by Sam Crescent
“You’re going to be stubborn the whole night?”
“Yep.”
He chuckled. “Two can play at that game.”
****
Present day
It had been two days since Logan had released the videos to everyone in town and also uploaded them online. So far, Ava had lost her job, and no one would serve her in town. She’d been booed out of the grocery store and ignored. Someone had even thrown an ice cream cone at her, and of course, she was denied everywhere.
Standing in her home, staring at the empty fridge, she knew she was going to have to either leave town, or do something.
She’d been to the sheriff’s office three times to no avail. He was either out or she was thrown abuse until she had no choice but to leave.
What Logan had done … she didn’t know if he’d ever really do it, but she’d clearly pushed him too far and now she was paying the price. There was nothing she could do. The videos were out, and she was all on her own. No one was going to help her.
Slamming the door closed, she pressed her head against it.
It will be fine.
The easiest option would be to take her belongings and run. To put the house on the market and to get the hell out of town. Only … she didn’t want to get the fuck out of town. It pissed her off that Luke would be winning again.
He’d already turned Logan against her.
Now the entire town was against her, not that they’d believed her in the first place, but she’d hoped they would.
Luke was a monster.
How was it she was the only one to see it?
What the fuck had the sheriff done with her original statements to have people turn against her?
Grabbing her jacket, she stormed out of her house, not surprised to see the words “lying whore” scrawled across her front door.
Ignoring it, she closed the door and rushed across the lawn, heading toward town. She kept her head down.
“Bitch, you’re a lying whore.”
“We saw the videos. No one had to force you.”
“You’re nothing.”
“Get your skank ass out of town.”
Random people threw insults at her as she made her way across town, going straight to the sheriff. This time, she won’t be bullied or pushed aside.
There was no way she was going to let anyone push her out of her own town. Luke had won twelve years ago, and in the past couple of days. But he wouldn’t win any other time.
As Ava entered the station, Susan stood with a sigh. “He’s not here.”
She didn’t even bother listening to Susan. For a town where crime never happened, the sheriff was sure busy all the time, which was strange considering he loved sitting in his office with his feet up.
Without knocking, she opened up his office door, and there he was, alone, feet up on the desk, reading a magazine and this time, nibbling on a sandwich.
“I’m sorry, Sheriff, she barged—”
Ava didn’t give her a chance to finish. She slammed the door closed and flicked the lock into place.
“Are you attempting to take me hostage? If so, I should warn you it’s a—”
“What did you do with them?” she asked.
“Whatever do you mean?” he asked.
“Cut the bullshit. I know you manipulated those statements. I never once mentioned Logan, other than to say where Luke may be.” She slammed her hand against the desk, leaning on it as she yelled at him.
Her anger had risen. Seeing the proof of the sheriff just sitting there, in his chair, it annoyed her, filled her with a rage she couldn’t even begin to describe.
“You need to leave,” the sheriff said.
“I know my statement. I remember what happened.”
“Please, nothing happened.”
“If nothing happened why wouldn’t you do the rape test? Why wasn’t Luke arrested? Why is he walking around town as if nothing happened, but Logan is the one pissed off!”
“The accusations you have flying around right now, you better be careful. You should learn to take responsibility for your actions.”
“Fuck you! You’re a monster. I will find something on you and make sure the entire town knows what you did. The girls in this town need to be protected.”
“Again, your lies are going to get you in trouble. I saw the videos. You think I don’t know what I’m dealing with?”
“I was an eighteen-year-old girl. He cornered me. What you saw was me trying to get past everything.” She shook her head. “You don’t deserve to wear a badge.”
Turning on her heel, she left the sheriff’s office, determined to find something, anything on him, but she had no way of knowing.
Walking down the street, she headed toward her home only to stop when she saw Luke, parked and waiting.
There was no way she could stop him from approaching. If she got to her house, he’d only shove his way inside and then she’d be alone with him.
Tapping her fingers on her thigh, she nibbled her lip, trying to make a decision.
“Come on, Ava, you don’t want it to be like this,” he said.
Turning on her heel, she rushed back into town, but she didn’t go into the diner. She went straight to the library. He was following her, but he wouldn’t do anything if she was in a public place. He couldn’t risk it.
Inside the library, she ignored the angry language from the women working behind the counter.
Logan had really messed up her reputation.
Ignoring them, she dialed Logan’s number. It had been mailed to her with a card, offering her a second chance. She didn’t know who mailed it, but she kept the card on her, and she held it now within her grasp.
There was no way she was going to confront Luke, not right now. She didn’t have the strength to do anything.
The town was against her.
Logan hated her.
There was only one option for now, and that was to get Logan.
“Hello,” he said.
“It’s me.”
“I’m sorry, who is it?”
“Ava Marshall.”
“Now, why would you be calling me?”
She looked up to see Luke standing in the doorway of the office.
“I want you to come and pick me up. I think we need to talk, don’t you?”
“Are you having difficulty already?” he asked.
“I want to negotiate.” She wasn’t going to talk anymore on the phone, not with people listening. “Will you please send someone to the library? It’s urgent.”
Luke closed the door, but he didn’t say a word.
Her heart began to pound.
“Hunter is already on his way. He’ll be with you in a couple of minutes.”
“Good. I look forward to seeing him.” She put the phone down, and Luke grabbed her, shoving her up against the wall with his arm across her neck. “He’s coming for me. Hunter was already on his way.”
“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?”
“I think I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make sure you pay.”
“How is that working out for you? I heard no one is willing to listen to you.”
“Fuck you.”
“One day soon, you will. Do you really think Logan is the one calling the shots? It won’t be long until he’s passing you around for all of his friends to enjoy.”
“That day is not today,” she said.
She had to find a way for Logan to see the truth. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she glared at him.
“What’s it going to be, Luke? Are you still going to be here when Hunter comes? I don’t think he likes you.”
“Oh, please, Hunter is Logan’s little lapdog, but it’s me he listens to.”
“You better hope so. One day, he will believe me, and then your act will be up. I don’t know what it is you did to make all of my statements to go away.”
Luke burst out laughing. “Well, darling, that will be for another time, won’t it?” He
stroked her cheek. “Until then.” The pressure tightened across her throat, and she stared at him, waiting for him to end it. To kill her.
Would dying be so bad after what he’d done to her?
He wouldn’t allow her to find out as he pulled away and she was able to breathe again.
She took several deep breaths, inhaling.
“We don’t want the likes of you here anymore,” Trudy, her old boss, said, coming to the office. “Whatever dirty call you just made, you better hope it wasn’t a fortune or we’re billing you.”
“You’ve got me all wrong,” she said.
“No, I don’t. Once a whore, always one. I know what I saw, and you didn’t fall too far from your parents either.”
She didn’t allow them to see how much their words hurt.
Don’t show weakness.
Hold your head high.
Stepping around Trudy, she ignored the glares, walking toward the front doors.
Hunter was already walking toward her, and she rushed out.
Before she knew what she was doing, she threw her arms around him. “I’m so grateful you came.”
“Does this have to do with Luke I see trying to avoid being detected?” he asked.
She pulled away and nodded.
There was no way she could trust Hunter.
“Come on.” He took her hand, leading her back to the car.
She didn’t know whom she could trust. The sheriff should have been the only person, but he’d lied and look how he acted now, as if she’d been lying the whole time.
Hunter helped her into the car, and she dropped her head into her hands.
“He’s dangerous, you know, Luke is. To Logan.”
“I know.”
She turned to look at Hunter. “You know?”
“I see the way he looks at my boss. There’s no love or happiness there. Just anger, hatred, and even resentment.”
“Haven’t you told him? Told Logan?”
“They’ve been friends a hell of a lot longer than I’ve been his. I don’t know everything, only what I’ve been told.”
“Luke was always the asshole. The main bully. Logan … he did things, but he wasn’t as bad as Luke.”
“I have to disagree. I’ve seen the way this town has treated you and that was all Logan. Luke had nothing to do with it.”
“He had everything to do with it.” She couldn’t help but yell. People refused to see the truth, and she was growing tired of them believing Luke was some little saint.
“You claim Luke raped you.”
She covered her ears and screamed at the unfairness of it all. Hunter didn’t stop her as she screamed again and again until her voice was hoarse.
Hunter had stopped on the side of the road, and she stared out as the tears wrecked her entire body. She couldn’t stop sobbing.
Everything had been so fucked up.
She sniffled. “It’s fine. The only person who believed me back then was my dad. He knew I wasn’t a liar.”
Each word came out on a croak.
“That’s a lot of work to cover up,” Hunter said. “There’s no rape kit.”
“Because I was told I wouldn’t need one. My parents were assured they had everything they needed.” She laughed. “Wow, at every turn I was taken for a fucking idiot.” She looked toward him. “How did you know that?”
“Logan has me looking at possible leads that would in any way indicate Luke was a rapist.”
“Wow,” she said. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I never reported Logan. We … what we did with each other was consensual. I liked him a lot. I didn’t report him. I don’t know how he ended up taking the fall for Luke.” She sniffled. “I guess Luke’s parents had a way of manipulating the sheriff.”
“What did you say?”
“Luke’s parents were one of the richest in town. I think I heard something a while back that the fortune had been taken due to bad debts, not paying taxes, that kind of thing.”
“No, the part about the parents and the sheriff.”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe his parents blackmailed the sheriff. I don’t know what they could have on him. He’s been sheriff for as long as I can remember. It’s his job. It’s who he is.” She looked toward Hunter to see him frowning. “What is it?”
“It’s nothing.”
“You have something going on. What is it?”
“We’re not besties, Ava. Not even close.”
She growled in frustration. “I’m so over male ego. I’m serious right now. Have you seen the way the town is treating me? Have you seen what they painted on my door? What they’ve called my parents?” She shook her head. “I don’t even know why I’m hoping you’d care. You’d have to have actual feelings, which you clearly do not.”
“I’ve seen.”
“Then you know I can’t even drive to the store for groceries. My car ran out of gas yesterday. They won’t let me fill it up, refused to let me even try.” She wiped away the tears, not wanting to show even more weakness. “I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this.”
“I don’t know why you need to either, but you are.”
“I’m sorry,” she said.
“Don’t be.”
“I’m being shoved out of this town. I didn’t do anything wrong. Luke hurt me because he wanted to get to Logan.”
“Why?”
“He didn’t want Logan to have a … first. Once he’d taken it there was no way of him ever being able to claim that part of me.”
“Your virginity?”
She sniffled and nodded her head.
Hunter sighed. “I’m not on your side. I will never be on your side. I’m working for Logan. He’s the only one I care about.”
“Okay.”
“If, and this is a big fucking if, there’s something in the Sheriff’s past linked to Luke’s parents, I’ll find it. I’m not working for you. I’m merely doing a job for my boss.”
****
Logan sat behind his desk as Ava walked into the office. Hunter held her arm, not that she had any real reason to escape from him. She had come to him after all, not the other way around.
“Now this is intriguing,” he said. “That will be all, Hunter.”
Ava stood, arms folded, waiting.
“Aren’t you going to beg me?” he asked.
“This is what you wanted, right? Me at your mercy. You’ve got it. I can’t even leave town. No one will help me unless I walk right on out of here, and I can’t do that.”
“I did warn you.”
“I know.” She didn’t say anything more.
He stared at her. Her eyes were puffy, bloodshot, and her face looked a mess as well. Devoid of makeup but she looked deep in despair.
“You didn’t have to come to me for help, you do know that.”
“I know what I do and don’t have to do, Logan. I’m not stupid.”
“Now you have some fire in your gut. You think you can call the shots here, is that it?”
“I don’t think anything. I’m just trying to get through all of this. What is it you want?” she asked.
He leaned back in his chair, staring at her.
Women had been coming to his home for the past couple of days, begging for his attention, offering up their bodies, and he’d denied them all. There was only one woman he was interested in. Hunter had told him how within an hour of the videos being released, she’d become public enemy number one.
He got to his feet and rounded the desk, standing in front of her.
She had the prettiest hazel eyes he’d ever seen.
“I’m heading out to the city tomorrow. I want you to come with me.”
“You do?” She frowned.
“Nothing is keeping you here, and I have no desire to be in such a fickle town. If you’re willing to hand over your body and your life to me, I will protect you.” He shoved his hands into his pockets. He’d never intended to make this kind of deal.
When he started t
his path of revenge, he’d planned to crush her, to destroy her, but after Hunter had told him what people did to her … he wasn’t happy. This didn’t give him any kind of pleasure to know her struggle.
She burst out laughing. “You expect me to believe you’re going to protect me? You. You released those videos. You had possession of them.” She ran fingers through her hair, turned her back to him and walked a few steps, before turning, and walking back to him. She blew out a breath. “This is so crazy.”
“So is being dragged down to a station on charges that are bogus,” he said.
“I’ve told you already—” She stopped holding her hand up. “You know what, I will make you eat your words. I will win this.”
“Oh, I look forward to the fire. It’s about time you start fighting back. Whatever you think it is you need to do. I’m all ears. Until then, you’ve got to make a choice. Belong to me or be at the mercy of a town that has turned you to shit.”
“Wow, not a whole lot of choices.”
He shrugged. “You should have stayed. You called my bluff, and I don’t like to have that happen. I would have kept those videos private, but you pushed the issue.”
“What exactly will I have to do?”
He smiled. “It’s nothing illegal. You will belong to me, and in doing so, I’ll protect you.”
“Belonging to you? What exactly does that mean?”
“You’ll do exactly as I tell you. No questions asked. Your body will be mine. When I tell you to ride my dick, you will worship it. You’ll do everything I say.”
“I don’t want to be shared.”
“If I share you, I’ll be the one to make the decision.”
“I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Then be sure to let the door knock you on the ass on the way out. You’re mine. You don’t get a fucking say in doing anything. Your call, Ava, but you’re wasting my time.”
“If—” She stopped, and he waited.
Time passed, and he grew even more curious as to what she was thinking or feeling. Ava wasn’t easy to read.
“If there’s something I can’t handle, will you call a stop to it? I mean if I’m afraid and I can’t stand what is going to happen. Will you force me to keep on going or will you show some compassion?”
He leaned back in his chair. “Yes.”
She breathed a sigh of relief.
“I’m not a monster, Ava. I’m not going to make this easy on you though. I will have to be sure you can’t handle anything. You’re at my mercy, and if I think you can take something, I will make you get past your fear.”