by MJ Masucci
“What do you want?” Xander asked.
“Well, for starters, I want the two plus million that Ava has in her cash account. Who is your financial advisor? What the fuck, is he stupid? Who advises a client to keep that much cash sitting around making shit interest?”
She was about to speak, but in the darkened corner of the shed, she felt Xander’s hand on her arm. The money was gone, they only had four hundred thousand in that account since she had purchased their apartment from Peter.
“How would I give that to you?”
“That depends on your answer to the next question.”
“I don’t understand.”
“The choice is yours. Are you going to come with me like we discussed? Or am I going to shoot you and leave you for dead?”
“What about Xander?”
“He’s going to die no matter what you say. Either you die together, or he dies, and you come back with me to Brazil. By the way, your answer has multiple parts to it.”
“Huh?”
“Ava, I would expect someone with your education and breeding to have a better answer than that.”
“What are the parts?”
“First, I’m going to have my way with you. I’ve been waiting for that pretty little pussy of yours for years.”
Ava began to cry while Xander screamed, “No fucking way. Don’t you touch her, you sick fuck.”
Just like in the garage years before, Liam aimed the gun, and Xander felt a bullet whiz by his ear, lodging in the wood behind his head.
“The next one will not miss, you piece of shit. How dare you speak to me. Let me set some ground rules here. I have the gun, so I make the rules. You will not speak unless spoken to.”
He took the other set of handcuffs in his belt and threw them to Ava, “Put this around his other wrist and lock it onto one of the rings. If you fail to complete this as I’ve instructed, I’ll shoot him.”
Once she had completed the task, Liam barked out more instructions.
“Get on your knees, asshole.”
Xander complied as Liam came towards him with the gun aimed. He handed the key to the cuff to Ava and had her unlock herself from the iron ring.
“Key, please.” She handed the key back to him, and he took her by cuff still attached to her wrist to lead her out of the shed. He pulled her into the house and locked her to the handle of the refrigerator door.
“I have some business to conduct with asshole. Be right back.”
In the shed she could hear muffled yelling and tears sprang to her eyes, profusely rolling down her cheeks. When Liam reappeared, his knuckles were full of blood, and there was a streak of it on his cheek.
“Your boyfriend is a tough bastard,” he said smiling.
Ava was thankful that Liam hadn’t figured out that she was now Mrs. Wilder and Xander was no longer her boyfriend. That piece of information could get them both killed instead of allowing her to negotiate with him.
His glee sickened her, and she stretched her arm against the handle until she was near the sink, and vomited bile.
“Are you feeling okay?” His matter of fact tone as like what he just did meant nothing.
“I haven’t been well lately. I don’t like the cold weather.”
“Play your cards right, and we can be living on a beach. It’s warm all the time.”
She said nothing but watched him rinse the sink of her vomit and then clean the blood from his hands. Ava chewed on her cheek waiting for Liam’s next move. Was he going to rape her?
He noticed the look on her face, “Don’t worry. He’s still alive. Tomorrow is a big day for you. You have a decision to make. One that will be life altering or lead to death.” He began laughing, and the features of his face darkened.
“Come, you have to show me how much you want to be with me.”
He unlocked the cuff from the refrigerator handle and took her to the master bedroom. In the same bedroom where she had lost her virginity, she was going to be raped.
“Undress. I want to see that hot body of yours.” He kicked off his boots and stretched out on the bed with his head propped up on the pillows.
Ava started to remove her clothing. First her jacket, then sweatshirt. Underneath she was wearing a sports bra, and she heard him inhale deeply as he looked at her bare midriff. She toed off her sneakers and peeled off her yoga pants. This was one of the days she was glad she was wearing plain cotton bikini panties.
She stood quietly, waiting for him to say something. He whistled.
“Damn, you are still so hot. Come here.”
She walked to him, and he sat up, moving to the edge of the bed. The shaking started as his hand touched her shoulder and the tears came.
“Shh, don’t cry,” he whispered.
She was surprised at his tenderness.
“I don’t want you here. I want you in my bed in the warmth of the beach.”
He started to ramble, and he let it slip that he had been living in Brazil. On and on he went while her mind drifted to Xander and what he could have done to him. The amount of blood Liam had on his hands indicated he beat the shit out of Xander. He was defenseless, chained like a dog.
“Get dressed,” he suddenly growled. “You looking like that makes me want to ravage you. I’m sure you’ve fucked him here, and I don’t care to compete with that memory. I want to make new ones. I’m going to teach you so much. Do you like to be tied up?”
She had no idea how to answer, but she decided to play his game, “I do, very much. I can be whatever you want me to be.”
“So is that your answer? You’re going to come with me?”
“Yes.”
“Then let’s get a good night’s sleep. Tomorrow I have some business to attend to, and we can be on our way.”
After she had finished dressing, he pushed her onto the bed, cuffing her hand to the headboard.
He yawned loudly, “Goodnight, Ava. You made me a very happy man.”
In minutes, he was sound asleep while she was wide awake. The key was in his pocket, and the gun was in the drawer in the nightstand. She couldn’t take the risk of trying for either. Sleep claimed her sometime in the wee hours of the morning though she woke several times.
In the morning she opened her eyes to Liam standing over her, “Time to take care of business.” He unlocked her handcuff, and surprisingly he took it off her wrist. “Go clean up.”
He sat on the bed waiting for her to come out of the bathroom. This time he made her leave the door open but stayed out of view. She quietly hunted for a weapon. There was nothing she could use.
“I’m waiting,” Liam called.
She hurried out of the bathroom, and he took her hand walking her out the back door to the shed. What she found when he opened it made her want to lunge at Liam and kill him with her bare hands. Xander’s face was a bloody pulp. Both his eyes were swollen; the left one was entirely shut. Dried blood marred his cheeks, his lips were split and swelled, his nose had bled onto his suit, and it was caked on his upper lip and chin. He was on his knees, leaning over, only held up by the cuffs attached to the rings.
Ava wanted to go to him to offer comfort, but she was playing a role that she hoped would save both their lives.
“How did you sleep, asshole?” Liam went to him and grasped his hair, pulling his head up. “Don’t you look pretty. You look worse than I did when you punched me in the club. Payback is a bitch. Anyway, Ava has some news for you. Tell him.”
Xander looked up at her, turning his face, so his half-closed right eye fixed on her.
“I’m going with Liam to Brazil and live on the beach.”
He cried out and began sobbing.
“I’m pregnant, and I don’t love you.” She wanted Xander to know he was to be a father in case her ruse didn’t work.
Liam stopped short, “You’re pregnant!” He pressed the gun to her face. “You lied to me. If you don’t love him, why are you pregnant?”
“The baby isn’t his. I don�
�t love the father. It was just a fling. Why do you think you found me at my place and not his?”
Even through his injuries, Ava could see the pain on Xander’s face that her statement had caused.
She stared at him, “I want to do him.”
Liam started to laugh a crazy, frightening laugh. “Fucking cold-hearted bitch. I knew there was something I loved about you. Damn, your relationship with this asshole must have been fucked up.”
“You don’t understand how fucked up. Our families forced us together. I didn’t want it. This asshole has been controlling me for years. I’ve had enough. He drove me into another man’s arms. He forced me to testify against you.” She knew the words she spoke would never be able to be taken back and it shredded her heart to speak them.
“No, Ava,” Xander croaked.
“Shut the fuck up. The lady’s talking.”
“So do you know how to use one of these?” He held up the gun.
“No, show me.”
He showed Ava how to work the gun, where the safety was and how to pull the trigger.
“Want to take a few practice shots?”
“Uh, sure.”
“We’ll be right back asshole. Stay where you are,” Liam said laughing full well knowing Xander wasn’t going anywhere.
Ava played the role of novice shooter perfectly. She shot wide on both practice shots with him standing behind her, or she would have turned the gun on him. He took the gun from her hand as they walked back to the shed.
“Unlock him,” she said.
“Fuck no. Why would you want to do that?”
“I want him free when I take him down. I want him to know he can’t control me anymore and that the last thing he will see is me in control.”
“No, Ava. Don’t do this,” Xander croaked again.
Liam approached Xander, placing the gun to his head while he unlocked his left cuff, then placed the key in his hand and ordered him to unlock the other as he stepped back. He shook his head at Ava when Liam’s back was turned.
“Stand up straight, Alexander, and look at me.”
Liam stood off to the side of her shooting hand, her right hand, as she aimed at Xander, who merely stared straight at her with his partially closed eye.
She turned quickly and squeezed a shot at Liam who then lunged towards her. He screamed in pain as the bullet ripped into his right shoulder, with blood starting to flow from the wound. He slammed into her, and she fell back against the table, hitting her head. She began to black out, but not before she squeezed another bullet off as they both went down to the floor.
Chapter 37
Ava could hear the voices, and she struggled towards them. She couldn’t reach them, and the voices faded away. Later they came back, and she tried to get to them, but she couldn’t move. She tried to cry out, but no one heard her. Then she faded again.
Awhile later, the voices again. She listened closely; they sounded familiar. Daddy? Xander? Am I dead? She tried with all her might to move, but it wasn’t to be; she spiraled down into darkness.
“When will she wake up?”
She was sure the voice belonged to Xander. He was alive, and her heart leaped. What had happened to her?
“Her vitals are good, and she’s healthy. There is no brain damage, but she did take a pretty good hit in the head. She needs rest. Keep talking to her; she’ll wake soon.”
Ava felt a warm hand stroking her arm. Her Xander. Her eyes fluttered open and what she saw in front of her made all the memories flood back. He wasn’t looking at her since his eyes were closed, and tears silently slipped down her cheeks.
His face was a bruised mess. Both eyes were blackened, and a splint was on the bridge of his nose. His lips were still puffy, and several cuts were visible. A large angry purple bruise stood out on his jaw.
“Xander,” she whispered, with her throat was dry as cotton.
His head shot up, and he looked at her. He reached over and began furiously pressing the call button for the nurse. They just stared at each other for a moment before he stood and planted a kiss on her forehead.
“I thought I lost you. Why did you do that?” He said softly.
She was going to answer, but the nurse came into the room.
“Mrs. Wilder, how do you feel? I’m your nurse, Ida.”
“My head hurts, and my body is sore.”
“You sustained a concussion. You’re going to have to take it easy for awhile.”
Ida began taking her vital signs and was just finishing as the doctor came to check on her as he made his rounds. She handed him Ava’s chart and left the room.
“I’m Doctor Grassley. Everything looks normal beyond your head trauma.”
He examined her, flashing light in her eyes.
“Do you need anything?”
“I’m thirsty. Can I have a drink?”
“Yes, but sip it slowly.”
Xander poured her some water in a cup and handed it to her.
“Am I still…”
The doctor waited for her to finish but Xander answered for him.
“Yes, sweetheart. You’re still pregnant. The babies are fine.”
Doctor Grassley smiled at her and nodded as he left the room. Ava sighed deeply.
“I want you to rest, so we will talk about what happened another time.”
“Where am I? What hospital is this? What day is this?”
“Glens Falls. It’s Monday.”
“I’ve been out for two days?”
“Yes. You hit your head hard when Liam lunged at you.”
“Is he dead?”
“Yes, he’s dead. We don’t have to worry about him ever again. Now rest.”
“Xander, your face.” She began to cry.
He wiped at her tears, “Don’t upset yourself. I’m fine. I should be all set for our wedding.”
“I forgot about our wedding.”
“I would imagine with all this craziness. I do want to ask you something about the babies. Am I the father?”
“Oh, God, Xander how could you think I would cheat on you? I’ve never wanted anyone else but you,” she cried.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were pregnant?” His tone harsh.
“I just found out on Wednesday afternoon. Then the next morning going to the gym, Liam took me. We weren’t getting along, and I didn’t want my pregnancy to force us back together with you hating me.”
“I never hated you. I missed you, and I didn’t handle it well.”
“I hadn’t been feeling well for weeks. I was throwing up a lot.”
“Fuck, and I was too angry to notice.”
“Last weekend, I took a home pregnancy test, and it came up positive. I called the doctor for an appointment, and it was confirmed that I was pregnant with twins. I was planning on telling you, but then…”
“We don’t have to talk about it now, but I do want to know if you remember.”
She wanted to tell him everything about what she remembered, but she heard familiar voices in the hall. Her father, Felice, and Rachel came into the room.
“Thank God you’re awake,” Jason said as he rushed to her bedside. He gently hugged her.
“Daddy, I’m sorry.”
“For what? It wasn’t your fault that this psycho fixated on you.”
“I didn’t want to upset you with your heart.”
“Stop worrying about me. All I care about is that you’re alright.”
Felice and Rachel came to her bedside to talk to her, and after a few minutes, they left to let her rest. Xander was the only one in the room.
“Ava, they don’t know you’re pregnant.”
“Why didn’t you tell them?”
“I think this is enough shock for them, don’t you? I also didn’t think it was my place to tell them without you. We can tell them together.”
“Is anyone else here?”
“Robert and Samantha are on their way from the city. Sam feels horrible that she ever introduced you to Liam. She
thinks it’s her fault.”
“It’s not her fault. Liam wanted me far before she introduced us. He would have made it his mission to convince me to date him, with or without her.”
“How do you know that?”
“There are things I never told you he said when he attacked us the first time. You were unconscious, and his words were vile and disgusting. I couldn’t reveal them to you.”
“You had no right to keep them from me.”
“Stop. He could have come for me in the years we were apart. What then? Would his words have mattered?”
“Do you feel up to telling me now? If not, it can wait.”
She inhaled deeply, “He had me in the back of the SUV. You were crumpled on the ground, and I thought you were dead. He told me that he wanted to rape me and he wished we were alone. Apparently, he found it exciting to tie women up, beat them and fuck them in every orifice he could. He said the last woman he was with he choked until she passed out while he had sex with her. He wanted to do that to me, but then you woke up.”
“Oh God, he was sick in the head. How could he treat women that way? Did he touch you?”
“Other than taking my panties and touching my genitals, no. I told you that.”
“I don’t mean in the garage. I meant when he took you in the house. Did he rape you?”
“No. He had me strip to my bra and panties. Then he changed his mind and said that he didn’t want to fuck me in the same place you had. What did he do to you in the shed? When he came back in the house with all the blood on his hands, I thought he had killed you.”
“You don’t need to hear this now.”
“I want to hear it. Please tell me.”
“I was defenseless. He punched me until my face was what you see here. I went down to my knees, and he kicked me in the stomach a few times. I thought he cracked my ribs again. He was breathing heavy and took a cigarette out and blew the smoke in my face. Then he spat at me and left.”
Ava began to cry again. Xander leaned down and hugged her.
“Shh, don’t cry. You’re upset, and if the nurse sees you, she’ll throw me out of here.”