Nathan catches up with me, hooking his fingers around my arm. "What was that back there?" he asks in a hushed whisper.
I pull out of his grip, and my eyes dart around as people walk past us. "You really want to do this now?" I ask, narrowing my eyes to let him know exactly what I'm talking about.
Nathan clears his throat and offers his arm once again like a gentleman, clearly putting on airs for everyone around us. "Shall we?" he asks with an underlying menacing tone that only I would recognize.
Hesitantly, I wrap my fingers around his arm and allow him to lead me towards the party.
"Your father really outdid himself this time," he remarks. Holding up his finger, he stops one of the many waitstaff walking around. He takes two glasses of champagne from a silver tray and hands me one. We both take a sip at the same time. "Delicious," he says in approval.
I nod in agreement as we walk past the enormous parquet dance floor. A string quartet is playing the most beautiful music, and I can't wait to listen to them for the rest of the night.
We find my father on the large wraparound porch of the house. He's in a serious conversation with an older man in a blue suit. When his eyes drift over to me, he immediately excuses himself. "Sweetheart," he says, walking towards me with open arms.
"Dad," I acknowledge, hugging him.
He pulls back and studies me. "You look beautiful. As always," he says with a wink.
"How are you feeling?"
"Totally fine." He leans and whispers, "But don't tell the reporters that. My campaign manager wants to milk this just a little bit longer." I try my best not to roll my eyes. He looks past me and asks, "Have you seen your sister yet?"
"No, but I'm sure she'll be here."
He nods and turns to Nathan. They shake hands, and my dad claps Nathan on the shoulder. "Nice to see you, Nathan. Your parents are around here somewhere. I was just speaking with them."
"I'll keep an eye out," Nathan says. "So how is the campaign going so far?"
I drown out their conversation and glance around at the crowd milling in from the entrance. I’m anxious to find Max. "I'm going to check out the decorations and tents," I announce.
The two of them are busy talking politics and barely notice me walking away. I observe that there are place cards on each table. Nathan and I are at the head table with my father, Allison and her husband and daughter. We are in the biggest and foremost tent that faces all the others along with some immediate family members and the entire Mason family. When I've checked all of the place cards, I frown. Max's name isn't on any of the cards in my tent. Maybe that’s best anyway, because I know I will just be more tempted to stare at him all night.
Maneuvering past the tent, I walk to the edge of the yard and stare out over the grounds. A million fireflies light up the darkness with flashing illumination. I sigh and think about how wonderful it would be to be a little girl again. I would give anything to go back in time. And if I could do just that, I would change a lot. I would have never agreed to date Nathan. I would have gone to college like I always wanted to. I'm twenty-three with nothing to show for myself besides being a trophy wife. The term makes me cringe. I don't know how I let myself become so dependent on Nathan. Part of me knows that this was his plan all along. It would make it difficult for me to leave him, and I'm finding out just how difficult now.
"Hey, beautiful," says a voice.
I turn around and squint into the darkness. A figure steps towards me, his back illuminated by the lights from the yard, but keeping his face in the shadows. When I feel his gentle arms around me and breathe in his scent, I whisper, "Max."
"How are you?"
I don't want to answer him. I don't want to cry and risk the chance of ruining my makeup and then having to explain to Nathan the reason behind it. I just sink deeper into his hug. "I miss you, Max. I can't stop thinking about you."
"Ditto," he says with a sigh. His chin rests on top of my head as his fingers trail down my arms. "You look beautiful. I watched you walk in. You took my breath away."
I close my eyes and lay my head on his chest. We dance slowly to the music flowing faintly through the air around us. "I didn't think you'd show up tonight, but I was hoping that you would."
"I wasn't going to, but I got a phone call today that changed my mind."
My body stills in his arms. "Good news or bad news?" Please say good news. Please.
"Very good news, Avery." He holds me tighter and whispers in my ear. "Can we meet somewhere private later to talk?"
"Yeah. I know of a place we can go. I'll get a message to you somehow." I hesitate before I say, "But until then…you have to ignore me. Even meeting like this in the shadows is dangerous." He starts to protest, but I put my fingertips to his lips. "Nathan can't find out about us, Max. If he suspects anything…" My voice trails off, because I don't even want to think about what Nathan would do.
Max kisses my fingertips. "Okay. I'll try to ignore you, but you have no idea how hard that's gonna be." He kisses my lips softly. "I miss you already, and you haven't even walked away from me yet."
"Ditto," I whisper. Then I end the conversation with one word, a promise. "Later."
"Later," he agrees.
Reluctantly, I pull away from him. Even though I'm walking out of the darkness and towards the light, I left the only true light in my life behind me in the shadows.
*
I sit at the head table with Nathan, my father, my sister and her husband and daughter. My father is standing and giving a speech into a microphone. His hand sweeps over to us and tears fill his eyes as he raves on and on about his family and how we have been standing by his side ever since the near-miss tragedy that happened weeks ago when he was shot.
Allison leans over to me and whispers into my ear, "Leave it to our father to turn him getting shot into a publicity stunt for his campaign."
I watch her carefully as she sits back and takes a swig of her champagne. That is her fifth glass, and we've only been at the table for a half an hour. Something is going on with her, but I can't put my finger on it.
As she motions to the waiter for a refill, her husband Todd mutters something to her under his breath. Allison's face instantly glazes over with a stony look. She glares at Todd. If looks could kill.
"Allison, Avery, stand up," my father instructs. We do as he says, and he's beaming at us both. "These young ladies are my breaths of fresh air, my reason for living. As most of you know, I was a single father for years after my wife Olivia died from ovarian cancer. These girls were my sole reason for carrying on." His voice cracks as he speaks, and he quickly clears his throat. "I love you both so much."
The crowd claps, and Allison and I plaster fake smiles on our faces as some of the photographers snap a few pictures. I hate being the center of attention, and these kinds of events always call for that.
"And let's not forget about their wonderful husbands, Nathan and Todd, and my beautiful granddaughter Sophia." We all stand together as the photographers snap pictures.
"One big happy family," Allison mutters sarcastically.
My father scoops down to pick up Sophia. She giggles in his arms, and he beams at her. "I hope to have more grandchildren soon," my father says as he gives a proud look to Nathan and me.
"Very soon," Nathan replies with a big grin.
My stomach turns, and I grab the edge of the table for support. Perhaps sensing my discomfort, my father quickly turns his attention to another topic. We all sit down, and I am thankful for the focus to be anywhere but on me.
"What is going on with you tonight?" Nathan asks in a hushed whisper.
"I have a headache," I lie.
"They should be serving the food soon. Maybe you just need to eat," he replies. He leans in close and says, "I can't wait to get you out of that dress when we get home. Every man in this place has been eye-fucking you all night. They want what they can't have." He kisses my earlobe, and I want to throw up. "If anyone so much as touches you tonight, I'll
kill them." He hisses the threat, and a shiver runs up my spine.
It takes all of my willpower to stay seated at the table and not run out of there as fast as I can. My eyes search the sea of people, and I lock onto a dark gaze in one of the rear tents. In those eyes I see my future, and they instantly calm my nerves. I don't stare at Max for very long, but in those few seconds he gave me enough strength to carry on for a few minutes more.
I'm so anxious to hear Max's good news that I can barely sit still through the meal. My mind races as I consider all of the possibilities. Maybe there is someone who can finally help me. Maybe I will finally be able to leave Nathan for good. The maybes are piling up, but as long as there is even a glimmer of hope, I can hold on for another day. It will all be worth it in the end if it brings me to a life where Max and I exist and are happy together.
*
MAX
I'm starting to regret my decision to accept the invitation to this party. I know I wanted to be able to talk to Avery as soon as possible about my plan, but I wasn't counting on the fact that seeing her with Nathan would destroy me. I try not to stare, but my eyes constantly find her in the crowd. Nathan barely leaves her side. His hands are constantly straying to hold her by the waist or touch the nape of her neck or drift down her arm to hold her hand. He's staking his claim, showing everybody that she belongs to him. She is only a pretty thing to possess in his eyes. And every time I see him touch her, I find myself having a tougher time not exploding from all the pent-up anger inside of me.
I watch her mask fall into place. The happy wife to the perfect husband. The perfect daughter to the soon-to-be governor. But it's all a sham. It's in the moments when the cameras aren't flashing that I see the mask slip. I see a hint of her unhappiness. And it's all I can do not to go to her.
I'm careful in my watching of Avery. I never stare at her or in her general direction for too long. I always try to keep her in my peripheral vision even when I'm speaking to someone. And in all of that time, she never once glances my way.
As the night goes on, I grow more and more desperate for her gaze. My only solace is the champagne that seems to be dispersing through the crowd in absurd abundance. By my tenth glass, I am finally tipsy enough to numb myself to the point that I no longer have the pressing urge to walk up to Nathan and punch him square in the jaw.
I'm buzzed on alcohol, and it helps the pain I'm feeling deep within my chest. My soul is crying out for its counterpart and is being totally ignored.
I'm counting the empty flutes in front of me at the table when a waiter stops in front of me. "Champagne, sir?"
I don't even acknowledge him and attempt to wave him away. I know I shouldn't drink any more. I've had enough already.
"Sir?" he asks again.
I look up at the young man and notice he's holding out a flute with a note tucked around the stem. He leans down and whispers conspiratorially, "A woman asked me to deliver this to you."
I don't need to ask who the woman is. I know it's from Avery. I quickly take the items from his hand and secure the note in my palm. "Thank you."
He nods and walks away. Once I know it's safe and I'm alone, I unfold the note and read it several times.
Meet me in five minutes by the guest bathroom.
I take a long drink from the flute, draining it, and add the empty glass to my collection on the table in front of me. I stand and make my way across the lawn. On the way, I spot Nathan boasting amongst a group of ten other men. They are hanging onto his every word, and he plays the part of a gentleman all too well. The men laugh at his jokes and smile up at him like he is a god. If they only knew the kind of man they were really worshipping. He's nothing but a piece of shit, a wife beater and a cold-blooded monster living in a fancy life of deception.
Disgusted, I walk past them quickly and make my way into the house. The inside foyer and hallway are illuminated, and I follow the signs for the guest bathroom. The rest of the house remains dark, signifying that guests should not venture beyond that point.
I stand there, waiting, when I hear someone call my name. I turn, and my eyes narrow as I stare into the shadows of the adjacent room. I can see a silhouette of a woman. Blinking, I wonder if I did, in fact, drink too much champagne.
"Max," Avery whispers. Then I see her delicate hand as it reaches out of the darkness towards me.
I place my hand in hers and allow her to lead me through the darkened downstairs and up the grandiose staircase. She doesn't say a word as we walk down a dimly lit hall. We stop at the last door on the right, and she pulls me through, closing the door behind us. A lamp clicks on, and I squint until my eyes adjust to the sudden brightness. Glancing around the room, I realize this is Avery's childhood bedroom. The walls are pink and purple and plastered with posters of boy bands from the '90s, horses, butterflies and flowers. Numerous trophies and awards line every shelf in the room for cheerleading, tennis, swimming and horseback riding competitions. Several pictures of her with horses litter the room, and her love for the animal has me smiling. She's going to absolutely love it at Diane's ranch, and I can picture her there in my mind already.
I walk over to a small white dresser and stare at a picture of her and her mother Olivia. They both share the same long, reddish-brown hair and beautiful blue-gray eyes. Olivia is sans all the makeup and costumes like she had been wearing in her movies Avery and I watched together. She's stunning. "You're the splitting image of your mom," I comment. Glancing at her, she smiles, and I know she finds that to be a huge compliment.
A large photo album rests on the edge of her dresser, and I open it. My fingers flip through pictures of her on the back of a motorcycle, standing at the top of a waterfall and getting ready to jump off and photos of her partying with her girlfriends. I take my time looking at every picture of her. I'm getting a glimpse of Avery years ago before she met Nathan, before he started to break her spirit. She looks so carefree and happy and was clearly a knockout even back in high school. I chuckle and say, "You look like you were a handful back then."
"My dad threatened me with boarding school on more than one occasion," she says with a mischievous grin.
I turn and pull her into my arms. I kiss the crook of her neck and linger there, breathing in her sweet scent. "Rebel," I whisper against her skin.
She lets out a small sigh, and it turns me on. "I miss you," she confesses. I can hear the catch in her voice, and it makes me hold her tighter.
"I miss you too," I whisper. I lean back and stare at her for a few moments. No words can describe how much I miss her and think about her and want to be with her every second of every day. So I let my mouth do the talking and crush my lips to hers. Her hands slowly trail up my chest and wrap around my neck, pulling me even closer to her. When we eventually part, she says, "You taste like champagne."
"Well, I probably drank enough for the both of us." I frown. "The alcohol is the only thing keeping me sane tonight." Sighing, I shake my head. "I can't stand seeing you with him, Avery. It's driving me crazy."
"I know. I'm sorry." She slowly pulls back from me.
I open my mouth to tell her about Diane and the farm, but all of that goes out the window the moment she starts to slowly unzip her dress. My mouth goes dry as the material falls to the floor. The sight of the black lacey corset with matching thong, garters and thigh highs is almost too much to bear. I can feel my cock painfully straining against my zipper.
She steps out of her high heels as my eyes drink her in. She planned this. She wore this just for me, and it turns me on even more.
"I need you, Max," she says quietly. Her voice sounds hot and sultry, and I swallow hard.
I pull her to me, molding her luscious body against mine. A perfect fit. My hands roam all over her soft skin, wanting more, not being able to get enough of her. My fingertips skim from her stomach down to her hips and touch the top of the stockings. My hands stop as I wonder if Nathan will get to see her in these tonight. She's going home with him after all. Not me.
I frown and pull back from her as the idea invades my thoughts.
I rake my fingers through my hair. "Fuck…Avery…I can't stop thinking about how I'm not the one you'll be going home with at the end of the night." She stares at me with apprehension written all over her face. Her eyes look fearful, but what is she afraid of? Afraid of losing me?
"I want you to make love to me, Max," she whispers.
I close my eyes, savoring her words. Whatever needs to be said can be said later, because right now I need her too…more than anything. I close the distance between us and crush my mouth to hers in a fevered kiss. A moan escapes her, and I swallow it down.
Without breaking the kiss, I remove my clothes as fast as I can, our lips only parting when I have to pull my shirt over my head. Naked, I push her backwards until she falls onto the mattress. I kneel at the end of the bed and lock my gaze with hers as I dip down between her legs and breathe in her scent. A satisfied groan erupts in my throat as I lick her through the lacey material of her thong. She lets out a low moan and bucks her hips. Pushing the material aside, I lick the length of her slit before focusing my attention on her swollen, little clit.
Her hands fist in the sheets as she tries to hold back her cries. Placing my hands under her hips, I bring her closer to my mouth and begin sucking and licking her hard and fast. Within minutes, she comes apart in my hands. Her hand clasps over her mouth to muffle her cries as her body quivers under my tongue. It's one of the hottest things I have ever witnessed.
She slowly stands and pushes my chest gently until I fall onto the bed. I watch her as she unsnaps her garters and slips out of her thong. I sit up on the bed, stroking my length in my hand as she removes her corset, tossing it on the floor.
Avery straddles my lap and grinds her wet slit over me. I'm rock hard, and my cock is practically weeping to be inside of her again. I groan out in frustration when I realize I didn't bring a condom with me. "I don't have a condom," I say, and it sounds like a curse.
Saving Avery Page 21