Page 82 of Ties That Bind Us

“Nick, please, just leave me alone.” Her voice cracked on the other side.

“Open the damn door, Ava. I know you’re upset, and we need to talk,” I yelled, a little louder this time.

She didn’t answer but I could hear whimpering on the other side. Was she crying? This couldn’t go on any longer. I needed to get in there and make her understand the truth. I hated that she was this upset about some fabricated story Gina had told her.

“Ava, if you don’t open the fucking door I am going to break it down.” I tried to level my voice out as best I could.

“Don’t be ridiculous, Nick.”

I lowered my shoulder and barreled into the bedroom door. It didn’t open, but it shook with fury and I knew I could easily get it open in a few seconds.

I heard the handle jiggle on the other side and then it flew open. “Jesus, Nick. Have you completely lost your mind?”

“I told you to open the door or I’d break it down. I’m a man of my word.” I shrugged.

She rolled her eyes. “A man of your word.” She scoffed. “Right. I’m going to my sister’s for the night.”

She grabbed her jacket and slipped it on quickly.

“You’re not going anywhere. We need to talk about this.” I grabbed her arm more roughly than I intended, and she jerked away.

Things happened in slow motion after that. She pulled her arm back, causing her jacket to fall off her shoulder. A small packet fell out of it and to the ground, bouncing once before settling.

I bent down to pick it up, rolling the clear baggie filled with white powder over in my hand. There was no doubt in my mind what it was.

“Well, I guess we both have some explaining to do, don’t we?”

Chapter 33

Ava

The second the pouch of cocaine hit the floor, I was paralyzed. What . . . how . . . where had it even come from? I had promised Nick I would stop, and I hadn’t even thought about using since the day I made that promise, but how had a bag of cocaine wound up in my jacket pocket? Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. The day I had seen Jimmy outside the restaurant where I was meeting Nick! He had given it to me, just in case. And apparently I had forgotten all about it until this very moment.

“Nick, I—” I started, hoping to explain.

He cut me off abruptly. “Ava, do you remember what I said would happen if you started using again?” He narrowed his eyes at me harshly. Oh I remembered all right; he said he would make me go to rehab and that I would have no choice in the matter.

“I’m not using again,” I blurted. “I can explain this.”

Nick let out a sharp laugh. “Oh, you mean you want me to give you a chance to explain yourself before I fly off the handle and rush to judgment?” I knew exactly where he was heading with this. “Funny, because you didn’t give me the same courtesy back at my parents’.”

“Nick, you tried to pass her off as just a friend and then Gina told me you guys were engaged. What was I supposed to think?” My voice was shaky as I tried to justify what had happened back at his parents’. The cocaine had just wiped away any upper hand I’d had.

“I know exactly what she told you,” he hissed, his anger only growing. Angry Nick was terrifying, and even though I knew he would never hurt me, I was on edge. “I’d be happy to explain it all to you, but right now I’m more interested in this.” He held the bag up to me.

“Jimmy gave it to me a long time ago. I swear I’m not using. I haven’t had anything since that night at the club. I’ll take whatever test you want me to take.” I defended myself, sitting down on the bed. “See?” I reached into the pocket of my jacket and pulled out a business card. “He gave it to me the same day he told me about his dad’s job offer.”

“So what? You just keep it in your jacket for safekeeping? Fun memories?” Nick was livid, and I could tell he didn’t believe me.

“Honestly, I forgot it was even in there. I haven’t worn this jacket since the night we had dinner at my parents’. I should have just flushed it the first chance I got but I shoved it in my pocket and forgot all about it until right this second.” Even I knew how unbelievable my story was, but it was the truth.

“Sorry, but I’m having a tough time believing that,” Nick growled condescendingly.

“I’m your wife, Nick, shouldn’t that come with a little trust?” I was desperate to get him to believe me, not because I was worried about him putting me in treatment, but because I hated to disappoint him. I hated that he had doubts about my sobriety when I was working so hard at it. I would take a drug test if I had to, just so I could prove that I was clean. I was damn proud of how hard I’d been working and the progress I’d made, and I wasn’t about to let this derail everything.

“Ava, I do trust you, but that trust has to go both ways.”

He softened a little, which I welcomed. Angry Nick frazzled me in more ways than one, and I needed to be level headed to get through this conversation.

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