family. It doesn't help the situation that my father is in politics and that the Mason family basically has him in their back pocket. Nathan and his family donate a lot of money to my father's campaigns," she explains.
I shake my head slowly. It's starting to make sense now. I'm getting more pieces to the puzzle, and soon I'll be able to see the whole picture. Everything she tells me about Nathan makes me loathe him with a passion. "So you never tried leaving again?"
Her shoulders slump in defeat. "I've tried. So many times. He found me." Her eyes move to the flickering flame of one of the tiki torches. "He always finds me," she adds. "Nathan is a very powerful man with a lot of resources." Avery's voice sounds lost, haunted, and it sends a shiver through me. She glances down at her wrist as her fingers absentmindedly run under the watchband, stroking her wrist. "The last time I tried was about six months ago. He found me in a run-down motel in South Carolina. I thought I had finally escaped, but I was wrong. When he brought me back here, I kind of snapped. I waited until he left for work, and then I…" She swallows hard and tears form in her eyes.
I stare at the vertical scar on the inside of her wrist. She isn't talking about just trying to run away. She attempted the ultimate escape. She tried to kill herself. My heart breaks for her that she felt like she had no other way out. I just want to take her into my arms and hold her, but I don't want to scare her away. She obviously doesn't like to be touched in certain ways, and with time I'll learn which ways are acceptable to her. For right now I'll give her the only thing I can --- support.
"I…I haven't tried again." She releases a shaky sigh. "But I've just…I've given up hope."
I reach for her, and my thumb gently skims over the scar. I hear her sharp intake of breath, and I look up to meet her blue-gray eyes. "If you ever feel the urge again, will you promise to talk to me first?" I ask, my voice insisting.
She hesitates, and then nods once.
"You have so much to offer. I see it in those kids' faces every day at the hospital and especially with Jacob. What would he do without you, Avery? You're the only one who can put a smile on his face." I stroke her soft skin. "I would hate to see a world without you in it."
Tears quickly fill her eyes, and she pulls away from me. "I-I should go," she says with an unsteady voice.
"I'm sorry if I upset you, Avery," I say quickly. "That wasn't my intent."
She turns her back to me, but doesn’t walk away. "You didn't upset me." She wrings her hands nervously. "I'm just not used to someone being so nice to me."
Even though I don't want to scare her, I just need to feel her in my arms. I want her to feel safe with me. I stand and walk around to face her. Her gaze is to the floor. "Avery…" My voice trails off. I want to hold her, but I don't know if she'll let me. So I decide to simply ask. "I want to hold you. Will you let me do that?"
She bites her bottom lip nervously. Then she looks up at me and gives me a small nod.
I pull her into my arms and gently embrace her. Our hearts beat rapidly in competition with each other. I have to wonder if she's feeling the same connection that I feel. God, I hope so.
My nose sinks into her soft hair, breathing in the scent of coconut with a hint of a flowery perfume. Everything about this moment feels right. She feels so damn good in my arms, and I don't ever want to let her go. My mouth moves to her ear as I whisper, "Every night this week I've watched you go down to the beach and cry." I feel her stiffen against me at my confession, but she doesn't attempt to pull away. I continue and say, "I understand the release you need after the mask you have to wear all day long. But you don't have to pretend with me, Avery. You don't have to hide your tears from me…or the bruises."
Ever so slowly I feel the walls tumbling down around her. Tentatively, she curls her hands into my shirt, and
I shake my head slowly. It's starting to make sense now. I'm getting more pieces to the puzzle, and soon I'll be able to see the whole picture. Everything she tells me about Nathan makes me loathe him with a passion. "So you never tried leaving again?"
Her shoulders slump in defeat. "I've tried. So many times. He found me." Her eyes move to the flickering flame of one of the tiki torches. "He always finds me," she adds. "Nathan is a very powerful man with a lot of resources." Avery's voice sounds lost, haunted, and it sends a shiver through me. She glances down at her wrist as her fingers absentmindedly run under the watchband, stroking her wrist. "The last time I tried was about six months ago. He found me in a run-down motel in South Carolina. I thought I had finally escaped, but I was wrong. When he brought me back here, I kind of snapped. I waited until he left for work, and then I…" She swallows hard and tears form in her eyes.
I stare at the vertical scar on the inside of her wrist. She isn't talking about just trying to run away. She attempted the ultimate escape. She tried to kill herself. My heart breaks for her that she felt like she had no other way out. I just want to take her into my arms and hold her, but I don't want to scare her away. She obviously doesn't like to be touched in certain ways, and with time I'll learn which ways are acceptable to her. For right now I'll give her the only thing I can --- support.
"I…I haven't tried again." She releases a shaky sigh. "But I've just…I've given up hope."
I reach for her, and my thumb gently skims over the scar. I hear her sharp intake of breath, and I look up to meet her blue-gray eyes. "If you ever feel the urge again, will you promise to talk to me first?" I ask, my voice insisting.
She hesitates, and then nods once.
"You have so much to offer. I see it in those kids' faces every day at the hospital and especially with Jacob. What would he do without you, Avery? You're the only one who can put a smile on his face." I stroke her soft skin. "I would hate to see a world without you in it."
Tears quickly fill her eyes, and she pulls away from me. "I-I should go," she says with an unsteady voice.
"I'm sorry if I upset you, Avery," I say quickly. "That wasn't my intent."
She turns her back to me, but doesn’t walk away. "You didn't upset me." She wrings her hands nervously. "I'm just not used to someone being so nice to me."
Even though I don't want to scare her, I just need to feel her in my arms. I want her to feel safe with me. I stand and walk around to face her. Her gaze is to the floor. "Avery…" My voice trails off. I want to hold her, but I don't know if she'll let me. So I decide to simply ask. "I want to hold you. Will you let me do that?"
She bites her bottom lip nervously. Then she looks up at me and gives me a small nod.
I pull her into my arms and gently embrace her. Our hearts beat rapidly in competition with each other. I have to wonder if she's feeling the same connection that I feel. God, I hope so.
My nose sinks into her soft hair, breathing in the scent of coconut with a hint of a flowery perfume. Everything about this moment feels right. She feels so damn good in my arms, and I don't ever want to let her go. My mouth moves to her ear as I whisper, "Every night this week I've watched you go down to the beach and cry." I feel her stiffen against me at my confession, but she doesn't attempt to pull away. I continue and say, "I understand the release you need after the mask you have to wear all day long. But you don't have to pretend with me, Avery. You don't have to hide your tears from me…or the bruises."
Ever so slowly I feel the walls tumbling down around her. Tentatively, she curls her hands into my shirt, and
Similar Books
