Motel 6 // n.h

[45] Finally

  Avery Holmes

  We had driven for at least an hour, with me lying in the dark trunk. About halfway through our little journey, I had found a small car light and turned it on. I was always claustrophobic, so lying in the back of a car trunk was a huge no for me.

  "We're here." Jake grunted. The car lurched to a stop and I flew forward, hitting the front of the trunk. I heard Kate laugh at me and I wanted to slit her throat for being so obnoxious. I hated every one of them.

  "Where are we even at?" Marcus asked. I wished so badly that I could look around and find out my surroundings, but all I could see was the carpeting of the stuffy trunk.

  "The City." Kate answered for Jake. "I used to live here for a bit." I bit my lip, remembering that this was the same place Niall and I had been before and felt a huge pang in my chest. I missed him much.

  I coughed and curled up in a ball, anticipating the new pain that I was bound to feel soon. There was no doubt in my mind that Jake would torture me for calling the cops. If Jake didn't kill me today, I would just have to find a way to do it myself. I was going insane.

  Coughing a bit more, I tried to get comfortable as the three talked in the front of the car. Something was messing with my head, whether it was separation from my family, the fact that I was kidnapped, lack of food, water, or all of the above. I knew that I couldn't stay like this anymore.

  "I'm sorry Jake." I croaked, my voice hoarse. "I won't do anything like that again." I bit my lip, waiting for a response as my eyelids grew heavier.

  "Darn right you won't!" Jake hollered. "Marcus, get us a hotel room. Use the name Jarrod Urey and we'll get it for free. I know a guy." He chuckled, and I heard Kate giggling along, too. "Hey, Avery, you wanna know something?"

  I stayed quiet, wondering what Jake was going to tell me.

  "I'm really in love with you." Jake said, his voice now suddenly serious. "I only do these things because I love you." 

  My shoulders loosened up. He used to tell me that a lot before I left him. In fact, he had told me that so many times that it was permanently engraved in my brain. Eventually, I started believing it, too. It was only now that I knew it was a lie.

  Or was it?

  Maybe, as sick and twisted as Jake was, he still did love me. He went to such great lengths to find me, it only made sense. He had an absolutely monstrous way of showing it, and I would never love him in return, but it was sad to think that under all his coldness there was love for me.

  After pondering that for a few minutes, Marcus came back. The trunk popped open and my eyes squinted at the light pouring in the tiny trunk. My arm was grabbed and yanked upward, and I saw that it was Jake who was holding me. I tried searching his signs for any love or affection and found none.

  "I'll do whatever you want." I looked at him, my eyes filling with tears. "Just please, please don't hurt me."

  "You know I have to." Jake said. "You didn't follow the rules, you have to be shown what happens. I don't have a choice, you brought this on yourself."

  "No." I said, shaking my head. "Please, you don't have to be like this. Just let me go back to my family." I cried, the tears streaming down my cheeks. I saw Jake's jaw hardening at the mention of my family and the knowledge that I didn't consider him my family anymore.