Fuck! I scream in my head.
I collapse into a chair and put my head in my hands. I can't go to her family or the cops. Who else is left? Who would even believe me considering the reputation and power that the Mason family has? The realization of how dire the situation is hits me like a thousand bricks. Now I know exactly how Avery feels --- completely alone and vulnerable with no one to turn to.
Standing, I make my way to the valet. At least now she does have one person she can count on. She has me.
*
AVERY
I've been terrified before. I've been terrified to the point where I've been so scared that my heart feels like it's going to seize up and stop beating. I don't know what I'm feeling right now. I am so frightened that I can barely move, barely breathe and barely even blink. I am completely paralyzed with fear, and I feel like I'm going out of my mind. I know what's coming, and my brain is kicking into fight or flee mode. I don't know what's going to happen, but it's going to be bad…really bad.
Nathan shuts off the engine to the car. We're parked in the driveway of one of Nathan's vacation properties. It's a modern two-story log cabin secluded in the woods and overlooking a lake. It took us a half an hour to get here, and I had been trembling with fear with every passing second.
His shoulders raise and lower with each deep breath he takes as we sit in silence. I know he's trying to rein in his anger, but it doesn't seem to be working. Will he kill me? I shudder at the notion that he possibly could kill me tonight. Why else would he bring me to this cabin that's in the middle of nowhere?
His hands are wrapped around the steering wheel in a white-knuckle grip. He slowly twists his hands, making an awful screeching sound against the leather. "Who is he?" he asks in an eerily calm tone.
I'd rather die than say Max's name. "It was just some guy who bought me a drink."
"Did you leave with him?"
"No," I lie.
"Did you sleep with him?"
"No," I whisper.
"YOU…FUCKING…LIAR!" he roars, turning around in his seat to glare at me.
I don't even have time to flinch before his fist connects with my face. Bright stars swirl in my vision as I slump against the backseat. The world is spinning on its axis as I fumble for the lock and then the door handle. I manage to open the door and fall out. Gravel digs into my knees as I crawl away from the car as fast I can.
A piercing scream emits from my mouth as I call out for help. I know there are no houses within miles, but maybe somebody is boating on the lake or taking a late night stroll. That is the only shred of hope that I have, and I cling to it with every ounce of strength I have left.
I try to stand, but my legs suddenly forget how to work. I have no doubt in my mind that he's hell-bent on hurting me to the fullest extent right now. I think about what happened after the pool man flirted with me. He broke my arm, and I hadn't even done anything then. This time he thinks that I cheated on him. The punishment will be worse than anything I have ever been through before, and mentally I don't think I can handle that.
I can hear his footsteps behind me. Tears stream down my face as I continue to scream. "Somebody please help me!"
"No one is going to help you, Avery. No one is going to save you. And no one can fucking hear you." He plants his shoe on my back, pushing and holding me to the ground. The gravel digs into my skin, and I struggle to catch my breath. "Do you really think I would let you scream if I thought someone could hear you? How stupid do you think I am?" He scoffs and shakes his head. "Well, you must think I'm pretty stupid actually, because you've been sneaking around and fucking someone else behind my back."
"It was just a guy at the bar who bought me a drink!" I say again, continuing to lie.
His hand fists into my hair as he hauls me up to face him. "You will tell me the truth even if I have to beat it out of you," he says through clenched teeth. Pain tears through my scalp as he drags me towards the cabin. I can feel chunks of hair being ripped out by the roots, but I continue to struggle against him. "No!" I scream. If we go inside the cabin, he'll be able to do whatever he wants for as long as he wants. I can't let that happen. Reaching up, my fingernails dig into his wrist, drawing blood.
"Fuck!" he yells, releasing me.
I turn to run, but his hands are already on me, pulling me back. I struggle against him, but he's too strong. He eventually forces me inside. The foyer lights come on automatically as we enter. I had loved coming to this cabin at one point in time. Now I envision it as a lavish tomb for my soul when Nathan kills me tonight.
His grip on me loosens, and I drop to the floor. He slams the front door shut, and I hear the locks on the door ominously click into place. He has me right where he wants me, and there's not a damn thing anyone can do about it.
Nathan walks into the kitchen and grabs a pair of shears from the knife block. Panic rushes through my system as he stalks towards me, and I push myself backwards until I'm up against the wall. I kick at him as he reaches for me. He manages to grab my ankle, and he squeezes until I cry out in pain.
"You would be wise to stay still, Avery," he says so calmly it causes a shiver to run up my spine. And then he begins to cut through my dress. "This dress cost me over a thousand dollars," he mutters, disdain lacing his voice. "You don't deserve it. You don't deserve me. You don't deserve anything!" The blade nicks my skin here and there, but he manages to cut a jagged line up the middle of the material without gutting me like a fish. The fabric falls to the side, revealing my sexy lingerie. I curse myself for wearing it. I had solely worn it for Max, knowing that I would probably see him there and knowing that I would try to get him alone.
Nathan stands up as his eyes roam over the length of my body. "I've seen a change in you lately, Avery. You're getting less compliant." He points the shears at me. "And now this whole thing with going to the bar and picking up strange men." He glares at me. "I don't even know what another man would see in you other than a good lay. That's all you would be good for."
With all the courage I can manage to muster, I look up at him and say, "Go to hell."
His head tilts and his eyes narrow. "What did you just say?"
"Go to hell!" I scream.
In an instant, his hand snatches my hair, and he hauls me off the floor. Pain instantly throbs at the base of my skull, and I fear I'll pass out. He pushes me against the wall, pinning me there with his forearm jammed against my throat. I gasp for air as he brings the shears close to my face. "I'm going to make sure no one ever wants to look at you again."
I squeeze my eyes shut, fearing the worst. Would he really scar me for life?
Snip. Snip. Snip.
The blades of the scissors slice through my hair, dark strands falling to the floor in huge clumps. When he's done butchering my hair, he slaps me hard on the cheek. I fall to the floor, hitting my head against the unforgiving tile and gasping for air. My vision blurs, and a high-pitch ringing in my ears muffles the noise surrounding me.
I can only sense what happens after that. My body is lifeless. My brain is numb. I know he's kicking me, but I can't feel it anymore. Darkness creeps up on the edge of my vision.
It's waiting to take me.
I don't want to hurt anymore.
So I let the darkness consume me.
CHAPTER 16
MAX
I'm going insane. I went home after the fundraiser and waited for the black BMW to pull into the driveway next door. It never did. All night and early morning I sat, watching, waiting. I had already made my mind up that I was going to rush over there and take her away from him no matter what I had to do. However, they never came home.
I tried knocking on the door several times, but no one answered. I called the cell phone I gave Avery a hundred times, but she never picked up. And the number of voicemails I left is so innumerable that I lost track. I left messages with her father as well, but so far he hasn't called me back even though I specifically told him I had an urgent matter regarding Avery.
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I watched their house like a hawk until I had to leave for work, but I never saw any movement. No one came home, and no one left.
Now I'm sitting at the hospital attempting to reign in my emotions as I stare down at a patient's chart with a blank expression. Avery never showed up to volunteer this morning. I have no idea what happened after the fundraiser, but the look in her eyes still haunts me. What if he hurt her? What if he…killed her?
I push the thought to the back of my mind and shake my head. I can't think about that. Not now. Not ever.
During my lunch break, I call my mother. I ramble off to them what happened last night as I pace back and forth outside of the hospital. "I don't know what to do, Mom. I don't know where she is. She could be lying in a ditch somewhere, and I wouldn't even know." I swallow hard and close my eyes. "He could have already killed her." My voice breaks as I utter, "I can't lose her. Not now. Not when we were so close to saving her."
My mom does the best she can to soothe me over the phone, but I am utterly and completely broken, lost and exhausted. I didn't know how deep my affection for Avery ran until she disappeared. And now I know how much I love her, how much I want to take care of her and never let her go.
"And you said you can't contact the police department?" she asks.
"No. Her husband's father is the chief of police, and Avery had told me she couldn't trust him. I called every other police department in this state, and they all told me that their hands are tied since it's not their jurisdiction. I don't know what I can do. Avery's own father won't even return my calls."
My mother is silent for a long time. Then she finally says, "That poor girl. No wonder she couldn't run before. This husband of hers has a lot of power, more power than I could've ever imagined."
I stop pacing and press my back against the wall. "I have to find her, mom. I have to help her. I'm the only one who can save her now."
"We'll figure it out. Your father has a friend from college who works in the public safety department in North Carolina. We'll give Eric a call and see what he can do."
"Thanks, mom. I really appreciate it. I'm at my wit's end here."
"I know, Max. I know. Just hang in there. We're going to do everything we can," she says reassuringly.
We end the call, but I don't feel any better. It's been fourteen hours since I last saw Avery, and I can only imagine what kind of hell she's experiencing right now.
*
AVERY
There is a buzzing in my ears that won't stop. It's like a nagging fly that just won't go away. I try to open my eyes, but the right one stays closed. My fingers fumble to touch my face, and I wince as my fingertips touch the puffy skin around my eye. It's swollen shut. And then I suddenly remember why.
The memories of the beatings I took from Nathan flood my mind, and I sit bolt upright. The quiet room is filled with my ragged breaths as I take in my surroundings. I'm still in the cabin and in the upstairs master bedroom upstairs. And Nathan is nowhere to be found.
I swing my legs off the side of the bed, and the movement is almost too much to bear. My body is trembling with pain. I hurt everywhere, and I feel like a truck ran over me, backed up and ran over me again. My good eye catches the phone on the end table, and I struggle to reach it. Every bit of movement causes a whole world of pain. I hiss through gritted teeth and manage to grab the receiver. I push the on button and hold the phone to my ear. No dial tone. I pull at the base, and that's when I see that the phone line is not connected. I strangle the phone hard in my hand to keep from crying out in frustration. Nathan must have known I would try to call for help. He's always one step ahead of me.
With more effort required than it should, I manage to stand, my feet sinking into the plush carpet. Bracing myself with the end table, I walk over to the window. I look down at the twenty-foot drop and grimace. Even if I managed to survive the fall without breaking anything else, there is no way I could run from him. My current condition is not leaving me with very many options.
The bedroom door abruptly swings open, and all my hopes for escape are suddenly extinguished. I instinctively cower in the corner of the room by the bed. Sobs and gibberish come flooding out of my mouth as Nathan's heavy footsteps approach me. I feel his fingers in my hair, which he had ruthlessly chopped when we first got here. He strokes me like a wounded animal and hushes me.
"This can all be over, Avery."
Those same words have been spoken over the last two days. Over and over and over again.
"Just give me his name," he says calmly.
He wants the name of the man from the bar. He wants Max. Well, he'll have to kill me first. "There's no one else," I whisper through a sob. "It was just some guy at the bar. I don't even know his name," I cry.
"You're lying again." He clucks his tongue in disapproval and shakes his head. "I guess you haven't learned your lesson yet. It's only Friday, Avery, and we're not leaving until I have a name." His fingers in my hair suddenly tighten and pull, causing a searing pain to erupt in my scalp. "Let's go downstairs, shall we?" he asks while dragging me behind him. "Blood is so hard to get out of carpet."
*
MAX
It's Friday afternoon when I'm finishing up my rounds at the hospital. It's hard to concentrate, but I try to keep my thoughts of Avery towards the back of my mind for the sake of my patients. But during lunch, walking down the hall and any free time in between patients, my thoughts are consumed by only her. I walk into Jacob's room, and I feel an ache in my chest that Avery's not here.
He looks up as I walk in. His face falls, and I know it's because he was expecting Avery. "Hello, Jacob."
"Hi, Dr. Harrison."
"How are you feeling?"
"Okay I guess," he answers solemnly.
I check over the nurses' notes and his vitals. "You seem down. Something wrong?"
"Avery didn't come to visit me yesterday or today. She always comes to visit me at the end of the day." His bottom lip puffs out as he frowns.
"It's not because she didn't want to see you. She's just…not feeling well," I lie. I feel bad lying to the kid, but the truth is far too harsh for me to tell anyone, let alone a six year old.
"Oh," he says softly. "Well, if you talk to her, tell her I miss her and that I hope she feels better."
His words break my heart, and I have to choke back my emotions. "I will. I'll tell her."
He stares out the window for a few moments before turning and asking, "She is coming back, isn't she?"
I close my eyes and desperately try to keep my voice calm as I say, "Yeah. She's coming back." I tap the edge of his baseball hat like I've seen Avery do so many times before, and that elicits a small grin out of him. "I'll make sure of it," I promise before leaving his room.
My cell phone buzzes in my pocket, and I am quick to answer it. "Dad," I say. "Tell me you have some good news."
"I do. I pulled in a favor from an old college buddy of mine. His name is Eric Jones, and he works for the state's Department of Public Safety. Eric and a colleague of his are on their way to Nags Head right now. Can you meet them at five o'clock?" He rattles off an address of a local café.
I grab a pen and paper from the nurses' desk and jot down the time and place. "Sure. Do you think they will be able to help me?"
"I think they are your best hope at finding her at this point, son."
*
I sit in the small café with two men across the booth from me. My dad's contacts paid off. Eric Jones, my dad's friend, is from the Department of Public Safety. The man next to him is Lance Romero, who is a Special Agent in Charge with the State Bureau of Investigation. The men are complete opposites. Eric is short and stout whereas Lance is tall and muscular. Eric is jovial and talkative, and Lance is quiet and hasn't spoken more than a few words since they arrived. Eric has blond hair, blue eyes while Lance has brown hair and eyes. Lance is definitely more intimidating, but Eric claimed earlier that he's all bark, no bite. So far, I'm not totally convinced.<
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Eric takes notes as the three of us talk over coffee. "So the last time you saw her was Wednesday night?"
"Yes. And there has been no sign of her since then." I stare down at the dark liquid in front of me. I didn't even bother putting cream or sugar in the coffee. I need it as strong as I can get it. I have barely slept a wink the past few days. I'm a nervous wreck, completely on edge. All I can focus on his Avery and imagine the horror she must be experiencing. It's literally driving me insane.
"You said his father is the Chief of Police?"
"Yes. Richard Mason."
Eric continues to jot down notes and talk while Agent Romero sits there in silence. I look up at Lance and take in his quiet demeanor. He looks calm and collected as he sips his coffee. After Eric's finished with the interview, Lance sets down his cup and says, "Now, the local department didn't ask for our involvement, so I'm sure Chief Mason is going to object to us storming into his barracks." He smirks. "Quite frankly, I don't give a damn what he objects to. You're the key witness to abuse and a kidnapping. And in a case such as that, the jurisdiction he has won't matter. The Bureau will hold precedence, and I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure that Avery is all right."
His words sink in slowly, and my hands shake as I wrap them around the warm mug. I chuckle, but it comes out like a sob. My emotions have been running high over the past couple of days. It feels like I've been waiting forever for some kind of light at the end of this very dark tunnel. And now, finally, there is hope, a ray of light breaking through the darkness. "Thank you," I say, my voice wavering. "I was at the end of my rope trying to figure out who else to turn to."
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