**VIEWER WARNING** CONTAINS AN ATTEMPTED RAPE!!
The next morning Astera stood infront of her pick-up truck, with her eyes closed. She really didn't want to do what she was about to, but she had made a promise to Edie. She needed to be great to Edie, for fear of what Ria would do with the picture that she had of Astera and Dave.
Astera opened her eyes just as she turned on the hose. She slowly unbuttoned the long blouse she had on, before stepping out of her tennis skirt. She stood there in a black bikini, showing off her toned body. She sighed, and slowly walked up to the truck, running the water over some of the more dirty parts.
She could tell that a few joggers looked at her as they passed her, but she ignored it. The sooner this was over with the better. She felt a tap on her shoulder, and she turned, slightly annoyed. Her expression softened when she saw Edie standing there.
"Edie," Astera said, with a small nod. "Hey, not a bad choice… not a bad figure… I say that we are ready to go," Edie said, with a wink. She looked a few houses down and saw Dave walking over to the mailbox. Edie winked at Astera again, before taking off down the street.
Astera sighed, before slipping on her sunglasses. At least it offered some kind of cover. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Edie tap Dave's shoulder, before pointing towards her. Dave followed Edie's gaze, before turning back to her.
Edie stood up on her toes slightly and kissed Dave's cheek, before running inside. Astera watched as he stared at her for a few seconds, before making his way towards her. Astera bit her lip slightly. She wasn't going to fall for any of Dave's charms… nothing was going to happen between the two of them.
Finally, the footsteps stopped directly behind her. "Are you trying to make this hard for me?" Dave hissed.
She turned around abruptly. "I don't know what you're talking about. You've seen me in nothing at all… so how is THIS torture? Its not like I'm running through the streets naked or anything…" she stated.
Dave smirked slightly. "Still as snappy as ever… I like it. For someone who apparently doesn't want to be together anymore… you can't seem to stay away from me," he said, moving to step closer.
Astera moved the nozzle so it pointed at him. "Don't test me Dave… I'll soak that suit…" Astera stated. "See, another excuse to get me with my clothes off…" Dave said, with a small smirk.
Astera shook her head, rolling her eyes behind her sunglasses. " Dave… Edie knows something is going on. She asked me to try to get it out of you… see if you were having an affair…." Astera stated.
"Does she really?" Dave questioned. "Don't play dumb Dave! Apparently you won't have sex with her, you won't let her seduce you and you walk around moping all the time. What the hell is that all about?" Astera questioned.
"I've been feeling rather exhausted lately… not exactly in the mood…" Dave stated. "Why? Because we are over?" Astera questioned. "Hey… Mike home today?" Dave asked, looking around.
"Don't change the subject on me, David Williams!" Astera snapped. "Feisty, I like it…" Dave stated. Astera's face curled up in slight disgust, before she slapped him across the face.
When he turned to face her again, she saw a look in his eyes that she never saw before. It was a look of some form of a deep anger, but even though the look sent chills down her spine, Astera refused to let the look spread to her face. Thank God for the sunglasses.
"Is it because we are over?" Astera asked, in a softer tone. Dave averted his gaze for a second, before looking back at her. "I miss you…" he stated. Astera scoffed slightly, before folding her arms across her chest.
"Don't even go there Dave…" she said. "I'm serious," Dave replied. "And I'm serious when I say… its over. Its too risky and quite frankly… you have a wife. A wife you're supposed to love, did you not make that promise?" Astera questioned.
Dave looked away, and Astera shook her head. "I have to go now…" she said, walking back towards the house.
………………………………………..
After sending a text to Edie confirming that ther e was no affair, Astera decided to take a shower. She always thought best when she was in the shower. Mike was out again with Katherine. She remembered him mentioning something about a 'camping trip' with him, Katherine and Dave but Astera refused to go. Camping was fun, but it was too risky.
Something about being in the woods in a cabin with Dave gave her the idea that it would be all too tempting, for him more than her. Not only the fact that Ria would automatically suspect something. Astera hadn't even seen Ria that day. She had apparently gone on a shopping trip with Gabby and Bree.
How Ria got herself on that trip, Astera had no idea. But the further Ria was from Astera, the better.
After brushing and combing her wet blonde hair, she slid her bra and underwear back on. She slid on a pink bathrobe on. Mike could pop in at any second, and if she wanted to get changed into normal clothes she still had to walk across the hallway and running into Mike in the nude, a towel or just plain underwear would have been so awkward and embarrassing.
As Astera made her way across the hall, she noticed that the front door was still slightly cracked open. She groaned, muttering she had locked it. After successfully locking it, she ran back up the steps and headed towards her room.
She stepped in and closed the door, only to gasp seconds later. Dave locked the door, before turning to face her. "We need to talk, Astera…" he said, approaching her with a small smirk.
Astera slowly began to back up, shaking her head. "Dave, what are you doing?" Astera questioned. Her voice was trembling and her body was shaking.
"Astera, I know that you still want to be with me…" Dave stated, taking larger strides to get to her. Astera continued to retreat, her eyes not leaving his. What Dave said may have been true, but she refused to even let a hint of that show.
"No, Dave. For one… its too risky…"
"What's life without a little risk now and then?" Dave questioned. Astera felt her back hit the wall. Crap.
"Risk free…" she said, after a moment of thinking.
Dave stepped so his face was inches from hers, and he pushed a strand of her hair behind her left ear.
"Dave, please don't…" Astera said, shaking again.
"Shhh… don't talk. Just let our bodies do what they want…" he said, before stepping so his chest crushed hers. "Mine wants yours…" he hissed. Astera's eyes widened in slight fear, and she ducked under his arm that braced the wall. She turned to face him, to see him turn around, looking slightly annoyed.
Astera felt the back of her knees touch the bed, before she fell over backwards. Christ no…
Dave seized the opportunity to rush over, pinning her body to the bed with his own. "Why do you have to make this so difficult?" he questioned, before forcing his lips on hers. He held her wrists down, his body overpowering hers.
Astera began to struggle underneath of his weight. All old feelings she had for him were now starting to fade as this animal he now was attempted to force himself on her.
Dave moved to her neck, giving her a series of kisses and hard bites.
"Dave… please stop! Dave, stop!" Astera wailed, trying to throw him off.
Dave ignored her requests, and grabbed the tie of the robe before pulling it, exposing her bare skin and her bra and underwear.
Dave's eyes met hers, and once again she saw the look in his eyes. It wasn't the look of the sweet old Dave she had known, the sweet old Dave she had grown close to. No, this was a Dave who only cared about what his animal instincts wanted.
She began to struggle again, and she felt Dave's grip tighten on her. "Stop moving!" he snapped. Astera felt a few hot tears spring from her eyes, and she squeezed them shut.
"Dave… you're hurting me…please…stop…"
Dave either didn't hear her, or he chose not to. Astera felt him kiss her stomach, and his kisses slowly made their way up her body. She felt them pass through her chest and she began to shake with a combination of anger, self loathing, hate and frustration.
Dave's face was once again infront of hers, and his lips crashed onto hers. She tried to resist, but he pushed her body further down into the bed.
"Kiss me now…" he demanded.
"Dave, please don't make me…."
"I said NOW, Astera…" Dave hissed.
Astera squeezed her eyes shut again, as she returned Dave's kiss. She could feel him getting more intimate, his hands touching…exploring…groping her body.
It was then she felt him go stiff and rigid. She felt his weight lift up slightly, and she opened his eyes to see him looking at her. His eyes were full of pure shock, and his jaw dropped slightly.
She could feel more tears spill down her cheeks, as he continued to look at her.
"Oh my god…. What am I doing? What have I done?" Dave asked, sliding off of her.
Astera's brow furrowed in confusion, and she curled up, cautiously. Dave's hands looked at her wrists, which were now bruised.
"No… I couldn't… no… please tell me…." He began to shake his head, and back away from her.
Astera slowly slid out of the bed. Something really weird was going on with Dave, this was most definitely not him.
"Dave…" she stated, cautiously approaching him. Dave held up a hand, and shook his head.
"No… stay there. I don't want it to happen again. Please… I don't want to hurt you…" Dave stated, his voice sounding slightly panicked.
"Dave, what's wrong?" Astera asked, touching his arm.
"Don't touch me!" Dave snapped, drawing away. Astera watched in shock as Dave backed out of the room, before rushing down the steps. She heard the door slam, and she looked down at her bruised wrists. There was something wrong with Dave Williams, and she had every intention on finding out what that was.
………………………………………………
Ria laughed as she walked into Gabby's house with Bree and Gabby. "That was a fun trip, wasn't it Ria?" Bree questioned. "Most definetly… we should do it again sometime…" Ria stated.
"Ria, are you feeling better now? You disappeared in the bathroom for quite some time…" Bree stated, lightly touching Ria's shoulder.
At least that's what Ria wanted them to think. Ria had infact snuck away to the shop around the corner from the bathroom. There she had picked up three new hunting knives, ordered a rifle and bought a few bottles of rat poision.
"I do feel better now…thanks for asking…" Ria stated, with a grateful smile. She turned to look at Gabby to show her the same reassuring smile. The Solis family had no idea how bad they had it coming, all Ria had to do was keep smiling.
…………………………………………………………….
It had been three days since Astera last spoke to Dave. She had waited until she knew Edie was going to be out of the house, before making her move. She knocked on the door, and it opened almost immediatley. She saw Dave's wide smile, but once he saw her his smile slowly faded.
"Astera…" he said, looking at the ground. "We need to talk, Dave…" Astera said, pushing him back with one hand on the center of his chest so she stepped in the house.
She turned and closed the door, before turning back to look at him. "Dave look I think we…." She paused when she saw him staring down at her wrist that was still on the center of his chest.
His eyes grazed over the bruise. "I did that…" he stated. Before Astera could reply, Dave took her hand and lightly began to kiss her bruise. She winced slightly at the contact, but her eyes never left his face.
Once he was done, Dave brought her hand to resume the place it had been in before on his chest.
"Astera… I'm so sorry…" he said, his steele blue eyes looking directly into her amber brown ones. He looked away before adding. "I had a really rough week…" Dave stated.
"Dave things like this don't just happen because you had a bad week. Tell me what's really wrong…" Astera stated.
Dave turned to face her. "Please don't leave me, Astera…" he stated. Astera went to reply, but Dave cut her off by placing a finger on her lips. "I know what you are going to say… but everytime I hear you say it… it makes me even more weak…" he stated.
His finger slowly ran over the curves of her lips. "I just wanted to kiss you again…and to hold you…" Dave stated. Astera took his other hand in hers and brought his hand to her chest, so they stood with each other's hand against their chest.
"Dave, I know… its been hard for me too. Edie is lucky to have had a man like you say 'I do' to her… you're a great guy… but you need to show that to your wife," Astera stated.
"But…I want you…"
"I know, Dave. But you don't-"
"I love you…"
Astera froze for a second, as she stared up at Dave. "What?" she questioned, alittle more bitingly then she had intended.
"I… love you…" Dave stated, his eyes looking into hers.
Astera closed her eyes and looked at the ground. "Look…Dave…"
"I still love Lilia, I love Edie… and I love you. I don't know what to do…" Dave spoke up again, his eyes darting to the other side of the room.
Astera looked back up at him to see tears welling up in his eyes. "Stay with Edie, Dave. She loves you, and she is your wife…"
Dave turned back to look at her and he threw an attempt of a charming smile at her. "Look at me, sounding all melodramatic. I'm not usually one to cry about this kind of cheesy thing…" he said.
Astera smiled slightly, as she saw another tear slide down his cheek. She stepped closer to him, before embracing him tightly. She felt him bury his face in her shoulder, and he stroked the back of her head.
"I'm sorry, Astera… I never
wanted to hurt you…
"It's okay, Dave… I know…"
He pulled away enough to look at her, and he smiled slightly. Astera tilted her head. "Kiss goodbye?" she questioned. Dave turned so she moved to kiss her cheek, but Astera shook her head.
Dave looked at her, confused. Astera slowly brought her face close to his, before their lips met in a soft kiss. Astera pulled away after a few seconds.
"Don't worry Dave, we are still going to be friends…" she said with a smile. Dave returned the smile, before watching her leave and rush down the street.
Dave leaned against the doorframe and watched her. "And I'm still going to love you…" he whispered softly.
