CHAPTER THIRTY

CHAPTER THIRTY: ATHENA

"Don't make a sound," a familiar voice said as he turned me around to face him, his hands still on my mouth to keep me from screaming, dread settled over me as I stared into Adam's blue hateful eyes, what was he doing here? I assumed Jackson's threat last night scared him off.

"I've been expecting you; what took you so long?" Adam asked, a sinister grin on his face as he dragged me to the chair and took his hands away from my face. Yes, I should have screamed, but it would have been useless because the room walls were soundproof.

"What are you doing here? Adam" I asked, but he ignored me and pushed me onto the chair while pulling zip ties from his hood.

"Don't even think of pulling a fast one on me," Adam said as he yanked my hand to the back roughly, using zip ties to bind my hands behind the chair; when he was finished, he came to sit in front of me with an evil smile on his face.

"What did you tell Jackson to do? Little butterfly "Adam questioned as he pulled out an army knife similar to the one Austin plays with at school.

"What are you talking about?" I asked because I had no idea what he was talking about, and I had never told Jackson to do anything.

"Stop acting dumb, you know what he did," Adam said, his voice slightly raised; he already appeared distraught, so agitating him further will make him do something we both regret.

"Can you refresh my memory, I'm a little slow?" I asked.

"He went to the boxing committee and filed a report that I'm doping," Adam explained, so that was the real reason he was absent this morning; he just feigned that he was going for a run as an excuse. Was it to seek revenge for what he had done to his ward? Or to punish him for trying to hurt me?

"Are you doping?" I asked because I knew Jackson would not lie about something like that, even if I had just met him; I know he is not that type of person.

"Of course, but they didn't need to know that; everything was already falling into place with my career, but he had to run his mouth and ruin everything, and now I'm under investigation," Adam explained, his voice irritated.

"I never told him to do that, Adam," I argued, "and I swear I'm telling you the truth."

"Stop lying, you told him to screw me over because you lied that I tried to hurt you," Adam said, his voice shaking with rage.

"I'm not lying, and you did try to hurt me; I never accepted your advances, but you chose to kiss and touch me that night," I said, furious that he was implying that I had brought this on myself.

"Stop lying, your eyes told me everything I needed to know, you women always say no when you mean yes, so I acted on your true feelings"

"This is kidnapping, Adam; my uncle will be furious if he finds out what you did and that you are holding me hostage; you don't want to see him angry." I explained, making sure to emphasize uncle Jerry getting angry because it would seem he is frightened of him, "so just let me go and I won't tell anyone you were here."

"I don't believe you, shut up," Adam said as he approached me, the edge of the knife slowly moving down my cheeks.

Because he was too close, the previous night's events flashed through my mind: how he had grabbed me, the terror I had felt, and how I had managed to flee with Jackson's help. But now Adam was out for vengeance and didn't seem willing to surrender.

Adam backed up and paced in front of me, a wicked smile on his lips. "Didn't you think you'd be able to get away from me?" he sneered. "But you're mine now, and there's no getting out this time."

I tried to keep my fear at bay, but I couldn't stop my body from trembling. I knew I was in a dangerous situation and had no clue how to get out of it.

Then I remembered I had Sophia on speed dial and my phone was in my back pocket, so I struggled with the zip ties to reach for my phone without making Adam suspicious. Luckily, I was able to reach the phone and press the call button, hoping she picked up while I tried to distract Adam by continuing our conversation.

"What do you intend to do with me?" I asked, hoping that my voice was loud enough in case Sophia had picked up the phone, or else this would all be for nothing.

"First, maybe finish what we started last night, take a few pictures, and use that to make Jackson drop the charges against me," Adam explained with an evil grin on his face.

"I won't let you do that, even if I get hurt," I said, causing Adam's smile to fade and him to stalk towards me.

The door slammed open, and Jackson appeared in the doorway. "Leave her alone, Adam," he said calmly. "You don't want to worsen your situation." I sighed in relief as I glanced at Jackson; Sophia had indeed picked up my call

Adam turned to face him, a furious expression on his face. "This is none of your business, old man," he snarled. "She caused this, so I'll do whatever I want with her."

Jackson entered the room with his hands outstretched in front of him. "I'm going to make it my business," he declared firmly. "You must leave right now and never return unless you want Rage to come in here and beat you to death."

"He doesn't frighten me," Adam shouted back, his gaze darting between Jackson and me.

"He should because he'll probably murder you for hurting her; that girl over there is one of the reasons he lives, so trust me, Adam, even if you run, he'll find you and kill you."

"Stop talking, you're just scaring me," Adam screamed, his eyes frantic.

"No, he isn't," another voice from the door said, and I turned to see Uncle Jerry standing in the doorway, staring daggers at Adam.

When his gaze met mine, I noticed his expression soften "Are you alright, little butterfly? Did he hurt you in any way?"

"No, uncle Jerry; please help me; my wrist hurts."

"Give me a minute, Little Butterfly, and I'll deal with this jackass."

"Who called you?" Jackson inquired as Uncle Jerry turned to glare at him.

"You don't get to talk or ask questions; she's in this situation because of you, Jackson," Uncle Jerry said harshly.

"Don't blame him, uncle Jerry; I made him promise not to tell you."

You're making it difficult to stay angry at him, little butterfly; he should have told me."

"I'm sorry, man; I have no excuse." Jackson said, "I didn't think he'd do it."

"You're all forgetting I'm the one in charge," Adam said, frowning, before lunging forward, fists clenched. Jackson didn't flinch as he dodged Adam's attack and landed a solid punch on Adam's jaw.

Adam stumbled backwards, clutching his face in pain. Jackson took a protective stance in front of me, his eyes scanning the room for any other threats.

"I've got her; finish him off, but don't kill him, Jerry, because it'll be burdensome to get you out of jail."

"I'll try not to," Uncle Jerry said as he lunged for Adam, who was still dazed from Jackson's previous attack and didn't see Uncle Jerry coming.

Uncle Jerry landed the first punch on Adam's stomach, followed by an uppercut that knocked him out instantly.

Jackson cut the Zip ties, and I embraced him.

"You're safe now, I'm sorry," Jackson said, pulling away from me, but the next thing I knew, Uncle Jerry walked up to him and punched him in the face, and I gasped as I stared at him in disbelief.

"I deserved that," Jackson mumbled, clutching his jaw with a pained expression on his face.

"Why did you do that? I made him promise not to tell you; it's not his fault."

"I'm sorry, little butterfly, but he knows that telling me was the right thing to do," Uncle Jerry said as he pulled me into a hug.

"It's okay, don't beat yourself up; I kinda deserved it because he's right, and I should've told him," Jackson said as he kissed my temple.

"Even if this idiot barged in here without a plan, I'm glad you're safe; there are people who want to see you," Uncle Jerry said as he stepped back, and Sophia and Vera burst into the room, engulfing me in a hug.

"Are you okay?" They asked together as the two of them thoroughly examined my body for injuries.

"I guess I'm okay, but Adam doesn't look too good," I said as we turned to face Adam, who was unconscious on the floor.

Sophia and Vera walked over to an unconscious Adam and kicked him in the stomach three or four times before walking over to Jackson and punching him in the stomach.

"I deserved that too, but you girls can throw a punch," Jackson said, groaning in pain as he clutched his stomach.

"I know you were trying to protect Athena because she made you promise, but you should have told us anyway, she doesn't like sharing her burdens because she thinks she's bothering us by doing so," Sophia explained as she turned to face Jackson, who was smiling apologetically.

"I'm sorry for not telling you, and please don't blame Jackson; it's not his fault," I mumbled.

"It's okay dear, the one at fault here is that bastard laying over there," Uncle Jerry said as he approached Adam, picked him up, and threw him over his shoulder.

"Vera, Call the police." Uncle Jerry said as he turned to Jackson, "I'm still mad at you, but I respect you for honouring her wishes, so if you let me hit you a few times while training, it will appease my anger."

"I'm not looking forward to it." Jackson groaned as he turned to face me, "Don't look so guilty, he deserves to be mad, and if this is what it takes for him to forgive me, then I will take as many hits as he wants to throw," "But…"

"No buts, Little Butterfly, I may not look like much, but I can take a punch," Jackson smiled. I know he was trying to cheer me up, but he doesn't deserve to be hit.

"You know you need to call Garston, he needs to know about Adam," Vera said as she approached me.

"Not only does he have a sexual assault charge against him, but he is also suspected of doping," Jackson explained, I remembered that he confessed, and this might help Jackson win the case.

"He confessed before you guys barged in, Jackson."

"What!"

"Yes, I asked him, and he said he was doping, so you can test his blood for traces of whatever he was using," I explained, and he smiled.

"Thank God that boy is dumb as a nail," Jackson said, which made me laugh.

An hour later….

When Adam was charged with sexual assault, kidnapping, and drug abuse, the fighting company immediately terminated his contract because they did not want to be associated with him.

We were allowed to return home after the policemen had taken everyone's statements. Uncle Jerry, Jackson, Sophia, and Vera didn't let me breathe and would constantly ask if I was okay. Because of what happened, I stayed in New York for another day before Sophia and I returned to Anwood.

Uncle Jerry and Jackson are now friends after Jackson let uncle Jerry beat the snot out of him the night of the kidnapping. They said they'd handle Adam so I wouldn't have to see him again, which I appreciated.

We were packed and ready to leave for the airport by 6:00 a.m. the next day.

"I'll miss you guys," Vera said as she pulled two of us in for a hug.

"We'll miss you too, whenever you get tired of that old geezer, come to Anwood to hide from him" Sophia said, sticking her tongue out at Uncle Jerry.

"Very Funny Sophia," Uncle Jerry said as he hugged us both. "Jackson said he's sorry he couldn't see you off, so I should on his behalf."

We said our goodbyes, loaded our bags into the car, and the driver drove away. With one last look at Vera and Uncle Jerry's receding figures, I took out my phone to check for new messages from the guys.

There had been no new messages. Maybe they were preoccupied with Shane because we arrived at the airport in thirty minutes, and I had to put away my phone. Mr Daniel assisted us in unloading our luggage before we walked into the airport. We waved at Mr Daniel as he walked out of the airport after checking in.

Thirty minutes later, we were on the plane, about to take off, and the pilot instructed us to fasten our seatbelts once everyone else had done so. We were in the air a few minutes after the plane started moving. Sophia was already sleeping, so I put on my earphones and closed my eyes to sleep.

We arrived in Anwood at 7:00 p.m. due to a delay at the stopover, so we stopped for dinner on the way here because neither of us had the energy to cook that night. After dinner at Rudy's, Sophia and I returned home, took quick showers, and went straight to bed. When I checked my phone, I saw a message from Leo saying they would come to pick me up on their way to pick up Shane, so I prepared my gift before going to bed, hoping Shane would like it.