Home Ice.

Chapter Nineteen.

Avery

It's the first week of December, which means it's my favorite month of the year. I wish I could say there has been more plus sides other than that, but that would be lying.

To say that Finn has been overbearing would be the understatement of the century. I truly understand where he's coming from, trust me I really do. I understand how scared he is, how scarred he is from what happened the last time - but he's seriously taking this to a whole other level.

It started with him showing me some self defense, which was fine and something I really wanted to learn anyway. He showed me how to get out of certain holds, like the one that Mason held me in last time, he taught me how to throw punches without hurting myself and what attacks would be better for me. It was all very helpful and it's stuff that I'm really grateful to know.

But the frequent phone calls and constant check ups turned into him not letting me walk to my car alone, and then him driving me everywhere when he's home. And when he's not home, it turned into him making his mother or Grace or Morgan or Casey to drive me. I still understood, but it was getting a bit frustrating.

And trust me, I've been really trying to not get frustrated. I've been telling him how grateful I am for him and for him wanting to ensure my safety, how I understand why he's doing it. But there's no meeting halfway here. He won't listen to me. He's telling me what to do all the time.

Now I'm "not allowed" to even step foot out of the apartment without someone, and that is not flying with me. I am not going to sit here and let my husband control me, no matter what the circumstances are. I'm not an idiot, I know what's safe and what's not but to be told I'm not allowed to leave here is not what's going to happen. I don't care if that makes me sound dumb or something, but I'm an incredibly independant person and I'm not going to let Mason take that away from me. I can decide whether or not it's safe to leave myself. It's not about if he's right or wrong about it being safe, it's about him trying to be completely in charge of the decision.

Which is the reason for the fight we're in the middle of having right now. He hid my fucking keys. He's literally trapping me inside this damn apartment.

"I don't understand why you need them," he crosses his arms over his chest as he leans against the kitchen island. He's about to leave for the rink and if he thinks he's going anywhere until he gives me those keys, he's really fucking mistaking.

"Why I need them?" I echo, standing between him and the door. He cannot be serious. "Because it's my car, Finn. You're not allowed to do this shit. Do you realize how damn controlling you're being right now?!"

"Controlling? You're really calling me controlling?" he asks, as if he's shocked I just said that. In the past, that would be the absolute last thing that I'd call him but not right now. He's gone far past being protective and right to a controlling asshole. "Me wanting you to be safe is being controlling?"

Oop, the gaslight just turned on!

"You're trying to dictate my life, Finn. You're not letting me make a choice for myself," I spit at him. God, I'm so angry. "If I wanted someone who was manipulative like that, I would have married Theo!"

"Oh, you have to be kidding me," he scoffs, rolling his eyes and walking away from me. I know that was a low blow, but I don't care. This is absurd. "Seriously, Avery? No fucking way- you're really comparing me to that piece of shit?"

"You are basically locking me inside our damn apartment," I repeat slowly and God, the back of my neck feels hot. I cannot believe he's doing this right now. Of all people, he'd be the last one I'd think could do this and that scares me. "I will not have you dictate my life, Finn. You're not in charge of me."