perilous - e.d | book 2

chapter eight

ETHAN

"How was your date with whatever her name is." Grayson asks. He was sat on the ground leaning against the bed with Jayce in his lap and Madison on the wheelchair in front of him. She looked at me with a glint of sadness in her eyes before she tore her eyes away, awaiting my answer in silence.

Madison was getting better, better than the doctors had predicted and I couldn't be any happier. Though the trauma remained behind her eyes, it was obvious she couldn't talk about it without having a panic attack, and it was taking a toll on both hers and Grayson's relationship.

"She has a name it's Ren, and it was good, she's cool." I shrug. And I meant it, I didn't know her all that well to form a strong opinion but there was just something about her.

"When're you going to stop all of this Ethan?" Madison finally speaks up; her tone a little louder than she attended to by the instant regret in her face, her voice was slightly hoarse and strained still, it was evident in her voice and it showed it took her a lot of strength to just talk.

"You're a grown man still cheating on this fucked up bitch who killed Veronica and you're STILL in the same house as her? Don't you want to protect your kid?" Her voice quieted down as I took in her words. She was absolutely right.

"You know I can't Mads, she has the power to take him away–" I begin to say just to be cut off by her voice again.

"Blah blah Ethan, bullshit. You've been using the same excuse for years and frankly I'm tired of hearing it. I told you to stay away from Ava not continue to cheat on her, you have a damn KID Ethan, raise him, protect him. Grow up." She finishes with a small sigh, she rubs her forehead in annoyance looking away from me once again, like she was disgusted to see me.

"When did you get so wise?" Grayson questions with a laugh, Madison sends him a quick glare kicking him slightly.

Despite the guilt I felt Madison was right, how long am I going to keep up this childish act, I was the same person when I met Veronica and have been since she died, I had to get my act together sooner or later.

Jayce was completely oblivious to his surroundings and I was very thankful for the fact that he couldn't completely understand what was actually going on. I didn't want him to be dragged into this mess and I was going to get him away from Ava in anyway that I could, at this point I didn't know what she was capable of, she had ways to make me look like the bad guy and take Jayce away from me completely, so leaving her and going to the police is completely out of the question until I have any sort of evidence to use against her.

Her leverage against all of this that was keeping me from going to the police was the lack of evidence and my son. I had to figure things out and quick.

Sure, I had a few news clippings and whatever gathered by Veronica and Madison but it was all common knowledge you could find on the internet, most of the important things were destroyed by Ava and Jordan.

I needed time. I know Madison told me not to get involved because of reasons she couldn't tell me but it frustrated me not being able to do anything, and that wasn't going to stop me. I'll do anything I can do  to avenge Veronica.

Whether it be that I'd have to kill Ava myself.

"Daddy." Jayce's small voice echoed through the room, as his small feet padded on the hardwood floor away from Grayson and into my arms.

Atleast one good thing came out from all of this. I got him, and I'll protect him with my life.

-

FIVE YEARS AGO

MADISON

The room was dimly lit. I could barely see anything besides the fact that it was pouring harshly outside, the light in my room having a little flicker every 30 seconds. Almost like a scene out a of a horror movie. All that was missing was the psycho killer coming to taunt and kill me.

The thought that I couldn't move haunted me, I wanted to leave this place, I hated it here, I felt so useless, didn't help that I couldn't get words out either, it didn't feel as easy as it would have been before everything happened.

I wanted to go back, before it happened.

The doorknob began jiggling quickly, sending me into panic. Was it one of the nurses?

No of course not they'd knock first before coming in a minute later. I had an eerily odd feeling in my stomach to the aggressive budging of the door until it finally opened, abruptly at that. A person I hadn't seen since that night, one I knew I never wanted to see again. My breathing became erratic as she neared closer, her face clear as day despite the hoodie attempting to cover her face.

I wanted to scream, yell for help, anything. But nothing came out of my mouth, I tried so hard but I couldn't seem to let any sort of noise out.

"You know it's times like these I'm grateful you can't talk." She says, her voice quiet yet loud enough to get through my skull. "Chris really did a number on you huh?" She adds on, like venom dripping from her voice.

I wanted to wipe that smug smirk off her face and choke her till she couldn't breathe, till she was begging for me to stop. But for now all I could do was stare at her, completely helpless and she knew it.

"I bet you're wondering why I'm here." She starts, walking along the hardwood floor, a small creaking sound being heard aloud with each step.

I breath quivered from how nervous I was, she could easily kill me right here and I wouldn't be able to do anything about it. Memories from that night flooding back to remind me the trauma and pain I went through.

"Just wanted to make sure you won't speak and obviously to check up, how rude would I be if I didn't ask you how you were?" She pouts nearing my head, just barely hovering over my laying figure. "I know you won't talk since you obviously can't. Poor baby."

"Do you remember what happened that night Madison?" She asks as if it wasn't something I thought of every waking moment.

I felt my hands twitch lightly hovering over top the help button barely being able to press it without her noticing.

But who knew she could be a dumb bitch sometimes.

Within seconds I could hear faint footsteps nearing my room, getting quicker and urgent by the minute. Ava's ears perked up and she smiled menacingly bending down to my ear not knowing how quickly she could disappear out the two story window without a trace.

"Just remember I KNOW everything."

-

i know it's been some time i'm sorry i've had some writers block 🥺 thanks for sticking around n continuing to read, until the next chapter!