The NOVA Trilogy Boxed Set

by Jayce, Aven

  “Oh my God. Can’t you numb it first?” I shriek.

  “Yes,” Cove pants. “Numb it.”

  Trey takes a small bottle of whiskey from his jacket pocket and tosses it across the bed. What is this… the 1800s? I open it and without delay Cove grabs the bottle and swallows half of its contents.

  “You need to clean it too,” I demand.

  “No,” Cove whispers. “Do it as fast as possible.”

  “Actually, that’s a good idea,” Trey says, as he looks around the room. “Hand me that glass of water next to you.”

  I take the glass I used to swallow the contraception and pass it along to him.

  “Trey,” my father says. “That looks like a pricey suit you have on, be careful you don’t get blood on your good clothes.”

  He nods and places a pillow on his upper leg then rests Cove’s foot on it.

  “You know, this isn’t the best position. Turn on your stomach so I can see what the fuck I’m doing.”

  Cove turns and leans on his elbows with his hands interlocked behind his head. God, I can’t believe he has to go through yet another experience like this. I button the long black shirt I still have on from the Keep, stand, and walk around to the other side of the bed. I place my hand on Cove’s back, and maintain an eye on what Trey’s doing to him. He spreads the cut open and pours water into the wound. Cove tenses and exhales. Jesus, this is awful. I know the whiskey isn’t really going to ease the pain, but I can always imagine and hope that it is.

  Trey deposits a line of antibiotic ointment along the length of the cut and smears it over and into the flesh with a Q-tip.

  Cove’s back tenses under my hand and I start to rub his shoulder blades to offer some distraction and relief from the pain.

  During one of the first conversations I had with Cove, I told him I wanted to be a nurse, but my father would only pay for college if I studied business. Seeing him like this… it all comes back. That desire in life I used to have many years ago to help people. I want to do that when we get out of here. Fuck my father. I’m going back to school, I’ll work and take out loans and try to get some scholarships.

  Cove yells and drops his head to the mattress as Trey slides the needle through his flesh.

  “Yup,” Trey laughs. “The bottom of the foot is very sensitive. Must hurt quite a bit. You always know where to get ‘em, Paul.”

  My father slides his chair and brings it to rest next to Cove. “We need to finish our conversation so I can change and get some dinner. Now, you know my friend, you’re one lucky bastard. I won’t kill you like the Rosens would like to do right now, and there’s a reason why. I do know you sure as hell won’t ever fuck up the Keep again, will you? Not if you want to walk,” my father states, as he brushes Cove’s hair off the side of his face.

  I’m repulsed that he just touched him, and in such a delicate way.

  “I guess you feel as though you may have won, that a few stitches on the bottom of your foot is worth throwing that earpiece away and not listening to my words?”

  “No, Paul. No.” Cove rests his head on the pillow and grips the comforter again. “Fuck!” his cries muffled by the bed.

  “How’s it coming along, Trey?” my father inquires.

  “Almost done. You cut him a good four inches. That’s a lot of stitches.”

  I continue to rub Cove’s back. It’s the only comfort I can think to give. Oh, please hurry. I hate to see him in so much pain. I can almost feel it myself.

  “Let’s continue. You listening to me?”

  “Yes,” Cove exhales.

  “Turns out our clients have missed you, and they love the fact that a Jameson’s in the scene as well. But who wouldn’t? Like you said, she’s beautiful. And, on top of all of that, the last scene in the Keep… well, it got the highest ratings I’ve ever seen. That’s why, my Star, you’re here, with only a minor injury, and not dumped and left to drown in a cesspool tank. You understand what I’m saying here?”

  “Yes sir,” he whispers. He’s sweating and his back muscles are still tight.

  “I’m not going to tell you if you do it again, you’re dead, because we’re both tired of going through that routine. As long as you’re making me money, I’ll keep you around, and all is well.”

  “Fini,” Trey declares. He tosses the needle in the box, and drops Cove’s foot to the bed as he stands.

  “Good work, once again. Why don’t you meet me in my office so we can discuss the security details for tomorrow night.”

  “Will do,” Trey replies as he leaves the room.

  My father places his hand on the back of Cove’s neck and massages it. I turn away; unable to watch the domination and restraint my father has over this man. Get your fucking hands off of him.

  “But Cove. I’ll never allow another person to take control over me… ever. This is my business, not yours. Think about that over the next few weeks when you’re shuffling around on the heel of your foot. Don’t let your emotions get in the way of this business, that’s rule number one in the porn industry. You know that.”

  Cove tilts and raises his head to look at my father. I’m surprised to see a smile on his face. “You know what, Paul Jameson?”

  Oh, Cove. Be careful what you say.

  “My emotions in the Keep are what just made you some money, and will make you a hell of a lot more. Think about that.”

  Touché, my love. I crawl over him and snuggle close to his body. His heart races and he shivers, even though there’re droplets of sweat on his skin.

  My father hovers over the two of us, flashes me a smile, and winks. I feel nauseous.

  Finally, after picking up the bloody pillowcase, he walks to the door. Thank God, it’s over. Everything from today is over.

  He stops in the doorway and looks back at us. “As promised, you’re free to roam the house. Get some food from the kitchen, and Cove, get used to walking on that foot. I don’t want to see you limp during the party tomorrow night. Take some pain meds before it starts if you have to.”

  “What does it matter if people see him with an unsteady walk? He has a black eye, and a bruised back from the abuse in your office the other day.”

  “Those are healing,” my father responds. “Plus, the comments coming in from the women say they like the battered look on him. He seems dangerous and threatening to them. It’s a bonus. And, let me remind you, all of the marks he’s acquired are of his own doing.”

  “You know, two weeks ago, you were my entire world, Dad. You meant everything to me, and I loved you. I don’t anymore.”

  “You sound like your mother,” he laughs, and heads for his office. The door left open as he disappears.

  I hop out of bed and race to the bathroom. He needs some ibuprofen, God I wish there was something stronger in here. I take three pills and fill a glass of water, then quickly return to his side.

  “Babe, here take this. It might help a little bit.”

  He lifts his head and takes the pills, his face red, his eyes watery and sorrowful. I run my fingers through his hair and gently kiss his lips.

  “I’m so sorry, Cove,” I whisper and shake my head in disbelief from the events of the past two hours. “Thank you for protecting me in the Keep. Thank you for everything.”

  He sits up and places his feet on the floor, then winces and picks the one back up. He rests it across his thigh and looks at the bottom. It’s swollen, red and purple, with a long line of stitches. Twenty-one. I count them. Twenty-one. Trey only needed to put in ten, but then he ran them back across a second time, clearly just to cause more pain.

  I walk back to the bathroom and look for something, anything, to place over the wound. I find a first aid kit in the cabinet and bring it back to the bed. I open the kit; take out some gauze pads, an elastic bandage roll, and a clip.

  “I know this hurts like hell, but I want to make sure you don’t get an infection.”

  He nods slowly, and I notice he hasn’t said a word since my father left
. Actually, I think he’s only said one thing to me since we’ve returned from the Keep.

  Trey had applied some ointment to the area, but I apply more, across the cut and around all the stitches. I take the gauze and place it lightly against the bottom of his foot. The ointment holds the gauze securely to his skin. I then proceed to wrap his foot with the elastic bandage and hope it will give him some support and relief as he tries to walk.

  I close the box and set it on the table next to the bed as Cove places his foot back on the floor and tries to stand. He cringes again, but is able to get up on his own. He reaches for my hand and pulls me into a deep hug. I feel a soft kiss on the top of my head and then he heads for the bathroom.

  We relieve ourselves, wash our faces, and put on some clothes… in silence. I’m still devastated, and I believe he’s so distressed and traumatized that his words are stuck inside. I’m not going to push him to speak. He’ll say something when he’s ready. After what I just witnessed, I can only imagine all the emotions and thoughts running through his head right now.

  I smile at his comfortable outfit. He’s wearing dark grey and black plaid fleece pajama bottoms, and is still in his dark blue t-shirt from earlier. He looks warm and cozy, even with the wrapped foot. I’m in my black yoga pants and light blue zip hoodie, with a white tank underneath. It reminds me of the clothing we wore the other evening at Wayne and Lydia’s, and hopefully these ‘clothes of comfort’ can bring an evening of relief to us as well.

  He takes my hand and we walk out of the room and down the hall. He looks over his shoulder a few times toward my father’s office until we reach the stairwell that leads to the great room. I hear music coming from Dayne’s area of the house, but the room below is quiet and empty. The last time I was down here Dayne drugged me. It was also the last time I saw and spoke to Mera.

  Cove leads me through the room, down the long hallway with all the candles, through the large dining room for the masses, and into the kitchen, all while limping and placing very little pressure on the front part of his foot. It’s seven at night, and neither one of us has had any food since the cold eggs and toaster pastry from early this morning. I’m starved.

  He pats one of the bar stools next to the kitchen island for me to take a seat and pulls out two plates and silverware from the cabinet and drawer.

  This man, whom just had his foot practically cut in half, and who just endured stitches from a brute, is going to stand and make me dinner?

  “Cove, Babe,” I say in a kind yet direct way. “Please sit down and let me cook for us. You don’t have to do everything.”

  He sighs, with a box of pasta in his hand. He holds it out and I continue where he left off, filling a pot and cooking the pasta. I find an open jar of pasta sauce in the fridge, heat it in a bowl in the microwave, and place it on the island by our plates.

  Cove takes two beers out of the beverage cooler and I’m glad he didn’t open a bottle of wine. Too cliché with the pasta for one, but also because I had half a bottle before the Keep and I’m all ‘wined out’ for one day. Beer’s fine. I add two glasses of water next to our plates, and a container of grated Parmesan cheese. I catch a smile on his face a few times as he watches me cook. He sits and drinks his beer, with his foot up on the barstool next to him.

  With the pasta drained and on our plates, I take a seat and exhale, ready to relax and enjoy some time with him, just the two of us.

  He swirls the pasta on his fork and begins to eat. Large bites with big swallows of beer. He’s just as hungry as I am, and half of our pasta is gone in a matter of minutes.

  I feel his hand on my thigh and he lightly caresses my leg through the cotton garment. He takes a deep breath out and another swig of beer, then sets the bottle on the island and leans back.

  “Sophia,” he whispers.

  Thank God, he’s finally going to speak to me.

  “When we were in the Keep,” he continues. “You called me by my porn name. It killed me to hear you say that. To use that name on me.”

  I sigh and take his hand in mine. “Is that why you said stop when we were in there? That was when everything changed?”

  “That was the main reason. But I also couldn’t stand to hear your father’s voice in my ear when I was with you. I wasn’t about to allow him to give me instructions on what to do to you sexually, to his own daughter. It was absolutely appalling. Everything here is, but that was the end for me.”

  He turns and places a soft, warm kiss on my lips then puts his hand on the back of my neck and pulls my head to the side of his. He faintly whispers in my ear. “We leave tomorrow. During the party, we’re getting the fuck out of here.”

  I smile and press my mouth tightly back against his. Thank God. I don’t know what he’s thinking or how it’s going to happen, but I’m in. People will be coming and going and I’m sure there’ll be a moment for the two of us to slip out undetected. We’ll figure the rest out once we’re outside. Oh, yes! A ray of light just hit me.

  “The sun will rise in a day or two, Soph. Just wait and see.”

  “I love you. God, I love you so much,” I reply. “You’re amazing.”

  He laughs and we clink our beer bottles. I get him a second serving of pasta and another beer.

  “My father creeped me out when he was in the bedroom. I almost threw up when I saw your foot. How could he be so calm? Especially after he knifed you. Is there something wrong with him? I know he’s fucked up, but come on, that was really over the top. Do you think he’s mentally unbalanced?”

  “Well, yeah. There’s something seriously wrong with him, with all of them. They have no compassion or remorse for anyone or anything.”

  “So you’ve seen that tranquil state from him before?”

  “Yup. The first interaction we had together when he tattooed me was like that. Doron was there and a complete wreck, but your father was entirely relaxed like it was an everyday event for him.”

  “Like today.”

  “Yeah. He gets like this. Most of the time it’s when he’s extremely angry and not just a little irritated. When it’s minor, he’ll yell and hit people, but when he’s out of control fuming mad, you’ll know it, based on his calm voice and straight face. That’s when you want to run and hide.”

  “So he was livid in there, even though he acted unnervingly composed?”

  “You got it, but it wasn’t just about me today. I was the one he took everything out on, but it’s obvious that other things are going on in this house. I thought there’d be a lot of tension around us after we heard that fist fight last night between Dayne and Paul. The honeymoon for them is over. It’s been over for many years, and now when I see them together the hostility continues to build. Something is bound to happen soon. They can’t live together forever. Could you imagine Dayne and your father in their mid-sixties still in this lifestyle… in this house? In the past they would fight a lot, but only when one, or both of them were drunk. Now it’s constant. It’s all about control. You heard what your father said to me in the bedroom. I’ll never allow another person to take control over me,” Cove says, imitating my father’s deep voice. “He took the final bid away from David Rosen to prove a point, then was furious he lost control in there to me. And it sounds like Dayne’s taken over the house whore. I’m sorry,” he turns and looks at me. “I mean, Mera. Paul’s lost control of her as well. And Dayne gave you that tat without his knowledge. There’s a lot going on that’s making him feel threatened. We need to get out of here, and as soon as possible.”

  “What are you little fucks talking about in here?”

  Oh. Hello again. Dayne Shitface Rosen.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  “I heard my name,” Dayne states. “What were you and Paul talking about after I left? And what are you discussing now with his daughter?”

  I look up from my second helping of pasta and see him standing in front of us with only a towel wrapped around his waist.

  “We’re talking about you being the big man
on campus,” Cove says with a smirk on his face.

  “What the fuck. You looking for more trouble than that little cut on your foot?”

  “I was actually being serious, Dayne. How’d you gain possession of Mera?”

  I see what Cove’s doing here. Make the idiot feel powerful and maybe he’ll leave us alone.

  “So you really fucked Paul over today in the Keep and not my father? I should call and ask him to find out if that’s really true.”

  “It’s true,” Cove responds.

  “Well good for you, douchebag. Maybe you’re starting to grow some balls now that your dick’s been hanging out in the cave. They are attached you know. Keep that area satisfied and you’ll be a happy man.”

  Cove squeezes my leg before I open my mouth. I have a lot to say about that rotten comment but I’ll keep it to myself. He looks at me with a smile and a thankful face for staying silent.

  “Extra pasta?” Dayne asks.

  “Help yourself. We made it especially for you, King Rosen,” Cove answers in a carefree voice.

  “Star, if I didn’t know any better, I’d say you’re looking for a favor from me. Ask it quick, cause once Mera gets down here I’ll be busy.”

  “Can we go in the pool? We’ll make it fast. Fifteen minutes.”

  “Cove, your foot. That’s not a good idea,” I express, my fear of him getting an infection evident. “The chlorine would eat away at the stitches, and then you’d have to go through all that again.”

  “I’ll wrap it and tape it so water doesn’t get in, just like people do with casts. I need this, Soph.”

  Dayne stands in front of us and eats his plate of pasta, listening to our conversation.

  “I don’t have a suit with me.”

  “You really don’t need one, people don’t usually wear suits when they use the pool. Besides, I’ve seen you naked, so what do you need a suit for? We’ll be in the water. Free. Don’t cover your body while you’re in there, just enjoy the freedom.”

  “Fifteen minutes,” Dayne responds, as he takes another bite of pasta.

  Cove and I are both surprised by Dayne’s words. “Really? No joke?” Cove grins.