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I loved him. At that moment if not before, I loved this man with every part of me. Jonas was forgotten. Jonas didn’t promise to rescue me. Jonas wasn’t there trying to find me, to buy me, butYveswas.
I concentrate on these last memories.
We sped away in a black car.
“You came.”
“I came.”
“You’re here,” I whispered, still disbelieving.
My fingers mapped his face. The beard had gone, his hair was shorter. His golden image had kept me above the waterline. I would never forget his kindness.
Tears of relief fell so violently that it took me some time to calm down. I’d imagined this moment and my freedom for so long, I didn’t dare believe it would happen. As the car left that house of horror behind, Max held me against him as I recovered, soothing me with words and a gentle touch.
It was so good to be held in his arms again. To feel his warmth pressing into me.
He revealed my buyer was acting on his behalf, and that I was free. It was then he confessed his name was Max. That he was going to drop me off at a busy place, that I must call the police and tell them everything.
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t take you to the police myself, Ava.”
“But afterwards, you’ll come for me?”
I’m sure the drugs made me slow-witted, my thoughts and emotions hard to control. When he shook his head I sobbed, “I don’t understand.” This wasn’t how I thought it would go. In my head, Max was going to keep me close. He was all I wanted. All I’d thought of.
“You need to go back to Jonas and Tilly.”
“But I don’t want Jonas.” I didn’t sayI want you, but it was easy to hear those words in my head. I’m certain they rippled in Max’s head too.
He rubbed at his mouth with a thumb, thinking.Tempted.
I pushed my agenda. “Max. I want to stay with you,” I pleaded. With him, I felt safe and protected.
“I’m no better than the men you escaped from.”
I protested, my insides raked up, my mind raging and rabid; I could see where this was heading. “I don’t believe that.” He might have run a hand up my leg, he might have kissed me, desire stark in his eyes but it had been welcome. It was kindness. And despite his erection straining between us, he resisted. He’s not a bad person. He’s good. He was the one with the lion’s heart, searching for his sister. He was the strong one. He gave me comfort and kindness when all I’d felt was brutality.
“It’s true. I want to exchange you for another prison, one of my own making. I want to keep you and have you as mine.” He caught the eye of the driver. I realise now it was Ben, his shadowed eyes crushingly bleak, and Jeremy was in the passenger seat. “We need to get you somewhere safe. And that means away from me, too.”
“What? No! Please, no. I’ve been thinking about you for days! I’ve been waiting for you! Don’t push me away!” The thought of doing this last bit alone terrified me. I needed him at my side, always.
My hands were on his shoulders, desperate. I was beyond caring. For days I’d scrabbled for every bit of dignity I could find, pleading for scraps, for any small sign of kindness. Pride was not part of my makeup anymore; it got beaten out of me in many ways. Pride left me the minute I woke to find men ogling my naked body and I knew I had to beg for small mercies.
“I’m not pushing you away.” Contradicting himself, he pulled my hands off his body and placed them in my lap.
“Then come with me!”
“I can’t. You need to get back to your life. To Jonas.”
“I’ll beg. I’ve got really good at begging,” I sniffled. “I’ll beg you to keep me instead of hurting me.”
“Fuck, Ava, don’t say that. It’s not helping,” he added quietly.
I cried, the drugs upending me, Max’s stinging rejection creating a toxic fog in my head and in my heart.
A voice from the front—Ben—said, “Ask her about Sabine.”
