My Ex-Husband Begged Me to Take Him Back - Chapter 150

Chapter 150: Is this how you planned to torture me?
When Ava finally came out of the bathroom after a bath, she saw Dylan standing by the window, his phone pressed to his ear. He was engrossed in a conversation, his deep voice barely audible. Ava paused and watched him, trying to catch a word, but the murmurs were too low to decipher. But she realized he was speaking with Justin.

“I’ll be there,” Dylan finally said, his tone firm, before ending the call. He turned around and his gaze immediately locked onto Ava. His body stiffened as his eyes traveled down her figure.

Ava’s towel clung to her damp skin, accentuating her delicate frame. Her wet hair cascaded over her shoulders. Droplets of water traced their way down her collarbone, disappearing beneath the towel. She looked like a fresh rose covered with morning dew drops.

Dylan’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed hard, completely entranced. The world outside ceased to exist; the meeting he had just discussed with Justin was forgotten. All he could focus on was her, standing there, looking absolutely breathtaking.

His feet moved instinctively, closing the distance between them.

Ava noticed the intensity in his gaze and felt a sudden flush of warmth rise to her cheeks. ‘Why is he looking at me like that?’ she thought, flustered. She turned quickly, heading toward the closet, but Dylan stood in front of her. Startled, she stepped back, her heel slipping on the smooth floor.

“Ah!” she yelped, her hands flailing in panic, trying to grasp anything to regain her balance.

Dylan’s reflexes were swift. In one fluid motion, he reached out and caught her, pulling her firmly against his chest. Ava’s heart pounded wildly as she clung to him, her palms flat against his chest.

“Careful,” he murmured.

Ava’s breath caught as she looked up, finding his face mere inches from hers. His gaze was no longer just admiring—it was magnetic, filled with something deeper, something that made her stomach flutter and her mind race.

“You’re quite bold this morning,” Dylan teased, a smirk playing on his lips. “Are you trying to seduce me?”

The flicker of gratitude Ava felt for his quick save evaporated in an instant. Her embarrassment morphed into irritation. She wished to wipe that smug look from his face. “Seducing you?” she snapped, wriggling out of his hold. “Don’t flatter yourself. I was just trying to get dressed, and you—” she jabbed a finger at his chest, “decided to block my way and act like a complete—”

“Is that so?” Dylan interrupted, a glint of challenge in his eyes. He stepped toward her, cornering her to the edge of the room.

Ava stepped back instinctively, but Dylan advanced, his movements slow and deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. She retreated until her back pressed against the cool wall beside the bathroom door. The sudden collision forced a gasp from her lips.

Before she could sidestep or protest, Dylan planted his hands on either side of her, boxing her in. His towering frame loomed over her.

“Since you’ve accused me,” he murmured, “maybe I should live up to it. I’d like to explore you a bit.” His face hovered dangerously close, his breath warm against her skin. His eyes, dark and smoldering, bore into hers with an intensity that left her rooted in place.

Ava’s lips parted in an attempt to speak, but no words came out. Dylan tilted his head, his lips brushing hers lightly. Her knees threatened to buckle under the weight of the moment, her body caught in a whirlwind of tension and unspoken desire.

Ava’s hands instinctively pressed against Dylan’s chest, her fingers trembling slightly as she tried to put some distance between them.

“Aren’t you supposed to go out?” She forced herself to speak, her voice quivering. She hoped her question would remind him of the serious conversation he had just had on the phone. Her breath quickened as she waited for his reply.

For a fleeting second, Dylan’s expression wavered, the seriousness of his conversation with Justing flickering back into his mind. But then, his smirk returned. “Were you eavesdropping on me?”

“N-No, I just… heard.” Her words faltered as his gaze seemed to pierce through her defenses.

Dylan’s fingers grazed her bare shoulder, tracing a deliberate path down her arm. His touch sent shivers racing across her skin, her body betraying her even as her mind screamed for restraint. “I can abandon everything,” he murmured as he leaned closer.

Ava’s stomach churned with a mix of nerves and something she hadn’t felt lately – something she had buried deep. Her body tensed, her heart hammering in her chest as his breath brushed against her ear.

“Ava…” he whispered her name with a tenderness that made her pulse stutter. “It’s been too long… I can’t hold back anymore.”

Her toes curled involuntarily, goosebumps rising across her skin as every nerve in her body reacted to his nearness. His fingers tilted her chin, gently lifting her face to meet his gaze. His eyes, dark and smoldering, searched hers.

“I know you want this.” His lips hovered just above hers. “I can feel it.”

Ava clasped the towel on the sides, her mind caught in a whirlwind of emotions. She couldn’t deny the pull between them, but her resolve fought desperately against the tide. She swallowed hard, trying to summon her voice.

“Stop it, Dylan,” she managed, putting much force against his chest and stopping his advances. “I can’t do this. We’re divorced now.”

Her words were like a cold gust, creating a space between them. Ava ducked under his arm and bolted toward the closet.

Once inside, she shut the door firmly behind her, leaning against it for support. Her chest heaved as she drew in deep breaths, her hand clutching her breastbone as if to steady the frantic rhythm of her heart.

“Why am I so restless?” she muttered under her breath.

Meanwhile, Dylan stood motionless in the middle of the room, his head bowed, his hand raking through his disheveled hair. “Is this how you planned to torture me?” A sigh escaped him, heavy with a mixture of longing and frustration. “I need to take a cold shower.”

He slipped into the bathroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~

When Dylan finally stepped into his office, his expression was taut with suppressed frustration. Justin was already waiting, his face etched with a mix of tension and guilt. He didn’t waste time, quickly placing a folder on the desk as soon as Dylan settled in his seat.

“These are the details of that man,” Justin began grimly. “He was a member of the local gang we dismantled. When the cops raided their hideouts and arrested the rest of his crew, he managed to slip through. He’d been in hiding ever since—until someone contacted him.”

Dylan flipped open the folder. A series of photographs lay before him, each one more gruesome than the last. The man’s lifeless body sprawled in a pool of blood.

Dylan’s nostrils flared as rage bubbled beneath the surface. This was the one man who could have led them to the mastermind behind Ava’s kidnapping. Now, he was dead, and they were back to square one.

“We tried tracing the phone number he was in contact with, but it’s inactive now,” Justin continued. “It was registered with a fake ID. We’re working on tracking down a prisoner he was communicating with—he might be the only lead we have left.”