Chapter 9
Soft music fills the small space of my car as I speed down street after street.
I'm exhausted from all the signing and training I did today at the base, but when Joey, my second man, asked about a drink, I just had to agree.
I need alcohol in my system, so we agreed to go to my place.
I would drink by myself but the thoughts of Avery would be twice as many if I let that happen.
I need to forget about her. She has a boyfriend and she is happy with that Jagger-guy. And all I want for her is happiness. Don't get me wrong, I want to be the source of her happiness. Bit so far, I haven't succeed much.
I know she feels guilty about the kiss and I don't want that either. I don't want her to feel guilt when she's being with me.
Being with me. I mentally laugh at my own stupidity.
We just kissed and I'm a hundred percent sure that her hate for me has gone to another level.
I made her cheat on her boyfriend. It's not that I care about what Jessie feels.
He can fuck himself for all I care but if he makes her happy, then I should stay out of the way. That doesn't mean I'll give up though.
High school relationships don't usually last. I hope that's the case for the two of them.
"You still have that who's-is that Avery!?" Joey's playful tone changes into a serious one
I look between him and the road ahead, debating whether I heard him right. "What?"
"Pull over," normally I would get pissed the fuck off at someone commanding me, probably punch them too, but when I see Avery's bent over figure on the side walk, I do as he says. I could fucking care less for stopping the car in the middle of the road. She's more important.
The slamming of the car door sounds all over the deserted road.
When I come close enough to see her face, my mouth opens in shock. She has a frightened expression on her beautiful face. New tears stream down her already glistening and puffy cheeks. Her skin is a rosy color but what catches my attention the most is the trembling lip.
I make a move to touch her shoulders but she flinches away. I take a step back as to not invade her personal space. I've done enough of that already. I've already fucker up.
Looking her up and down, I notice her shoes in hands and her bare feet touching the concrete. She's going to get sick.
"Avery, what happened?" I ask concerened. Who made her like this?
Ignoring my question, she drops her bag and shoes to the ground and wraps her small arms around my waist. Taken by surprise, I tense a little and goosebumps rise on every inch of my body. I wrap my own arms around hee shoulders and bring her closer. She lets me.
"What are you doing here?" I ask soothing her hair as she shakes in my arms. She's supposed to be at Summer's.Ten minutes away from this neighbourhood.
Joey gives me a questioning look. I didn't even notice him getting out if yhe car.
I motion for him to take my keys and Avery's bag.
I've never let anyone drive my car before, but my car has two seats and there's no way,I'm letting her sit on another man's lap.
I hope Jamarion haven't had her on his lap before.
I grip her tighter. Now's not the time to feel jealous.
"Ai-Aiden" She stutters.
"Shh" I lift her up bridal style and walk her to the car. She sobs into my neck, curling my suit jacket in her fist. I climb inside the open car door and set her on my lap, her back against me.
Don't let your mind wander off.
"Avery, what happened?" Joey asks but she just continues to have her head in her hands. Shaking it repeatedly.
After a drive that felt like an hour but in reality was ten minutes and my anxiety growing thick as my patience thin, I'm finally sitting on the coffee table in my living room, Joey beside me as we look at Avery looking down at her lap, tears dropping onto her grey sweatpants.
"Avery, tell me why you were there to begin with." I say softly not wanting to scare her. "P-please don't tell my bro-brothers." she pleads looking into my eyes for the first time.
Joey beats me to answer her and I sigh, knowing it'll be the only way for her to tell us. "We promise." He says and she nods.
"I-I was going to st-stay at J-Jason's, we h-had pla-planned it since Su-Sunday but we didn't have to l-lie since I-" I cut her off.
"Yeah since you went to Summers already, now tell us what happened and cut the prologue, Avery." Ot comes out harsher than I untedeed it to be.
"J-Jason h-he." She breaks down crying and I feel my blood boil. I ball my fists to contain my anger and I can tell Joey is waiting patiently for her to explain, he's never this silent.
"He what, Avery?" Joey grits out and I suck in a big breath, to prepare myself for what I'm about to hear.
If he cheated on her, he's going six feet under. Hundreds of ways to murder him fly through my mind but when the next words leave her mouth, a thousand new thoughts of how to torture the small-dicked motherfucker replace them.
"H-he tou-touched m-me." She says silently. Just above a whisper. But I manage to hear.
I pound my fist on the hard wall several times, leaving darker and darker blood stains on the white wall, everytime I punch it.
He touched her. He laid his dirty hands on her. It feels as if the air in the room, has become thicker. I inhale and exhale hard. My chest rising every time I breath.
I take a deep breath and turn to look at Avery on the couch. Joey has his arms around her as she cries into his chest. I'm supposed to be the one holding her like that. Walking over to them, I kneel in front of her.
"What did he do?" I manage to grit out, my jaw tightly clenched. I need to know.
She loooks at me and wipes a tear away with the back of her hand. "He pulled my pants d-down but I push-pushed him off be-efore anything hap-pend." She sobs and I see Joey tightens his grip around her.
He really had a fucking death wish. Well, good thing I'm here to fullfill it.
"Do you want to take a shower?" Joey asks her quietly and she nods into his chest before getting up.
As she's about to pass me I grab her arm, lightly and bring her to me. I pull her into a tight embrace. Assuring her, and myself that he's going to pay for what he did. A small sob escapes her perfect lips and I tighten my arms around her shoulders.
"Tha-thank you." She whispers and I nod.
"Go to my room, you know where to find clothes, go sleep there after, I'll take the guestroom." I tell her and place a soft kiss on top of her head.
She walks away and I look at her. Once she dissapears upstairs I turn to the wall again and punch it. Hard.
"Aiden, you need to calm down, if Aves sees you like this she'll regret telling us." He says and places a hand on my shoulder. I turn to look at him. He shuts up and backs away. Good move.
I never thought I would be this comfortable with Aiden again. I also never thought Jason would do something like this to me. Was he about to rape me? The question keeps to repeating itself in my head.
I mean he was my boyfriend, but that doesn't give him the right to touch me when I don't want to, right?
The hot water runs down my tensed body, easing it.
I let out a small sob. He really did hurt me. I take the body scrubber, not caring if Aiden used it before and scrub hard wherever he touched me. I feel disgusted. I want to scrub away the feeling if his hands and never see him again in my life.
I'm thankful for not letting him be my first and thankful for not trusting him. What we had clearly wasn't love. You don't force yourself on someone you love and you don't cheat on someone you love.
I get out of the shower an hour later, felling exhausted, I wrap a black, fluffy towel that smells like Aiden and get out of the bathroom and into Aiden's closet next to it.
I open the door and walk in. Clothes are lined up all around the walls, button ups, suits, pants. This room defenitky smells like Aiden. The scent calms me down for some reason.
I walk around trying to find a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt to wear.
When I finally find it I get dressed and walk over to Aiden's King sized bed.
I pull the black covers away and climb on the soft mattress.
This smells like Aiden too. Well obviously it's his room.
Butterflies errupt in my stomach but my heart still hurts.
I turn the lights off and look up at the dark ceiling.
How am I going to school tomorrow? Maybe I won't have to? I can't face Jason after what happened. That's for sure.
With that thought I close my eyelids and fall into a slumber.
"Wha-what do you mean he-" Hunter trails off.
"He almsot raped her!" Xavier shouts at no one in practicular and tugs at his short black hair as he paces back and forth in my office. "The dude, ain't living long, that's for sure." Tristan says and we all agree.
"So, she's upstairs now?" Hunter grits out and wipes a tear from his cheek.
"You already fucking asked that!" Tristan shouts, out of patience from the black leather couch he's sitting at.
"Yeah, she's probably sleeping." I roll my eyes at Tristan outburst and turn to Hunter.
"I'll send the guys to his house tomorrow. We better get going, I don't want the others alone in the house with him." Xavier says reffering to Flavio. Bitterness swaying off his voice as he spoke the name.
.....
I walk up the dark staircase towards my room, to check on Avery.
I slowly open my door and see her small figure wrapped around my dark sheets, sleeping.
I wish I could have her sleeping here every night, in my arms. I make my way over to her and place a strand of wet hair behind her ear.
A sad smile playing on my lips. I place a soft kiss on her forehead, taking the opportunity since I know I won't get the chance to place my lips on her skin as she lays on my bed again.
I walk back to the guestroom next to my room and get out of my button up and dress pants before climbing into the bed, in my boxers.
I look up at the ceiling and sigh before closing my eyes and letting darkness consume me.
.....
I'm strateld awake when loud, ear piercing screams are heard from the room beside mine. Avery. I jump out of bed and run to my room, not caring if I'm only wearing boxers.
I open the door and see her tossing and turning in her sleep, as screams and whimpers escape her lips.
I run over to her side and shake her gently, trying to wake her up.
"Avery" I whisper and shake her but she only whimpers in response.
I try again but she won't wake up. My heart race start to get quicker and I feel scared of what's happening to her.I sit on the bed and shake her shoulders again, a little rougher.
"Avery, wake up!" I say and she finally open her eyes. Her green eyes filled with fear.
Tears leak out of her eyes as soon as they take in me.
I have lost count on how many times I've seen her cry today. It fucking breaks me.
I pull her into my chest as she cries. We stay like that for minutes. The only thing my ears take in, being the heart beat of my heart and her heavy breathing.
"You want to talk about it?" I ask softly as I stroke her wet, slightly curly hair with my palm.
"Something like the usual." She mumbles. I nod.
"Go back to sleep, it's, " I glance at the red numbers on the digital clock on the nightstand, behind her.
"Three am." I say a nd she nods. She wriggles out of my arms and lays back under the covers.
I get up from the bed and make my way to the door, but before I can get further than a feet she speaks up, her quite voice filling up the dark room.
"Stay with me?"
I take a deep breath before getting in under the covers with her.
I stare up at the ceiling for a few seconds, overthining about the whole sleep in the same bed thing.
Might as well enjoy it while it lasts.
Sighing deeply, I turn to my side, my chest facing her back.
I wrap my arms around her small waist, pulling her closer to my chest and close my eyes.
As sleep is about to consume me, her small hands are put on top of mine, her thumb tracing small circles on the back of my hand and her entire body snuggled up closer to mine.
I hear her breathing slowly and I realise she's asleep. In my arms.
I close my eyes and for the first time in a long time, I sleep with a smile on my face. Half hearted smile. I might be sleeping next to her but she's hurt. The latter doesn't bring me as much joy.