"Let me go get that delicious cake," Eleanor said as she stood up, quickly walking out of the dining room to the kitchen.
"Correction. Last time she made a cake was to tell us the good news that the person who started the fire on the farm last year was finally caught. She just added in she was leaving at the same time," Zane said, grabbing Ava's hand as the memory was a torturous one for him, thinking of her ever leaving him.
"Here we go. What a great looking cake, Ava!" Eleanor beamed with pride as she set the cake on the table.
Austin smiled at the cake, imagining the huge mess Ava probably created to make it. She decorated it with a fine layer of white icing and sprinkles scattered on top. Eleanor was spot on. A great looking cake. Delicious looking, too. He looked over at Zane. "You make a good point. What's the cake for this time? Last time I tried getting your guys' goat by saying she was pregnant and you—" Austin paused as his mouth dropped open with shock. "Are you pregnant?"
Ava smiled wide as Zane pulled her hand to his mouth, lightly kissing it.
"We are," Ava said as she smiled with love at Zane.
"Oh, man! Congratulations, you guys. That's the best news ever. I can't believe you made me wait all day to hear this. I'm going to be an uncle. This is crazy," Austin said excitedly as he got up from his chair, circling the table to embrace Zane in a huge hug. "Congratulations, man. I'm so happy for you. Jimmy would be so excited, too."
"Thanks, Austin. We're excited," Zane said.
Austin grabbed Ava in a big hug as well.
"Do you know what you're having?" Austin asked Ava as he went back to his seat.
"I'm only eight weeks along. We won't know for a while yet. As long as the little one is healthy, that's all that matters," Ava said, rubbing her stomach.
"Jimmy would be so happy to hear this. Congratulations to both of you," Eleanor said as she got her hugs from the two of them after Austin did.
"He would. I was thinking of making a trip to New York to visit him. Tell him the news. I'm still trying to talk Zane into it. Will you come with, Austin?" Ava asked as she grabbed Zane's hand again.
"Hell, yeah. Come on, Zane. You have to go," Austin urged.
"I've been to New York three times now, and each time was quite an ordeal, thank you. I can't imagine what the fourth trip would be like," Zane said with quiet sadness.
"Well, we didn't bury him in Minnesota, so you have to come with to visit him. I thought you would do anything to make your wife happy. She's pregnant now. You have to make sure the baby's okay as well," Austin said.
"Thanks for making me worry ten times worse now," Zane muttered as he glared at Austin.
"Just pointing out the obvious. You're protective of Ava. Now she's pregnant, so that protection increases. New York is awesome if you just give it a chance," Austin said.
"That's what I keep trying to tell him and he never listens to me," Ava said.
"Do I need to repeat myself to you two? Not one trip I made turned out well. And the last one, should have, but it didn't," Zane said as he looked at Ava, who had sorrow in her eyes. "Fine! I said I probably would. I don't think I could have you out of my sight for very long anyway. I'd miss you too much."
"That's what I like to hear," Ava said smiling.
"Oh, man. Here we go again with the lovey-dovey crap. Might be time for me to go home," Austin said with a teasing tone.
"Eat your cake, young man. You can't leave until you help me clear the table first anyway," Eleanor said with a smile.
"You're right, Eleanor. It's great, Ava. You did a good job." Austin glanced at Zane. "You did a good job picking out a beautiful, amazing woman. I can't wait for my niece or nephew to get here."
"I did do good," Zane replied, squeezing his wife into a side embrace.
"Now if only you'd find a beautiful, amazing woman and settle down," Ava said glaring at Austin.
Austin groaned and shoved another bite of cake into his mouth. That was never going to happen. Love wasn't for him.
***
Sophie toured the house after she cried all the tears left inside. She honestly didn’t think any more could pour out. She had sat on the floor for a good half hour before she calmed down even a tiny bit.
Dreadful. The only word to spring to her mind after she finished walking around the house. She almost considered the inside just as bad as the outside, except she found no holes in the floors or walls. She deemed that a plus. But everything was dirty; the whole house stunk to high heaven. She went around opening all the windows, trying to air it out, briefly glancing to see if that man was still lingering around. She didn't see him, happy to have that annoyance disappear. She hoped she wouldn't run into him again. He obviously didn't understand personal space. Something she direly needed.
After completing that task, she ran quickly outside to her car to grab her meager belongings and threw them in the house before anyone else tried to come up to her and scare her.
Three suitcases and one box. The existence of her life. Four things stuffed with her belongings, most of them clothes. Her life boiled down to that. Nothing else. No family, no friends, no big moving van, and sadly, no hope this move would help her.
The burning anger she held for her father outside lowered every time she walked around the house. Her house may not look the greatest in the neighborhood, it may not smell like roses, but this house was her home. Her new safe haven. She thanked him every time she saw something that would make this new life easier. She had a couch. She had a bed. Stains littered all over them with a funny smell rising to her nose, but it meant more money to spend on other essentials—like groceries.
She had no job yet. Although, she was going to try her hand at selling crafts she made. She dabbled with it on the side, but now she had the chance to make her talent as a full-fledged job. First, she needed to buy supplies with money she didn't have, but who needed to eat a lot of food anyway. Not her. Once she started making and selling her works of art on-line, everything would be fine. She made great things. Creative things. She knew everything would work out. She needed it to work.
Next, she looked at the three bedrooms seeing two had beds in them, the last one completely empty. The master bedroom, she figured, had been her father's, which disturbed her to even think about sleeping in there. She put her suitcases in the other room with the smaller bed, grabbing the sheets from it and tossing them into the washer for fresh linens tonight. She smiled as she pressed the start button to the washer, thinking how wonderful of a feeling it was to climb into a clean bed. Gladness also swept through that the washer and dryer worked.
Another smile lit her face when she realized her father wasn't letting her down. All the appliances worked. The house may look like crap, but all the appliances were well maintained as far as she could see.
The night flew by as she cleaned her room, washing every speck of dirt in sight, remaking the bed, and putting her clothes away. She grabbed her last piece of luggage—the lone box—and carefully opened it.
Sadness drifted to her eyes, sighing that she hadn't even packed it to the top. She pulled out a few picture frames, dusting off the imaginary dirt as she gazed at them. They were all of her mother, young and carefree. Such a beautiful woman. Nobody was more beautiful. Each picture had been taken before life became what it was. A woman saddled with a baby, heartache, terror, and a deep loneliness that Sophie now understood.
She shifted a few things, trying to hold back the tears that suddenly wanted to fall, when she saw the angel peek out from under a frame. Sophie grabbed it with delicate hands, tracing the edges of the statue. A simple design with wings of glory and praying hands to her chest. A brilliant white porcelain angel that was her most prized possession. Her finger stopped its movement as it reached the angels left wing. A jagged edge stared back, the wing broken from a horror she hated remembering.
But she did remember. The most pivotal moment in her life. So crystal clear in her mind. How her hand had hovered over the trashcan, the ang
el dangling from her fingers. Yet, she made no move to drop it. Not only did the beautiful angel remind her of her mother, it now reminded her of her strength. It had been the day she finally left. The day her weakness came front and center, smacking her in the face. The tip of desolation had cracked when her guardian broke. Speaking in whispers, it had told her to get up and get out. Run for your life. That's exactly what she did.
She walked over to her dresser and gently placed the angel on top. She stood back and smiled her first real, true smile of the day. The disgusting stench drifting throughout the house, the dirt layered in every corner, the cracked and peeling paint, the grass too tall for neighborly manners, none of it mattered. This was her home. It would work because she would make it work. When it became too much, she would come here to this exact spot, look upon her guardian angel, and never forget why she left— why she ran.
***
"You were flirting with that man. I saw you, Sophie. How could you embarrass me like that in front of my colleagues?" Kevin shouted, the rage filling his face.
Sophie shrunk back into herself, knowing how he transformed into another human being when he was angry. "I wasn't flirting. I was just being friendly. I swear, Kevin."
"Friendly? He put his hand on you," Kevin roared as he advanced a step at her.
"Please, Kevin. I shook his hand to be polite. You don't want me to look rude for not shaking the man's hand, do you?" Sophie pleaded, retreating from the rage.
"No man will ever touch you but me. I'm the only one for you," Kevin whispered menacingly. He raised his hand and swung down, hitting her face. The force of the impact sent her flying into the dresser, knocking several things to the floor. Her shoulder jammed into the corner, the pain shooting throughout her body. She fell to the floor, her body too weak to do anything else.
Sophie felt his presence move closer as she struggled to sit up. Suddenly, without notice, a foot wedged into her stomach, knocking her breath out. He delivered several more blows, Sophie writhing in pain, unable to do anything but lie there taking the abuse.
Her eyes centered on her angel that had fallen to the floor, its wing shattered into pieces, just as her heart had. She tried to block the pain, the blows, and the blood spilling from her body by staring at the figure that followed her through life.
A rough scream escaped when she felt him slam down on top of her, grabbing her by the neck, slowly squeezing with all the strength he had. "You will never disobey me again, Sophie. You will never look at another man again like that. Allow a man to touch you in such a manner. Never again, Sophie, never again."
Sophie struggled to draw in air as his eyes glossed over in madness, the power in his hands deepening. Her mind started to waver, her eyes closing as she could feel a deep blackness coming. Just before it completely swept her away into the heavenly gates, a knock sounded from below.
Kevin snapped out of it, cursing loudly, and abruptly let go of her neck. "Don't you ever disobey me again. I won't tolerate that kind of behavior. You're mine. Only mine."
Sophie stared at his back as she lay bruised and damaged on the floor as another knock echoed throughout the house.
***
Sophie shook her head as her mind entered back into the present. A persistent knock shouted for her to answer it. She glided a shaky hand over the broken figurine and made her way to the front door.
Frowning, she noticed for the first time she had no peephole to see who was on the other side. Another forceful knock rang through her ears as she stood frozen in her spot. Her hand made a move to answer it, the shakes making it difficult to finish the journey. Should she answer it? Who could possibly be banging on her door so late at night?
A frightening thought slithered into her mind.
He found her.
She wasn't good at this cloak-and-dagger stuff. She wouldn't be surprised if he found her right away, considering she didn't try very hard attempting to hide. She did flee to her father's home. Doesn't get much easier than that.
Her meager attempt at living in peace was failing before she could even begin. Before she could even try. Life wasn't fair. A mantra she heard often enough through life from her stepfather. The miserable excuse for a man was right for once.
Life wasn't fair.
She jumped in place, her hands shaking even more when another round of banging popped into her senses. She inhaled a deep bout of strength, unlocked the door, and swung it open.
Tremors ran through her body as she stared at the angry face glaring at her. It overwhelmed her sanity, making her fall into the blackness she had unwittingly been spared from last time.
Chapter 2
Austin caught the woman in his arms before she slammed into the hard floor. He gently scooped her up, ignoring the strange feeling coursing through his body as he held her close. He looked down at his leg to the mangy mutt he saw scratching at her door, tugging lightly on his jeans.
"Down, boy. Down. I don't want to drop her after I just caught her," Austin muttered as he closed the door behind him with a shove of his boot. He walked to his left, noticing the suspect couch lingering in the dark. Tenderly laying her down, he hesitated to walk away from her. Except he needed some light.
He found the light switch with ease and flicked it up. Bright light illuminated the room, making him cringe inside how filthy the place was. He crouched back down by his peculiar neighbor, wondering why a woman of her beauty was in a place like this.
A hand reached to caress her cheek when the dog jumped into his lap, sending sloppy kisses onto his face. "Stop it. Stop! I don't do dog kisses, boy. I don't like those kinds of kisses," Austin said, laughing as he ruffled the dog's hair.
All the anger that simmered to the surface when he saw the dog pawing to get into her home, evaporated when she fainted. He couldn't help but laugh when the adorable beast was so happy in his arms. He did want to know why she locked him outside, though. He couldn't stand people who abused their animals. It was uncalled for. Growing up on a farm wasn't the only reason he had great respect for animals, but it helped. Hell, most of the animals on the farm were considered their pets, which in turn made them family. Courtesy of Ava to Zane's undying irritation. Austin laughed again just thinking about it.
"Do you find breaking and entering into my home funny?"
Austin's head snapped to the woman's terrified face.
"I wouldn't call it breaking and entering. You fainted. I caught you before you fell to the floor. I carried you inside, not sure what else to do. I'm positive you wouldn’t have appreciated being on my living room couch," Austin replied smoothly, trying to add a touch of his charm women normally swooned over.
This is where they would get the little butterflies in their stomach, shyly smile back, do a little hair flip, and bat their lashes at him. One simple smile and some smooth words usually did the trick.
"I'm positive I don't appreciate you in my home either. Please leave."
He had to be losing his touch. Austin stood up, ignoring that awful thought. "Okay. You're welcome, by the way, for saving your head a headache. I'll just add in I don't appreciate you treating your dog so cruelly. I watched for several minutes while he begged to be let in. Whining, pawing at the door, while all you did was ignore him. You can be mean to me all you want, but you won't be mean to this animal." The anger weaved its way back into his words, his stance tightening as he felt the dog sit by his feet.
She glanced down at the floor where the dog sat nicely at his feet, wagging his tail with happy vigor. She quickly glanced back at him. "That's why you knocked on my door so late at night?"
"Yes. Trust me. I have no desire to bother you. You are not someone I want to tangle with. But I won't hesitate when it comes to the treatment of animals." Austin ruffled the dog's head with care. "Plus, this little guy is sweet. He doesn't deserve to be kicked outside when the temperature is dipping down as it is."
"That's not my dog. I would never treat an animal like that. I assure you," she said, glancing at
the dog again. A shabby looking dog. All white with long curly hair. Some spots were ratty, knotted, dirt lingering almost on his entire body.
"That's funny. Why was he begging to be let in your door? I'm telling you, I stood there for a while watching him. I even called to him and he refused to move from his spot. It's your dog," Austin insisted.
"That is not my dog. I've never owned a dog in my life. The treatment would have surely been—" She cut her words short as her frightened expression morphed into surprise. "I've never owned a dog before."
Austin stared at her puzzled. "This isn't your dog? You promise?"
"I wouldn't lie about that. I would never treat an animal with such cruelty. I can tell it's dirty. I can even smell a bad stench from him. Unless, of course, that's coming from you," she blurted, then suddenly backed further into the cushion.
Austin laughed to dispel her unexpected jolt of fear, aware of the way she flinched away from him. "Good one. I'm sure I did smell the first time we met. It's not me this time, darling," he said with a wink for added reassurance that he wasn't offended. "Now I just feel dumb. Well, I apologize for banging on your door and scaring you to pieces to the point of fainting. I never meant to do that. I just hated seeing him in such torture."
"You're apologizing to me?" she asked with the shock clear in her voice.
"Yeah. That's what you do when you're in the wrong. I'm sorry. If he's not your dog, I'll just take him home tonight and try to find his horrible owner tomorrow."
"Okay."
"Okay," Austin repeated, suddenly unsure what to say next.
Such a strange, confusing woman, who he was sure had many facets to her personality. He decided in a split second that he wasn't the man to find out what they were. He would not pursue his neighbor, no matter how much the desire rushed through his body.
"I won't bother you anymore, I swear. I know you don't like me," Austin said. He patted his leg, looking at the dog. "Come on, boy. Let's go home. Clean you up. The lovely lady is right. You stink!"
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