Knocking her off the Pedestal

"When you said you were coming, I didn't expect you to come at nine in the morning," Ava said when she saw Matthew standing just outside of her door. She moved to her left, giving him access to the house.

"The house needed a little renovation but it's not cold and still livable." She said as Matthew took his first step inside. When he called her last night, she didn't expect him to actually come here this early when she was still trying to clean and arrange the whole house.

After a night of staying in the old house, she realized that it needed a little work. Luckily, the electricity from a solar generator was still alright. All she needed for now is to chop enough wood to make herself comfortable.

"It's…"

"Small?" she snorted when Matthew started walking towards the living room. "It's not as big as your mansion."

"I was about to say cozy," Matthew responded. Just like the other day, he wasn't wearing his suit but a dark blue sweater under a long black coat that she hung by the door when he just walked in.

"Cozy, yes." Ava nodded. "You got the files?" she eyed the folder in Matthew's hand.

"How about offering me something to drink?" he walked towards the small bookshelf just near the fireplace and started scanning the books.

"Oh… I— I don't have coffee… just some dried herbs that we can use for tea."

"Tea is perfect."

Ava shrugged and went towards the kitchen. After a few minutes, she walked into the living room and found Matthew sitting in the rocking chair just by the fireplace. He had a book in his hand.

"The Vampire Lestat," she put the tea nearby. "You read about them?"

Matthew smiled. "My mother used to."

"Oh…"

"Good stuff."

She nodded. Though, she isn't going to tell him that those were her books and not Gabriella's.

"Shall we call Mr. Calida from outside for some— "

"I came here alone." Matthew interrupted her words.

"Oh?"

"I hate driving alone."

"I remember that." The first meeting was him almost running her over. "But you are here."

"I came to apologize."

"Apologize?" So, he didn't just come here to give her the files about the dead witches and Gabriella?

Matthew closed the book and placed it next to the tea. Then he eyed the fire as it crackled under his gaze.

"I apologize for what happened yesterday Ava. It was my fault. I shouldn't have invited you without preparations."

"Preparations?" she chuckled. What is he getting at? "You are making it sound like I am someone special."

He pursed his lips in response. To her surprise, Matthew got up and strode towards her. He reached her in two steps. She tried to take a step back but was unable to move when his arm wrapped around his waist. Her body arched against him.

"What— " The already small space immediately felt smaller with him so close to her.

"You are special." Matthew stared at her green eyes as his hand slowly traced the loose neckline of her sweatshirt. "Don't doubt that."

Staring into his silver-gray eyes, Ava couldn't hide the excitement that tingled through her veins. A single touch made her nipples harden, her core tightened.

Did her body really just respond to his touch? Was this because she hasn't fucked someone since she left Alaska?

He leaned until his face reached the side of her temple. Then he inhaled her scent, causing tremors down her body.

"I missed you." His voice was dark, low, and husky, it almost felt like a growl.

She sucked in a quick breath just as his smell started to envelop her senses. Her cheeks flared red. This is bad, she thought.

"You should not stop doing that, Matthew." She managed to say.

"Doing what?" he tilted his head as if what she said was new to him.

"This… " Being too close, touching her and having her body respond to him.

Clearly, she was lusting towards the Lycan.

Her brain told her it was wrong.

Damn.

She knew it was wrong.

Everything about this attraction was wrong.

"Don't you like it?" he smiled a slow and decadently beautiful smile.

She liked it and he knew it. She was almost certain he could smell her arousal. That the man could feel the anticipation coursing through her blood.

"I presume the witches must have warned you about me, Ava."

"And?"

"And you still invited me inside your house. Do you understand the possible consequences of what you did?"

That was true. Matthew called her after Patricia left. He asked her if he could come. At that time, he asked for her permission.

The man just made her choose.

She could have said no. She could have met him in his office or his mansion.

But she welcomed him into her house.

"About my mother. I want to see the files."

He studied her face for a few seconds before he let her waist go. She felt the fire inside her body freeze. She gave him a complicated look.

"It was done by a human who had connections to the witches." Matthew's declaration was enough to knock her off her pedestal. That's right.

She had a murder and a disappearance to solve.

Damn it!

"What makes you say that?"

"I'm sure you already know this. But the information had been hidden, stolen and some people died just to hide the information about the deaths of those people. No media attention was garnered either."

Yes, she sat across from him and opened the envelope that was on the table.

Just like the one that they have, the folder was filled with images of the murder scene. Body parts, bruises, the severed head of the victim.

Next was the profiles of each victim and some images of what looked like CCTV footage she hadn't seen before.

"This— " She couldn't say anything when she saw the possible lists of suspects that Matthew came up with.

"Those men are possible suspects. All of them have connections with witches. Their files aren't complete but it's still better than nothing."

She nodded in agreement.

She stopped checking the rest of the files when she saw a familiar name.

"Philip Woods?" she looked at Matthew, confused.

"Yes. Your brother. We suspect he was the one who killed your mother." Matthew confirmed.

....

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