Beneath This Man (This Man, #2)(157)

Chapter 30


The drive to The Manor is a blur of visions and memories. Visions of Jesse staggering and slurring, and memories of finding him unconscious on the terrace, all unwelcome, but a repeat performance highly likely. I can’t go through that again. I can’t watch him do that to himself again – not because of me. I might not be able to control his unreasonableness, but I can prevent him from slowly killing himself.

I’m not surprised when I pull up to the gates and they open immediately. John must be looking out for me. My descent up the driveway is fast and frantic in my desperation to get to him and stop the inevitable. I find The Manor’s door open and run through the entrance hall, ignoring the noise coming from the bar and restaurant. The summer room has been returned to its former relaxing space of sofas and chairs scattered across the vast area, members gathered, chatting and drinking. Silence falls, all conversation halting, when I run through. I’m sure if I paid attention, there would be many vicious, scowling faces pointed straight at me, but I don’t have the time or inclination to stop and soak up the resentment. I don’t need to look. I can feel it heavy in the air.

As I approach the door to Jesse’s office, I hear a thundering crack that makes me jump. What the f*ck was that? I hold the door handle and look behind me, but find the corridor empty. I turn the handle of the door and push it open.

‘Ava!’ Big John’s loud rumble travels down the corridor, halting my progression, but I can’t see him. ‘Fucking, mother f*cker! Ava, wait!’ He appears, moving faster than I would think possible for such a mountain of a man, his glasses in place as he hurdles towards me like a steam train. ‘Jesus, woman, don’t go in there!’

I look at the frantic beast rocketing towards me in slow motion and jump at the sound of another ear piercing snap. It pulls my attention from John’s booming voice and towards Jesse’s office. What is that? I push the door open a little further until the full room comes into view.

Oh Jesus Christ!

I stagger forward on a loss of a few dozen beats of my heart. What the f*cking hell is going on?

‘No!’ John crashes into me and grasps me around my waist. ‘Ava, girl, you can’t go in there.’

I lose all feeling as I stare at the hideousness before me and then fight with the incredible strength of John, who’s trying to haul me out of the room. I don’t know how, adrenaline perhaps, but I break free from John and fall into the room as Sarah raises the evil looking whip that she’s holding and brings it thrashing down on Jesse’s back. My stomach jumps into my throat, and I feel John’s warm palm wrap around the top of my arm.

‘Ava, darling,’ John’s voice is the softest I’ve ever heard it. ‘You don’t need to see this.’

I shrug him off and stand trying to piece together the scene unfolding before me. It’s hard, even though time has slowed and every tiny detail is perfectly clear to me. He’s naked, except for his jeans, and kneeling on the floor, his head dropped limply. He hasn’t even looked up. Sarah is standing behind him, kitted out in black leather trousers, a leather bodice and a thigh high leather boots, looking as evil as the whip in her hand.

I can’t move. I’m completely rooted to the spot. My legs are shaking, my heart beating so fast it might escape my chest, and I can’t open my mouth. What is happening?

Sarah glances up at me, a look of deep satisfaction on her face as she slowly raises the whip again. I want to scream, tell her to stop, but my mouth is dry and not responding to my brains commands. Her pouty face screams pleasure at subjecting Jesse to this wicked torture and, no doubt, having me here to bear witness to it.

She brings the whip crashing down on Jesse’s bare flesh again, and he arches his back, throwing his head back, but he doesn’t make a sound.

The loud scream echoing around the room is me.

His head snaps up as my cry seeps into his ears. I’m struggling against John again, who has regained his hold on me. ‘Let go of me!’ I fight harder, twisting my body in his grip, clawing and hitting him.

‘Ava?’ Jesse’s voice stills me. It’s weak and broken as his head turns in my direction.

A desperate cry escapes my mouth as our eyes meet and all I find are empty glazed holes. He doesn’t look completely with it. He looks drugged and hollow. He makes to stand but staggers forward slightly in complete disorientation. My eyes fall onto his back, finding at least ten angry welts spread from one side of his back to the other, overlapping and seeping with beads of blood.

I feel sick. My stomach starts to heave and as Sarah raises the whip again, I hear John in the distance bellowing her name. My knees give out and I crumble to the floor at John’s feet.

‘Ava?’ Jesse makes it to a standing position, but he is nowhere near stable. He shakes his head as if trying to regain his focus, his confused face becoming stricken as he registers my presence. ‘Jesus, no!’ Fear floods his handsome features. Even his voice is unstable. He goes to walk forward, but he’s stopped by Sarah, who’s grabbing at his arm. ‘Get the f*ck off me!’ he roars, knocking her backwards. ‘Ava, baby. What are you doing here?’ He rushes forward and drops to his knees in front of me, grabbing at my face and searching for my eyes.

He’s a complete blur through my tears. I can’t speak. I’m just shaking my head frantically, trying to rid my brain of what I have just witnessed. Is this a nightmare? He wasn’t fighting her off at all. He knelt there waiting for the blows in a total trance. I throw my arms out to bat him away from me and scramble to my feet.