He smiles. "There she is. There's my Avery." He crouches beside me and strokes my hair. I recoil under his touch. "You always were so easy to fucking break."
He pulls me against him and holds me tightly. I struggle against him, but he's too strong. The more I struggle, the tighter his grip gets until I can't breathe. My bruised ribs scream out in pain, and I suddenly grow limp in his arms as the room around me fades away.
*
The sunlight is creeping in the windows and shining onto my face. For a moment I think I'm in Max's bed, and it makes me smile. But when I open my eyes and see where I really am, my contentment dramatically switches to pure and utter terror. The memories of Nathan coming home and hitting me flash through my mind. He squeezed me until I passed out from the pain. That's why I can't remember getting into bed.
A sob threatens to escape my lips, but I hold it in. Slowly, I try to sit up in bed, almost screaming in pain from the movement. My stomach rolls, and I almost retch from the feeling. Groaning, I lie back down and close my eyes.
Even with my eyes closed, I can sense him. My hair stands on end. And as if right on cue, Nathan strolls into the bedroom carrying a tray of food. I glare at him as he walks over to me. He smirks as he places the tray down on the nightstand and then moves to the bed. I recoil when he reaches towards me. "Easy," he says softly. Placing some pillows behind my back, he asks, " Can you sit up?"
I try to move, and that's when I feel the excruciating pain wracking my body. I cry out as he helps me to sit up.
Once I'm propped up on the pillows, he places the tray of food on my lap. He points to the two white pills beside a tall glass of water. "For the pain," he explains nonchalantly.
I stare at the smorgasbord of eggs, toast, bacon and strawberries in disbelief. "What…why are you doing this?" I ask.
He says nothing, but instead grabs the remote control for the television and taps the power button. He turns it to a news station, and immediately a breaking news story runs across the screen. I see my father's name, and my heart stops beating. A reporter is on the screen, and I listen to her every word while my entire body quivers in disbelief.
"It was a close call for Mayor Andrew Bennett this morning. The Mayor was giving a speech at the opening ceremony for the new downtown historical society when an unknown suspect fired a shot into the crowd. The bullet grazed Mayor Bennett's arm and earned him a trip to the hospital. We are told that the Mayor is now at home and resting. He is said to be in excellent condition and in high spirits after the scare. The shooting suspect still remains at large. Mayor Bennett recently announced that he is running for Governor of North Carolina, but police do not believe this incident was politically motivated. Please stay tuned for more on this story later today on our twelve o'clock news hour."
My head slowly turns to look at Nathan. He has a smirk on his face, and suddenly I know exactly who's responsible. "You. You did this!" I hiss.
"Now, now, Avery. Don't start making accusations you can't back up with any real evidence."
The telephone rings, and Nathan picks it up before I can even reach for the receiver. His conversation is brief and ends with, "Of course. We'll be there as soon as we can." He hangs up and looks at me. "Eat, take your pills and get ready. We're going to see your father."
I stare at him in disbelief by his candor. "Why did you do this? Why did you try to have my father killed?"
"I didn't try to have anyone killed, Avery," he scoffs. "I respect your father and want him to be governor of this state. If anything, this little stunt will gain him even more popularity. An otherwise dull and not so known event turned into quite the news story." Then he leans down and stares into my eyes. His voice lowers as he says, "Your sister told me you're questioning our marriage, thinking about leaving me." His words turn the blood in my veins to ice. "I did this to prove a point. When you disobey me, I will hurt the ones you love," he sneers. "Next time it could be your sister. And I won't hesitate to tell my man to blow her pretty little brains all over the pavement." He stands and straightens his tie. "This was all an act to show you how far I'm willing to go, Avery. How far I will go to show you that I own you. I will always own you. And I will never let you go. Never," he says, stressing the last word. "I hope we have an understanding of how things are going to go from now on." The smile on his face falters when I say nothing in return. "Do you understand?" he asks through gritted teeth.
I nod once.
He points to the tray. "Eat. We have a busy day ahead of us."
And with that, he leaves. After he's gone, I allow the tears to fall freely. Nathan tried to have my father killed. My own sister betrayed me. And all I can think of is what he would do to Max if he ever found out about us. My dreams of being with Max are suddenly evaporating before my eyes. No one can help me. Not even Max. I know that now. I would never risk his life for mine. I'll be stuck in this prison forever. Until death do us part.
*
After going through a rigorous security check at my father's estate, I am finally able to enter the office where my father sits at his desk. He's working, of course. The sleeve of his shirt is rolled up to his shoulder, and his arm is bandaged. He stares at the computer screen and looks tired, stressed.
"Dad," I call out from the doorway.
"Sweetheart," he answers, turning and opening his arms wide for me.
Nathan stays in the doorway as I rush to my father, gently embracing him. I fall apart in his arms as he hugs me tight and soothes me with whispered words while stroking my back. It's been such an emotional day already, and I can't hold back my tears any longer. "Nathan, would you give us a minute alone, please?" he asks.
Nathan hesitates before saying, "Of course, sir."
"I'm fine, Avery. Everything's all right."
I give him one last gentle squeeze before pulling back. I dash the tears from my eyes. "I was so worried."
"It was a close call and it scared the hell out of me, but I'm okay." He brushes a strand of hair away from my face. "Avery, I've been wanting to talk to you about something. I just didn't know how to begin. But I guess now is as good a time as any." He takes a deep breath. "Your sister told me you came to her asking her for help. She said you were making some pretty wild accusations about Nathan." His face grows worried. "I want to know the truth, Avery. What is going on between you two?"
I hesitate, but only for a moment before plastering a blank look on my face. Allison ratted me out to Nathan and my father. A few days ago I would have been elated that she told our father, but now I'm going to have to do some backpedaling to quench the situation before it can escalate any further. "Nothing, Dad. I just ---." My voice falters. "None of that matters right now. All that matters is that you're okay."
"Avery," he says in a reprimanding tone. "If something bad was happening, you would tell me, right? You would come to me?"
I nod, unable to say the lie out loud. There is no confiding in my father or trying to enlist his help now. My chance of doing that is over. Nathan showed me his power and his will to ensure I stay with him. There has to be another solution that doesn't involve my family. I can't be responsible for anything that Nathan might do to them because of me.
I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight, trying to control my emotions. "I'm just glad you're okay, Dad," I whisper against his chest.
"Me too, sweetheart. I don't want to leave my girls just yet. I'm not ready."
*
MAX
I stare at my cell phone. No calls. No texts. Nothing. No word from Avery. I stare at the television screen as the news story about her father comes up once again. Maybe she is so absorbed with that right now that she hasn't even thought about me. I know that I haven't been able to stop thinking about her, but I don't have anything else on my plate right now.
I'm worried about what happened when Nathan returned home. If he hit her again, I don't know if I'll be able to control my actions. I can't stand seeing her anything but happy. I need to figure out a way to get
her out of the situation she's in. I know we shared a connection this past week that could never be replicated. It's a one-of-a-kind feeling, and I want to feel it always with her.
Sighing, I turn off the TV. I'll see Avery at the hospital tomorrow. This weekend has been a living hell without her. I got so used to having her in my arms that I now feel lost without her. I feel like a piece of me is gone, and I can't wait until we can be together and I can feel whole again.
CHAPTER 11
AVERY
I carefully climb out of my car Monday morning. I adjust the sleeves of my cardigan in the reflection of the window and stare at the frown on my face. My lower lip trembles, and I'm on the verge of tears. The weekend was a nightmare, and I am physically and emotionally drained from it. It was extremely difficult to even get out of bed this morning. And when I saw the fresh bruises littering my skin, I nearly had a breakdown.
It's amazing how Max was able to almost erase my past with just one week of being with him. I almost forgot what it was like to be sad all the time. I almost forgot what it felt like to be abused. Almost.
I'm in a fog when I walk into the hospital. People say good morning to me, but I barely hear them. The anxiety medication I'm taking again is clouding my thoughts, but it's the only way I can stay sane. Without the pills, I wouldn't be able to cope with my life right now.
"Avery," a voice says.
"Good morning," I say like a robot.
"Avery," the voice says again.
I'm about to say good morning once more, but then I feel a hand gripping my arm. I'm suddenly pulled into an empty hospital room. With a hushed voice, Max begins to ask a million questions. "Are you okay? I heard what happened to your father on the news. I haven't been able to see you or talk to you in almost two days. I've been going insane. What happened when Nathan got home? Did he hurt you?" The words come flooding out of his mouth, and I can hear the fear in his voice. He's scared. He's scared for me. And he has every right to be.
"I'm fine," I answer. "Everything is fine."
"What happened with Nathan? Did he hurt you when he got home?"
I stare at the floor, refusing to meet his gaze. I'm not going to lie to him, but I don't want to tell him the truth in fear for what could happen to him.
"Why won't you talk to me, Avery? What happened between Friday night and today to make you act like this?" He reaches out and attempts to drag my sleeve up my arm.
"Don't!" I cry, rearing back. "Don't touch me!"
"Did he hurt you?" he asks, seething.
His hands are reaching for me again, but I push him away. Suddenly, he pulls me into his arms and holds me. I fight against him, but he doesn't let me pull away. "Please don't push me away, Avery. Please. I can't bear it," he whispers into my ear, and I can hear the desperation in his voice.
My resolve slowly deflates, and I stop fighting him.
"Tell me what I can do, Avery, and I'll do it. I'll do anything."
And therein lies the problem. Max would do anything to help me, even if it meant him getting hurt in the process. And now I know the true extent of the power Nathan has. He would undoubtedly hurt Max…maybe even kill him. And I would never forgive myself if anything happened to him. I squirm out of his arms, and this time he lets me go. "You can't help me! Don't you see, Max? You're only going to get hurt if you try to help me."
"I don't care about getting hurt. I only care about you," he protests.
His words cut through me like a knife to my very core. How did I deserve someone this special in my life? Out of all the darkness and torment, he is my only light. Max is so pure with a big heart, and he would be willing to do anything to protect me. And that is exactly why I need to let him go. Before it's too late. Before he gets hurt. "I can't allow you to be involved any more, Max. You need to just…you need to forget about me."
"Forget about you?" he practically yells.
My head hangs in defeat. "You need to move on. We can't be together. Not now." I swallow hard before adding, "Maybe not ever."
His hands reach out and hold onto mine for support. "Avery," he whispers. When I finally meet his gaze, he continues. "I want to help you, and I don't give a damn about the consequences. You don't deserve this life. You deserve so much more."
"It's not about what I deserve, Max. It's about reality and what I have now. And right now I am married to a terrible man with very destructive means to get what he wants. And he wants me. If he's willing to shoot my father, what do you think he would do to you?" The words are out of my mouth before I can stop them. "Shit," I mutter.
Max's brows furrow in confusion and then his eyes narrow. "Nathan is responsible for what happened to your father?" he asks, incredulously.
I bite my lip and then release an unsteady sigh. "Don't you get it? Until I can leave him for good, there is no future for us." I pull my hands away from him. "Please. Just leave me alone," I say, barely able to speak the words out loud.
As I'm walking away I hear him say, "I won't give up on you, Avery."
My chest aches with pain as I stop walking and whisper, "You have to."
"I can't lose you. I won't," he vows.
I glance back at him one last time. I take in his every feature, memorizing his face and etching it into my brain forever. If life were a fairytale, he would be my knight in shining armor, saving me from the evil king like in Jacob's favorite book. Unfortunately, life isn't as easy as written words on a piece of paper with a happy ending. "You already have," I tell him before leaving the room.
*
MAX
After that moment with Avery on Monday morning, the rest of the week at the hospital dragged on. She ignored me in the hallways. She changed her schedule so that I wouldn't know where she was during the day. She refused to eat lunch in the cafeteria, because she knew I'd be there. And she arrived early and left early to avoid me altogether. And every night I sat on my back porch watching the house next door and dreaming about the girl who was trapped inside of it.
She stopped going to the beach every night, and a part of me began to wonder if that was because she didn't need to. What if Nathan had come home a changed man? Maybe she's not pushing me away to protect me at all. Maybe she's finally happy with her husband. That thought alone kills me and drives me crazy. I got a taste of what life could be like with Avery, and I'm not letting her go without a fight.
By Monday, I am more determined than ever. I wake up early and make sure I'm one of the first ones there for the day shift. A few minutes after I arrive, Avery's car pulls in. My hands clench the steering wheel as I think about all the things I'm going to tell her. I'm upset. I'm angry. And if she really is going to just dump me like yesterday's trash, then I have a right to know.
But all of my anger and attitude vanishes the moment she steps out of the car. She looks exhausted, broken and utterly and completely defeated. She straightens the sleeves of her cardigan, making sure they're pulled down to her hands and stares at her reflection. Her watery eyes fixate on her reflection, and I think for a moment she's going to have a breakdown right in the middle of the parking lot.
I carefully climb out of my SUV and make my way towards her. The only thought on my mind is that she needs me.
*
AVERY
I had been numb for so long that I forgot what it felt like to feel something. Max made me feel a lot of things. And now that I've experienced that glimmer of hope, it's hard for me to go back to the way things were. I'm no longer numb to the physical and mental abuse bestowed upon me by Nathan. In fact, I'm quite the opposite. I'm sad. I'm depressed. I'm angry. I talk back. I fight. I kick. I scream.
And in return, I get twice as much abuse back from Nathan. Bit by bit, I’m slowly breaking to pieces. And I don't know if I will ever be whole again.
I feel like giving up. I miss Max so bad it physically hurts much more than the bruises. I miss everything about him --- his dark eyes when they would look upon me with a burning gaze right before we would make love, his
infectious laugh and his goofy grin. And I miss how he treated me and how he touched and kissed me like I was the most precious thing in the world.
I hate the fact that he lives right next door and that I can't even talk to him. I've watched him from the window running on the beach, pushing his body to physical extremes. If he's hurting half as much as I am, the feeling of loss must be unbearable.
It's been a week since we last talked. Max had desperately tried talking to me, but I ignored him. He'd even tried confronting me, only for me to just run away from him like the plague. I keep trying to remind myself that I'm doing this to protect him, but I know I'm hurting him --- maybe even more than how Nathan could hurt him.
I stare at myself in the reflection of my car window, and I feel broken. I honestly don't even know how I'm holding myself together anymore. Every second of every day I feel like I'm going to break into a million pieces.
I hear footsteps approaching, and I quickly dash the tears from my eyes. When I look up and see Max walking towards me, my heartbeat falters.
His dark gaze doesn't leave mine as he says, "Don't walk away from me, Avery." When I don't make a move, he runs a hand through his thick, dark hair and sighs in relief. "You don't have to say a word if you don't want to talk. I just…I just want to be close to you without you running away."
I give a small nod, and his features instantly relax. He looks worn out, tired. Dark stubble lines his jaw, and his eyes are bloodshot. "Are you getting enough sleep?" I ask.
It's the first time I've talked to him in a week, and he closes his eyes for a moment, as if savoring my spoken words. "No, I haven't been sleeping very well lately. Not at all actually," he confesses.
"Max, if this is about me ---."
Saving Avery Page 17
