Resurrect My Heart

…SLATER POV…

Staring at Kage, still burning white-hot with fury, it brings back all those nights. Nights when I was so angry at him, and myself for the part we both played in chasing Avy away. The plan never was to get her to leave town, we were trying to teach her a lesson for playing us all.

But Kage had a temper, and he felt betrayed.

There was no way that he was going to let Avy make him look like a fool. So he pushed her as far as he could, so far that she eventually left.

And it broke me.

It splintered my heart into so many goddamn pieces, I could not find anything that would put it back together again.

But now, she is back.

And all those feelings, those emotions, they have been pulled from the grave that has been my heart.

I know I should not.

But I feel alive again for the first time in years.

Though this thing with Kage and Niko, I need them to stop because if they don't, it will push Avy away again. Yes, I am the last one that approves of what Kage did to get her here, but she is here now and I cannot, and I will not let her go.

So as I wait for Kage to down yet another beer, I choose my words very wisely, "You and Niko, if you want Avy back, fighting over her like this, it is not going to bring her back for good."

Staring at me for one moment that feels way too long, he finally clears his voice, "I need for all of you to understand that I brought her back for me. Not for you. Not for Niko."

Just hearing him say those words makes me want to burst out laughing. Does he really think that Avy is going to choose between us this time?

Though I wish she would.

She simply won't.

I hate to even think of the possibility of her choosing this Liam guy.

Yet, that is not something that concerns me.

The boy will be out of town faster than he came here.

That the Xavier brothers will make sure of.

But for now…

I need to find Niko because I think he is with Avy.

Making some lame excuse about seeing a girl that I want to hook up with, I get up from the table and head for the last place I saw Niko disappear.

The back door.

Standing there, ready to turn that knob, I take a deep breath. My heart can simply not take the sight of Avy in Niko's arms. For Niko it has always been a game, Avy was something he was constantly chasing, hoping to conquer. And when he did, he would leave her for a while, and then start all over again.

They were not like us.

My heart belonged to Avy.

Everything I was, belonged to Avy.

Yet she never belonged to me.

And that fucking hurt.

So as I fling that door open, there they are.

Avy is standing against the wall, and Niko, thank fuck, standing a few steps away. The moment Niko sees me appear through that door, he steps even further away. Looking at Avy for but a glance, I slightly raise my voice, "Kage wants you."

Ya, I know I am lying, but I want her for myself.

Giving her a soft peck on the cheek, he turns and heads straight for me, "She is a bit fragile. You know how Kage upsets her."

I wait for him to disappear down the corridor before I reach out to her, "Come inside, Avy. I will get you a drink. We can sit in the office where you don't need to deal with Kage."

She stares at me hesitantly for but a moment, then under the tears that I know are consuming her, she softly mumbles, "I need to get back to Liam."

I cannot help but chuckle, "Liam? Come on Avy, that boy? Just a few minutes."

There is a smile that turns at the corner of her mouth, a smile that I have not seen in years, and fuck, does it warm my heart. So as I continue to reach out for her hand, she lays her palm gently on mine. The moment her soft skin brushed against mine, that final wall that I built around my heart crumbles.

And as she wraps her hand tight around mine, I am gone.

Everything that belonged to her, becomes hers once again.

Trying not to show the sea of love swimming in my eyes, I pull her toward the closed door of the office. As I take a key from my back pocket, I watch as she raises her eyebrow. What Avy does not know, is that we bought this place a few years after she had left. Partly to get out footing in the town's business but mostly because it reminded us all of her.

But that I won't share with her.

Instead I sit her down on the black leather couch in the corner and move over to pour us both a chilled glass of whiskey. As I hand it to her, my eyes do not leave hers once, and beyond what I can even help myself, I find myself saying the words, "I missed you. Every. Fucking. Day. I missed you."

With her head bowed down, I take a seat next to her. Her breathing hitches. And I watch her tremble. With each strained breath, I know that it is not so much what I said, but more about having me so close next to her.

Barely able to control myself, I take the chilled glass from her hands and place it on the table. With my fingers I draw little circles down her palm, then slowly up her arm. As I draw the path down again, I hear her softly moan.

And with her very next moan, I lift her onto my lap.

"Slater…"

"Yes, Avy…"

"We can't."

But I pretend to hear her not saying it at all. My only desire is to lay my lips on her and remember how good she fucking tastes, but her heart is breaking and I will not take advantage of her. I want her to feel my touch, I want my hands to soothe away her pain.

So as I gently tuck a stray hair behind her ear, I run my fingers over those very lips. Feeling as her rapid breath warms every last passage of my heart. But just as she thinks I am about to kiss her, I draw a line down her cheekbone, trailing my fingers over the nape of her neck.

Crawling my hands over her collarbone, her body starts to react. She throws her head back, waiting, begging for me to kiss her. Yet, I let my fingers linger down to her cleavage.

I feel her body shudder as she trembles my name.

Moving my hands, I follow the contours of her breasts. Threatening to inch my fingers under her top, yet allowing it to linger. Circling her nipples with my thumb, I gently squeeze them.

My own desire is about to lose control, but I am not yet ready to kiss her.

So I step my fingers over every toned muscle of her stomach, feeling as she clenches her thighs. The mere thought of just how wet she must be now, gives away that last of my control. With each inch of breath I take, I allow my hands to slide down her waist. Digging my fingers into her ass, I let her body fall back.

I listen as she gasps.

My own breathing erratic and out of control.

With her body bent back, I twist my tongue around her navel.

"Oh god, I missed you, Slater."

And if that was the only thing holding me back, the last of my restraint snaps.

Dragging my tongue back over her belly, my mouth locks around her nipple. Nipping and biting through the soft fabric of her top, I hear her moans grow louder. With my hands still firmly dug into her ass, I pull her into my growing erection.

This is not what I had planned.

But I have fucking missed her so much.

And as she feels the throbbing between her thighs, she locks those legs around my waist and pulls me down.

Knowing exactly where this is heading next, I pull away, "Not now, Avy." Sliding my tongue under her top, I lash at her nipple, "I want you, but not when…"

She immediately pushes me away, "I am sick and tired of hearing his name."

I look at her in utter shock, "I meant not when you are feeling so down."

She stares at me for a fraction of a second, then feeling somewhat embarrassed she straightens her top and rises from the couch. "I must go. Liam is already so pissed off."

I cannot let her leave this room. Not now. I need more. I need to feel more. Maybe I should tell her the truth. Maybe then she will only be mine. So as I grab her by the hand, I try to pull her closer, "Please, don't go."