Avery
I have officially given up on sleep, something just doesn't feel right.
I resign with a cozy book by the huge balcony, because if there's nothing you can do, then you read!
Well immersed in the novel, I hear noises from downstairs, I tense up for a little while and then shrug it off, it's been really rainy and stormy lately so it's probably just that.
But the noises don't stop after that, keeps getting more intense and heavy. And this place was so big I could barely make out what was causing the ruckus.
Maybe Julia accidentally left the doors or the windows open?
As I step out from the blanket, I was previously curled up in, I shiver. I should really start wearing warmer clothes. Dressed in the deep gray cotton shorts and light blue tee, I tiptoe towards the door and whip my head out of my room, wondering whether or not I should leave the comfort and safety of my room.
Deciding against my better judgement, I make my way down the hall, and walk slowly down the staircase.
"Julia?"
"Julia, is that you?" I call out.
No response. I continue walking down, the icky resemblance with a staple horror movie scene making me want to run right up to my room, and stay there.
What if it's actually a ghost?
Nah that's silly, ghosts don't really exist, right?
Right?
Come on Aves, nows not the time to be wondering if the entire sequence of The Conjuring will happen to me or not.
I reach the hall right across the main entrance and my mouth gapes open at the sight before me.
All fancy and expensive vases and glass decor had been thrown, glass shards and sharp edges cluttering the previously clean marble floor.
The dainty little show table had been turned upside down and basically everything that could be broken was shattered to pieces.
Holy shit, there was a robber in here and I had brought zero protection. I was in my fuzzy cotton shorts for crying out loud!
Oh boy, this is bad. This is very very bad.
In retrospect, it would have been smarter worrying about actual real-life robbers than spirits of the underworld but don't blame me, it's 3 am and anyone who's watched a handful of horror movies knows that 3 am is when the spirits come out for some unholy banter!
Except it wasn't a spirit, nor was it some robber.
Nope nuh uh, it was Hayden Knight standing there, bare chested might I add, in all his glory looking furious beyond belief.
I didn't want to have any more interaction with him. The ones I have had already were enough to keep me out of his way.
He hasn't seen me yet so the wisest thing to do now would be to slowly tiptoe back. Yes! That's it. I will silently walk away leaving this angry beast alone and then I'll help Julia clean it up in the morning.
Yes, so we have a game plan and we have an escape route. All I have to do is to follow it. I can do this.
I am backing away ever so slowly, not taking my eyes off him and his heaving back as he chugs away at the drink he's holding.
Thud!
And that's the sound of me falling straight on my ass. You see, I don't know this place as well as I thought I did and now I have stumbled at the first step and now I am on my ass.
Hayden freezes. His whole body shifting to the side ever so slowly as he turns to look at me.
It's crazy how one can look this breathtakingly beautiful when they're this angry.
If Olivia were here she would have snapped a picture already.
Except I am not Olivia. I am just terrified.
I try shifting away, but I have fallen on my injured ankle which was already hurting since the time in the library. And now not only had I snapped Hayden's attention towards me sprawled on the floor, I was also unable to move.
Primarily because of two reasons.
A) my stupid swollen ankle and
B) I don't know the second reason really, my body just stops functioning normally everytime Hayden's around. I call it fear.
Before I know it, he's already right in front of me, towering over me with his massive 6'3" frame, looking more daunting than ever since I was crouching uncomfortably on the floor.
His 8 pack abs on full display and his huge muscular arms crossed over his well defined hard chest. My eyes trail down to a very definite V-line hidden behind his suit pants and I blush furiously surprised by how blatantly I was ogling at him and I was more than grateful he was too drunk to notice. The magazines weren't exaggerating when they defined Hayden as the Blue eyed Greek God. Or devil. The latter suiting his persona a lot more.
"Get up."
Oh boy. Why hadn't I thought of that before? What a mighty brilliant idea!!
"What the fuck did you say?"
Crap! Did I really just say that out loud. Oh boy. I am going to die. I am going to die and I am only 23. Lord have mercy.
"I don't like being kept waiting." He says threateningly.
"I can't get up." I respond back slowly.
"Why not?"
"I- uhh, I fell on my injured leg and now it hurts when I move." I say nervously.
"It's uhh, it's okay you can umm go back to doing whatever it is that you were doing, I really didn't mean to bother you, and actually if I don't think about it, it doesn't really hurt that much so at some point I am absolutely positive I can crawl back to my roo-"
My rambling was cut off as he sweeps his hands underneath me and lifts me up in one quick clean stroke like I weighed nothing.
As reflex my arm goes around his neck as I latch onto him for support from this sudden movement.
"Hayden what are you-"
"Shut up." He says before I even finish my sentence.
My face instantly flushing as I realize he is not wearing a shirt, and I am clutching onto him when he is not wearing a shirt! Ohmygod.
Too scared and too stunned to actually object The Hayden Knight, I do shut up.
That is until I notice that there's a thick piece of glass buried in his left hand.
"Oh my god, Hayden you're hurt!"
He keeps walking, towards the far end of the living room, completely ignoring me.
"Hayden put me down! Now! You can't carry me like this when you're bleeding!"
Still no response.
"Hayden put me down, please!"
Before I know it, he throws me over the couch, not harshly or with force but not gently either, I wince as I feel my ankle throb painfully from the position in which I landed on the couch.
"What the fuck is your problem?" He bellows at my face, grasping both my arms so tight that I was sure it's gonna leave marks.
"I- Hayden, please you're hurt, just let me help-"
"Help me? You want to fucking help me?" He snarls at me and I don't remember ever being as scared as I was now.
"Hayden, please it's bleeding, I-"
"JUST TELL ME WHAT THE FUCK YOU WANT FROM ME." He screams at me, finally loosing it.
"Is it my money? Is that it? Or is this house too small for you? Just tell me what the fuck you want and get out of my face!" He says finally, his voice powerful and terrifying and the fact that he was drunk wasn't helping my trembling nerves at all.
He doesn't give me a chance to respond as he suddenly sits straight up.
"Get out."
"Get the fuck out, before I throw you out myself."
He doesn't need to tell me twice, as I scurry my way out of here limping awkwardly.
I limp my way to my room, the best I can without hurting my ankle too much and go into my washroom. I retrieve the First Aid Kit I found under the sink the other day and limp my way back down.
I, honest to god, don't know why I am willingly walking towards Hayden. This time, I am sure he'll kill me. But as terrified as I am of him, a part of me knows he wouldn't hurt me. I am hoping with everything that, that parts right.
I make my way to the couch and Hayden is sitting there now, looking at nothing in particular. And for the first time I don't see the Hayden Knight, whom everyone including me is so terrified of. I just see a man who's had to do everything by himself and who's probably never received genuine affection in his entire life.
My heart goes out to him as I gently sit next to him. He was so lost in thought he hadn't even noticed I was there until I softly take his hands in mine.
He looks startled and I am sure I can only read him because he's drunk. If he were sober there's no way I would have known what he's feeling.
"What the fuck are you doing back here?"
I don't respond as I place his hands on my lap, and open the First Aid Kit, and remove some cotton balls and antiseptic.
He jerks his hand back and I hold it back in place.
"I told you to get the fuck out of my face." He says, his voice dangerously low.
"And now I am telling you to sit still, this might hurt a little." I respond back, firm but still gentle. I have no idea where this confidence is coming from. I am just clinging on to it for worse or for better.
I was expecting him to storm up and leave but instead he stills all over.
I find my confidence crumbling as he studies me with his passive eyes. I try to focus on his bloodied hand and not get effected by his hypnotizing blue-green eyes on me.
I gently pull the glass piece out which was easy considering it was super big and I could easily get hold of it. I don't know how I would've pulled it out if it was tiny and really small.
I dab the antiseptic on the cotton ball and turn to look at him,
"Okay so this will probably sting a little, it's okay just hold on." I say softly.
I dab the cotton ball on his hand ever so softly and blow on it lightly as I continue dabbing and cleaning his wound.
"There we go, just a little more, it won't hurt anymore" I say and I realize I am speaking more to myself than to him because I was getting absolutely no reaction out of him at all.
Jeez. The Man's made of steel.
I finish cleaning it and then I apply the ointment and then wrap his hand tidily with the roll of Bandaid.
"See, now that wasn't so hard, now was it?" I say feeling incredibly satisfied and proud of myself for getting the job well done.
I turn to look at him and I apparently shouldn't have as I am taken aback by the intensity in his eyes. No matter how still his face was, his eyes were raging, sizing me up, analyzing, calculating and trying to read me the best he could.
"Well umm I am all done, I'll go now, I won't bother you anymore." I say, getting up to leave.
I pack up the First Aid Kit and limp my way back upstairs.
It's a cold night and I didn't even know where his room was or I would have helped him in there. I go in my bedroom and gently carry my warm comforter back downstairs.
I peep slightly to look at him and he had already passed out on the massive couch. Atleast the couch looked comfortable and not sturdy like they usually are.
I place a glass of water and some aspirin on the coffee table right in front and then begin panning out my comforter, to tug him in.
Before I realize he yanks my hand down and pulls at me with such force that I land straight on top of him.
A surprised gasp leaves my lips as I stare at him wide eyed.
"Hayden what are you doi-"
"Stay." He says quietly cutting me off. His eyes still closed, his voice laced with exhaustion.
"Huh?" I respond back, feeling a loss with words.
"Stay with me." He says again, and shifts me so that I am lying next to him, caged within his huge muscular arms as he wraps them tight across my waist, pushing me back completely against him.
I try to wiggle out of his hold but it was impossible to get out of his iron grip.
Exhaustion and tiredness settles down in me and I am surprised by how comfortable and safe I felt in his arms.
Giving into the warmth radiating of his naked chest I snuggle into him as he spoons me tighter pulling my comforter over us.
I welcome the sleep as it comes and if I wasn't so tired I would have probably noticed the fact that I was sleeping with Hayden as he spooned me but the thought escapes my mind as he snuggles his face at the nape of my neck right as I fall asleep.
————-
Hey guys!
Isn't Avery the cutestttt!
Hang around, there's a LOT more coming, I promise ;)
Also, do let me know what you thought of this chapter!
Please continue to vote and comment, you don't know how much that means to me!
Much much love!
Xxx