"My pleasure." My fingers tremble as I place the necklace around her neck. Her shoulders rise and softly fall as she breathes. Her skin is warm and smooth, and I take longer than I should to clasp the necklace around her neck.
"Thank you," she murmurs as I step back, “Feels good.” It takes all of my willpower not to react, not to close in on her, wrap her in my arms, and place my lips on hers.
"Time for bed then, I guess," she says softly, her eyes meeting mine for a brief, intense moment before she looks away. The air between us crackles with unspoken tension, and I'm torn between wanting to close the distance between us and needing to maintain control.
"Time for bed," I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. For now, I'll keep my distance for her sake. But one day, I hope to bridge this gap that separates us and rediscover the love we once shared.
Ava's cheeks flush a deep shade of red, her eyes darting around the room, avoiding mine. I watch her carefully, waiting for her to speak, trying to understand what's going through her mind.
"I mean, you can have the bed if you like?" she finally squeaks out, hesitating before continuing.
“No, you go ahead. I’m fine here. You might want to leave the door open, but. Let some of the heat from the fire in,” I tell her; such a mundane thing to say at this moment.
We continue staring at each other, the tension between us palpable. It's as if we're both waiting for something, anything, to happen, yet it doesn’t.
"Night, then," Ava says, forcing a smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes. She turns and goes into the bedroom, leaving the door open.
I take a last swig of scotch and lie on the couch, hoping to hear her call my name, but the only sound is the crackle of the fire.
As I lie there, my body tense and alert, sleep eludes me.
My thoughts run away with me, replaying every moment that has led to this point, how I festered in that prison, dreaming of the moment that I would see Ava again, yet the distance between us feels like miles, despite being only a few feet apart.
These questions swirl around in my head, tormenting me, leaving me restless and uneasy. I desperately need sleep, but the fear and worry gnaw at me relentlessly. I glance over at the bedroom and catch Ava’s form through the darkness. She seems to be sleeping soundly, her chest rising and falling with each peaceful breath.
"Breaker," Ava’s voice whispers in my head, "Take me."
It's a memory, a moment from our past, spoken so many times, yet now it seems out of reach.
I close my eyes, praying for sleep, but it does not come. The wind picks up and howls through the trees outside. I hear the splash of rain on the window until I finally begin to drift off. I reach out for sleep to take me and begin to pass under its silent gate.
But suddenly, my senses come alive as I inhale deeply, catching scents of people outside - unfamiliar people - too many for comfort. Then I hear the voices getting closer, footsteps rushing, getting nearer.
I jump up, and stumble backwards into the wall, a chill races down my spine. I steady myself. Agents. They have found me, but I won’t go back there, not back to that hellhole. I won’t leave Ava ever again.
My muscles tense, my fists clench, and my jaw hardens, ready for blood.
