HIS: Book 1 in the HIS trilogy Read online

  "Ava is Back."

  These words were spoken in a whisper.

  Not yet understanding their impact Winifred waited patiently and unconcerned for Slider to continue.

  "I don't know what Jaxxon has told you about his and Ava's relationship; but I guarantee it's not the whole truth."

  Winifred frowned and asked what he meant by his comment.

  "Jaxxon and Ava are not over... even when their off their on."

  Slider slapped his head like he was trying to knock the thought of them together out of his mind.

  "She may not want to admit it but she is in love with him."

  Winifred had heard all she wanted.

  Standing she placed her cup in the sink.

  Taking a deep breath she calmed her racing heart.

  Anxiety was her newest party favor from life.

  "Slider I think your over exaggerating. I know you love Ava and she doesn't feel the same way but Jaxxon and Ava are JUST friends."

  Slider shook his head.

  Reaching into his back pocket he pulled out his phone.

  Sliding his finger over the screen he unlocked the device.

  Then he held it out to her.

  Winifred grabbed the phone and peaked at the screen.

  The image on it froze her.

  Ava had her arms locked around Jaxxon's neck her lips clamped tightly on his.

  The time and date of the picture was at the bottom of the screen.

  "Maybe she just caught him off guard." Winifred defended.

  So Slider snatched the phone back and pulled up another photo.

  This one showed Jaxxon pushing Ava back against the wall his hands in her hair as he kissed her passionately.

  The time was a whole ten minutes later than the last one.

  "GET OUT!" Winifred screamed.

  Slider didn't object he just stood up reached for his phone and after reacquiring the device left silently.

  Winifred took in the last hour, then the last days, the last week, the past year.

  She had, had enough.

  Gathering her items from the house into a tote and travel bag she called the last person she thought she would ever bring into this mess.

  Her cousin and friend Terra Mae.

  Terra was the only person in this life besides Amanda who had ever given her any sunshine.

  Terra was an angel and to bring her into the ugliness of Winifred's life was tragic.

  Winifred had done her best to shield Terra from the horrors.

  Terra was from Winifred's father's side and after his death they kept in contact only through email and the occasional call.

  The phone rang four times before Terra picked up.

  "Hello?"

  Winifred felt tears fill her eyes at Terra's sweat voice on the other end.

  "Terra." Winifred's voice broke under the heavy emotions.

  "Oh my God Winnie Pooh is that you?" Terra's exuberance was heartening.

  "Yes. Terra I need your help." Winifred felt the need to get to the point.

  "OK?"

  "I am in a bad situation... look it is a long story and I will tell you everything but can you just come and pick me up right now?"

  There was a moment of silence.

  "UM yeah I can... what's the address?"

  Winifred rattled off the address to Terra and within moments they ended their call and Winifred sat in the house she shared with Jaxxon and tried to figure out how her life had come to this point.

  "I don't need him or his fucking drama." she mantra

  An hour later twin beams of light shot through the house as a newer blue Ford Focus pulled into the driveway.

  Winifred felt the tension that encased her body finally leave.

  Terra was here.

  Terra got out silently and saying not a word she helped Winifred load her belongings into the small car.

  When they were on their way Terra cleared her throat.

  "Winnie... I need to know what's going on and just how bad are you involved?"

  Winifred was hesitant to reveal everything but when she started talked the words just flowed out of her.

  By the end Terra was crying so much she had to pull over on the shoulder of the road.

  The sleeve of her hoodie was damp from mopping up her tears.

  Oh god Winnie... how.. how did you go through all of that all by yourself?"

  Winifred explained how she hadn't wanted to invite anyone into her own personal hell and that the time spent with Jaxxon while traumatic was actually not that bad.

  "How can you make excuses for her behavior?" Terra asked.

  Winifred never said a word; she just looked out the car window and wondered to herself.

  Had she been acting like a victim and making excuses for her abuser?

  Chapter 21

  Jaxxon didn't see Ava coming until her arms were around his neck and her lips were attacking his own.

  An act the would have normally been a turn on was now a bit aggravating.

  Not wanting to hurt her feelings he didn't shove her off like his body demanded.

  He reached up to remove her arms from his neck; giving her a smile he kissed both her hands on top of her knuckles.

  Ava looked confused.

  "I have a lot to tell you."

  Taking her hand he pulled her into his office.

  Walking away and distracted by Ava Jaxxon didn't see Slider kicking the ground or knocking over one of the fire barrels as he stormed off in a rage.

  Ava couldn't believe her ears.

  "Your in love!"

  "NO I AM NOT!"

  "Yes you are; it's as plain as day and easy to see."

  Jaxxon continued to deny this for a moment.

  "Jaxxon I am not conceited but I know I am easy to look at; men don't turn me down when I practically throw myself at them... you have never turned me down... till now."

  Jaxxon looked at Ava and tried to force a feeling that he had once felt towards her but only found himself feeling guilty about his thoughts and how they might hurt Winifred.

  "You are right I do feel something more for her and I want more with and for her; I can't stand the thought of her with some other guy... but you know I am not free to make that kind of permanent choice with my life."

  Ava looked sad as she shook her head in agreement.

  "Yes your mother would never approve of this girl; she all but has you married already."

  Jaxxon snorted.

  "She already has the bride picked out."

  Ava looked even more sad for her friend.

  Jaxxon and Ava chatted and joked together, catching up while also reminiscing old times for over an hour.

  They were just about to say goodbye when a shaken Slider burst through Jaxxon's office door.

  "Damn it boy I told you Knock;"

  Slider looked between Ava and Jaxxon; he took in their hands intertwined and their close proximity his nervous look disappeared only to be replaced with one of irritation.

  "I don't know if you really care or not but Winifred has ran away again."

  Sliders words send shivers of fear and trepidation down Jaxxon's spin.

  He also knew that Slider had come into the room looking like a petulant child caught being bad.

  "Do you have some insight into why she is gone?"

  "Yeah I might."

  "Well fucking share with the rest of us and stop wasting time."

  Jaxxon was getting infuriated with his long time friend.

  He knew Slider hated his relationship with Ava as he craved her for his own; but Jaxxon could not control Ava she was her own woman and what she chose to do with her body and who she chose to do it with was not his or Slider's decision.

  "I saw you and Ava kissing... I sort of lost my shit and I ran my mouth to Winifred about it... she was not happy about it... hell man she looked like she was going to cry."

  Jaxxon saw red.

  Pinning Slider against the wall; he wrapped both his hands w
rapped around Slider's throat.

  Jaxxon demanded to know what the fuck Slider had thought he was doing by bringing all that bull shit to Winifred.

  "I can't help it man I am sorry. Look how would you feel if it was me with Winnie even when I knew how much you wanted her?"

  For the first time ever Jaxxon could comprehend that feeling.

  "Tell me the rest?"

  Slider reached up and tapped Jaxxon's hands that were cutting off his air flow.

  When Jaxxon released him Slider gasped for air.

  "I... told her what I saw... she got all weepy and then she yelled at me to leave."

  Stepping around Jaxxon; Slider met Ava's gaze for the first time.

  Her eyes were filled with concern for Jaxxon and she glared her disappointment at him.

  Looking away from a look that easily seared his soul he continued.

  "I stayed around to keep an eye out to see what she would do but she didn't do anything so I left and ran that errand you asked me to do this morning. When I got back I stopped by your place to apologize to her and she was gone?"

  Ava gasped.

  "Jaxxon; she's living with Jaxxon?" she asked.

  Slider shook his head yes.

  "Oh boy she really has got her hooks in you."

  Slider smirked a little at Ava's comment before he cleared his face of emotion and reached into his back pocket removing the little piece of paper he had found with Jaxxon's name scrolled on the front of it.

  Jaxxon seeing the paper yanked it out of Slider's hand.

  Inside the folds was a note addressed to him.

  Jaxxon;

  I have decided that I no longer need you to play my white knight.

  I have decided I can no longer pretend that everything that's happened was OK.

  It has been just too much for me. I will never forget you or how you literally changed my life.

  However I cannot go on as we are.

  For one I am not ok with how dangerous being with you is for me; I am not even ok with how dangerous it is for you. I also don't approve of your relationship with Ava. I thought you wanted me but your still talking with her on the side.

  She is your friends dream girl and you know it but seemed to not care about being with her still.

  I am going somewhere safe, somewhere far away from here and you.

  Never to forget you; Winifred

  Balling up the note Jaxxon went to toss it in the garbage can.

  He didn't.

  Smoothing the note back out he folded it once more and placed it into his back pocket.

  He was going to have to have a talk with his woman when he found her.

  He was going to make sure she knew where he and Ava stood and just exactly how much he cared for Winifred.

  That girl was going to be bent over his knee and paddled good when he got his hands on her.

  Situation or not she was his woman and no one not even she was going to keep him away from her.

  He also had to figure out a loophole around those circumstances and his mother.

  Chapter 22

  Winifred laughed so hard coke shot out her nose.

  Terra looked on at her in dismay and disbelief.

  They were discussing the show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and the episode they had just watched.

  "I can't believe you thought that was that funny." Terra said.

  Winifred cleaned up the coke from her shirt and the table.

  "What that song was hilarious; I want to sing the Sexy getting ready song the next time I get dressed for a date."

  Terra just shook her head and tossed more popcorn into her mouth as the next episode loaded.

  By the time the girls finished the entire season it was one a.m.

  Terra got up off the couch dusting crumbs off her pajama pants.

  Winifred finished off her homemade vanilla shake before she followed Terra up to the bedroom she shared with her.

  The girls had been sleeping in the same room together for over six weeks.

  Terra's mother welcomed Winifred with open arms and a heavy heart as she knew some of Winifred's tale already.

  She had talked with Winifred's mother Elaine after Winifred first ran off with Jaxxon.

  Laying in the tiny twin bed Terra's mother bought for her Winifred curled onto her side and tried to drift off to sleep.

  She was almost out when Terra's voice whispered across the room.

  "What was he like; What was it like to be with him?"

  Winifred didn't have to ask who.

  She did however take a moment to collect her thoughts.

  She had done her best to avoid the subject of Jaxxon these days and to be asked so outright about him forced her to dig up that ghost.

  "He was like a true like romance novel only with a hellish twist."

  Taking a breath out and in she continued.

  "He was sweet and demanding, he was a hero and a villain, and he was a protector while also being a bit of an intimidator."

  "Some days I didn't know if I liked him at all and others I felt like I loved him; like I couldn't live another moment without his touch."

  It was quiet for a moment.

  "Do you wish he had never come along?"

  "NO, I just wish he didn't live the life he does."

  "I wish I had a Jaxxon." Terra announced.

  "I hope you find someone better."

  "Its been over a month where the hell is she?" Jaxxon yelled at his men.

  His father sat in a corner looking sadly at his son.

  None of the men dared to speak; none of them had anything to say Jaxxon would want to hear.

  "Get the fuck out of here; stop being useless and find her RIGHT NOW!"

  Slider stood still.

  Jaxxon glared at him.

  "What's the plan?" Slider asked him.

  Jaxxon paced back and forward while tapping his fingers along his jaw.

  "I am out of options and I can't keep going not knowing what's become of her."

  "Son that would be a big mistake." his father chimed in.

  Slider lifted a brown in question.

  "What are we talking about."

  "The boys considering going to his mother." Jaxxon's father just shook his head in disgust.

  Slider looked between Jaxxon and his father.

  "Ok and I guess the question I should ask is why would he go to his mother?"

  Slider noticed the tension in Jaxxon's shoulders increase and the look of humor crossing Jaxxon's fathers face.

  "What?"

  Jaxxon got an agitated look on his face.

  "My mother has connections."

  Jaxxon's father burst out laughing.

  "Hell she has connections that reach farther than my own." Jaxxon's father announced.

  Slider was a confused.

  How did an old lady have more connections than a MC club leader?

  "Don't do it boy."

  It was too late Jaxxon already had phone in hand.

  "Mother I know it's not the time for our usual chats but I need a favor."

  It was not every day the secret service shows up at a girls door.

  It was seven a.m.

  Exactly one month and three weeks into her escape from Jaxxon.

  Winifred had been sitting on the couch in a pair of jogging pants cut to shorts and a tank top.

  She was taking a class online to finish her GED classes.

  Being with Jaxxon had stinted her education.

  She was preparing to take her final quiz when the door was literally was kicked off its hinges.

  Large men in Black suites and glasses came rushing in talking into tiny mics at their wrists.

  One man spotted her on the couch and pulled out a small photo from his pocket.