As Dax shows me the massive house, I pretend to be excited, but I’m not. Not even the infinity pool, the sauna, the workout room, or my vintage-style walk-in closet filled with new designer clothes excites me. I can’t stop thinking about what Dax did. I’ve been trying to hide from the truth that has been staring me straight in the face. But I can’t hide from it any more.

Dax is just like my father. He’s controlling. He wants to marry me so he can own me. I’ll never be an equal in his eyes.

I’m relieved when the tour comes to an end and we settle in front of the fireplace in the master bedroom, with Dax admiring a portrait he’d had done of me. It doesn’t impress me either. And my mind is busy making plans for my future.

I decide that I’ll spend the night here because I’m too mentally exhausted to launch into another fight with Dax, but tomorrow I’ll go back to my landlord. Not to return my key, but to ask for my apartment back. Then I’ll take it from there. Tonight I just want to sleep. It’s easier said than done.

After Dax makes love to me and falls asleep, I close my eyes. Sleep refuses to come. There’s too much on my mind.

I need to talk to someone I trust. My sister comes to mind. We haven’t spoken since the day she told me she couldn’t come to the awards. Like Dax, she also doesn’t want to accept my acting career.

I sneak out of bed and tiptoe into my walk-in closet. The thick plush carpet muffles the sound of my steps.

I sink onto a cushioned vintage chair and call her. I need her so much right now.

“Does this call mean you’re no longer upset about me missing the awards?” She yawns.

“No.” I shake my head. “I mean, yes. I’m not upset.” My arguments with Christa now seem so petty compared to the issues I’m having with Dax.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there. I can explain.” She sighs. “I wanted to tell you, but you refused to answer my calls.”

“I’m sorry.” I rub my forehead. “You don’t have to. It really doesn’t matter anymore.”

“Yes, it does.” Christa coughs. “I couldn’t come because the day before I received news that... that the cancer is back.”

“No.” I tighten my sweaty hand around my phone as dread twists around my heart. “It’s not... why didn’t you—”

“I didn’t want to tell you because I wanted you to enjoy your big night. You worked so hard.” Her voice is growing husky. She’s crying. “I know I didn’t support your career, but you surprised me. You stuck it out. I’m proud of you, sis.”

“How bad is it?” My career at this point is not important.

Christa is quiet for far too long. When she speaks again, I have to strain my ears to hear her. “Worse than last time. It has spread to other parts of the body.”

“Please tell me they can do something. I’ll send more money.”

“No.” Christa’s tear-soaked voice is sharp. “You worked hard for that money. I don’t want you to waste it.”

Pain spreads through my chest on its way to the rest of my body. “Stop saying that. I’m your sister. I’m working for both of us.”

“It’s too late.”

“It’s never too late. We can fight this.”

“No, we can’t. They doctors say I won’t live past...” Christa blows her nose. “Six months or less. That’s all I have left.”

“I’m coming home tomorrow.” I lean forward until my forehead is resting on my knees. We both weep in silence. There are no words to erase the pain.

“Cheer me up,” Christa says finally. “Tell me about you and Dax. You looked happy on TV. Looks like I was wrong about him. I’m so happy for you. How are the wedding plans going?” As soon as Dax proposed, I told Christa and she did seem pleased for me. Dax had no family members to share the news with since he is an only child and both his parents are no longer alive.

I sit up straight again and wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. “I’m not.” I hiccup. “I’m not happy.” Fresh, hot tears flood my eyes again and before I know it, I’ve told her everything that happened in the last few days. When I come to the topic of the house, she echoes my fears about Dax. He’s controlling like papa was and she thinks if I marry him, it will be worse.

Before I can say more, the door to the closet opens and Dax walks in, his expression like thunder. I wipe away the tears quickly and hang up on my sister without thinking.

Dax doesn’t say anything to me as he stands in the doorway, watching me. I can’t even remember what I said to Christa anymore. How much did he hear? The vein throbbing at the side of his jaw tells me he’s furious.

I lower my gaze to my phone then back up at him. “Did I wake you?” I get to my feet.

No response comes from him as he takes a few steps into the small room. When he’s close enough, for a second I think he’s about to put his arms around me but, instead, he swings his hand back and brings it crashing against my cheek. Fire explodes under my skin and skyrockets to my brain.

My hand flies to my cheek to cover the part that has been assaulted, my eyes wide with horror, my heart clenched like a stone inside my chest.

“Oh my God,” I whisper. “Oh my God . . .” Fear claws through me as I back away from him until my back meets a wall. I slide down it to the carpeted floor, my hand clutching my chest, my cheek throbbing. “How dare you!”

He comes to tower over me. I cover my face with my hands to protect myself from the next blow, but it doesn’t come. Instead Dax falls to his knees in front of me.

“Oh God, baby. I’m so sorry.” He grabs me, pulling me to his body, hugging me and kissing my face all over, but I flinch away, curling up into a ball, tears streaming down my cheeks. “Don’t touch me. Don’t ever touch me.” I shove him away.

“Stop that.” He grabs me again, so tight I can’t move or breathe. “I love you, Emma.” He holds me to himself, his hand around my head, pressing me into his naked chest. “I don’t know what got into me. Those things you said to your sister . . .” He sucks in a breath. “You discussed our private business with her. You betrayed me.”

This time I succeed at pushing him away from me. “She’s my sister and I only told her the truth.”

He rakes a hand through his hair. “We’re about to get married. As a married couple, we have to keep some things private. We don’t want the press getting ahold of it.”

I sneer at him. “You’re afraid my sister will go to the press? Are you that paranoid?”

“You’re right. I’m sorry.” He squeezes his eyes shut and opens them again. “I—”

“I don’t care what you want to say. You’ll never lay a hand on me again.” My voice is sharp, determined. “If you ever touch me again, I’m leaving.” The truth is, I’m already done with him. He hit me once, he can do it again. I won’t end up like my mother. As soon as I’m out of this house, I’m not coming back.

“It will never happen again,” he says. “That man wasn’t me.”

I get up from the floor and go to the bathroom to splash my face with cold water. He follows me inside and watches me with a broken expression. I don’t care how much he begs. I don’t care how my body feels for him. I’m leaving. I just need to be careful so I don’t get hurt again. Right now, I’ll pretend I’m still in this relationship. He doesn’t need to know yet that I have one foot out the door.

“Your sister doesn’t like me, does she?”

I don’t say anything. Whatever I say could get me hurt. “That doesn’t matter. I’m still with you, am I not?” Not for long though.

“I just don’t appreciate you talking to her about me.”

“You can’t stop me from talking to my sister.” I spin around to face him. “She’s my family.”

“You don’t need another family. You’re about to build your own with me. Our family should come first.”

I lean against the sink, my eyes closed. I feel him come closer. He tries to put his arms around me but I step out of the bathroom. I don’t even stop in the bedroom but walk out the door. I’m about to descend the stairs when he snatches my arm.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“Away. Far away from you.” I say without wavering. I pull away again, but he yanks me hard and slams me against the nearest wall.

Air bursts from my lungs and spills from my lips in a croak as I struggle to breathe.

“The fuck you are.” His body presses me hard to the wall and his mouth finds my ear. “You’re never leaving me, Emma. You’re mine.”

“I’m not—”

He gives me a backhanded slap that shuts me up and makes my head swim with fear.