…NOW…
I am awakened by a persistent buzzing.
As I glance over at the clock on my bedside table, I am annoyed to see that it yet still very early morning. With nothing but a growl escaping my lips, I reluctantly accept the call, "You do know that it is two in the morning?"
But instead of the cheerful voice, I have grown so accustomed to, there is nothing but sobs coming from the other end. Immediately I sit up straight, and with hesitation in my voice, I can only but stutter, "Olivia, what is wrong?"
"Avy…" she pauses for a moment, "I think it is time that you come home."
"Why what is wrong?"
"It is mom."
"No! Please, Olivia, don't tell me?"
"Avy…" she pauses yet again, "Just come home."
With that, there is utter silence…
And as a million reasons try to stop me from saying the words, I cannot help but, "Okay, I will be there as soon as I can."
Falling back, I cover my head with my pillow, "Fuck!"
I am not ready to go back.
Not now, not ever.
But my mom is sick, and I know that she does not have much time left.
What are the chances of bumping into them? Hell, I do not even know if they are still around. He always used to say that he was going to leave town and I know for a fact that his two shadows will always be following right behind him.
Nah, I doubt they are still there.
Yet, I can always ask Olivia?
But then again, I do not want her to know that the only thing that is going to stop me from seeing my dying mother, is the three of them…
The Xavier brothers…
They destroyed me then, I cannot let them do it now.
So, I drag my sorry ass out of my bed instead and make the way over to the shower. With each goddamn step I take, their faces are now flooding memories that I have fought so hard to forget.
Kage is right there tormenting me with his tongue…
Slater is near close behind setting my entire body aflame…
And Niko…God, those hands…
How can I forget…
But I do not want to remember either.
Letting the water from the showerhead trickle over my body, I try to wash them away, yet they only linger… With each ticking second, the desire that used to burn for them ignites that passion once again…As my hands move over my every curve, they are right there, feeling every inch of what used to be theirs… Claiming me all over again…
Or was it me that claimed them?
But what they did, and what they did very well, was destroy me, and along with that, they made damn sure to trample on every shred of my shattered heart.
The only thing my body should feel is hate!
"Best you forget about those Xavier brothers, Avyanna!" I finally utter in complete frustration. "I highly doubt they are still around."
Though around is Kage with the very next wink I take…
Taking me back…
"Get out!" I hear his voice echo to every crack and crevice; it only but thunders, sending my body to a shudder. Though it is his eyes that leave me utterly motionless as they turn hot with rage. "Get the fuck out of my house."
"Kage…" I recall my lips trembled as I begged, my body shaking beyond control where I was still lying under Niko. His body grew heavier by the moment, and I prayed that I would just disappear, but then Slater finally pushed him off me.
Yet, I remained there…
Not able to move…
Or say a fucking word…
The three Xavier brothers towered over me, waiting for the explanation that never came.
It was Kage that took that leap, grabbing me by the wrist and pushing me towards the door with the utmost force. I could see that he was raging a battle within himself…
It was me or them.
But I knew that Kage would never choose me over his brothers, so he did the one thing that he vowed to do… He did after all warned me what would happen if I ever came between them… So with hate consuming his every move, he pushed further towards that front door…
But I am ripped to reality as I hear my phone chime to life…
Stepping out of the shower, I rush over to where it is lighting up on my bedside table, I cannot help but grunt as I see his name pop up, yet I know he will not stop until I answer. Trying to rid myself of the Xavier brothers, I sigh…
"Hey babe," his cheerful voice greets me though it sparks a hint of something else, then as he continues, "You know I just had the naughtiest dream of you, how about I come over?"
I cannot help but feel a hint of irritation crawl down my skin, "You know I would love for you to show me, but it is not a good time."
Or perhaps I should tell him that I had too had some naughty things race through my mind as well… I was near about to touch myself while thinking of that last moment I had with Kage before he had shoved me through his front door…
Yet, "Let me make it a good time."
"Liam…"
Next, I hear a knock…
"Liam, please don't tell me that is you?"
"Babe, you know I don't take no for an answer."
With that, I drop the phone and rush over to the front door… Completely naked, I watch as it swings open… In an instant, he pushes me towards my room, "I missed you?" He mumbles, claiming my mouth as each syllable falls onto my lips.
"Liam, I don't have time…"
"Ssshhh," with one last push, my body drops onto the satin sheets, and he moves his lips down my neck. "I promise you I won't be long…"
"Liam, stop! I don't have time."
His gaze locks with mine, his hands continuing to move down my every curve, "What is wrong, babe?"
As his fingers torment the soft skin of my thigh, I only gasp, "Fuck you are making this hard." My body squirms from his teasing touch. "I really don't have time, Liam. I need to pack."
For a moment, he stops, "Where are you going?"
"My mom…"
Yet he interrupts, "I am coming with."
"No, I will be fine."
As he brings his lips back to mine, he softly whispers, "I am not taking no for answer. I am coming with."
With that he slides away, walking up to my closet, he takes out both our goddam suitcases and begins to pack.
Of course, he is coming with!
There is no way I am going to get him to stop.
So after another half an hour of trying to convince him that it is not really necessary for him to come along, I completely and utterly fail. Resolving myself to the fact that I am not going to win, I gather the last of my things and head for the front door.
Soon we find ourselves settled in the car, and just as he is about to pull out of the driveway, he glances over, "Is there something else going on?"
"No," I turn my head away from his questioning eyes. "I just did not think that you would want to be around my sick mother."
"I am not letting you go alone, and that is the end of it."
As he finally pulls the car onto the road, I cannot help but feel an air of uneasiness settle between us. I have never told him about my life with the Xavier brothers when I was living in Jackson. Never did I think it was necessary to tell the man in my life that I was once in love with not one, but three brothers, and if I care to admit it to myself long enough, I still feel something close enough to that love that I had, not for Liam, but for them.
No matter what I tried, it always came back to the surface, though I did well at pushing it out of sight and out of mind…
I just need to believe that they are no longer in Jackson. That they have moved on and that everything will be fine.
It is with these thoughts haunting me for the next hours, that we make the trip back to Jackson in almost near silence. The closer we get to the border, the more I feel the old wounds starting to scratch open at the surface.
But it is only when Liam announces, "We are here."
That it all comes crashing down…
Yet, what seals that final fate, is what I see as we enter… Right above the sign welcoming visitors to Jackson, there seems to be a new addition…
"Welcome to the territory of the Alphas of Anarchy."