Chapter One
Kory
Ten years later
“Mom, I’m fine, really.”
I’m thankful the lie comes out easily. I’m not used to lying, especially to my mom. I normally tell her everything, but I don’t want her to worry about me. I want her to have a good time on her vacation.
“It was just so fast. I thought you liked your job in Boston.”
“I did. I mean, it was okay.”
I’d taken the job at Bare Benefit right after I graduated from Harvard with a master’s in chemistry. Heck, they had me lined up for the job before I even graduated.
I took it because the pay was good and I’d grown to love Boston over the years. Plus, I got a little obsessed with makeup in college. New York still held bad memories for me, and I’d barely been back since high school. I’d only come for big holidays and I’d spend my time holed up in my mom’s house until I could leave again. I’d actually left high school before the school year ended. I tested out early, which was easy for me.
With such high scores in math, I had my pick of schools, and Harvard was still somewhat close to home. Even if I didn’t want to go home, I liked knowing my mom was close and I could go back any moment if I wanted to.
“I got offered a job here in the city. It’s a big raise and a promotion. They’ve been after me for a while.” I’ve turned down Pure Lush four times over the past two years. Which is crazy. It was a phenomenal offer. But when they called me the other day, it was like fate was stepping in. It was perfect timing.
I still feel bad about not giving my old job two weeks’ notice, but I had to get out of Boston as fast as I could.
“Oh, honey. I’m so happy you’re back.” My mom sniffles into the phone.
“We’ll see if you think that when you come back from vacation. I don’t know how long it’s going to take me to find a place in the city.”
“No rush,” she says hurriedly. I know she’d let me stay forever if I wanted.
“It’ll be easier for work if I live in the city. But I promise now that I’m back home we’ll spend a lot more time together,” I tell her, feeling a little guilty.
My mom lives at home alone. She’s a nurse and keeps busy, but I know the feeling of living alone, too. The solitude gets old at times.
Right now she’s off on a cruise in Alaska and won’t be back for a few weeks, which I’m thankful for. I can’t let her see me right now.
“You don’t know how happy that makes me, honey.” I feel guilt at her words.
Mom and I used to be so close when I was growing up. It was always the two of us. I know they say your mom shouldn’t be your best friend, but it wasn’t like I was some wild child.
If it hadn’t been for my mom when I was a kid, I wouldn’t have had any friends at all and would have lived inside one of the books I kept my face in most of the time. She’s always been so supportive of me, even when I wanted to leave high school early. She knew I had to go, and she made sure that I could.
“I love you, Mom. Go have fun,” I say in the happiest voice I can muster.
“I love you, too, honey,” she says, and we say our goodbyes.
I set my phone down on my childhood bed. Nothing has changed. Everything is how it was when I was in high school. I walk over to the mirror over my dresser and look at my lip. There’s a small crack in it, but some of the swelling has gone down. I lift up my shirt and look at the bruise on my ribs. They hurt way more than my lip, but a kick is a whole lot more punishing than a backhand to the face.
A tear slips free, and I wipe it away as fast as I can. I turn from the mirror and drop my shirt. I’m sick of crying. Sick of still being scared that Jason might come after me. He has to know I’m gone by now.
I did everything to cut off contact. I deleted old email accounts, left the city and even changed my phone number. But I know if he really wants to find me, he will. All he has to do is pull my employee file. I know I have my mom’s info as my in-case-of-emergency. I just can’t recall if I volunteered her address, too. I think it was only her phone number, and she didn’t say anything about getting a weird call. I would think she’d mention something like that.
Thinking about Jason makes a chill run up my spine and the need for a shower coat my skin. Heading toward the bathroom, I peel my clothes off and turn the water on as hot as I can stand it.
I’ve only ever dated once in my life. Well, I’m not even sure you can call it dating. Henry—my heart aches at the thought of him. It’s been ten years and my heart still does a funny flutter when I think of him.
He hurt me in a different way than Jason did, though, not that I ever dated Jason. But the hurt Jason left on my body will fade.
I grab the soap and wash my body, being careful over my ribs and trying to avoid looking at the discoloration while I do it.
I’m still not sure exactly what happened with Jason. It was like a switch just flipped. He was the owner of the company, and I thought we were friends. That the attention he gave me, the raises and promotions were because he respected my work. I thought he wanted to hear what I had to say and that he valued my opinions.
I thought.
Over time, his touches began to linger. Lunch meetings turned into dinner meetings, and the talk went from work to personal. He started pushing wine on me, then stronger drinks. What I thought was two people becoming friends was something much more sinister.
I didn’t have many friends, being as shy as I am. And it was even harder once I was promoted. I was head of my entire department, and no one wants to be friends with the boss.
Then one night Jason tried to kiss me. I pushed him away, shocked by the advance. Jason was married, and I’d even met his wife a few times. She seemed nice. I told him this wasn’t right and that I thought we were just friends. I only ever wanted to be friends. But he didn’t like what I had to say, and that’s where it all went wrong.
“You’re right, you’re right, Kory. I don’t know what I was thinking. Too much wine, and the wife and I are going through a hard time.” He shakes his head in what looks like regret. “Can I use your bathroom and I’ll be on my way? We can pretend this never happened and just go back to how things were.”
I hesitate for a moment but then nod, sliding my key into my door and opening it. “First door on the right,” I tell him, motioning down the hall. He shuts the front door. Before it even closes, the back of his hand strikes my face. The blow sends me to the floor.
Black spots dance in my vision. The taste of copper fills my mouth. Then a kick lands on my ribs, ripping the air from my lungs. Tears fill my eyes and leak down my face. “Jason!” I cry, still unable to believe this is happening. That he’s doing this to me.
My eyes flutter open. He’s leaning down over me. His face right in mine. “Don’t be such a fucking tease, Kory,” he says calmly, as if he isn’t attacking me. Everything about him seems calm. It’s like we’re talking about the weather or something.
“I’m sorry,” I force out. I don’t want him to hit me again. My lungs feel like they’re on fire. A slow smile pulls at his lips. I suddenly feel like a mouse caught in a trap, with the cat ready to pounce at any moment.
He grabs me, pulling me to my feet. My knees almost buckle, but he keeps me on my feet with his arm wrapped around me.
“Say my name again,” he barks at me, pulling me even tighter to him. I cry out his name in pain, the pressure he puts on my ribs almost too much to take.
He smiles even bigger as the black dots dance in my vision once again. Then he’s leaning down toward me, his intent to kiss me clear. Utter panic rolls though my body when I realize where this is going.
I cough and let the blood that filled my mouth spill out, coating my lips. He freezes, a look of disgust on his face. He releases me. I stumble back.
“I’m sorry,” I plead, trying to make it seem like an accident. “I didn’t mean to ruin our first kiss,” I lie. “I’ve never done this before,” I add.
“You’re a virgin?” he asks, sounding excited. I nod. He stands a little taller, puffing his chest out. A chill runs down my spine.
“I don’t want our first time to be like this,” I tell him, hoping that maybe I can calm him down. Get him out of here. Make him think I want this, too. “I was a little shocked you even wanted me. I’ve wanted you for so long. I got scared you would change your mind if you knew I was a virgin.”
He takes a step toward me. It takes everything in me not to retreat.
“Get yourself cleaned up.” His phone rings, startling both of us. He pulls it out of his pocket. I stand there, unsure what to do. He listens for a moment. “I’ll be home in a little bit, honey,” he says, and I know it’s his wife. The tone of his voice is so different than it was moments ago.
My heart pounds as I wonder what he’s going to do to me. He ends the call and puts the phone back in his pocket.
He takes another step toward me, tucking my hair behind my ear. A tear slides down my cheek.
“Don’t cry, sweetheart. She’ll be out of the picture soon enough and it will be just you and me.” My stomach rolls and I want to throw up. I try to keep from shaking. “I’ll be back tomorrow and we’ll do this right.” He sounds so sincere, as if he hadn’t beaten me only moments ago.
“Okay. I like that idea,” I lie once again. His eyes go to my mouth. My bloodied mouth.
“Tomorrow you’ll get your first everything.” With that, he turns and leaves. I stand there for a moment before I rush over and lock the door behind him.
He’s freaking crazy. I know I have to get out of here. I drop down on my sofa and let the tears fall for a moment.
Then I stand, knowing I need to put as much space as I can between me and this man, and I know where I want to go.
Home.
I turn off the shower, still not feeling like I washed Jason away. I can only hope he doesn’t come looking for me.