Chapter 18
Avidya
I sat on the oak desk inside Carlos’s office as Zachariah and Julia looked at my arm. I refused to look at the dark colorful bruising as my thoughts swirled around in my head. Carlos had pulled a gun on my father.
A gun!
Everything was a blur after that as Zachariah pulled me from my father’s reach and stood in front of me, protecting me.
Why? Why all of this
“Avidya, sweets?” Julia asked, trying to bring me out of wherever my mind had gone to.
“I believe she’s in shock,” Zachariah’s voice reached my ears. “Can you get me a blanket?”
“Of course,” she responded without a beat, almost like she had seen others in a state of shock before.
I blinked down at my lap as Zachariah wrapped my arm. Of course, I winched at the pain as he did so. Was it possibly broken?
“Hey,” he whispered as a finger lifted my chin up. “Are you okay?” I couldn’t meet his eyes, fearing what I would see if I did.
“Here you go,” Julia said, gently wrapping a soft blanket around my shoulders. “I’ll leave you two for a few minutes to check on Carlos. I’m not in a mood to clean up any messes.”
“Thank you, mom,” Zachariah responded.
“Of course,” Julia said before leaving the room.
Zachariah bent down, forcing me to meet his eyes as the door softly closed. I saw the worry that he held. Why was he worried about me?
“Come here, sweet girl,” he spoke, pulling me into his chest and wrapping his arms around my back, holding me tightly against him.
I froze for only a moment before tears burst forth. Why was it that he seemed to always bring out my worst? He made me question my actions, my thoughts. Everything!
“I got you,” he whispered near my ear as I continued to cry against his chest. He gently rubbed his hands up and down my back. I felt safe here in his arms, even though I barely knew this man.
“I’m sorry,” I hiccupped out.
“No need to apologize,” he spoke quietly. “It is I who should be apologizing. My father is not the type to take things lightly, and really, your father probably deserved it. No woman should ever be treated with disrespect as you have been.”
I knew that this family, this man holding me, was not just any man I randomly ran into. I knew my father did unmentionable things but were guns really always involved? Was I in that much danger? Why was it seemly all about me? Who was I to the world?
“We have much to talk about, but not here,” Zachariah’s voice soothed me. “I don’t want you going home with that man that calls himself your father. I don’t trust him, Avidya. I didn’t want to pull you into the middle of all this, but I have.”
My tears slowly began to slow, although my breathing stayed labored. My thoughts swirled in circles over what had happened. Not just the whole gun thing, but also the kidnapping. Was Zachariah a part of it? I was sure now that my father was, but who else? Why? Was it really worth it? Was I meant to not be returned to my family?
“Avidya?” he asked, pulling back from me enough to look at me. I slowly lifted my wet eyes up to his. He’d already seen me cry one too many times, but for some reason, he made me feel stronger in the end.
“I don’t want to take your choices away, that’s not me. I can’t let you leave with your father, no matter what he says,” he went on. “If he can hurt you in front of me and my father, what else is Cody really capable of?”
“I don’t want to go back,” I spoke, my voice stronger than I expected after crying my heart out against his chest. “But I don’t have answers yet.”
“We will get them some other way,” he said, sounding relieved. “I hate that man for marking you.”
“Miquel saw the mark,” I replied.
“Of course he would,” Zachariah said with a sigh. “And then your father saw it. Surprised he didn’t notice sooner.”
“I . . . tried to not to let him,” I spoke, for some reason feeling ashamed.
“I understand,” he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “I wouldn’t want harm to come to you. I don’t like the idea that you had to hide it, nor do I like that you had to have it. I can’t deny that I like the idea you are mine.”
I remained quiet after that, not sure how to respond. I knew he thought of me as such, like a piece of property, yet his words made my core clench. I liked being claimed by him. He was the only man that could stake his claim and I wouldn’t want to fight it. After so much time to think about what I wanted, I finally knew. I wanted to be his.
“There’s a bathroom across the hall. How about you get cleaned up, then I’ll tell your parents you will be staying with me from now on,” he said, stepping back and helping me down off the desk.
“What about my things?” I asked, not that there really was anything I wanted from the house. I met his eyes, feeling like I could have a say in my life somewhat.
“I’ll send someone to get them,” he said, giving me a knowing look.
“Mom said she had information in the basement,” I quickly explained, not able to tear myself away from his company just yet. “About my real parents. I have to have them, Zachariah.”
“I will make sure you get them,” he said, telling me the truth.
He then led me out of office, pointing towards the bathroom. It was just like the rest of the house that I had seen so far. Light colored walls, white sink in the dark countertop, and a small standing shower against the wall in the back corner. It was smaller than I would have expected but workable for a downstairs bathroom. I found a cream-colored wash rag on the side of the sink, waiting to be used. I wet it with lukewarm water before washing off my face. Zachariah already saw the marks on my arms, so what was the point in hiding the ones on my face?
After laying the wash rag across the faucet to dry, I patted my face dry with the hand towel and opened the door. I came face to face with a shocked Zachariah staring at the bruise that covered a good portion of the left side of my face.
“Avidya,” he spoke in shock before gently cupping my face with both of his hands. His brown eyes looked between both of mine with a look of contained rage. I couldn’t help but flinch back from his look.
“I won’t hurt you,” he sighed, dropping his hands. I instantly felt the loss of his warm touch. “Where else are you hurt?”
“I’m fine,” I mumbled out, taking a step around him. I didn’t get far as his arm shot out, stopping me. Of course, his arm pressed against my ribs, causing me to flinch.
“Answer me,” he demanded, voice hard and non-breakable.
“Not here, please?” I asked, my shoulders slumping as I looked up at him. I was positive that he’d be upset about more marks on my skin, and I feared how he’d react to seeing them, let alone knowing about them. Somehow, I’m sure he wouldn’t stop from killing my father if he saw them.
“Fine,” he nearly spat out, not happily. “I will see where else you are marked by that beast.”
“Sure,” I responded, trying to figure out if I feared him, or was slightly awed that he could be so demanding, so . . . him.
He smirked, obviously seeing right through me.
“Come,” he said, much calmer. He was going to give me whiplash by changing his moods so dang fast. He then took a hold of my hand, before leading me back to the dining room. Before we could see into the room, I could hear raised voices, and couldn’t help but flinch as my father’s voice reached my ears.
“How dare you tell me how to handle my life!” father shouted in rage.
“I didn’t tell you,” Carlos spoke, his voice deadly calm. “I’m advising.”
Zachariah didn’t pause like I certainly would have. He pulled me along, being gentle in doing so, entering into view both of our parents.
“We are leaving, Avidya,” father spoke up as he saw me, glaring at me in the process.
“That’s up to her,” Carlos spoke, shooting his own son a look that told him to stay quiet.
“Avidya, now,” father spoke, taking a few steps towards me.
I glanced over at mom, seeing the look of pure fear on her face. She shook her head ‘no’ at me, telling me in her own way that father would cause me more pain than I was already in.
“You have nowhere else to go,” father huffed out, getting impatient.
“I do,” I said, tilting my head to my side. “Zachariah offered to let me stay with him.”
“You will not be staying with that man,” father raged, pointing a finger his way. His face began to red from anger.
“You are just mad that my husband pulled a gun on you,” Julia said, half amused. “Avidya is even welcome to stay here. There is plenty of room.”
“No, she will be going home with me. Her behavior has been inexcusable,” father seethed, daring to take the last few steps towards me. I stepped back as Zachariah stopped father’s hand from touching me. I watched as Zachariah’s hand made a fist around father’s wrists tightly.
“I will be staying with Zachariah,” I spoke, my voice strong.
“You aren’t even married!” father shouted, clenching his hands into fists.
“Welcome to the new age,” I laughed. “Everyone lives together before marrying these days. Becca had planned to move in with her boyfriend before you had her killed.”
“I didn’t kill that bitch!” father shouted, pushing past Zachariah to get to me. “I would have loved to be the one that was behind on that little stunt, though!”
Father hadn’t taken one step before Zachariah had him pinned by the throat, unable to move. I gasped in shock as mom’s cry of worry reached me. I didn’t think father expected the move, as he froze for only a moment before he was fighting for air.
“You will not touch her. Ever,” Zachariah said darkly as he barely let father breath. “She is mine, and you will not do anything to take her away. If you do, I won’t hesitate to shoot you myself. Got it?”
Father struggled to nod. By Zachariah’s stiff posture, I could see him struggle to let my father live. I had too many shocks today, as I watched in a daze as father left, mom following her like her backside was on fire.