Reckless (Finding Ava)

by Jennifer Loren

  “Well hopefully we will have grandchildren by then.”

  “Grandchildren? You better hope you have a boy then, because that’s about the only one that’s going to be allowed out of the house.” Dillon said, shaking his head.

  “Did you ever have a girl’s father scare you?”

  Dillon bites into an apple, “Ummm , there was this one girl whose Dad … he was crazy. He thought I was a smartass punk - at least that’s what he said to me. He told me he would shoot me if he caught me near his daughter. I wouldn’t have taken him seriously but he brought the gun out and loaded it right in front of me. Crazy son of a bitch.”

  “So you stopped seeing her.”

  “No,” he said casually.

  “No?”

  “No, she was hot. I snuck into her room that night. I climbed up a tree in the back, right into his daughter’s bedroom. We did it while the old man sat out on the front porch waiting for me.”

  “Did he ever find out?”

  “Do I look dead?” He said, holding out his arms.

  “Do you always do the opposite of what people tell you to do?” I asked.

  “That’s enough about me. It looks as though your husband is going to be called here soon.”

  I jump off the counter and kiss Dillon on the cheek, “Thank you Dillon, for making me feel better and taking my mind off of things.” He winks at me.

  “Whatever you need, but can I ask one favor?”

  “What’s that?”

  “Can you kiss me one more time?” He leans down with his other cheek facing me. I smile and reach up to kiss his other cheek. “Perfect.”

  “Are you going with me?” I asked him.

  “Yes, but hold up. Let me grab some of these rolls and oh, and a banana.” He said, stuffing his pockets with more food.

  “When was the last time you ate Dillon?”

  “I just had lunch with Sean in his trailer, why?”

  “Where does it all go?”

  “Where does what go?” He asked, biting into another sandwich.

  “Never mind,” I said as the surprisingly fit Dillon shrugs and follows me out.

  We both walk cautiously while trying not to be noticed. Dillon taps me on the arm and points towards Sean. He is dressed in a driving suit that fits him snugly, showing off his body perfectly. He takes my breath away as I cower at Dillon’s side, hiding from him.

  “Did you come out here to see me baby?” I turn to see Joel’s evil smile.

  “Stay away from me,” I said to him.

  “So that’s how it’s going to be now?” Joel said, trying to look surprised.

  “Joel, you attacked me in my own home.” Dillon straightens instantly, eyeing Joel as he moves me to his other side. Joel doesn’t even hesitate to move towards me. He brushes his hand through my hair before grabbing the back of my neck and pulling me towards him, “I have a feeling you might change your mind soon. I promise I will be the best you’ve ever had.” He crushes his lips to mine.

  “Hey, get off of her.” Dillon said, pushing Joel off me.

  “Settle down kid, were old friends.”

  “I think you better get away from her before you get hurt,” Dillon said, stepping in between us and daring Joel to try anything.

  “Ava, you certainly have an interesting ability to get men to run to your rescue.”

  “I don’t need rescuing from you Joel, I handled you just fine on my own.”

  “You sent your dogs after me.” Joel huffed.

  “Don’t you have somewhere to be? Where is your wife anyway?” I asked him.

  Joel laughs and starts to walk away, but suddenly yanks me off my feet and crushes me to him. I scream as he holds my face to his and begins groping me.

  “Get the fuck off of her!” Dillon screamed at him, taking hold of Joel’s shirt.

  Suddenly, Joel is ripped away from me and I am flung into Dillon’s arms. I look down at Joel on the ground, struggling against Sean.

  “Sean stop!” Randy yelled, running over to pull him off Joel.

  Joel sits up, wiping the blood from his lip. “Don’t you have a scene to do Sean?”

  “Touch her again and I will kill you.” Sean said, struggling against Randy’s grip.

  “Get over it Sean, it was just a kiss.”

  Sean jerks loose from Randy and grabs Joel by the collar, “Don’t ever touch her again.” He punches him one more time, sending him hard to the ground. He eyes him for a time as he slowly backs away and pulls me away from Dillon, guiding me away with his hand on my back. “I thought I told you to leave?”

  “I thought I told you I wasn’t going to.” Sean stops abruptly, causing our new entourage to scramble to keep from running into each other and us.

  “Please Ava, I don’t want you here”

  I grip his hands, biting my lip as he softens towards me. “I’m not leaving you Sean.” He stays connected with my eyes, waiting for something.

  His hands leave me abruptly, “You stubborn ass! I swear, I wish you would listen to me for once.”

  “Sean they’re ready for you,” an assistant yelled to him.

  “I will be right there.” He turns back towards me, “Are you going to leave or are you going to make me be mean to you and have you escorted out? And I don’t mean by the soft-touch boys behind you. I will have security do it, and they don’t care who you are.”

  I shake my head.

  “No what, Ava?”

  “No, I’m not leaving,” I said crossing my arms.

  His eyes burn as he breathes heavily, “Fine, but remember you forced me to do this.” He waves his hand at some nearby security men who sprint over to us.

  “Sir?”

  “Please escort this woman off the set immediately,” Sean said with no hesitation in his voice.

  “Sean, don’t you think you’re being a bit harsh?” Ethan yelled at him.

  “She can sit in your trailer or something,” Randy tried to step in.

  “Get her out of here,” he looked right into my eyes as he gave the order.

  They take my arms, “Come on Ms., don’t make us get rough with you.”

  Sean walks away. “Fine, I’ll go. Just let go of me.” They both release me and I run back at Sean grabbing hold of him. He turns around trying to release my hand from him.

  “Ava!”

  “Sean please don’t do this stunt. Have someone else do it please!” I cried as I gripped him harder.

  “Ava, go!”

  “Sean don’t, I have a terrible feeling, please.”

  The men take hold of me, ripping my hands from him. I fight them as they throw me around while Sean watches the whole struggle. When they throw me to the ground, I scream out in pain as they jerk my arms behind me to put on handcuffs.

  “No wait!” The men fight me to get me up and on my feet. “Let her go,” Sean yelled, running towards me.

  “But you said…” one of the guards said.

  “I know what I said, but I don’t want her hurt either, and apparently she is going to make sure that happens.” Sean said, looking at me disgusted. They take the handcuffs off of me and he takes my hands. “Why won’t you listen to me?” He sighed.

  “I don’t want you to do this Sean,” I pleaded with him.

  “It’s too late Ava.” I shake my head at him furiously.“I don’t have time for this. At least don’t watch.” He leans in and kisses me before darting away from me. I watch him get ready and Ethan stands in front of me, as does Randy, shielding me from the view. Dillon hugs me as I cry in defeat.

  “I’m so scared Dillon.”

  “I know, but he should be fine. They have all these people who know what they are doing. Tell you what, you look away and I will watch for you?”

  “Okay,” I whimpered, burying my face into his chest. We stand for a while, waiting for the whole thing to get setup. You would have thought they would have been ready long ago. I mean how long does it take to get someone in a car. If they can’t even get that ri
ght … Suddenly the loud engines rumble, startling me back into reality.

  “They’re starting Ava, it will be over in a few minutes.” I hold Dillon tight, trembling. Closing my eyes, I leave the whole scene not wanting to hear the loud noises anymore. I never imagined I could make myself go deaf, but fear forces you to do unimaginable things.

  When I feel Dillon tense and stop breathing, I rush back to reality. “He did it!” I lean away from him, watching his joyful face. “Damn that was cool as hell!” I turn to look and see Sean’s car closing in on concrete barriers … fast, and with a giant semi chasing. It’s not over.

  “Get out of the way Sean!” Randy yelled

  “Sean stop!” Ethan screamed.

  My body goes numb as I watch his car turn way too fast, crashing into a barrier and causing flames to shoot high out of his car.

  Everyone reacts, seemingly too slow. “Get him out!” I screamed. “Sean!” I yelled trying to run to him but Dillon holds me back.

  “Ava, no. They’re getting him, see they’re getting him.” Dillon said, fighting to hold me back. I scream for Sean hysterically until the world around me goes silent. They pull him out and onto a stretcher, and as they come closer with him, I struggle to get to him. Ethan’s eyes are intense as he runs beside him. He glances up at me with a look I don’t understand, then shakes head before rushing away with Sean. I barely got to see his face as they whisked him away into an ambulance.

  I am his wife and I didn’t even get to leave with him.

  Randy walks uneasily towards me. “He’s unconscious, but breathing.” I have no control over my fear as I watch his car become indiscernible as it is taken over by flames.

  “Ava, you need to calm down.” The images of him being pulled out of that car, lifeless, take hold of me. “Ava!” The screaming and chaos surrounds me, then everything goes dark and quiet ...

  Chapter 24

  Rebecca

  “Rebecca, where are you?” Joel yelled, interrupting my tranquil escape.

  “Taking a bath if you must know.” Joel walks into the bathroom and despite my cucumber obstacles I can still feel his eyes on me. “What do you want?” I sighed.

  “You know, when I said you could stay here, I didn’t realize you were going to take over the whole place.”

  “Can we talk about this later? I am releasing my stress.” I hum, easing down deeper into my bubbles.

  “Stress? What stress?”

  Removing my cucumbers, “Don’t you have somewhere to be or something?”

  “No, this is my home.”

  “That your Father pays for,” I emphasized.

  “Either way my dear, it is still not yours.”

  “Your point is?”

  “My point is that you have no right to go out and spend my money, buy new furniture, new draperies and new … what the hell is that on my bed?”

  Exasperating. “A duvet. It’s a duvet with decorative pillows to match the new draperies. This place looked drab and boring Joel. It needed a little uplift and, I must say, some style.”

  “And what’s with all those Bloomingdale bags in the living room?”

  “I needed some new clothes. Do you expect me to run around this place in the same outfits all the time? It’s not as if it’s coming out of your account. Your father is paying the bills lately.”

  “For now, until he finds some other reason to be disappointed in me. I am taking away your credit cards and your bank card.”

  I instantly jump out of my bath water.“You can’t do that!” I screamed at him.

  “I can and I will.”

  “What am I suppose to do all day?” I demand to know.

  “Oh I don’t know, why don’t you try relieving your stress?” I glare at him and his mocking tone. “Or how about you act like a wife and have my dinner ready when I get home. Maybe even be ready and naked in my bed so I can relieve some stress of my own.”

  “I will hire a cook, and don’t push it.”

  “Why? Because you’re saving it for who … everyone?”

  “At least I can get whomever I want into bed.” I smile triumphantly, sitting back down in my bath as Joel strolls towards me.

  Sitting on the edge of the tub he runs his fingers through the immense bubbles. “Not everyone you want. I do believe you missed out on one particular person.” He said, flicking the bubbles remaining on his fingers in my face before walking away with an obnoxious grin.

  “No thanks to you, prince charming!” I yelled after him. My tranquility interrupted and ruined, I get out in a huff. Joel sits at his desk working on something, frantically making notes as I sit comfortably, watching his odd behavior for something to annoy him with. “Are you actually working or are you too high to realize that you’re not writing anything important?” I do not even wait for his response before starting on my nails.

  “Were leaving next week” He said matter-of-factly and still writing.

  “For where?”

  “L.A. Dad has me helping out on another film. He bought us a place in Long Beach.”

  I jump up, leaping to his side. “Oh Joel, I can’t believe it! Are you serious?”

  “Yes, but I do need you to be good to me or I will find a new wife.”

  I pull his chair around to face me and straddle him with a purpose, “How’s this?”

  “A lot better, but I expect to see a lot more respect and a hell of a lot more dedication from you in the future.”

  I swirl my fingers up and down his chest, moaning his name and feeling him heat up with every passing second. He undoes his pants, pulling them down enough for me to lower down to meet his throbbing erection. My mouth welcomes any and all stress he needs to release and Joel welcomes my respect. He watches me work and moans appreciatively. I finish him off in perfect fashion and earn one of my credit cards back.

  ~

  It’s the morning of the stunt and Joel is in an exceptionally good mood. I watch him set his fully packed suitcases at the door, preparing for our departure to L.A. “Ready to leave already? So should I assume you are giving up on your quest to get back at your old friend?” I asked him.

  “Not quite,” he said with a peaceful smile.

  I’m intrigued. “Isn’t today the last day of shooting with him?”

  “Yes and the day of the big stunt, which he finally agreed to do, earning us a huge pay out from my father.”

  “Do tell, my newly successful husband, what do you have in mind?”

  “I’m not sure you want to know Rebecca, it is not going to be pretty.”

  “Will you stop playing games and tell me already?”

  “You are so impatient.” I cross my arms blocking his exit. “I manipulated Sean’s brakes. They should become completely inoperable about the time he needs them the most.”

  I gasp, “Joel, you’re going to kill him.”

  “Does that concern you?”

  I think about it for a second, “Actually, no. It might even be nice to see that redheaded bitch struggling to live without him.” I smile eagerly. “Oh it would be even better if she is so heartbroken she can’t hardly go on, get fat and wrinkled and terribly pathetic. Waste away like a complete nothing.” I flick my fingers to emphasize her dismissal. Joel shakes his head at me. “What? Well at least I’m not killing her.”

  “No, you prefer a life of misery as opposed to immediate destruction. I’m not nearly as cruel.”

  I shrug, “Although, I would have to go to the trouble of checking in on her to get any real pleasure out of it. That will be a pain in the ass.”

  “Hire a detective to take pictures for you.” Joel said, walking around me and exiting easily.

  “No, I can’t do that.” I follow after him. “It’s no fun if she doesn’t know. I have to invite her to a good-will lunch, a charity lunch even.”

  “You know, you keeping tabs on Ava might be a good idea?”

  “Really, why?” I asked curiously.

  “Because, by the time Lillah is legal, I w
ill be ready for a younger model anyway. And, as hot as her mother is… Well, she is looking more like her every day.” Joel smiles, raising his eyebrows at me. “I can’t wait to handle that.”

  “Funny,” I said, narrowing my eyes at him.

  “Who’s laughing?” Joel walks past me and out the door with an obnoxious smile.

  “Have a good day dear!” I yell after him.

  “Be naked and ready when I get home honey,” he yelled back. The things I have to do to live suitably. I pout briefly before remembering the credit card he gave back to me. If he wants to celebrate, by all means I will make sure he has the celebration of his life.

  ~

  Shopping is so tiring sometimes, thank goodness they have valet at this mall. The boy drives up in my newly rented Mercedes, I get in and drive off without acknowledging his outstretched hand. My only decision now is, do I go to another store or home to take a breather before Joel comes home? I’m thinking shopping, but my feet are telling me otherwise. Damn the dilemmas in my life. Before I can make a decision, Joel calls. If I tell him I’m on my way home, maybe he will leave me alone. But, what if he is already home waiting for me? Then I can’t go shopping and now I really want too! “Yes, my love, I am going home now.”

  “No, I need you to go to the hospital and find out about Sean for me.”

  “Oh I forgot about that, did he …?” I ask, feeling a strange twinge inside.

  “I don’t know. They carried him out of here so fast I didn’t get much of anything. Then all the drama with Ava.”

  “Ava? Why was she there?” I ask rolling my eyes.

  “To try and talk him out of it apparently. She was an absolute wreck. She screamed so loudly, I think she busted my eardrums and I wasn’t anywhere near her.”

  “So, how is sweet Ava now?”

  “No idea, but she is at the same hospital so check on her while you are there. Call me as soon as you find out something.” Joel abruptly hangs up the phone before I can refuse.

  “Why sure dear, I will be more than happy to run all over town for you.” I mumble to myself. “Maybe I have something real important to do, but please don’t bother yourself by asking.”