He wielded a shard of broken glass, his lips pulled back in a feral smile, he slashed her thigh, tearing the flesh in a jagged line of searing pain. She screamed in agony. Him, sitting on her bloodied, welted back, pulling her hair and hacking at it. She tried desperately to scratch and claw at his hands over her head. Him, shoving her off the bed and onto the floor with a resounding thud. Him in a mindless rage, demanding over and over again, yelling at the top of his lungs, “Say you’ll come back. I’ll stop. Say it. Say you’ll come back.”
Him, whispering in her ear, his knee grinding into her spine, “You’re mine. Wherever you go, I’ll find you. You promised before God you’d be my obedient wife. Till death do us part. Death, Jenna. Say it.” The last he said with such menace, his voice became calm as a flat sea.
Her whisper, softer than his gasping breath, broke into his raging mind when all her screams went unheard.
“Never.”
Fear gripped her mind and heart like a vice, making it near impossible to speak the word.
“If you’re not with me, you might as well be dead.”
Him, hitting her in the head. Blessed blackness enveloped her.
How long have I been on this floor?
Alone, the silence and stillness in the small cottage reassured her. She couldn’t believe he found her again. God, had she really complained about the flowers left on her doorstep just to let her know he’d found her again, or the threatening notes left in her locked car or house? The late-night phone calls and hang-ups. His showing up at unexpected times and places. Those things were scary. This was . . . madness.
The first time he slapped her, she made the biggest mistake of her life and stayed with him. Because of his pleas and pretty words, she became his prisoner until his ugly words and petty jealousies forced her to flee. Now he had turned the game into a hunt. He would find her and release her, only to hunt her again at his whim.
She didn’t know how he found her, but he did . . . again. This time she remained hidden for over five months, longer than their marriage lasted. All she remembered of the last two years, always on guard, running for her life, never truly alive or safe, and once again it came down to this. He wanted her to know no matter where she went, she belonged to him, and he could find her anywhere.
Sometimes he begged her to come back. Be a family with him. They’d have children. Other times, he yelled and threw things. He blamed her for everything, including his hitting her. This time went beyond verbally abusing her and shoving her around. He raged. She would never be safe. One day he’d make good on his promise and kill her.
He certainly came close this time.
She took a moment to inventory all the aches and pains combining into the pounding throb throughout her body. A gash on her head just above her temple from the candlestick he used to knock her out. Blood dripped over the silver base to the floor where it lay beside her. The welts on her back hurt like hell. How many times did he lash her with the belt? Enough that the blood pooled along her spine. Her severely bruised ribs would heal in a couple weeks. He didn’t kick her that hard, probably because she was already out cold. Not as satisfying to kick her if she didn’t grunt and squeal in pain.
The most serious injury, a long cut on her upper thigh. Probably needed stitches. Not the first time she needed them. Wouldn’t be the last, the gruesome thought came to mind. Once the numbness wore off, she’d feel like a lump of soggy mud.
Sticky blood coated her right hand where it lay next to her leg. Like moving hundred-pound weights, she pressed herself up onto her hands, dragged her knees up under her, and sat back on her heels.
Well, I’m almost off the floor.
She waited a moment for the room to stop spinning and her stomach to settle. She grabbed the bedpost, hauled herself up to standing, her back and thigh screaming in agony. Deep breaths, the pain subsided in small increments. She’d learned to ignore it.
Get out. Get away. Hide.
Adrenaline pumping through her veins, the need to run, escape, overtook her and gave her the strength to do what