CHAPTER 87: VULNERABLE

That same afternoon and a little earlier, after Rocky hung up the phone with Shelby, he was pumped up and all hyper.

But that was typical of Rocky; anything to do with Ava made his blood pump up high. He had adored his sister’s best friend from childhood, and that adoration had grown to be something else in his heart. He knew that Ava only regarded him as a younger brother, but Rocky secretly harboured the thoughts and wishes that this would change. ’If only wishes could be made tangible in any way....’ He thought.

"Sis never asks me for favours, so something might be up. She sounded worried on the phone too, I wonder what’s up..." he muttered gravely to himself.

"Hey Rocky! Are you coming or not!" One of his friends shouted at him. They had just completed a lecture and were on their way for a quick bite.

"I’ve got to take a rain check on this one. Something came up that I have to take care of real quick. You guys go on without me."

He did not wait for their response nor reaction and just took off.

Rocky dialled Ava’s number only to hear it ring to the end. After several unanswered calls, his frown got more pronounced, and he hastened his pace to her home, flagging down a taxi for the short ride. Rocky had made it his business to understand Ava in and out. He had even been the one to help her move her scanty belongings to her new home. Rocky had initially started to head to the new address, but then,

’If sis is worried about her, then it will probably be about her brother.’ He thought and gave the driver the address of her old home.

When he approached Ava’s familiar neighbourhood and her former home, the signs of trouble and chaos made his heart skip a beat.

He rushed in only into the opened door without hesitation. Rocky vaguely registered the figure of Marvin fleeing from a side door but paid him no heed.

Marvin, on the other hand had just about gotten himself out of the compound when he saw Rocky. He turned back swiftly and flattened himself by the side of their house. His movements were slow and awkward, so he thought that he had not been seen. Marvin swiftly dodged through their side door and was out running as fast as his injured body could help him.

He only ran a short distance and found an alley to hide in. He held his chest as bouts of pain shot through it. "Those thugs are ruthless! They nearly killed me because of that money. It wasn’t even much." He said and sat on the bare grass, holding up his head in his palms.

"Ava is going to be okay. They just want to have sex and nothing else. I will apologize to her later!"

He mumbled to himself as if reasoning that his decision had been right. However, he had forgotten that those men had a sinister reputation with their clients and women.

Sigh!

"I have to find a new supplier now!" He thought deeply about his new dilemma. His sister was already long forgotten.

Back in the house, Rocky stepped in hurriedly, ’I hope she is okay!’

His eyes took in the scene, spotting Ava immediately as well as one very thick man on his sides, clutching his valuables with bloody-looking hands and looking to be in pain. He saw another burly man lunging for her from the opposite and dashed towards him, intercepting him before he got to her. Rocky kicked the man so hard that he went flying. He then finished off the other two before turning to her.

"Ava, are you okay?" He studied her intently, noting that she was alright, which calmed him down. He had just been scared of his life by the scene he had come across. She just kept wiping her mouth. She looked surprised to see him, but deep within, he could see that she was trying hard to mask her fear.

Then, he felt an immense pain in his back. Disregarding the pain, he felt his anger swell like a molten lava. Rocky was a tall and lanky young man. It was even seemingly surprising that he could knock down the men. However, only those who had received the punch and kicks could attest to it. He turned and kicked the man so hard this time without holding back. In his anger, he was about to follow him to finish him off when he heard, "Boss! We are sorry!"

"Is he damaged in the head or what? Who is his boss?" Rocky grumbled, annoyance getting mixed with his anger, but then,

"Boss?" Ava looked at him with narrowed eyes and unconsciously took a small step back.

"Why are they calling you their boss?"

Ava asked with a suspicious gaze.

"How am I supposed to know what those nuts are thinking?"

Ava stood up to her full height and looked square in the eyes. She didn’t have to stretch much as their height difference was not too obvious. Her 5ft8 vs his 6ft. She asked sternly, like a big sister reprimanding her younger brother, "Are you into drugs and thugs now?"

Just as suddenly, she thought, ’Him? Pffftttt! No way!’

Rocky smiled at her, making the mood turn awkward and hugged her suddenly.

"I’m glad you are okay, Ava!"

Stunned, she tried, to no avail to push him away, but Rocky’s appearance was deceptive and he had more strength under seemingly no muscles.

"What are you doing?"

Rocky refused to let go and tightened his hold until she calmed down in his arms.

"At least let me go wash my mouth of this disgusting residue!"

"Residue?"

Rocky loosened his hold and took a step back, wondering what she meant. Ava took off to the bathroom and emptied the whole tube of toothpaste in her mouth, wishing she could scrub it off. Even though she wished to, she didn’t take too long in there. She started rummaging through the drawers until she found what she sought.

It took Rocky a while before he pieced two and two together. He winced. His hand automatically went down to cover his valuables, ’So that is why he was writing on the floor like that? Will he even be okay?’ he thought, judging from the bleeding but then a bright smile crossed his features.

"Ava is so wild! At least she can take care of herself! That brother of hers is so dead if I catch him."

"Stop with the nonsense and sit down!"

Rocky turned to her, trying to figure out what she was thinking and her mood as she walked towards him from the bathroom. He did not bother with her tone and finally sat down on the floor after confirming that she was somewhat okay. He was used to her, and he even liked it when she ordered him around.

He still kept an eye out for her because what she had gone through was traumatic for any person. However, Ava still put up a brave front, so he went along with it. It was only the slight shaking of her hand that gave away her underlying emotions.

"Take off your shirt!"

"Oh my! I didn’t know you wanted to see me naked?"

"Do you want to face a beating on top of that injury?"

"This injury is nothing! I’ll take care of it when I return."

She slapped his shoulder, and he kept mute. Ava felt guilty. ’He got hurt because of me! I should treat him better. Or else Shelby will have my head!’

She bit her lips as she waited for him.

"Are you taking it off, or do you want me to do that for you?" She asked sternly.

"I wouldn’t mind if you do that..."

"What did you say?"

"Nothing!"

Rocky gingerly took off his shirt, grimacing as he did that.

Ava set down the first aid box she had found. Even though it had a few items, it was enough for cleaning and disinfecting a wound.

She turned back to him, and her hand paused briefly. She studied the lean body that had been trained to perfection, marvelling at it and closed her eyes.

’Stupid girl!’

She concentrated on the wound and slowly cleaned it up.

"Aww! Aww! Aww!"

"Don’t be such a baby! It’s not as big and deep as I thought."

She let out a sigh of relief.

She took her time and cleaned it until she was satisfied. Then Ava covered it with a large patch of clean cloth, winding it around him in the front and securing it in a semi-tight knot on his shoulder.

"You need to go to the hospital for them to re-check it!"

"I-"

"I won’t hear any excuses about this!"

"Yes, ma’am!"

Ava glared at him.

"....and not a word about this to Shelby!" Ava never bothered to ask why he had come there at that time because she somehow knew that it must have been Shelby.

’I should’ve been more careful answering that call! But I am glad that she did this, or else I would have been in deep trouble.’

Rocky made a gesture of zipping his mouth. Satisfied, Ava closed the first aid box and re-entered the bathroom with it.

Rocky stared at the closed door and decided not to intrude. He started picking out and arranging a few things in the room. He found a small jar and gathered as much of the ashes spilt as he could and tightly closed it.

’What’s taking her so long?’

He walked towards the door and was about to knock, but the quiet periodic sniffling from in there shocked him.

’Ava! Crying?’ Those two words did not mingle in any way. In all of his life, he had seen Ava as some sort of badass woman and never one who would succumb to tears. Seeing her vulnerable side did not sit well with him at all. It made him slightly uncomfortable.

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