back’. She’s literally here to fuck my life over again. So no, I didn’t tell Ava. Because Katherine is my problem to deal with, and I’ll do whatever it takes to get her out of my life again.”
Axel looked at me thoughtfully, his hands clenched together in front of him as he sat opposite me in the armchair. He had come over early to help me prepare for the get-together we usually hosted a couple times a year for the Edge family. But what we all usually ended up doing was watching the game with some beer and wings.
“I hope this doesn’t come and bite you in the ass.”
While I should have taken his words more deeply into consideration, I was too focused on other things, like my excitement at seeing Ava again today. I had invited her to not only just hangout, but also secretly I wanted her to be impressed by the people I worked with. Eerily like Katherine, Ava and I were from two completely different worlds, but it hadn’t deterred us from wanting to be together. And in fact, we steadily began to realize how much we had in common. Both our similarities and differences existed to create a strong bond that surprised me with the speed at which it had begun to deepen.
Nonetheless, there was a deep seated scar leftover from Katherine. One of my only insecurities, if not the only one. I feared that my occupation and my life paled in comparison to the life Ava led. She was a remarkably successful woman for her age, and while I was proud of the life and career I had cultivated for myself after leaving New York, that did not mean she would be proud to call a tattoo artist her man. Katherine certainly hadn’t.
I was torn from my thoughts by the sound of a knock at the door, one of many more to come. In a span of half an hour, my place was soon full of commotion and excitement. With the passing of beers, wings, and chips, a NCAA basketball game was soon on the screen, and I was waiting anxiously for my woman to make an appearance.
She didn’t disappoint, arriving soon after everyone else. I couldn’t help my amorous gaze as she walked in wearing a tight-fitting skirt and blouse; she was so overdressed, but I was not complaining.
“Damn, baby…I can’t wait until everyone leaves,” I whispered into her ear while bending down to wrap her into my arms. Giving me the same giggle she always did when she was slightly embarrassed, Ava merely buried her cheek into my chest and avoided my gaze. For such a cheeky woman, she certainly has her shy moments.
“Well, you’re looking pretty delectable yourself Mr. Jensen.”
“Ugh, don’t say that,” I said with a severe frown of disgust. “You make me sound like my father.”
At my exaggerated expression, she merely laughed and patted me on the behind while walking further into the apartment. When there was finally a commercial, I walked her around to meet all the Edge tattoo artists and some of my friends. There was no mistaking the swell in my chest as I introduced my woman proudly to everyone in the room. But the looks of shock didn’t go unnoticed.
“Is it because I’m black?” Ava whispered questioningly when we had stepped away.
“No, frankly they’re just a bit taken aback because for as long as I’ve known many of them, I’ve been single. So please don’t think it has anything to do with you.”
She was noticeably relieved, but I could still see the touch of nervousness in the way she plied at her fingers.
“What’s wrong?” I pressed. “Why are you so jumpy?”
With a slight smile, she supplied, “I just- I never thought we’d be doing anything like this, you know? Now it definitely feels more real, and I want your friends to like me. I want them to think we’re good together.”
Taking her shoulders between my large hands, I grabbed her complete attention as I corrected her. “First off, I couldn’t give a fuck what they think about us. We’re together, period. But if it means that much to you, just know that they’ll see in you what I did.”
“A crazy woman?”
Though she was obviously joking, I didn’t deny it. Instead, I nodded my head in confirmation. “Exactly, a sexy-as-hell crazy woman who no one should fuck with because she’s not afraid to take you out. Hell, they all know that’s what I’m attracted to.”
I smiled and listened to her laughter at my off-the-wall statement. She’s so beautiful.
“Okay, whatever you say, thunder boy. I think the game’s back on, and I want some of those wings.”
We piled up on the couch and enjoyed some good ribbing from fans of the opposing team. But more importantly, I watched her. She stood out amongst everyone not only because of what she wore, but because of her boisterous laughter and enigmatic smile. With one arm surrounding her waist so that she pressed up against me, my heart swelled with a feeling I was becoming familiar with while in her presence. Based on the way Ava was so at ease with Axel and the others despite never having met some of them before, some of my previous concerns waned. Ava clearly wasn’t put off by my lifestyle. She didn’t look with disgust at the face piercings or sleeve tattoos. In fact, she seemed to have barely noticed them. To think I thought this woman had a stick up her ass! From the very beginning, I had associated her with Katherine because I had felt threatened by my sudden attraction to her.
“Dude, there’s someone at the door,” Zane announced with his mouth full of chips.
Not knowing who else it could be, I walked toward it curiously. And Axel’s words soon echoed through my mind at the sight before me. Are you fucking kidding me?
As if Katherine weren’t bad enough, I found her standing next to Ruby, both with smug grins spread across their faces. My hold tightened on the door. There is no way in hell I’m letting these two into my apartment with Ava only a few feet away.
“You seem so surprised to see me. Aren’t all Edge employees invited? Or is it just a guys’ night?” Ruby asked cheekily. Her words belied the innocent expression on her face.
“Of course you were invited, Ruby. But I never said you could bring guests,” I said between clenched teeth.
She looked in surprise at the woman standing beside her. “Well, it’s actually quite an interesting story. When Katherine stopped by the parlor, we actually got to talking. And lo and behold, I understand now why you suddenly stopped speaking to me. You were engaged the entire time!” She leaned in and whispered unnecessarily, “I told Katherine here the truth so she can know what a lying cheat you are.”
I looked at her as if she had lost her fucking mind. “Correction, I didn’t fuck you. Maybe it’s time you grew up and got over it. And as it concerns Katherine, I don’t know what the fuck she told you, but I’m pretty sure you got the story wrong.”
Before Ruby could reply, I turned to Katherine and continued my rant, “But you’re right, you both do have something in common. For some reason, neither of you can taking a goddamn hint. Katherine, stay out of my life. And get off my property!”
“Thor? What’s going on? Why are you yelling?”
My back stiffened in dread as I heard Ava’s voice behind me. This cannot be happening. These two are not going to ruin what I have going with Ava.
Apparently, our tirade hadn’t just caught the attention of Ava but everyone else in the living room as well. While I was distracted by the stares, both Katherine and Ruby shoved past me into the apartment with innocent smiles. I already knew my face was beginning to turn red in irritation and suppressed rage. Katherine, of all people, had no right to storm into my life and try to salvage what we had because it was never going to happen. And she was the one that had decided to throw it away in the first place.
Ruby greeted everyone and then sat on Zane’s lap with a flirtatious giggle. The good and taken man that he was, Zane gently stood up and gave her his seat instead. No one could ignore the tension in the room, but only Axel was fully aware of who was standing inside my apartment and how significant a remnant of my past she was.
To my horror, Katherine grabbed my hand and spoke intimately, “Look, I didn’t mean to just show up here, but I needed to see you. Ruby was pretty forthcoming when I told her about our engagement so I figured I’d just come with her. I’m trying here, Thor. I’m trying to become part of your life like you always wanted. Why are you so mad?”
My eyes nearly bugged out of my head at her words. This woman is really as dense as I thought she was.
“Engagement?!” The room yelled in shock.
My eyes turned to Ava pleadingly, and by the look on her face, I could tell she felt thoroughly shocked and humiliated. I had just introduced her as my girl, and now a strange woman had walked into my apartment still claiming to be my fiancé. Fuck, I have to fix this.
“Listen-” I started.
“No, Thor,” Ava suddenly interrupted me. She walked toward Katherine and I with her arms crossed, with the same look on her face as when she doggedly followed me out of the coffee shop. It was stubborn determination, and I knew she had her sights set on me.
~Ava~
What the fuck is going on? Did this woman really just say she was engaged to Thor? Am I losing my mind? When the words left her lips, I felt my mouth go dry, and I was more than floored. My feet felt frozen in place as I tried desperately to process the shit storm that had just entered Thor’s apartment. Everything was going great, so of course something would go wrong.
“What did you just say?” I asked of the mysterious woman that had entered. Standing next to her, of course I felt a bit threatened. She was gorgeous! Her golden, copper colored tresses were in deep waves that sensuously brought attention to her cat-like eyes and high cheek bones. She looked like a dancer, dressed in a white summer dress with strappy heels that added to her already significant height. Though she still didn’t reach Thor in size, she at least made it to his shoulders, which I never would- even in heels.
When she looked at me after my question, she gave me a look of disdain. Through her gaze, I could clearly see her questioning who I was, as if I was the scum of the earth.
“Baby…” I heard Thor begin to speak, moving towards me. But I held up my hand to stop whatever explanation he was going to give. I needed answers, and I wanted them from a different source. Not someone who was going to tell me what I wanted to hear.
“Trick, don’t play with me. What did you just say?”
Miss High and Mighty gasped in shock, holding a hand to her chest as if she had been physically assaulted. “I don’t know who you think you’re speaking to, but I’m Thor’s fiancé, so you better watch what you say.”
So I had heard correctly. “Hm…that’s interesting,” I mused out loud while looking at Thor now. “Because I was just introduced as his girlfriend.”
Our gazes met, and I could see him silently pleading with me. But I didn’t know what to do, or who to believe. Why would a random woman come storming into his apartment claiming to be his fiancé if it wasn’t true, right?
“I am not fucking engaged. This is Katherine, my ex-fiancé; the one I told you about. Baby…” he reached over and took my face between his palms in order to block out the rest of the world. His tone less harsh as he glanced down at me, he said, “When she tried to come back into my life, that’s when I realized how much I wanted you. There is no one else, and I haven’t been with a single other woman since our first night together. Please, believe me…I should’ve told you, but I thought she was out of my life for good.”
I sighed looking into his emerald eyes. “If what you’re telling me is the truth, then she is out of your life for good. Because I don’t share.” My eyes hardened as I looked at the woman still standing in the foyer, pining for Thor’s attention.
“Katherine, you need to leave,” I announced, placing myself between her and Thor.
“Who the hell are you to tell me to leave?” She looked around her as if someone was going to stand up for her being there. But no one seemed willing to come to her aide, instead preferring to stare with apt curiosity at the spectacle we were creating.
I took one step toward her threateningly while Thor held onto my hand, holding me back. “Are you deaf? I’m his girlfriend. It’s time for you to leave.” I enunciated every syllable since she seemed incapable of comprehending my words.
She started to turn red in her cheeks, sizing me up as she came to terms with what was going on. With her hand on her hip, she sucked her teeth and looked at Thor knowingly. “Are you serious? You’re going to choose her over me?”
“As a matter of fact, I already did. You were never even a choice Katherine. There is nothing that I would ever want to renew with you. We are over; we were over the moment you chose your family’s money over me. But you know something,” Thor pulled me closer to his chest, holding me close, “you not showing up was a blessing in disguise. Because then I wouldn’t be with Ava, and there really is no competition between the two of you.”
“Is that enough yet? Are you ready to leave now?” I challenged her. “Because I’d be more than happy to see you out, voluntarily or not.”
Glaring at the both of us, Katherine tried to save face in front of our audience by clearing her throat and adding, “Don’t you dare put your hands on me. I’m done with you Thor. Choose your ghetto-”
Knowing exactly the racist direction she was going, I took another threatening step toward her with my fists clenched, but before I could even open my mouth, Thor pulled me behind him protectively. Taking my place, he bent down until he was a mere few inches away from her. In the darkest voice I’d ever heard from him, he gritted out menacingly,
“I’d stop there if I were you. And see your ass out of my home.”
Scoffing again to hide her embarrassment, Katherine sent us one last glare before yanking open the front door.
“Don’t let the door hit you in that flat ass on your way out,” I was able to get out with laughter before she slammed it behind her. And as if they had actually been watching a show, there was a round of applause from those sitting in the living room; Axel being one of the most vocal participants. They drowned out the noise from the basketball game and cheered for us instead.
If only they knew, I am far from done. I turned around to face Thor and crossed my arms against my chest. “Get rid of Rose or whatever the hell her name is, and then see me in the back.” The way Thor had defended me and fought for us in those few moments, had relieved some of my doubts about his feelings for me. Katherine was the woman who had such a hold on him, she had prevented him from seeking out new relationships. But Thor was ready now; he had willingly let her go, choosing me instead, even though she had been practically flinging herself at him.
I almost chuckled at the Oh-shit expression on his face after my order. While I wish he had told me Katherine was still an annoying pest in his life, I was more certain than ever now that what we had could survive. Because I don’t start shit for just anyone, just my man! And Thor obviously had my back too.