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The anger simmering in my gut exploded like a detonated bomb when I rolled up and saw his hands around Ava’s throat, her expression crazed with fear. I didn’t even remember getting out of the car – all I remembered was my fist hitting his smug, deranged face. I’d never felt anything as satisfying as hearing the cartilage of his nose collapse under my fist.
I was still lost in thought as Ava’s father walked down the steps with a bag of ice and handed it me. “Thought you could use this.”
I took the bag. “Yeah, thanks.”
“It’s the least I could do for the guy who finally got to do what I’ve been dying to do for years – punch the shit out of that little punk.”
I grinned up at Ava’s dad. Will was alright. “Believe me, it was my pleasure.”
Ava walked up to us, her arms folded across her chest, her face pinched with exhaustion and stress. She gave me a weak smile as I quickly stood and pulled her into my arms. I wanted to do a lot fucking more than hug her, but her dad was standing right next to me, so I settled for this simple contact.
“What did the cops say?”
She sighed. “They said they’d book him on attempted kidnapping, assault, trespassing, and some other stuff.”
Ava’s mom walked over to her and rubbed her shoulder. “Ava, you look exhausted. Why don’t we all turn in and sort this out in the morning?”
Ava nodded her head, but I felt myself tightening my grip around her shoulders. I didn’t even want to let Ava out my arms, let alone out of my sight. Ava appeared to feel the same way because her parents turned to head back into the house, but she stood motionless, her arms creeping around my waist.
“I don’t want you to go,” she whispered into my neck.
I pulled her into my arms, feeling the same reluctance to urge her inside with her parents. Her mother stood by the door and turned to see what was holding Ava up.
“Jack, do you want to stay in our guest room for the night?” Sarah asked quietly.
I was stunned at the compassion Ava’s parents were demonstrating. I knew Ava’s mother was doing this for Ava, who stood next to me traumatized, terrorized, and limp with fatigue, but it felt like a gift to be able to stay close to her.
“Uh, yeah, thanks.”
Sarah bit her lip and nodded, then went inside the house.
I looked down at Ava, prepared to usher her inside as well, and felt a lump rising in my throat and my stomach clenching as I considered all the terrible things that could have happened to her if I hadn’t arrived in time.
I brought my thumb up to caress her soft cheek. “Come on, let’s go in,” I urged in a gentle tone.
Ava simply nodded her head and allowed me to lead her inside.
*****
Later that evening, I laid in the bed in Ava’s guestroom allowing the evening’s events to filter through my mind. I still couldn’t believe that motherfucker tried to come here and fucking abduct Ava. Every time I imagined her terrified face, that asshole’s hand around her throat, my pulse jumped, and my fists clenched, pulling the torn skin of my knuckles. He was fucking lucky he was sitting in a jail cell right now.
I wished she were lying next to me. My hands itched to have contact with her, to reassure myself that she was okay, but I knew I was getting a major break by sleeping over. I didn’t imagine Ava’s parents would be thrilled to find their daughter in bed with her boyfriend, especially considering the scene we just experienced with her previous one.
Ava’s parents…it was strange to be around them. Watching the way they interacted with each other, with Ava, created a strange emptiness inside of me. It was hard not to compare them to my parents and see the vast, radical differences. Being inside the home of a family like Ava’s felt like a hundred wounds healing and tearing open at the same time. Even in light of everything that happened tonight, there was no blaming, no anger, no binge drinking, no hysterical accusations. They were compassionate, concerned, and supportive. I felt so uncomfortable watching it, I almost left. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t leave her, not tonight.
As all these thoughts were spinning in my mind, I saw the door to my room slowly open and close.
“Ava, what are you doing in here?” I asked, almost laughing at my own scandalized tone. Who the fuck was I anymore?
Ava snorted softly as she stood next to my bed. “I’m sorry, Jack, am I offending your maidenly virtue?”
I rolled my eyes but pulled her into the bed with me. “Yes, Ava. I’m petrified that you will take advantage of me.”
She giggled as she laid her head on my chest, and I felt myself relax, my hand moving up to stroke her hair. I gave her a light slap on the ass. “What are you doing in here? I don’t imagine your parents are this open minded.”
“No, you’re right, I’m being a little impulsive, but I wanted to see you. Knowing you were only down the hall made it impossible to sleep. I feel…safer when I’m near you,” Ava whispered into my chest.
I rolled us onto our sides, facing each other, and took her face in my hands. “Ava, your asshole ex is in jail, so you don’t have to worry about anyone breaking our windows or following us to the beach or,” I felt my blood pressure spike, “try to fucking kidnap you anymore.”
