Page 47 of Chasing the Flame
“She can stay with me,” Jettson says, his voice confident and sure. He gently squeezes my hand under the table in reassurance, and I let loose of the breath I was holding.
“Good, I’ll expect that info by the end of the week,” she says to Jettson, then turns her attention toward me. “Get out, Averie, and don’t look back. I’ll be in touch.”
With that, she leaves a hundred-dollar bill on the table and slips out of the booth, humming the entire way out of the diner. Leaving me wondering just what the fuck I’ve gotten us into.
The drive home is silent, tension saturating the cab of my truck. Averie hasn’t said a word since we walked out of the diner, and I haven’t been able to wrap my head around the atrocities of the covenant.
There’s a quiet rage building within me. I’ve tried to calm down since the meeting, but the closer we get to Averie’s house, the worse it gets. I can’t shake this feeling, and I’m not sure why I’m so worried. Maybe it’s the adrenaline, the information we learned, or even concern over Averie’s situation.
My heart plummets to my stomach when her driveway comes into view, and my mood instantly crashes. The gravel crunches under my tires, and the birds sing a symphony that does nothing to help my mood.
I sneak a glance at Averie and can tell by the set of her jaw that she has something to say. After a few minutes, Carson Plantation looms like the gothic vision I always knew it could be.
It’s the beginning of September now, and there’s a bite in the air, signaling that a change of seasons is imminent. Apprehension snakes through my chest, weaving through my body and coiling tightly around me.
I park the truck and go to help Averie out, but she’s already climbed down. Averie rushes toward the front door and doesn’t spare me another look. She’s running, and it guts me to the core to watch it happen.
Sighing, I slam the door behind me and follow her inside, the alarm bells dinging in my head like a broken record. Something isn’t quite right, but I shrug it off and continue my trek into the house.
When I enter the foyer, I scan my surroundings, searching for Averie. I spot her, perched on the edge of the couch, her eyes glued to the portrait over the fireplace. She looks furious, but I can see the tension in her body, and the anxiety creeping back in with her trembling hands.
She doesn’t even stir as my boots creak across the floor. It’s like she’s stuck, frozen in time with her eyes fixed on it. I let my eyes roam over the portrait, taking in Averie’s pained expression and Luke’s sadistic smile. Trepidation rolls through my body, sinking its claws into my stomach. I still can’t seem to shake this feeling.
“Averie?” I say quietly, taking a few steps toward her, stopping when she startles and sends a glare in my direction.
“You,” she grumbles. She doesn’t move from her spot, just stares with pursed lips. She looks dejected and exhausted, and it sends another pang of worry through my chest. “I should’ve left it all alone...”
Fat tears are falling down her cheeks, glistening like the morning dew. She looks defeated. I want so badly to go to her, but something is keeping me rooted to the spot.
Did I fuck up? I couldn’t have…
I know she has to be feeling this. There’s no way I misjudged the signs. So why is she suddenly mad atme?
“Averie, I—”
“No! Let me speak,” she cries, wiping away the tears and leaving her spot on the couch. In an instant, she’s in front of me, her sage-colored eyes shining with years of unspent grief. “I can’t—this is too fucking much. Too fast… I-I need some time to think, Jettson.”
My heart shatters, my eyes brimming with tears. Why is she running? He’ll kill her if she stays. “Averie, no…please don’t do this,” my voice cracks, the tears falling down my cheeks and soaking my shirt. “He’ll kill you. Just likeJenny.”
Saying her name out loud is like a knife to the gut. It shreds my insides, pain twisting in my chest and squeezing my heart. Averie sucks in a breath, biting her bottom lip. “It’s not—fuck!” She screams, frustration etched in her expression, and runs a hand through her hair. She takes a deep breath, closes her eyes, and centers herself. When she opens her eyes again, I can see the plea in the depths of her viridescent gaze. “I’m more usefulhere.I can help.”
For a second, I’m sure I’ve misheard her. There’s no way in hell that woman thinks she’s staying here! And for what? To play spy? Over my dead fucking body. “Absolutely not,” I seethe. “There’s no way in hell I’m letting you stay here. Not after that. You don’t have to stay with me if I misjudged the situation between us—”
“This isn’t aboutus! Fucks sake, it’s about Luke! What we did was wrong, even though I’m unhappy… it’s no excuse. I should’ve waited until I left Luke. Two wrongs don’t make a right.” She gives me a sad smile, like she’s already decided and there will be no budging. “I can get the information Dahlia needs. I can do this.”
I should’ve waited until I left Luke…
She plans to leave him? An ember of hope kernels in my chest, and I stoke the flame. “Averie, I don’t like the idea of leaving you here. Not after everything we’ve learned. Just…let’s go.”
She presses her body into mine, placing a hand on my chest. She tilts her head up, looking at me with such trust and admiration that I avert my gaze, my throat thick with emotion. I can’t look at her when she says it. She’s going to stay. I feel it deep within my bones.
“Jettson,please. Don’t be upset. I have to do this. For myself, and for those girls…for Jenny.” I snap my eyes back to hers, soaking in every word. “I need you to understand that I’m not running. Not from you. You’re what brought me back to life.” She chokes on a sob, but pushes through it, like she’s determined to get it all out. “Iwillleave Luke, but not before I help those girls. I can’t do that to them. I won’t forget them like everyone else.”
And then, so soft I thought I imagined it, “I love you.”
She moves away from me, and my fingers grasp at the open air. Time seems to warp, bending and stretching, speeding things up when I want them to slow down. I feel cold without her touch, and a chill skates up my spine. Averie’s eyes widen and dart past me. I don’t have to wait long to guess what’s going on.
A steady clap sounds behind me, and when my gaze connects with Luke, my blood instantly boils. He looks smug, like he’s just discovered the find of the century. Warning bells are ringing in my ears again, and I just know this is about to get ugly.
