The Runaway Girl✔️ | A Christian Romance

Chapter 3 - New Home (new)

"We're home, little Ava."

Avery stared as they pulled into the front yard of a beautiful, two-storey ranch-style house with a blossoming garden and manicured landscaping. A wow escaped her.

"This is your home?"

He smiled, reaching freely to ruffle her hair softly. "Yes, now yours too,"

Avery liked him very much and didn't doubt that he would be a nice big brother as he'd promised her. He was a good person inside and out.

Her eyes were fixed on him the whole time he spoke to her. There was something about him that made her trust him. He wasn't like any of the males she had known. His kindness reminded her of her nanny. And there were so many things about him that she couldn't put into words; she could only trust her feelings. Her life was at a turning point and she was grateful to him beyond words for saving her life. No doubt, he was the angel her nanny had told her about.

Haxsel drove into the garage, but Avery couldn't tear her eyes from the main door of the house. Surely someone would come out. And that alarmed her a little. She hoped whoever was in there would be as kind as this strange boy—her new brother.

Suddenly, the door opened and there stood a woman with a smile on her face. Seeing the woman, Avery shrank in her seat. She wasn't ready to meet another stranger yet, even if this was the woman who would be her mother as her new brother had promised.

"That's Mom," Haxsel whispered to her, confirming her thoughts as he parked the car in the garage, next to a big black one. "You stay here while I tell her about you, okay?"

He got out and shut the door behind him.

Avery saw a golden-haired dog, who ran down the stairs past the woman and leapt onto him. Her new big brother stumbled backward by the force, but chuckled and hugged it.

Avery shrank in her seat more; she wasn't a big fan of dogs. The Rottweilers that the mafia kept as guard dogs had frightened her, with their big teeth and loud growling. Her eyes darted toward the woman who descended from the veranda to greet her son, her smile never fading.

She was young, tall, slim, and beautiful, with wavy raven hair, and she wore a navy blue long-sleeved top paired with black jeans. Her wide smile and the way she hugged her son as their dog backed away reassured Avery.

"Two more minutes, Hax, and I was going to call you again," she said to... Oh, his name is Hax, Avery thought and felt silly for not asking him before. "What took you so long?"

"Sorry, Mom, a lot of things happened, actually," Haxsel answered at the same time his dog bounded toward the car.

Avery nearly jumped out of her skin as the dog placed his two paws against the car, peeking inside her window. She immediately ducked, but the dog had seen her already and started barking.

Oh, save me please, Hax! She willed him to hear her thoughts. You're my angel!

But Haxsel didn't come to her rescue this time, at least not quickly enough. He was talking with his mom, telling her about Avery, so she decided it was worth waiting here, curled up under the seat. She tried to listen to their conversation, but it was muffled by the continuous barking of the dog.

After what seemed like hours to Avery, Haxsel finally came and opened her door.

"It's alright, Ava. He's harmless, don't be afraid, okay?" he whispered and led her out. "Come on, sweetheart."

When her bare feet touched the ground, Avery felt like she had landed in a different, mysterious world. She hid behind Haxsel's legs and he leaned down to kiss her hair. "It's alright, little one, you have nothing to worry about."