in the air. “I give up. I give up, okay?” I had exhausted every option and there were no more left. I walked down the hall. I didn’t know where I was going but I knew I had to get away before things got worse. “I’m leaving.”
“Like hell,” Wes said behind me.
The next thing I knew, two hands were wrapped around my shoulders. I was spun around and backed up until my head slammed against the wall. My skull started to pound. I saw nothing but black spots dancing in front of my eyes. I went to push Wes away but it was like trying to push a boulder. There was a sadistic look in his eyes, as though he took pleasure in causing pain. His fingers curled around my wrists and held them between us.
I stood there scared, trying to figure out the quickest way to escape. A dark smile spread across his face as he removed his hands, only to curl them around my neck and start to choke me. All the air left my lungs. I wanted to collapse. I slapped at his hands, wheezing to take a breath. My actions just made him laugh. I wanted to curl up in a ball. Shocks of pain ran through my body. Desperately, I slapped at his hands.
He pressed harder, and the edges around my vision started to fade.
This isn’t happening.
It can’t.
Then he dropped his hands and took a step back.
My hands curled around my knees as I hunched over and sucked in all the air I could. My lungs felt like they were on fire. So much pain. I wanted to cry but no tears formed. My mouth opened. There were no words. Just small gasps.
My head lifted and I found Wes staring at me, a blank look on his face. “Find someone who can love you better than I do. Find him! Where is he?” he whispered urgently. His fingers curled around my biceps, digging into my skin.
The hallway was starting to grow dim. Wes was swaying, multiplying all around me. I thought I was going to pass out.
“He’s standing right in front of you, Victoria. I am him. I am the only man who will love you.”
His hand landed on the crown of my head. For a second, I thought he was going to slam it against the wall and kill me. Right then, a part of me didn’t care. But all he did was pat my head, like I was some unruly pet.
“I’m not letting you go.” His thumb and forefinger curled around my jaw, making me look up at him.
We stood there, looking at each other. I was fighting to breathe. He was fighting for control of me. The whole time I was bracing myself.
He held me for a moment longer and then I finally panted out: “You’re hurting me.”
“Good.” His hands lowered at the same time his forehead touched mine. “Now you can see how much you hurt me. I love you, Victoria.”
With a husband like mine, I’ll never need an enemy.
—
I woke up the next morning slightly disoriented. The sheets were stiff, and freshly washed. Sunlight was blaringly bright, shining on my face. That was all wrong; I always close the blinds at night. But then I realized that I was still in the guest bedroom. There was no way in hell I wanted to sleep in the same bed with Wes the night before. That was like sleeping with the devil.
Wes knocked on the door sometime around two this morning, but I never let him in.
I sat up. Across the room a mirror was mounted on the wall. Even from here I could see my eyes were puffy from shedding so many tears. Surprisingly, there were no bruises on my neck. If it weren’t for my sore muscles, I would have thought the entire horrific scene had never happened.
I dropped my face into my hands and groaned. What happened last night was grounds for leaving someone. I knew that. Yet I was petrified. Scared to live with him and scared to run away from him.
I didn’t know what he was capable of and that was the most terrifying thing of all.
I pulled back the covers and went to get up when I saw something out of the corner of my eye. On the pillow next to mine was a navy blue box with a small white bow on top. A note was folded up next to it. I opened the gift