The NOVA Trilogy Boxed Set

by Jayce, Aven

  “Get out of my way, you fucker,” my hands pound against his chest.

  There’s a groan from the penthouse, then a loud smack, as a fist comes into contact with the flesh of another person.

  Leondra calls out her son’s name and pleads with my father to stop.

  My knee hurtles into the groin of the man blocking my path, and I take my chance, pressing through the small space between him and the opening of the door.

  Cove’s on his hands and knees, his head down as blood drips from his mouth and chin. My father kicks him in the stomach, and he falls hard onto the floor.

  “You dumb fuck! How dare you treat my daughter and my business this way,” he turns Cove’s head and punches him again and again in the face. Blood sprays across the room and I shriek in horror.

  I jump on my father’s back, kicking and screaming for him to stop. Cove coughs and gasps for air. He puts his arm over his face, shielding himself from the blows. My father stops his violent rampage, and I’m pulled off of his back and restrained by the brute from the hallway.

  “Stop. Dad, leave him alone!” I scream.

  “Let her go, Trey.” The guy releases me as I swing my arm, making solid contact across my father’s face. He steps back and places a hand up to his jaw. I rush past him and down to the floor where Cove is lying on his side, blood pouring out of his nose.

  “Cove,” I whisper, sliding his hair off of his face.

  My father pulls me away and places his strong arms around my chest so that I’m unable to move. I kick my legs, trying to wiggle free.

  “Put me down, you asshole.”

  “Take care of your son,” he says, passing Leondra on our way out of the penthouse.

  My father carries me back to my place, and the big guy follows close behind. He lowers me to my feet when we get inside, and I slap his face, harder this time, showing my anger.

  “I can’t believe you just beat the hell out of someone. You’re the monster, Dad, not him.”

  “Oh, so you’re okay with some guy using a hidden camera on you while raping your mouth? Is that how you want to live your life, Sophia? I’m not the enemy here, and don’t you forget it.” His voice is loud, piercing, ruthless. “I spent an entire day trying to remove that video from hundreds of sites and companies that re-posted it online, just like I had to do when you were fucking in that Hummer. I’ve received calls all day from my best clients, demanding to see you and Cove again. What the fuck am I going to do now in order to satisfy these people? Answer me that, Sophia.” He looks over to his body guard, who closes the door, locking us in. “I can’t have my daughter highlighted as a star on these sites, and that’s exactly what I’m being pressured to do by my wealthiest stockholders. Cove got what he deserved, and he knows it.”

  “Did you ask him why he did it?”

  “Yes, and it’s just as I thought. It’s also none of your business. My relationship with Cove and Leondra goes way back, and you need to get him out of your head. Now pack a bag, I’m taking you over to Mera’s.”

  “No, I want to talk to Cove to make sure he’s alright. I’m not going anywhere. This is my place, and my life.”

  “No, Sophia, it’s not. You’re a part of my life, and because of that, you have to do as I say. There is no negotiating, now pack a bag. Either you stay with Mera until I take care of your living situation, or you’re flying back to Vegas to live with me. I’ll carry you kicking and screaming if I have to, but I’m not leaving you here right now.”

  “Well, maybe I should just be one of your stars. How do you like that idea? Then this would all be resolved.”

  “Get your bag,” his tone harsh and direct.

  I’m trapped. My father is a large man, and powerful as well. Plus, he brought reinforcements along. I have no choice but to do as he says. I stomp like a four-year-old up the stairs into my bedroom, taking a suitcase out of my closet, and throwing my necessities inside. It only takes a few minutes before I’m dragging the bag back down to my father’s feet.

  “Happy?”

  “I’m sorry I’m so angry, Sophia, but trust me, I’m doing what’s best for us.”

  “You, not us. I think you’re looking out for yourself, and you’re not listening to anything I have to say. I love my place, and I enjoy my privacy. I’m going to the therapy you set up, and I’ve applied for jobs. I have feelings for Cove, but would never allow him to treat me the way he did ever again. I think I’m becoming a strong woman, and I should be able to make my own decisions. You’re basically taking away my freedom.”

  “You’re right. I am. This is an extreme situation, and we’ll get through it, but I need you to trust me that it’s what’s best for our family, and my business.”

  “I don’t trust you, Dad. Not now. Not after seeing you beat someone to a bloody pulp. Not after forcing me to leave my home.”

  He cruelly ignores my words and picks up my bag. “Leondra will watch Lewis for you,” is the only response that comes out of his mouth.

  ***

  I set my bag in Mera’s spare bedroom and lay face down on her bed, my head on the pillow, sulking, as my father and Mera talk in the kitchen. She’s pissed at my dad, and she doesn’t understand why I need to stay away from Cove.

  “Sophia can make her own decisions, and if she has feelings for him, even after what he did to her, so be it,” she says.

  I place the pillow over my head to block out their conversation. If only I had Cove’s number. I’d call him right now. My heart tells me he has feelings for me, but my brain is warning me to stay away. I won’t know if my feelings are real, or if it’s just lust, until we’re in the same room again.

  Mera’s hand touches my shoulder. “Hey, Babe. You doing okay?”

  I bury my head into the pillow and sigh.

  “Soph, your dad left, but that giant bear who was with him is parked outside my door making sure you don’t leave.”

  “What?” I say in disgust. “I feel like I’ve been kidnapped.”

  “Yeah, I have no doubt about that one. Your dad’s being a dick. He went back to your place to talk to the Evertons.”

  “He better not lay another finger on Cove, or I’m going to call the cops on him.”

  “You’d do that?”

  “Yeah, I think so.”

  “I think your dad isn’t able to process what you did with Cove, and he’s taking it all out on him. Of course, Cove is at fault for the video, but he didn’t do anything to you that you didn’t want him to, right?”

  “That’s right. I could’ve stopped him at any time. He didn’t force me to do anything. I actually enjoyed myself until I found out half the world was watching.” I pause for a moment and think about the past three hours. “You know it’s strange, Mera, I don’t mind stripping in front of college students for money, so how is this any different?”

  “The only difference is that you didn’t know you had an audience,” she says.

  “My father’s concerned about the effect this might have on his company, but if they don’t know I’m his daughter, why is he making such a fuss about all of this. I mean, don’t you think he could just post a whole bunch of videos with new young talent to calm his clients? They would forget about me in an instant.”

  “That’s his plan, Soph. He already spoke to me about something for tomorrow. So yeah, that’s exactly what’s about to happen.”

  “Oh Mera, I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t apologize. I’m not worried. Come on, let’s order some food and have a beer. It’ll make you feel better.”

  “That’s exactly what I need right now. I haven’t had anything to eat today.” I send her a smile, as she does her best to calm me down. I feel awful that my interaction yesterday has caused her to start business with my father a week early.

  Mera and I spend the evening talking about everything that’s happened, while eating pizza and wings, and drinking a few beers. She calls information, and looks online, trying to come up with a phone number for Cove.
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br />   “I can’t find anything. Is there anything else you want to look up? Should we do some shopping?”

  “Actually Mera, yeah. Cove has a tattoo that says NOVA above his left nipple. What’s the exact definition of that word?”

  “Okay, let’s see. N-O-V-A.” She types the letters into her laptop. “Well, according to Wikipedia, a nova is a cataclysmic nuclear explosion in a white dwarf star.”

  “Hmm. Sounds pretty,” I respond. “A white dwarf star explosion.”

  “Yeah, that does sound rather nice. You know, some women have that name, maybe it’s a tattoo of a former lover.”

  “Perhaps. What do other sites say?” I ask, on edge and unable to sleep worrying about Cove.

  “There’s also a television series called NOVA, and on another site it’s the National Organization for Victim Assistance.”

  “That’s interesting.”

  “Yeah, I saw that show once or twice when I was young.”

  “No, the victim assistance site. Anything else?”

  “Not really. Let’s type in NOVA tattoos and see what comes up.”

  There’s a knock on the entry door, and Mera closes her laptop and heads for the kitchen.

  “Want another beer while I’m up?”

  “No, just see who’s at the door.”

  She opens it to see my father’s guard holding a large box.

  “Someone I respect left this for you ladies.”

  “Bring it in, Mera, let’s have a look.”

  She takes the box from his hands and locks her door, carrying the package back to the sofa.

  “It has your name on it, Soph. It says it’s from Leondra.”

  “My name? What is it?”

  “I haven’t got a clue, open it and find out.”

  I release the tape from the box top, noticing that it’s already been cut open and checked by our burly friend. He did his best to reseal it, but it’s obvious that nothing’s getting into Mera’s place without his approval. I pull open the cardboard flaps and see a red balloon sitting inside, with a note tied to the end of its string.

  “Cool. That’s kind of cute… and a little cheesy. Is it really from her?”

  “No,” I say, rolling my eyes. “You know who it’s really from. I think she brought it over for him,” I respond, opening the note in a rush. My fingers tremble, as I’ve been longing for contact from Cove since the interruption in the bedroom.

  “What does it say, come on, read it out loud.”

  “It says, ‘I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

  Mera takes the note from my hand, turning it over to search for more words. “That’s it?”

  “It’s enough. That’s all it needed to say,” I smile, and examine the balloon. “Hey, there’s a small dark dot like something’s inside. It moves when I turn the balloon.”

  “Where?”

  I poke it with my finger, but it won’t burst. Mera takes one of her sharp nails and pierces the latex. There’s a loud pop that sends us into laughter as a tiny pill rolls onto the floor, coming to rest at Mera’s foot. She picks it up, studies it, and sets it in my hand.

  “What is it, Soph?”

  “I believe it might be my escape.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I think it might be to drug Trey.”

  “That guy outside? No way. I’m not drugging anyone. We could go to jail, or worse. What if the pill kills him? Throw it out.”

  “It’s a sleeping pill.”

  “You don’t know that. Get rid of it. Game over.”

  “Cove wouldn’t do this unless he needed to talk to me. What if my father makes him move to another city, and I never see him again?”

  “God, would he do that?”

  “I wouldn’t put it past him, not after what I saw today.”

  “Yeah, but again Soph, you don’t even know Cove. What if he’s dangerous like your father keeps saying? Just wait and see what happens tomorrow.”

  “My father’s going to be working pretty quickly over the next day to separate the two of us, and that either means I’m leaving, or Cove is. I think my dad’s to a point where he doesn’t even want us in the same state.”

  “What if your dad went to talk to him, to find out if he even likes you? If he doesn’t have feelings for you, then this could all be over. Your father will no longer feel threatened.”

  “I don’t know. I guess I have a big head, thinking that I may be in love, and it’s mutual.”

  “Holy fucking shit sticks. Did you use the word love?” Mera walks to the kitchen, taking another beer out of the fridge for herself. “I need more to drink. Sophia Jameson, in love? I’ve known you for years and you’ve never used that word on any man. When did this come about?”

  “Well, obviously over the past week,” I say with a smile.

  “I don’t think you can fall in love that quickly. It must be lust that you’re feeling.”

  “I’m trying to figure it all out, but I think it’s more than just a need for his body. Cove’s gorgeous, but also interesting, warm, and a delight to be around. I’ve been thinking about him non-stop over the past week, and not just in a sexual way. I wouldn’t mind just going out to dinner with him, or having a conversation over coffee.”

  “Wow, Soph,” Mera says, sitting next to me, grinning from ear to ear. “I’m speechless.”

  “So, don’t you think I should take a chance? I need to talk to him before it’s too late.”

  She takes a big gulp of beer, and another. And another. I wait for a response. She swirls her beer around in the bottle and drinks again.

  “Mera?”

  “I’m thinking,” she says.

  She leaves me alone in her living room, shutting herself behind her bedroom door. She may have had enough of me for one night, and my constant chatter about Cove.

  Moments later she returns, wearing only a short, silky black robe.

  “If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it my way. No drugs. I won’t give a person something when I don’t know what it is.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “You’re going to fix my bed to make it look like you’re asleep in my room. Use that mannequin head that I have, and stuff the rest of the bed with pillows. I’ll light a candle in there so that it’s too dark to make out anything more than an outline.”

  “Mera, I think we should use the pill.”

  “I want you to be in the other bedroom. I’ll lure our friend, what did you call him again? Trey? I’ll lure him into my living room so he can see the fake Sophia sleeping in bed, while I entertain him on the sofa. He’ll think he’s doing his job, and getting a bonus on the side.”

  “He’ll never go for that. These people who work for my father aren’t idiots. He’s not going to jeopardize his job for some pussy.”

  “Excuse me?” Mera’s voice is in disagreement with my last comment. She stands in front of me, opening her robe to reveal her beautiful soft white body. She’s recently waxed, and again, I’m reminded of Cove’s words about the purity of snow. She looks like a new bride, untouched, perfection.

  “I take that back.”

  “You’re only two blocks away, but you can take my car if you want.”

  “No, if you can get this to work, I’ll be running. But, do you really want to do this?”

  “Yes, I need to. I haven’t in a while. If I’m going to be on camera tomorrow, I want to practice with someone.”

  “Really? You’re really going to do this for me?”

  “Yes, Sophia Jameson,” she laughs, “I will seduce the guard standing outside my door so that you can escape.”

  “That sounds so bizarre to me right now. So when are we going to do this?”

  “I’ll start to set it up right now. When I open the door, walk up behind me and say that you’re going to bed. Ask me for a clean bathroom towel.”

  “Whatever you say.” I walk into the kitchen and place my empty beer bottle on the counter. Mera heads for the
entryway; turning to make sure I’m ready. I give her a reassuring nod, and she opens the door.

  “Hey stranger,” she says to Trey. “Do you need anything before we get settled in here for the night?”

  I walk up behind Mera and play my part. “I’m getting tired. I think I’ll head off to bed.”

  Mera turns her head, and the robe slides off her shoulder, revealing her gorgeous breast. She pulls it hurriedly back up, turning to Trey the moment it’s covered. His eyes look down and quickly back to her face.

  “Excuse me, I’m sorry,” she says to him.

  I continue with my line, enjoying how incredible she is at all of this. “Do you have a clean bath towel that I can use?”

  “Sure, it’s in the hall closet, next to the bathroom.”

  I walk away, hearing Mera ask him again if she can get him anything.

  “No, I’m fine. You ladies have a nice night. I’ll be right outside if you need anything.”

  “Are you sure?” she says in her sexiest voice. “A beer, or a soda?”

  “No, ma’am. I’m just fine.”

  “Well, how about a cold glass of water?”

  I can picture Mera leaning against her doorframe, looking like a dog in heat as she speaks.

  There’s a brief pause before he nibbles at the bait. “Okay, a glass of water would be nice.”

  “Wait here. I’ll be right back.”

  Mera fills a glass and heads back to the open door, handing him the drink. “You can give the glass back to me in the morning.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate that.”

  She closes the door and I walk out of her bedroom. I smile, giving her a high-five and a grateful smack on the lips.

  “You’re the best,” I say, hugging her tightly. “I think this just might work.”

  “All men will jeopardize their jobs for some pussy, Soph. Think about it.”

  Cove could be referenced in that line, and I nod in complete understanding.

  “So, what do we do now?”

  “We wait,” she says. “In about an hour, I’ll ask him if he needs anything else before I head off to bed. I guarantee he’ll ask to use the bathroom.”

  “Smart.”

  “I know, right? When he comes in, you can sneak out from the guest bedroom.”