"Argh!" Ava screamed in frustration before storming out of the car.
Her eyes landed on one of her little cousin's bicycles. Without a second thought—completely ignoring its tiny size and bright pink color—she hopped on. Helmet? Who cares?
She pedaled furiously, speeding out of her family's estate like a bat out of the darkest cave one had ever seen.
Meanwhile, back at the breakfast table, Layla sat, sipping her coffee, suddenly realizing Ava still hadn't come back.
When Ava finally reached Ace's family's new estate, she froze. The entire property was barricaded. And not by the local cops. These were her mom's guys—dark suits, stoic expressions, the type that followed her mother around, ready to snap to attention at a moment's notice.
Ava planned to just charge through, but as soon as she neared the barricade, the suits reacted with an inhumane reflex. Before she knew it, she was face down in the dirt, arms pinned behind her back, tasting mud.