Captivated

CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

Reign O'Connor

I've been waiting patiently for Avery to return for hours. I'm nervous and almost every crevice in my body is sweating. Was Avery telling me the truth, or is this all a part of Dane's plan to kill me? I hope that I can trust Avery. He didn't seem like he was lying – but then again, he never seems like he's lying, that's the problem with Avery: I always believe him. If there was a clock in here I think I'd be checking it obsessively. I'm sitting straight postured on my bed rubbing my hands together. They're getting warm and clammy. I need to stop. I need to relax. Take a few deep breathes. Calm down. Breathe. I am getting out of here tonight. I will be free.

I go over the plan again in my head. Avery said that he needed to prep some things before Dane got home. He had to mix together some ingredients and create a sedative that would knock Dane out for a couple of hours. "You can always count on Dane to be up for some wine!" is what Avery said when I asked how he would ensure Dane would consume it. I also asked why we couldn't just wait until tomorrow while he was at work. Avery said that he has the day off for New Year's. Makes sense. He also said that he doesn't know how much longer I have; that Dane seemed pretty aggravated with me and that he feared he would kill me the next chance that he had. So we needed to act fast. Once Avery had the concoction ready to go, he would pour it into Dane's wine, because we all know that Dane can't go an hour without a drink. Once he was passed out, Avery would come down here and get me and Tori, and then we'd leave. It all sounds too simple if you ask me. Why couldn't we have done this before? All those times I cried and begged him to get me out of here? He never took it seriously. I guess things changed once he realized he was in love with me.

Do I love him? I thought I did. I mean, I think I do. My mind can be so conflicting sometimes. I want to love Avery, I really do. And when he's here he makes me feel whole. I feel safe in his arms, the way I used to feel safe in Colby's. And we can talk for hours – about anything. And he listens to me. He doesn't judge me. Our relationship is different. It's not constrained or forced. It's not under the watchful eyes of friends or family. It's natural; relaxed; easy. Loving him comes easy. And that's how I want it to be. I want to be with him. I just don't know how we're going to manage this. Suddenly my door swings open and Avery walks in. He's wearing his winter jacket and he's holding another one over his arm.

"Put this on," he says. "It's cold out."
My heart leaps. This is happening. This is really fucking happening. It didn't feel real before, but now, with Avery holding out the winter jacket, I realize it all. I'm actually leaving. I'm going to be free again. I'm going to feel the cold air on my face and I'm never coming back to this place again. I feel tears trickle down my face. Avery rushes over beside me. "What's wrong? Are you having second thoughts? Because if you are –"
"No no, it's not that," I say as I wipe my eyes. "I'm just so... happy. I can't believe it."
He smiles and looks into my eyes. And then he kisses me. Everything feels better when he kisses me. I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight. I feel something bulging in his coat pocket. I pull back. "What's that?"
He reaches down into the pocket and pulls out the handgun that he received as a Christmas gift from Dane. My eyes widen. "It's just to be safe. Don't worry," he says. Then he shoves the jacket in my lap. "Put this on. We have to go. Now."
I nod and slide my arms into the sleeves. "Where's Tori?"
"I'm bringing you out first then coming back for her. We have to hurry." I nod and stand up. He takes my hand in his and looks my in the eyes. "We can do this,"
I nod back and smile. "Let's get the hell out of here."

Avery unlocks my ankle cuff and it feels so surreal. I'm actually going to walk out of here without wrist cuffs on. We hold hands and hurry through the basement, running up the stairs as fast as we can. It feels different this time, running through the stairs and corridor. I was so stupid and clueless the other day. I didn't know my way around. But with Avery here guiding me, I know that we'll be fine.