Ruined 13

Avery

“Come on.” I half carried, half dragged Parker from his bed. And in his half-asleep state he didn’t put up much of a fight, there were a few sleepy mumbles but that was it as he let me lead him down the stairs and buckle his still half-asleep form into the passenger side of the car. 

Our suitcase was already tossed in the back seat. It wasn’t like I had any time to lose. As soon as the sound of Ruin's bike had dwindled to nothing I had started packing. Throwing things in on top of each other haphazardly.

I needed to get out of here. And I knew I didn’t have much time. My husband was on the way, hell he could already be in town. Although I doubted it.  My husband was a problem but only if he caught up with me. Only if I was still here when he got into town. My main problem right now was Ruin. There would be no way he would let us go without a fight. 

Part of me wanted to stay. To let him protect us but then another part, and it was the big part that remembered what he had done in the past. Told me to get as far away from him and this town as I could possibly get.

Some people would call me a coward and to them, I had no real response. Maybe I was a coward. I was still going to run. 

“Mum?” Parker’s voice was quiet, a mumbled sleepy rush of words as I pulled onto the motorway and accelerated. “Mum where are we going?” He shifted his weight and I could feel his eyes on me in the predawn darkness. “Go back to sleep Parker. I’ll stop for breakfast in a few hours.” 

“Mum, why are we leaving?”

Signing I glanced at him. “You know why Parker.”

“I didn’t mean to mum, you have to believe I didn’t mean to but why do we have to leave? Ruin said he will…”

I cut him off. “I know you didn’t mean to Parker. I know that but…”

“Ruin said he would help us.”

“Ruin can’t help us, Parker.” I ground out between clenched teeth. I didn’t say that Ruin couldn’t be trusted because Parker didn’t need to hear that. But it was tempting.

“He likes you, mum.” 

“I know but that doesn’t matter. Do you know who I like? Who I would do anything for?” I glanced at him out of the corner of my eye. “Do you know who the one man I want in my life is?” I didn’t wait for him to answer. “You Parker.”

“You are so unbelievably sad mum.” He rolled his eyes and I hid a smile.

 “I know, I know. Now go back to sleep.”

***

I was waiting outside the men’s room in one of those brightly lit but somehow gloomy service stations for Parker when I saw him. 

Truth.

He was pretty hard to miss. And it wasn’t like he was trying to blend in. Even without his gruff good looks and the well worn cut on his back his very height and size made people stare. 

Especially women. 

And he noticed them, I could see it in the slight curve of his lips even from my place hiding behind a vending machine. He didn’t pay them any attention though, he looked like he was in a world of his own. 

But that illusion evaporated as his eyes met mine. For a second he froze and then he broke out into a wide smile, changed direction without missing a step and headed in my direction. 

How was it even possible that the club had found me so quickly? I had only left a few hours ago. I had been hoping that no one would even know I had left yet. But here Truth was.

“Avery.” He boomed out over the people milling about. “What are you doing here?”

He stopped right in front of me and I clutched my take out coffee to my chest like it would somehow protect me from him. 

And what did he mean what was I doing here? Surely if he was looking for me, he would know. Unless of course him being here was just a fluke?  Maybe it was just a crazy coincidence.

“Grabbing a coffee to go.” I lifted the paper cup in my hands as if that explained everything. And his eyebrows rose. “And drinking it outside the men’s room?” He chuckled. “Is this where all the pretty girls hang out these days?”

He was flirting. Which seemed to be him all over but it also meant he didn’t know about me and Ruin. And all our messed up history. It also meant he didn’t know I was running.

Maybe I wasn’t as screwed as I thought I was after all. 

“I’m waiting for someone?”

Dark brows shot down. “Ruin? You and him have history. I kind of got the impression I was stepping on his toes the other night.”

I didn’t even try to deny it. What would be the point? “No, not Ruin. Parker.”

“Damn woman, you don’t mess about do you?”

I bit back the urge to roll my eyes at him. “Parker is my son. He’s twelve.”

“Oh.”

Yeah oh indeed. “The most important man in my life though,” I added and he nodded thoughtfully. But I could see any romantic interest in me fade. Which was probably for the best but still kind of hurt. I had liked his attention that night in the bar. It was always nice to be wanted. 

I glanced at my watch. What was taking Parker so long he had been in there ages. Almost fifteen minutes and I wanted to get back on the road and burn some more miles before Truth let slip to Ruin that he had seen me. 

“You in a hurry?” Truth might be many things but he wasn’t stupid. 

“Yeah, I’m meeting someone and don’t want to be late. Do you think it would cause a major uproar if I went in and told him to hurry up?”

Truth threw his head back and barked out a laugh. “A woman who looks like you going into a room with a bunch of men with their dicks in their hands? You will cause a riot.” He winked. “But I could go in for you.”

“Thanks,” I said to his back as he disappeared. 

He wasn’t gone for long, maybe a few minutes but when he pushed out his face was drawn and his phone was in his hands.

“What is it? Where’s Parker?” I reached for his arm. And it was only then that I saw the phone in his hand was covered in stickers. Boyish stickers. 

Parker’s phone.

“There’s no one is there, Avery, but I found this on the floor. And there’s signs of a struggle.”

I heard his words but I barely computed them. My heart thundered into my throat. 

Where was my son?

“I’m going to get the club here ok? To help.” Truth took charge instantly and I was glad because I couldn’t think straight. “You need to find… Avery are you ok?” Dark eyes widened as I clutched at my throat. 

I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t catch my breath. Was I ok? I tried to shake my head but I just couldn’t move. My hands clawed at my throat.

“Here, Avery. Deep breath” One muscled arm wrapped around my shoulders just as my legs gave out.