Free The Wolfs Maine by Jinni James

after the night we had." 
    "It's okay, I was just worried. So how was it with your cute boy toy?" 
    "Jaci, it was wonderful.  Although it seems like all I did was sleep.  So Nicholas called you?  What did he say?" 
    "He was just asking if you were with me. He doesn't sound too happy but when does he ever?" 
    "Great. Now I get to deal with that when I get home." 
    "Ava, have you ever thought of just bringing up moving out?  You never know he might want that as well." 
    "Trust me he might want that but he will never give up control like that, speaking of which I'm pulling into the drive way now. I promise I will text you later."
    "Okay Ava. Be safe and make sure you text me after you deal with your dead beat of a husband."  I hung up and was immediately nervous.  I did not want to walk through those doors.  I wanted to turn the car around and go back to Johns but that would make it even worse.  I need to go in the house and face my demons. 
    As I walked Nicholas was sitting in his chair in complete darkness and I begin to feel the panic in my veins. The panic worsened when Nicholas stands up and turns toward me.
    "Where have you been?"  Easy enough question right? Not for Nicholas. 
    "I was out paying bills."  He took a step towards me. 
    "It took you all day to pay bills?" 
    "Well I paid the bills and went to the mall.  I just needed out of this house."  He took another step towards me which put him in front of the window so now I could see the anger in his face. 
    "Why do you need out of this house Ava, excuse me I mean Avalon? You have anything you could possibly need right here in this house."  I could feel my blood start to boil. 
    "I don't have freedom in this house! Yes, I have every material thing I could need but I don't have freedom! You have turned this house into a glorified prison! Why do you want me to stay in this house all the time?" 
    "Because that is where you belong!"  I knew I should have kept my emotion in check because now he is flat out pissed off but now so am I. 
    "Where I belong? I do not belong cooped up in this house 24 hours a day 7 days week! I need to be out in the world, seeing people, seeing my friends!"  He took a few more steps towards me to where he was now inches away from my face. 
    "Is that where you were today Avalon? With friends?"  I took in a breath. 
    "I told you where I was Nicholas."  Nicholas lifted my chin with his hand so that I was looking him right in the eye. 
    "No my dear. You have not."  He dropped my chin and walked towards the bar. 
    "That explains it. You’re drunk."  He picked up his glass and poured himself another drink. 
    "I do not need to be drunk to know when my wife is lying to me. It's written all over your damn face!"  I absolutely hated when he used that word.  Since we had been living together for five years now he thought he could call me his ‘ wife ’ but I could never stand it.  Could he possibly know about John and if so how on Earth did he find out?  I started toward the stairs. 
    "I do not know what you are talking about Nicholas but I am going upstairs to lie down. You can continue drinking down here if you wish."  As I started up the stairs I heard a huge crash. He had thrown the glass right towards me. If I had taken one more step it would have hit me right in the back of the head.  Has he lost his mind? 
    "You do not walk away when I'm talking to you!"  I don't know what came over me but I was even madder than I was before. Now I am furious. 
    "If you were just talking to me I wouldn't walk away but given that you are drunk and yelling at me I feel as though walking away is the smartest thing I could do right now!" 
    "You don't know what smart is. If you were smart you would stay your ass in this house like I have told you." 
    "Nicholas, I am going upstairs."  As I walked up the stairs I could hear him pacing back and forth and all I could do is wonder what he was thinking.  Could he know about