An Illicit Gentleman II

                                         Chapter Thirty-One

            AJ looked over as he drove the rental car down a straight dirt road.  Eve sat beside him still quiet.  She answered his questions when he asked them and she replied when he would start a conversation but either than that she said nothing. Until they pulled up to the house.

“Wow.” Eve said as she looked out the front window.

“Nice, huh?” AJ replied with a smile as he pulled into the drive way.

“Nice is an understatement.” Eve lightly laughed as she began to unbuckle her seat belt.

“And look” AJ said as he pulled the keys from the ignition and sat back in the seat.  “No paparazzi's”

She lightly smiled at him as she opened the door and he frowned when the comment didn’t get the response he wanted.  With a sigh he climbed out of the car and walked around to the back, opening the trunk and removing the bags.  They walked up to the front door; AJ unlocked it and walked into the house, closing the door behind Eve as she walked in.  He locked the door and set the bags down on the floor.

“Do you wanna unpack right now or just chill for a bit?” He asked.

“Are you hungry? Want something to eat?” She asked as she turned around and he wondered if she even heard him.

“Sure, I’ll go unpack while you find us something.” He replied with a light smile.  “The Kitchen is down the hall and turn right, oh and Kevin said his Mom would be stopping by to make sure we’re ok and stuff.”

“Ok” She said with a nod as she headed that way.

AJ watched as she walked down the hall and disappeared around the corner.  He wasn’t going to bug her on what was bothering her because he knew what it was, the Paps, her Mom, and now Mats. The only thing he could really do was wait and hope this next week would help ease her mind about everything.  He grabbed the bags and preceded up the long winding staircase to the second floor where he grabbed the room he always stayed in when he came out to visit.  Setting his bag on the bed and Eve’s bag by the closet AJ began to pull out his clothes.  He was busy thinking about things he could do to help get her mind off of everything that he didn’t hear her come in.

“Hey” Eve said beside him and he quickly looked up.

“Hey” He smiled back.  “I set your bag down there for when ever you wanna unpack.” He told her.

“Ok” She replied.  “I’m going to run down to that store we past, there’s no soda or milk.”

“Want me to come?” He asked.

“No, it’s not far and I’m taking the car.” She replied and then she kissed him.

“Grab me some Sweettarts.” He asked before she left the room.

“Ok” She agreed with a light laugh and then left the room.

As he unpacked more clothes he lightly sung to himself and was glad to be away from the flashing cameras.  When all his stuff was put away AJ set his empty bag down beside Eve’s and headed downstairs.  He was about to head to the living room when the doorbell rang.  A smile broke from his lips excited to see Kevin’s mom since it had been a while.  He unlocked the door and greeted her brightly but then the good happy relax feeling all went away when he saw Mats standing there.

His former friend said nothing as he shoved AJ into the house and slammed the door shut behind him.  AJ grabbed Mats around the collar and slammed him against the door.  The two struggled but AJ pushed him against the door hard as Mats tried to fight him off.

“I don’t know how you found out, I don’t know how you got here but you wasted your time, you’re not going to get to her.” AJ grunted angrily at Mats.

“Who says I haven’t already you think I drove myself out here?” Mats replied and it tripped AJ up long enough for Mats to push him off but then AJ composed himself and with more anger than before grabbed his ex friend again.

“Where is she you son of a bitch!” AJ shouted at him.

“Like I’d tell you.” Mats replied with a teasing laugh.  AJ pulled back his arm and sent his fist flying into Mats face.  This anger Mats and the man speared AJ to the floor both crashing hard.  AJ’s head struck the tile floor and stars and spots blocked his vision, then everything went blurry and then they started to go black.  He felt Mats grab him by the back of the shirt and pull him up.

“Naw I didn’t do anything to her buddy, I was just playin with ya.” Mats said as they walked down the hall.  “I came here to give you my congrats on the marriage.” He said as they stopped in front of a door way.  What ever Mats was looking for he didn’t find it in that room and continued down the hall.  “I’m sorry I wasn’t there and you had to settle on Kevin as your best man.” Mats said as he dragged AJ down the hall.  “Here we go, damn this place is huge.”

AJ tried to look around but his head was still spinning and starting to pound after the run in with Kevin’s floor.  He blinked hard and opened his eyes wide when he felt Mats set him down in a chair.  “I was happy dude, granted I was in jail but I was happy, you wanna know why?”

“Not really.” AJ mumbled as he tried to focus on the blurry person in front of him.

“I was happy!” Mats shouted at him and then began to tie AJ to the chair.  “Because I had Evie all to myself again, the things I had to do to have those two idiots watch her, take pictures for me, the things I had to do to get that stuff into jail.” And then Mats sighed.  “And then one day I get pictures from them of you and her, so I get them to send you a message and well we know how that turned out.”

“Yeah, an utter fail just like everything else you do.” AJ told him as Mats finished tying him up.  He was starting to freak out a little Eve would be coming home soon and he didn’t want her any where near Mats.

“Fuck you!” Mats shouted at him as he punched AJ.  AJ shouted in pain as Mats fist connected to his jaw.  His brain rattled in his head, the pounding was like someone hitting his head over and over with a sledge hammer, his sight went blurry again and he could taste blood in his mouth.  “You know here I am being nice, wishing you well on your marriage, I mean really, I never thought it would happen and to think you’ve been faithful with her, gotta say you shocked me.”

“Bite me douche bag.” AJ mumbled as he swallowed more spit and blood.

Mats laughed at him.  “Oh and I can’t forget the real reason why I’m here, to give you your wedding present.” Mats told him as he pulled a cd from the bag he had the rope in.  “I’m sure the ceremony was nice, I saw it was on a beach at sunset, not bad Mclean.”  AJ said nothing but just rolled his eyes.  “I’m sure you talked about spending the rest of your life with her and how you’d share everything with her and she would share everything with you.”  Mats put the cd into the DVD player and waited for it to turn on.  “It’s a little keep sake I had tucked away for when I got out and well I’m out so I picked it up, thought what a better wedding gift than giving you something that up until now, only Eve could share in.”

AJ looked at him confused and then when the picture came on and the sound started he looked at the television.  The footage was shaky at first and he could hear Mats talking about making sure it was in the right spot but there was another voice, it was muffled but it sounded very familiar. 

“Ok got it.” Thomas said as his face popped in front of the camera.  When he moved away AJ saw exactly what was being taped his eyes widened and then fell in anger.  He pulled and twisted trying to get loose.

“When I get my hands on you.” AJ growled as he stared at Mats.

“I haven’t seen this since before I broke into your house.” Mats said with a smile ignoring what AJ had to say.

“Now close the curtain and drive.” AJ heard Mats say from the television and for some odd reason AJ turned and looked.  “My sweet beautiful Eve.” Mats said as he laid beside Eve.  Her hands were tied behind her back; her hair was half in a pony tail probably messed up from struggling with Mats and Thomas.  “It’s not fare, I wanted you first.” He told her.  “Why is he so special? I know I could make you feel better than he ever could.”  AJ closed his eyes and turned his head as Mats began kissing her.  He could hear her crying, he could hear how scared she was and he could hear the pain in her voice as Mats forced himself onto her. AJ started to cry when he heard her cry out knowing that was the moment when…He closed his eyes tighter but it didn’t matter that he couldn’t see it, he could hear it, all of it, everything that Eve went through. 

Then without warning Mats grabbed him by the head and began to yell at him with almost a crazy anger.  “You wanted to share in her life, well this is it, share it enjoy it and live happily ever after with it!” AJ looked at his former friend so much anger flowed through him, so much hate and yet he found himself starting to laugh.  Even Mats found it confusing.  “What’s so damn funny?” Mats asked.

“You” AJ replied and Mats looked at him confused.  “You talk such a big game but that…”AJ said nodding to the TV. “Is the only way you can get her.  I’m the one she wants, the one she loves, she chose to be with me, and it’s my name she calls out when we’re alone in our bed.”

“Fuck you!” Mats shouted as he shoved AJ’s head away. 

AJ started laughing again.  “Hey since we’re going down memory lane, did I ever tell you what happened that night at the club? I mean you were so egger to know.” Mats didn’t say anything.  “Man she was something; I had her pinned against that booth wall and…”

Mats interrupted him with another shot to the jaw.  “Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!!!” This only made AJ laugh harder.

“Oh dude and that night when she asked me, no wait she begged me to take her to her room…” AJ told him and that was the last straw for Mats as he spun around and lunged at AJ wrapping his hands around his neck and he began to squeeze.  But then he stopped and grabbed AJ by the back of the hair.

“You think you’re so funny huh?” Mats hissed at him and then he turned up the TV.  “Do you hear that?” He asked.  “Hear her crying, your sweet beautiful Evie, your precious wife, listen to her cry Alex as I have my way with her.”

AJ turned his head and looked at Mats; he got an odd sense of déjà vu and then just like before pulled his head back and snapped it against Mats, sending the man crashing to the ground.  As Mats rolled around on the ground in pain AJ tuned into the TV again.

“My turn.” He heard Thomas say and he doesn’t know why but he looked again and at the moment wish he hadn’t.  He saw Eve lying on the floor of the van, she wasn’t crying, she wasn’t screaming, she was just lying there, and to him she looked almost dead. She probably was deep down inside at that moment.  Quickly he looked away and closed his eyes, the anger, the pain, both hers and his rushed through him.  AJ stood up as best he could and hobbled his way to the doorway to the hall.  With a quick apology to Kevin for busting up his chair AJ swung it against the wall and it started to break at the legs.  He swung it again and again until finally it broke, just as Mats was getting to his knees.  As the chair fell to the floor so did the ropes that were around him and with his arms free they reached for Mats as he stood up.