AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Fuck. I didn’t sign up for that kind of shit,” one said.
“Yeah, me neither. I’m out,” the third replied.
“We’re sorry for bothering you,” the big guy offered fearfully.
“Yeah. We’ll go now. Don’t worry about us,” the second said hastily and all three of them piled out of the room so quickly that it was hard to imagine that they had even been there in the first place. I sighed and rose to my feet again. I curled up in the leather chair and pulled my feet into my chest.
Cyrus had sat here before and right now that brought me comfort.
I looked at my forgotten mug of coffee and bit my lip, suddenly overwhelmed with sadness over the fact that it had gone cold. Somewhere, there was a roar of an engine and the rumble of tires coming to a halt on gravel and dirt.
I didn’t really pay it much mind to be honest. I didn’t look up until a pair of shoes pounded into the floor and another form walked through the door.
I looked up and finally felt like I could breathe.
“Cyrus,” I cried out.
“Ava,” he breathed. He rushed to me and suddenly his hands were all over me. “Are you hurt? Is any of this blood yours?” he asked, his voice rising in panic and fury. He glanced over to the bed and at the knife still in my hand.
Carefully, his hand surrounded mine.
“You’re okay, my sweet girl. You’re safe now,” he said. All the anger and fear bled from his voice, and I found myself focusing on him.
My Cyrus.
I started, but his fingers were gentle. Mine were still locked around the handle of the knife, but he slowly worked them open one by one. I cried out when he took it from me, but he surrounded me with his body instead. Without thinking, I wrapped myself around him.
He lifted me straight out of that chair and carried me into the bathroom.
“I’ve got you, my Ava. Let me take care of you,” he requested, his voice softening even further. He turned to someone else in the doorway.
“Make this all disappear before I come out,” he demanded fiercely.
“Cyrus,” I breathed. He held me with one arm as he turned the shower on. He waited until the water turned warm to carry me under the spray. He didn’t care that he was still wearing clothes or that I was covered in blood. He was solely focused on taking care of me.
I didn’t realize I was shaking until then. I wrapped my arms around his neck, and he turned the shower up even hotter.
“You’re safe,” he murmured. He kept saying that over and over until I started to believe it. Eventually, my shivering gradually slowed until it stopped entirely. With the utmost care, he kept an arm around me as he lowered me to my feet. He unclipped the bra and dragged the panties down my legs, baring me swiftly and without preamble.
I never wanted to see that lingerie set again. He tossed it in the trash as if he’d read my mind.
He was gentle as he washed me, but extremely thorough. He shampooed my hair several times in a row, and I closed my eyes, just focusing on the way his fingers flittered along my scalp, strong and tender with every single touch. I leaned on him because I knew I could.
Eventually, I found myself staring into those soulful blue eyes.
“You were so strong and so brave, my sweet Ava,” he said, with voice thick with pride.
“Really?” I asked softly. I mostly just wanted to hear more of his voice.
“Yes, my love. I’m so proud of you,” he added, and we stood under the water for a while longer wrapped up in each other. He cupped my face and gently drew my chin upward, kissing me sweetly.
Eventually, the water started to run cold, and he shut it off. He picked me back up and carried me into the closet. He dried me off with a fluffy towel he’d grabbed along the way. Then he dressed me in a pair of thick sweatpants and a soft shirt before slipping a fuzzy pair of socks on my feet. Only then did he strip out of his soaking wet clothes and change into something else. He had me keep my hands on his shoulders for balance while he dressed himself, taking my hand in his when he shrugged on one arm and then the other of his suit jacket. He picked me up again when he was dressed and carried me back into the bathroom where he brushed my hair after sitting me down on the counter.
He wouldn’t let me walk by his side. To be honest, I didn’t really fight him as he paraded me around in his arms. I used it as an opportunity to relish the safety that was him.
When he carried me back through the bedroom, Anthony’s body was gone. All evidence of foul play had disappeared, and I was grateful for that.
He removed me from the cabin and the two of us were in the back of an SUV before I knew it. We pulled away from that place and I hoped to never see it again.
