**Rowan** I stood in the shadows, my eyes fixed on the policeman who had come to Ava's rescue, leading her away with an intimacy that made my blood boil. Can you believe it? He was holding her hand. Did he really think that was necessary? A surge of unfamiliar jealousy coursed through me. It was ridiculous; I had no reason to care about the bond forming between them. Ava was merely my ex-wife. So why did the sight of them together make my fists clench tightly, the urge to lash out welling up inside me? “Are you okay?” Emma's soft voice broke through my turbulent thoughts, and I turned to find her concerned gaze locked onto mine. Her beautiful face, framed by cascading hair, brought me back to the moment. *She’s the one I want*, I reminded myself. Not Ava. This is what I had to keep telling myself. “Yeah, I am,” I replied, forcing a smile. Emma mirrored it, her expression warm and inviting, pulling me into a nostalgic reverie of our time together. Moments later, Ava returned alongside the cop. Laughter danced in the air as she eased into something he had said, her demeanor light and carefree. It was an unsettling sight. Gone was the tension I had felt; instead, frustration clawed at me once more. Why did it sting to see her at peace with another man? I had never truly cared for her before today, so what was this sudden urge swelling up inside me to confront Ethan? “Aren't you going to say hi to us?” Travis, her brother, asked, hanging back with a look of surprise. He had set aside his gun, his earmuffs discarded. Gabe, standing beside me, mirrored Travis's stance with his own bemused expression. Despite us being twins, looking at us side by side, you'd never know we shared the same blood. Ava shot her brother a withering glance, her earlier warmth evaporated as quickly as it had come. “No, there’s no need for that,” she replied coolly, her tone void of affection. “Last time I checked, we’re family, Ava,” Travis said, a hint of irritation lacing his voice. “Family?” she scoffed, her words laced with bitterness. “You mean the family that consistently overlooked me? Rowan had his one true love, and Gabriel never wanted me as a sister-in-law. Why should I bother with pleasantries when the woman you all preferred is right next to you?” Her statement hung heavy in the air, leaving us all at a loss for words as she walked away. Ava was right; we had done little to embrace her, even when she reached out to us. “You’re being such a bitch,” Emma snapped, her temper flaring. “Is it so wrong that your brother wants to hear from you?” Ava let out a sharp, cold laugh—one I had never encountered before. “Thanks for the compliment, Emma. If they all think I’m a bitch, I might as well live up to their expectations. It’s quite invigorating, really.” Emma opened her mouth to respond, but Ava cut her off. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to distance myself from all your drama before it scares Ethan away.” Taking Ethan’s hand, she walked off without a backward glance, leaving us jaw-dropped. So, the cop's name was Ethan? I jotted that down mentally; something about him rubbed me the wrong way. As they reached a booth where Ethan began guiding her through what I assumed was the protocol we had gone through, frustration bubbled inside me again, as I pulled away from that scene to focus on the others. “What the hell just happened?” Travis asked, bewildered. Gabe smirked, clearly entertained. “Looks like Ava finally grew some backbone.” His enjoyment felt out of place amidst our dismay. “Let’s just finish what we came here to do and get out,” Emma huffed, giving Ava one last disgusted look before pulling me away. Both Gabe and I were already licensed gun holders, but today was about support for Emma. Gabe wanted to practice target shooting, and I figured it would be a good way to spend time together. But before long, I found myself distracted. Damn it! I should have been keeping my eyes on Emma, yet my focus darted back toward Ava and the cop, helpless to resist. My gaze tracked every move Ethan made—the way he positioned himself behind her, his hands resting too close to her body, and the way he leaned in, whispering into her ear like they shared a private joke. “Ro?” Gabe interrupted, snapping me from my spiral. “What?” I snapped defensively. Gabe arched an eyebrow, his tone casual but penetrating. “You’re not fooling anyone. What’s really bothering you?” “Nothing. Why would you think anything is wrong?” “The fact that you’re glaring at your ex-wife and her hero,” he said, the smirk never leaving his face. “He’s not a hero!” I shot back, emotions blossoming within me. “Actually, he is. You’ve forgotten; he did save her life. That’s pretty heroic in her eyes.” A brief glance at Ava enveloped in Ethan’s warmth hitched my heart in unexpected ways. There was a new look in her eyes—a dangerous glint that made my stomach churn. “Shut the hell up, Gabriel,” I growled, my frustration palpable. Gabe chuckled, the humor in this only serving to intensify my annoyance. “Look, you need to get it together. You came here with Emma. Fix your focus on her,” he advised, his voice serious now. “She can tell your attention is split.” In that instant, I turned toward Emma, sitting with a defeated posture, hands resting in her lap, head downcast. Shit. Gabe was right. Emma deserved better than a distracted partner, especially with the past we shared hanging overhead. I placed my gun down and slid onto the seat beside her. “I’m sorry, Emma. My mind just isn’t where it needs to be today,” I admitted, sincerity flooding my tone. “It’s alright,” she said gently, intertwining her fingers with mine and placing a kiss on my cheek. “You’ve been married to her for nearly a decade. It’s only natural to be on edge when you don’t know much about this Ethan guy. He’s a cop, but that could be a cover for something more sinister.” Her words brought me a deep sense of relief. She understood. I was merely watching out for Ava—Noah’s mother. Nothing more to it. About thirty minutes later, I spotted Ava making her way out of the arena with Ethan, her presence striking again. This time, something inside me snapped. “What the hell, Rowan?” she exploded when I walked into the ladies' room, locking the door behind me. I stepped forward, my movements deliberate and steady, intent on confronting the tumultuous emotions swirling within me. “What the hell was that out there?” I demanded, voice low yet fierce. Her brow furrowed in confusion. “I have no idea what you're talking about.” I had no patience left for games today. “Don’t play dumb, Ava. What’s going on between you and that jerk?” “Is that really any of your business?” she replied, an icy smile lifting her lips devoid of any warmth. “And his name is Ethan, by the way.” “I don’t give a damn what his name is. I need to know what you’re doing with him.” Something shifted in her expression—a flash of defiance igniting the space between us. “Getting over someone means finding someone else,” she stated simply. “That’s exactly what I'm doing.” Rage boiled up inside me, and I found myself drawing closer, instinct taking over as I pinned her against the cold wall, my arms forming an unyielding barrier. “Are you sleeping with him?” I growled, unable to contain the thunderous anger at the thought of another man touching her. “What happens between us is none of your business. We’re divorced, remember?” she countered, every word laced with irritation and a matching spark in her eyes. She was right, yet that realization did little to quell my turmoil. The urge to erase any trace of Ethan’s contact overshadowed my rationality. My hands found her hips instinctively, the familiarity sparking memories I fought to ignore. Her breath hitched, a telltale sign that perhaps my presence had a hold on her too. Before I could process it, she shoved me away, the action yanking me back into the reality of our surroundings. “What are you doing, Rowan?” she whispered, tears welling in her eyes. “You can’t do this to me. I won’t let you. Emma is here now. If you want to kiss someone, then kiss her and stop playing these games with me.” With those words, she slipped past me, the door slamming behind her. I ran a hand through my hair, a wave of regret washing over me. What had I just done? What was I even thinking? “Fuck!” I yelled in frustration, smashing my fist against the wall I’d pinned her to moments ago. Ava was right again. I had Emma now. Why was I jeopardizing that with a moment of insanity? Emma had always been my heart's desire, but why couldn't I shake off the haunting presence of my ex-wife that lingered so stubbornly in my mind?