Her Reckless Rockstar by Gena Snow

Chapter 21

 

Tristan

 

 

 

After not hearing from her for three days, Avery’s text both delights me and worries me.

“Please do not pay the ransom, it’s not worth it and it won’t solve the problem. I have a solution and I’ll let you know.”

What does she have in mind? Is she going to negotiate with the pervert?

I hope not.

I text her back right away to ask what her plan is, but she doesn’t respond this time.

I’ve spoken to my lawyer asking about the best way to deal with the blackmail. I don’t mind giving the money, but I want to make sure it’ll put a stop to it. He says there’s no way to prevent Bob from future extortion. Even if we made him sign a contract, it wouldn’t be legally enforceable because blackmailing was illegal.  So I’m still not sure what I should do next.

In the meantime, the sales of our new album hit record high. It distracts me from the matter for the rest of the day, so I won’t go nuts waiting for Avery’s text.

We celebrate the sales over a dinner party at my house. When I’m not drinking or talking with people, I wonder where Avery is. I recall the night I hired her to be the party bartender and then kissed her in the pool.

Suddenly I have an overwhelming desire for her. I call her over and over, leaving about five messages, begging her to come to the party.

At about ten forty-five, my phone rings and I check. It’s Harper.

“Hi, Harper,” I answer it right away.

“Hi, Tristan. Congrats on the show,” she says, her tone isn’t cheerful and I immediately know something isn’t right.

“Is everything okay?” I ask, resisting the urge to ask where her sister is because I’ve asked the question hundreds of times already.

She pauses for a second. “No, Tristan. Everything is not okay.” She sounds like she’s crying.

“What happened? Is Avery…?”

She cuts me off. “Avery is in his house. Bob’s house.”

“What?” my heart sinks.

“I saw her car on the street. I think she’s there. I keep calling her but her phone is off.”

My heart sinks. “What do you mean? You told me she was in Mexico.”

Harper pauses for a second. “I’m sorry. I lied.”

Fuck. I should’ve trusted my instinct. “How sure are you that she’s in his house?

“Not sure. His lights are on, but the blinds are all down and I don’t hear a sound. But I have good reasons to think that. This evening she called me and said some weird things to me. She told me she had a plan to deal with Bob and told me to stop you from paying him. But she wouldn’t tell me her plan. And then, I had to go to the drug store to get some allergy medicine earlier. When I came home, I saw her car. I think she’s trying to negotiate with Bob.”

No! No! No!

“I’m going to his house to check,” she says with a trembling voice. “But I thought I should let you know.”

“Hold on, Harper,” I say as I grab my keys and rush out of the house, thinking quickly. “Just ring the doorbell and if you don’t see her, don’t go in his house, okay? I’m on my way.”

I drive like a madman towards Avery’s apartment. When I get there twenty minutes later, Harper is at the door.

“So, what happened?” I ask.

“He isn’t answering the door,” she says.  “Maybe the music is too loud.”

“Shit.” I press the doorbell rapidly, and then I bang on the door. No one answers. “Is there a backdoor?”

“I don’t know.” She shakes her head. “I haven’t been to his house. Avery warned me not to.”

“We’ll have to find out, then,” I say and walk around to the driveway, to the window where the man usually stood when I was here.

The blinds are down like Harper said, but there is a small crack. I peek through. The living room is empty. There are two liquor glasses on the coffee table and … Avery’s purse.

For a second, my chest feels tight and I have trouble breathing. I resist the horrible possibilities that are trying to invade my head. What’s the sick man doing to my brave, selfless, and reckless wife?

Why does she put herself in danger to save others?

If something happened to her, how would I live?

“Tristan!” Harper slaps my arm gently. “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” I say. “Stay back. I’m going to break this window and get in the house. Go ahead and call the police.”

“Okay,” she says and backs away while dialing on her phone.

 

I go around the house and find a shovel against the wall. I use it to smash the window, and then I climb into the house.

“Avery!” I shout, but my voice is drowned by Elvis singing.

I check all the rooms in the house but find no one. And then I see the stairs next to the kitchen and I don’t hesitate to go down.

There’s a door at the end of the staircase. “Let go of me!” I hear Avery’s voice.

I kick the door open and see the terrifying sight.  Avery is being tied up, and the pervert stands next to her.

“Let her go, you sick bastard!” I say and pounce at him.

I hit him in the face, and he falls onto the ground right away. I punch him again and again until he begs me to stop.

I untie Avery and hold her in my arms.

Her clothes are torn but still intact.

“Tristan!” she cries in my arms. “Thank God you’re here!”

“Baby, are you all right?”

“Yes, I am!”

I kiss her.

I’m so grateful about having her in one piece that I indulge in our kiss.

And then I feel a cold object against the back of my head and hear Bob’s voice. “Time is up, Romeo!” The bastard must be holding a gun against me.

Avery screams. “Please don’t shoot him!”

“Not if you do what I say.”

“I’ll do whatever you want me to. Please don’t kill him!” Avery begs.

“No, you won’t’” I growl and hold her tighter.

The man laughs evilly. “How touching. So you’re willing to die for each other, huh? Well, too bad, I’m not into murder so much. I want money.”

“I’ll give you money,” I say. “Put away your gun first.”

He scoffs. “You think I’m stupid? No. You get the money now. I won’t harm her until then.”

“You want me to get a hundred grand at this time? The bank is closed.”

He pauses for a second and then quickly points the gun at Avery’s temple. “Then she’ll stay here for the night. You’ll give me the money tomorrow. If you call the police, then she dies.”

I think fast. No way I’ll let Avery stay here for the night with the fucker.

“I have a better solution,” I say. “Let her go, and tie me up. I’ll tell my manager to deliver the money to you tomorrow.”

He narrows his eyes and considers for a moment, and then he nods. “Make sure he doesn’t bring any cops. If I see cops around, I’m gonna kill you.”

I clench my jaw and nod. “You got it.”

I urge Avery to get out of the room, but she’s reluctant. “I’m not leaving you!” Tears stream down her face.

“Baby, don’t cry. I’ll be fine. I promise. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“No!” Avery sobs and hugs me tighter.

I whisper into her ear, “Please, Avery, listen to me just this once. Go!”

Bob laughs evilly as he drags her away from me. “I don’t mind keeping both of you here. But it doesn’t do any of us good.”

“Shut up!” Avery says and lets go of me.

Bob grabs Avery’s arm and drags her up the stairs, moving backward while facing me. Every fiber of me screams the urge to jump at the bastard and beat the shit out of him, but that’s not an option, and I clench my fists tightly. I have no intention of yielding to the fucker’s demand now, but I have to wait until Avery is safely out of my sight.

I follow them into the hallway on the first floor, watching them until Bob says, “You stay where you are, Romeo!”

They’re at the front door now, and Bob orders Avery, “Open the goddamn door, bitch!”

“No.”

“Fuck. Do what I say!” He hits Avery with the gun.

“Stop it!” I run towards them and he points the gun at me right away.

Avery screams. “Don’t shoot, please! I’ll do it. I’ll open the fucking door!”

Avery glances at me once again, and turns. She fumbles with the door handle with trembling hands, and then she takes a deep breath and pulls.

What happens next is so fast I nearly miss the details. As the door swings open, Avery throws herself into Bob. At the same time, she stomps on his foot.

Bob yelps in pain and loses his balance. 

I take the chance to attack him. I grab his waist, and we both fall onto the ground. I wrestle with him, attempting to get his gun, but the man is desperate to keep it and won’t let go.

Avery wants to help, but I tell him to back off. “Stay back, Avery!” I shout.

But it turns out to be a mistake because the fucker points the gun at her right away.

“No!” I shout and yank his arm toward me.

And then I hear a gunshot, and an excruciating pain pierces through my arm.

“Oh my God! Tristan!” Avery runs to me and holds me.

Bob is still pointing his gun at us, and I shield Avery from him.

Suddenly we see bright red lights outside the window, flooding the room. I hear Harper’s voice speaking, and then officers wearing bulletproofed vests swarm into the house.

“Drop your weapon,” the officers order while aiming their guns at Bob.

Bob drops the gun and puts up his hands.