1. AVA
AVA
Five years later…
The LA skyline comes into view, and I’ve never been more glad to see the city of angels in my life.
“Home at last,” Lou comments next to me, sounding just as relieved as I am.
I turn to her with a smile and nod. “At last.”
I’ve been on tour for the past six months, living in hotels and tour buses, sharing living spaces with no fewer than six people at a time, so I’m looking forward to being in my own space again.
Three months don’t feel like enough of a break—I need a year.
A decade would be even better, but if I’m to stay relevant, I can’t be out of the spotlight for too long.
“I had your apartment cleaned and stocked up. You won’t have to deal with human interaction for the next week or so, until your current supplies run out,” Lou explains.
“Thanks, Lou.”
We land smoothly, and since we’re seated in first class, we get to disembark first. I’m famous but not enough to afford a private plane, so commercial it is. I don’t mind it though—first class is comfortable enough, plus who wants all the hassle of maintaining a private jet?
We go through security easily. I get spotted by a few fans, so I stop to take selfies and sign autographs before my security team swoops in and I’m ushered into a chauffeured luxury SUV to take me home.
The busy streets of LA blur by as we speed home... Home? Is LA really my home? No, it’s not. Home is the place I’ve been avoiding like the plague for the past half-decade. My gaze wanders to the phoenix tattoo on my arm that artfully covers the evidence of the tragedy from that night.
I wanted to erase what happened that day from my memory entirely, but the scar was too deep to have it removed with laser surgery, so I had it covered up with a tattoo. Flashes of what happened that night plague my mind, so I close my eyes to block them out, but that only makes them clearer.
His face pops into my mind, clear as day. One moment he’s smiling, gazing at me with affection, and the next he’s covered in blood, gasping for air as he struggles to breathe, face contorted in pain. He reaches out to touch me, but before he can, I sit up with a start to find Lou shaking me awake.
“Are you okay?”
I nod, brushing her off.
“We’re here,” she informs me, and I look out the window to find us parked in the underground parking lot of my apartment building.
How did we get home so fast? I closed my eyes for only a second.
The elevator ride to the penthouse is quiet as I’m still trying to shake off the aftereffects of what I dreamed in the car.
I hate having those flashbacks, but they can’t be helped. They happen often—a painful reminder of a day that was supposed to be the best night of my life, until it turned into a tragedy.
I wonder how he’s doing? I have no right to think about him though. I ruined his life, and my dreadful nightmares are only a small price I have to pay.
“I know you don’t like hearing about this, but your mother called again. She wants to see you,” Lou speaks up, pulling me from my thoughts.
My face scrunches up in annoyance. “And?”
“I told her you’re not available to talk.”
“Thank you.”
My mother is another sore topic for me. The reason why Lou is my manager instead of her is a result of all the pain and shit she put me through for years before I finally decided to put an end to our relationship, both professional and personal.
The elevator doors slide open onto my floor, and Lou uses her keycard to let us into the penthouse.
“Home sweet h...” The words dry on my lips because instead of my gorgeous apartment that I pay a pretty penny for, I’m met with chaos.
“What the fuck?” Lou exclaims next to me.
The whole penthouse is flooded, and upon walking further in, I’m able to see that the sofas are smeared with dirt and sliced open, pillows ripped apart, vases broken, walls defaced with spray paint, windows greasy with hand and footprints.
“How does one get a footprint that high? These windows are almost thirty feet,” I exclaim.
I wander into the bedroom and I’m welcomed by a foul smell and a red substance all over my walls. The words “die bitch die” are painted on the mural that’s over my bed in more of the red substance. Is that paint? Blood? Most of it is on top of my bed where a suspicious lump glares at me.
I know I should turn around and leave, but curiosity gets the better of me. I lift the sheet and gag at the sight. I stagger back out, water sloshing around my feet.
“What?! What happened? What’s in there?” Lou asks when she sees the look on my face.
“Call the police,” I rush out, unable to articulate what I’ve just seen.
She doesn’t hesitate as she retrieves her phone from her pocket. We exit the apartment and wait for the police to arrive.
“Do you think it’s him?” I ask Lou, my voice shaking with fear, referring to the faceless stalker who has been making my life hell for months.
It all started nine months ago with creepy letters, then he upgraded to relentless calling, leaving creepy messages on my social media posts and sending disgusting packages to the record company.
I’ve had stalkers before, but not to this extent.
And now, he somehow managed to access my home and leave the most disgusting message.
Police reports have been filed, but he’s good at staying anonymous, so they haven’t been able to arrest him yet. I don’t even know what he looks like, how old he is, or anything about him. I just know that he’s ruining my life and is now making me feel more unsafe than ever.
“How did he get in? You can’t access this floor without the security code, or the penthouse without the keycard, and only you and I have copies,” she replies.
“It screams of him,” I insist.
“We have security cameras everywhere. I’m sure they’ll catch him this time,” Lou whispers, but she sounds unsure.
The police arrive quickly, and I’m too stunned to say anything or see the atrocity that is in my room again, so Lou deals with them.
My phone rings as I’m pacing outside. I retrieve it to hang up since I’m not in the right mental state to talk to anyone when I see it’s Ella calling. I told her I’d call her as soon as I landed and forgot about it in all the chaos.
I pick up, her cheery voice alleviating some of my anxiety. “Hi, Ava.”
“Hey, El, can I call you later? I’m in the middle of something right now.”
“You sound off. Is everything okay?” she asks, picking up on my tone.
“No, my stalker struck again, and this time in my home,” I answer since she knows all about him.
Zane and I haven’t talked in five years, but Ella and I are still best friends. We just never talk about him, no matter how much I always want to inquire about him.
“Oh my God! Are you okay?”
“A bit shaken but otherwise okay. He trashed my apartment, flooded it, and...” I break off, unable to explain what he did to my bedroom.
“I’m so sorry. I know how much you were looking forward to your break,” she replies.
“I know, me too. I guess I’ll have to stay at another hotel,” I groan, the thought of staying at a hotel making my stomach churn.
Ella falls silent on her end, and I think the call has disconnected when she speaks up. “Or you can come to Wrangler Creek. You can use Iron Stallion as your own personal vacation home,” she invites, referring to her family ranch where her whole family lives, including him.
I’m quick to turn her down. “I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. It’s about time you came back. You can’t stay away forever,” she insists.
“As a matter of fact, I can. The world is large enough,” I assert.
I can’t face him, not after what happened to him because of me. I just can’t.
“Come on, Ava, I know you don’t want to stay at another hotel. I miss you,” she pleads.
“I miss you too, but...”
“You won’t have to interact with Zane if you don’t want to. He moved out of the main house and lives separately.”
“But he’s still at the ranch, so there’s a possibility,” I counter.
“A very slim one. I personally haven’t seen him in two weeks. You’ll be safe, I promise,” she assures me.
The more she says, the more tempted I am. I miss Ella, and I miss Texas too. I haven’t been back since the accident, but is this the right time?
Wrangler Creek? Can I? Should I? Maybe it’s time I stop running from my demons and face them head-on. And besides, I need somewhere to stay for the next three months, and Iron Stallion ranch sounds like a dream. I’ve had enough of cities and overpopulated places.
“Okay,” I cave, hoping I’m not making the worst mistake.
Ella screams excitedly from the other end. “You’re coming? Really?”
“Yes, I’ll have my manager book me a flight.”
“Don’t worry about that. I’ll have Daddy send one of his jets for you. Only the finest for my best friend.”
“Are you sure?”
“Absolutely, so don’t bother unpacking. I’ll text you with all the details as soon as I talk to Dad.”
“Okay.”
“You will not regret this, I promise. I’m so excited!” she cheers.
I don’t say anything because I’m still apprehensive about whether I’ve made the right choice. We hang up just as Lou joins me outside.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
“No, how can I be after seeing all that?”
“I know. How could he do that to that poor dog?”
The police pick this time to walk out with the dog in a body bag. One of its paws falls out, and it’s covered in blood. I screech and turn away, but it’s ingrained in my mind. Great, even more ammunition for my nightmares.
“Lou,” I cry out.
“I know, I know. I’m booking you a hotel right now.”
“Don’t bother. I’ve made other plans.”
“You have? What plans?” she questions.
“I’m going back to Texas.”
Her eyes widen in shock. “No.”
“Yes, it’s about time I stop running away from my past.”
Iron Stallion ranch, ready or not, here I come.