Page 4 of Tears of Revenge

“I didn’t see it,” she confessed, tears flowing once more.

“You weren’t supposed to. He chose to hide that part of him from you and no matter how much you may have tried, he’s too good at it.”

“He was sweet.”

“And some days he still is, but you’re nothing but a pawn in his game.”

“I loved him.”

“And you are lying to yourself if you say you don’t still love him. But he’s not the man you deserve, he can’t give you the life that was intended for you.”

She opened her mouth to answer, but Troy stirred on the floor. His confused eyes flickered through the room, widening when they fell on Varos. It was awful yet terrifyingly satisfying to see Troy so out of it. He made to stand, but Marcus appeared in front of him.

“I’ve heard nasty things about you.” Marcus grinned down at Troy, his arm blurring as he wrapped his hand around Troy’s throat. “And soon you’ll find out what I do to nasty people.”

Just like Troy had done to her, Marcus’s hand closed tightly around Troy’s airways. Though while she hadn’t, Troy attempted to fight. He punched, scratched, and kicked around, his eyes clouding and teeth bared in a silent scream.

Ava watched somewhat pleased as Troy slowly lost consciousness—just as she had so many times.

“Avalon.” Her name hummed from Varos’s lips like the sweetest melody.

She forced herself to look at Varos.

“You will take the money he just sold you for, go home, and pack your belongings. You’re going to leave this town and never look back.”

“He’ll find me,” she whispered, her mind already working out exactly how he would and what he would do to her.

Marcus schooled his expression, rising to his feet and approaching her. “You won’t leave clues for him to follow.” Stopping next to Varos, he mirrored his companion in gripping her cheek. His hand was even cooler. “You will use the cash to buy a bus ticket and leave the city. You will leave everything he gave you behind: no phone, no laptop—nothing he could access to find you. You will find a job that will get you by until you find a home and a secure job that you enjoy.”

“You will start from scratch,” Varos continued, his voice warm and soft. “It will be hard, and it will drain you, but you won’t look back, because what lays ahead of you is worth more than any pain you have endured through him in the past. You can do this, Avalon. We believe in you.”

Four Years Later

Two

Ava could still feel those smooth, gentle touches on her cheeks, even though it had been nearly four years.

They’d handed her Troy’s money and Ava had taken a cab home where she’d packed up her most important belongings before heading to the bus station. Though her initial plan had been to go to New Orleans, she’d gotten off the bus in Houston and decided to stay.

She’d left that town and had never looked back, doing exactly as those two strange men had told her. She’d found a job and with the money Marcus and Varos had given her, she made enough to pay the bills. It had been hard but just as they’d told her, the struggle had been worth her freedom.

Rolling out of bed, she made her way to the closet. Finding a job had been difficult. She couldn’t risk anyone calling Troy for a reference, so there was a huge gap in her resume that turned some heads. Though after a lot of determination, she’d found a new accountant job and loved every aspect of it.

As she got dressed, she looked at the mirror and couldn’t help but grin. She smoothed her hands over her waist, where she could no longer see the bones poking against the skin. Freedom rolls, she called them. They reminded her of how far she’d come and how happy she was. She was finally at a point where she didn’t feel guilty choosing ice cream over a granola bar or skipping a workout in favour of curling up with a good book. All the pain of having to have started over was paying off with each breath she took and every gummy bear she enjoyed. She spun in the mirror, tossing her golden-brown hair over her shoulder. If it caught the light just right, you could see the streaks of red and blonde peeking through. It was much longer now—the way she preferred it. Her brown eyes sparkled more too, no longer dull as she looked at herself.

Of course, there were still times when Troy’s memory haunted her, but with each passing day it got a little bit easier. The nightmares were less frequent, her dreams leaning more towards her two guardian angels. She was aware of how stupid that sounded but the more she relived that night, the more it had to be the only explanation. Their strength, their speed, and their kindness could only amount to one thing.

She snapped out of her daydreams, grabbing her bag and cardigan and making her way to the bus stop. Though she had a steady job, she hadn’t yet bought a car. It was intimidating to own something that expensive. As she sat down on the bus, she popped her headphones in and watched the buildings pass by.

It was a day like any other. The only difference in her commute home was a grocery stop to get some ingredients for a new recipe. Back home she turned up her music—perks to living alone—and danced around the small kitchen as she cooked.

Though she got along with her coworkers quite well, she didn’t have any close friends. Friends meant personal questions, and she wasn’t ready for those. Her life was simple, but she was happy with it. Simple equalled easy.

Dinner was spent in front of the TV before she curled up in bed with a good book and a few too many pillows.

The next morning was the same as most others. She put on a blue sundress and twisted her hair into a new braid she’d been practising. She couldn’t find a seat on the bus, but it wasn’t enough to change her good mood. Downtown, she walked to the skyscraper that hosted her company’s office and stepped into the gorgeous foyer. She mindlessly scrolled on her phone as she waited on the elevator, stepping forwards once a door opened.

When she finally looked up, she froze like a deer in headlights. She found herself looking into two pairs of eyes she’d never be able to forget.