Monster

by Holly C. Webb

  “Do your parents know what’s happened?” Travis asked as he turns to me in his seat.

  “Some,” I said, recalling the conversation I had with Mom and Dad before I left to go back to Jacob’s house. “I told them that I’d left Jacob and that things were very complicated. I explained that I needed to come home for a few days and that I was bringing two friends.”

  “But they don’t know what Jacob has done?” Travis asked, and now he was looking nervous too. “And they don’t know about…”

  He didn’t have to finish the question. I knew what he meant. He wanted to know if I’d told them about Jaxson and me.

  “We just need to get there,” Jaxson said quickly, once more letting his eyes meet mine in the mirror. “I think that they will just be relieved that Ally is safe now. Nothing else matters.”

  I smiled at him, but something bothered me about his words. Was he trying to tell me that we shouldn’t tell my parents about him and me? And if that was the case, what did that mean? Maybe he was the one that was changing his mind about the whole thing, not me?

  If I was honest, I knew in my heart that it was probably too soon to tell my parents about us, but still, I wished I knew exactly what was going through Jaxson’s mind.

  I glanced back at Jaxson, but he didn’t meet my gaze. Instead, he kept his focus solely on the road ahead, and I returned my focus back out the window, and we finished the rest of the journey in silence.

  We reached my parents’ house a little before five. The heavy snow slowed us a little, making the journey take a little longer, but we finally made it, and I was so happy to be home.

  The moment I climbed out of the car, both my mom and dad came rushing out through the front door, and down the pathway to greet me with the biggest hug I’d ever received.

  “Oh, Sweetheart!” Mom exclaimed, holding me tight, that I could hardly breathe. “My beautiful girl; are you okay?”

  “I’m okay, Mom,” I assured her, but quickly a lump formed in my throat, but I refused to cry.

  “Has he hurt you?” Dad asks as he wrapped his arms around both mom and me at once. “Because if he has…”

  “I’m okay, Daddy,” I reassure him, knowing that when my father heard what had happened, he was going to freak out completely. “I promise I will tell you everything.”

  “We should get you inside,” Mom said, as she finally releases me from her momma bear hug. As she stepped back, she then greeted Jaxson with a warm hug and kiss on the cheek before Jaxson greeted my dad, too, then quickly introduced them both to Travis.

  “You’re both very welcome to our home,” Mom said before she turned and led us all back towards the house. “I have your rooms all ready, and dinner is in the oven. I’ve made lots of food, so I hope you’re all hungry.”

  I smiled to myself as I followed Mom up the front steps of the house. My life might be a complete train wreck at the moment, but at least I had the most amazing parents in the world.

  Once we were all inside the house, and mom had given us all a cup of hot coffee to warm us up after our long drive, we all sat down in the living room, where I knew I would have to tell my parents the truth about my relationship with Jacob, and the things he’d done to me.

  “So,” Dad said, not being one known for his patience. “What the hell has that son of a bitch done?”

  Instantly tears pooled in my eyes, but once more, I refused to cry. I needed to be stronger now than I’d ever been before if I wanted to survive this.

  So, I told my parents everything that had happened. Well, almost everything. I decided that they didn’t need to know about the night I took the bottle of sleeping tablets. They were already worried enough about me without me making it worse for them.

  Nor did I tell them about Jaxson and me.

  As I spoke, Jaxson watched me closely, and I wished once more I knew what was going through his mind at that moment, as the look on his face was completely unreadable.

  When I finally finished telling my parents everything there was to know about Jacob, they both sat for a moment in silence, almost like they were trying to process all the information I had given them.

  “I’m going to kill him,” Dad finally said as he pushed up from the chair and began pacing up and down like a caged animal. “No one puts a hand on my daughter… I don’t know who or what he thinks he is, but I’m going to kill him.”

  “Dad, I know you’re upset,” I try to reason with him, but it was too late. He’s on a roll now, and he is angry as hell.

  “Upset!” He exclaimed without even looking at me. “I’m not upset; I’m angry. I knew from the start that asshole was bad news; the way he came in here, acting like he was some big shot…”

  He turned and looked at mom, and I could see the anger pour from his face.

  “I told you that he wasn’t good enough for her,” he said, sounding almost accusatory as he glared at Mom. “I told you her marrying him was a mistake, but you said she was happy…”

  “I was happy!” I said, standing up to confront my father, feeling angry, he was blaming my mother. “I thought Jacob was the one; I thought he loved me. None of this is Mom’s fault…”

  “Sweetheart,” my mom stopped me mid-sentence, as she too stood up, taking hold of my hands. “Your father isn’t blaming anyone.”

  “This was all me,” I said, as the tears I’d been fighting back suddenly broke free. “I knew Daddy hated him, so did Teddy, but I wanted to show them I was right. I wanted to show them that Jacob was nothing like they believed he was, that for once, I knew what I was doing. But when I realised that I had made a mistake, it was too late. I was already married to him, and I felt trapped and embarrassed that I’d gotten it so wrong. How could I tell you how bad things were? How could I tell you how stupid I was…”?

  “You are not stupid,” my mom said, stopping me mid-sentence once more. “You were in love. You wanted to believe the one you’d given your heart to, was a good man. He is the one who let you down, Ally. None of this is your fault.”

  “Then why do I feel like it is,” I ask, suddenly feeling completely overcome with emotion. “Why do I feel like the biggest idiot in the world?”

  Without waiting for a reply, and hurried out of the room and heading for the stairs, and up to the room I had grown up in.

  As I stepped inside the room, a million memories came rushing back at me all at once. Memories of a time when my life was perfect, and I had my whole future in front of me. How had I managed to mess everything up so badly?

  I closed my eyes, trying hard to catch my breath, but it was no use. I was too hurt and angry, and even too sad to keep it all inside. I hurried to my bed, where I climbed onto it, then curled myself up into a little ball and cried until exhaustion claimed me, and I fell into a deep, restless sleep.

  “Ally,” Jaxson’s voice filled my head, instantly pulling me from my dreams. I opened my eyes and found him kneeling next to my bed, staring into my eyes as he softly brushed my hair back from my face with the tips of his fingers. “Hey there.”

  “Hey,” I replied, making no effort to move on the bed.

  “Are you okay?” He asked, giving me a worried look.

  “Define, okay?” I asked as I reached up and softly brushed his face with my hand. “How did I get this all so wrong?”

  “You didn’t get it wrong, Ally,” he said as he suddenly moved and climbed onto the bed next to me. Once on the bed, he wrapped his arms around me and drew me closer to him. “You met a guy who was pretty good at fooling people. He even had me fooled for a while. So, don’t be so hard on yourself.”

  “He didn’t fool my dad,” I sighed as I rested my head on his chest. “He saw through Jacob’s mask from day one.”

  “Well,” Jaxson replied with a chuckle. “He’s your dad. I think most fathers think that no one is good enough for their little girls.”

  “He likes you,” I said, sitting up, looking at Jaxson, but he didn’t meet my gaze, and I remembered that I hadn’t tol
d my parents about him and me. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell them about you and me. It just… everything was such a mess, and I wasn’t sure you wanted me to.”

  “You don’t have to be sorry,” he said, giving me a shy smile. “I get it. I was worried too that it might be too soon to tell them. They are worried enough about you, and well, I don’t want them thinking that I’m taking advantage. I don’t want you to think that either…”

  “Why would they ever think that?” I asked, quickly sitting up and turning to face him, surprised by his comment. “You’re the sweetest, kindest man, I know.”

  I leaned forward and kissed him softly on the lips before I pressed my forehead to his.

  “We’re going to get through this, right?” I asked, asking him the question that I was most afraid of.

  “We are,” he assured me as he looked down into my eyes. “Jacob is going to pay for what he’s done. And then you’ll be free from him, and we can live happily ever after.”

  “I would like that,” I replied, giving him another smile. “But, I think you are already my happy ever after.”

  “Good,” he grinned then kissed me once more before he reached for my hand, holding it tightly. “But right now, I need to tell you something, and I don’t want you to freak out.”

  “Okay,” I replied, but already panic was washing over me. I could feel the hairs on my neck stand on end, each one feeling like pinpricks down my spine, as my heart raced.

  “Richie called,” Jaxson began, and I knew this was nothing good. “Jacob was charged but was granted bail. The charges were in relation to the assault on Thatcher, who came around this afternoon.”

  A tiny wave of relief washed over me for Thatcher, but Jacob was out of police custody, and now he was free to get his revenge.

  “He was supposed to announce he was running for the Senate today,” I said as a cold, realisation washed over me. “In his head, he will blame me for ruining that. He isn’t going to let this go easily. He’s going to come for me.”

  “He can try,” Jaxson replied, as he squeezed my hands tighter. “But I need to know you’re safe. So, with that in mind. I have a friend who has a place about twenty miles from here. He uses it in the summer. I think for now until the dust settles a little, we should go there. He will never find us there.”

  “What about my mom and dad?” I asked, hating that I had dragged this to their door too.

  “They are going to come with us,” Jaxson assured me. “I’ve called David, the guy who owns the house, and he said that it’s ours for as long as we need it.”

  I release a long sigh as I look into his eyes; my heartfelt heavy as did my soul.

  “Everything is going to be okay,” he said, reaching up and touching my face once more. “Richie is going to find the connection between Jacob and the guy who took the pictures. Then, with Lynn’s testimony, they can pick Jacob up once more, and this time he won’t be able to wriggle out of it. In the meantime, I will do whatever it takes to keep you safe, Ally. I give you my word.”

  I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his.

  “Thank you,” I said, but the words seemed too small for how truly grateful I was to this amazing man.

  “It’s my pleasure,” he replied, smiling at me, before he climbed up from the bed, reaching out his hand to me, then pulling me up too. “Now, let’s hit the road. Your parents are packed and ready to go. Everything is going to be okay.”

  Chapter 24

  Jaxson

  It was two days since we arrived at David’s summer house, which was set beside a beautiful lake, in the most perfect surroundings I had ever seen. The drive up to the house was lined on either side by fir trees, offering the house some privacy from the road, There was also an eight-foot wall surrounding the property, with electric gates, the only access to the ground, other from the jetty on the lake which was at the back of the house.

  I knew this property well because I had set up the security for David when he was having some trouble of his own. An ex-girlfriend couldn’t take no for an answer and hounded him relentlessly. It didn’t end well for the girl. She was arrested and sentenced to five years for stalking. She ended up taking her own life in her prison cell.

  When I knew David no longer needed me, I told him it was time for me to move on. David had wanted me to stay with him, but I told him that it was the right time for me to go. He told me that if there was anything I ever needed from him, I only needed to ask.

  So, I did, and now we were there, safe away from Jacobs reach. When I arrived, the first thing I did was call Richie and gave him my new number. I knew that Jacob could track us down by our phones, so I stopped at a store on the way to the lake house and bought three burner phones. One for Ally’s folks, one for Travis, and one for me.

  Ally asked why she hadn’t been given a phone, and I explained she would never be alone, and that she could use mine whenever she wanted.

  She nodded that she understood, but I knew she was not happy. I realised right away I’d made a mistake. I’d taken away her freedom, just as Jacob had. So, today I was going to rectify that mistake.

  I told her at breakfast that I was taking a drive into town if she’d like to come with me. She, of course, jumped at the chance of getting out of the house for a short while.

  Helen, Ally’s mom, had said she was going to do some baking, while Henry and Travis were in the middle of an epic game of chess.

  I was checking the car, making sure the tire pressure was okay, and the window wash was full, when the door opened, and Ally stepped out into the cold December morning.

  “Are you ready to go?” I asked as I slammed the hood closed and wipe my hands in the cloth I had in my pocket.

  “Yeah,” she replied, her breath filling the air because it’s so cold this morning. She smiled before she looked around the grounds. There was a light dusting of snow overnight, but nothing that would keep us from heading out. “I can’t believe it’s December already.”

  “It will be Christmas before we know it,” I said, walking around the car and opening the door for her, giving her a warm smile.

  The hardest part of the last two days was being so close to her, but not being able to touch her whenever I wanted to, but as her parents still didn’t know about us, it needed to be done.

  I was surprised the first night when Ally snook into my room once everyone was in bed. I had just started to drift off when I felt her climb beneath the blankets and snuggle close to me.

  “Ally,” I whispered, turning to face her. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah,” she sighed as she snuggled into my open arms. “I just didn’t want to be alone tonight.”

  That night we just slept in each other’s arms, even though I wanted nothing more than to make love to her slowly, all night long.

  When she came to me the second night, I couldn’t fight the longing I had deep inside me to touch her. I made love to her slowly, bring her to climax several times before I finally found my own release.

  Still, even though I got to hold her all night long, it didn’t make the longing to kiss her and touch her all day long any easier. I wanted to be able to kiss her whenever I wanted to. I wanted to touch her skin or brush away a wayward strand of her hair. I needed her in ways I have never needed any other person in my life.

  “Your chariot awaits,” I said as I stepped back to let her climb into the car. Closing the door behind her, I smiled to myself as I hurry around the car to the driver’s side. I climb inside and glance over at Ally, giving her a warm smile. “I just have a few bits I need to pick up, but I thought I could take you for lunch. You know, some time for just you and me. Like a date.”

  “I’d like that,” she said with a shrug and gave me a strange smile. I knew that this was all starting to get to her, and I needed to do whatever I could to make it easier for her.

  “Are you okay?” I asked, knowing that clearly, she wasn’t.

  “Sure,” she replied, smiling once more, but her eyes told a
different story.

  “So, you’re not still mad at me about the phone?” I say, trying my hardest not to smile at the look on her face.

  “I’m not mad,” she insisted, but the look on her face betrayed her completely.

  “Then you don’t want this,” I reached into the back of the car and pulled out the phone I’d bought the day before when I was down in the town. I was just waiting for the right moment to give it to her.

  “Jax, you didn’t have to do that,” she exclaimed, her face flushed with embarrassment.

  “Yes, I did,” I said, giving her a look that said I was an ass, and I was sorry. “I was an idiot for not getting you one in the first place. Honestly, I didn’t think. I just assumed you’d be with me, and that we could share my one, but I should have never assumed… I’m not him, Ally.”

  “I know you’re not,” she replied quickly, giving me the most beautiful smile that I’d ever seen before she leaned forward and kissed me softly on the lips. “I’m grateful for the phone but not as grateful as I am for you.”

  “I love you, Alexandra Wallace,” I said, reaching for her hand, but then a strange look appeared on her face once more. “What?”

  “I was thinking,” she said, giving me a nervous look. “About my name I mean. The thing is, I don’t want to be Alexandra Wallace anymore. I think I would rather be Ally Banks again.”

  “Ally Banks,” I said, sounding out the name for myself, before giving her a broad smile. “I like it. So much more you.”

  I say the words, but as I do, another name pops into my head, and it’s one that surprises me. Ally Stone rolls around my mind, and instantly I love how the two names sound together. Of course, I didn’t say that to Ally. Instead, I smiled and started the engine, keeping that thought in my mind. I knew it was far too soon to be thinking of such things, but it was something that I hoped one day would be something she might consider.

  “Okay, Ally Banks!” I exclaimed, giving her another smile. “Let’s get this show on the road.”

  I start the engine and eased the car slowly away from the house.