“Running won’t save you, bitch!”

Angry. Terrifying. The bark of a voice that once sounded kind, soft even. The anger of a man that I once called my boyfriend. The love of my life. The man I wanted to spend eternity with. How can one change so quickly? How can someone go from loving to a monster in a matter of months? How can everything good be stripped from their soul, only to be replaced with ugliness?

So much ugliness.

I know the answer to that.

Drugs.

I reach the trees and take a staggering breath before shoving my body amongst them. I’m right. Skin is torn from my arms, I’m being scratched and scraped at every turn, but they’re sheltering me. Even in their worst moments, they’re sheltering me, and I’m grateful for their protection.

“If you don’t fucking stop, it’ll fucking hurt!”

Threats.

Only they’re not really threats, they’re promises. If he gets hold of me. If his hands curl around my throat, if his fists find my face, if his feet find my body, those threats will be promises. And I’ll hurt.

I’m so tired of hurting.

I’m not sure that running will do me any good. I don’t honestly know that it’ll help anything. But I’ll do whatever it takes. Even if it means I fail. I’ll fight with the last piece of strength I have left. I will because I have to. Because I want to. Because I need to taste freedom on my tongue again. I need to remember what it feels like to not be afraid.

Panting, I push deeper and deeper into the trees. Where I’m going to go, I don’t know. I’ll find somewhere. I’ll start again. I’ll change my name. I’ll do whatever it takes. I will.

My hands go out in front of me, shoving branches out of the way as my feet navigate the thick woodlands that surround me. It’s dead silent. Not a sound to be heard. Do they all hear him coming and run too? Do the animals duck for shelter? Do the birds fly away?

They’d be smart to.

Run, run.

I’m nearly there.

I’m nearly free.

I’m nearly ...

A hand curls around my throat, jerking me backwards. Pain explodes in my body as something tugs my hair so hard my eyes water. My feet give way, I fall backwards into a hard, muscled chest. No. No please. I was so close. I was so damned close. I could taste it. I could feel it.

Please.

“You’re going to wish you never fucking did that.”

The hiss in my ear comes only moments before a fist hits the side of my head so hard my world goes black.

I was so close.

“Get up!”

My eyes flutter open, and I realize I’m being dragged across the floor. The hands around my arm are brutal, and they’re pulling with a ferocity that terrifies me. I start squirming immediately. My head pounds. My body aches. And I know he’s brought me home.

I was so close.

So. Damned. Close.

“What were you running for?” he bellows. “Running to another fucking man? I knew you were cheating on me. You little fucking bitch. I’ll make sure no man ever fucking touches you again.”

My blood runs cold.

“York, stop, please!”

Rae’s voice calls out from somewhere, I don’t know where, but it seems almost distant.

“I won’t have any woman of mine disrespecting me and trying to leave me for another man.”

My body is thrown across the room, but I have no energy left. My legs won’t work. I feel numb, weak. I look up at York, and see him striding towards me with ... No. No. I scurry backwards, trying to flip myself to my hands and knees, but I’m in so much agony. My head is spinning. Why can’t I stop?

“Rae!” I scream. “Rae!”

“Stop, York, please!” Rae cries.

“I’ll make sure you never look in a different direction again.”

He grabs hold of my ankle, jerking me towards him. I kick, claw, scratch, do whatever I can but nothing works. Nothing works. He’s too strong. Too big. He pins me with his body, and fear unlike anything I’ve ever felt floods my veins. No. Please. Someone help me.

“Rae!” I scream again. “Oh, God. Please. York. Don’t.”

“No,” Rae screams, over and over. “York, no!”

The first plunge of the knife brings an agony I’ll never forget. A burning fire that rips through my body. My screams become gurgled, and I can no longer make sense of the world around me. Blood soaks my clothes, and I know this is it.

He’s going to kill me.

The knife drives into me again.

I don’t care anymore.

Now I want to die.

I want this pain to end.

 

 

CHAPTER 24

NOW – BAYLEE

“Thank you so much,” I say to Shania, wrapping my arms around her and hugging her close. “I had such an amazing time, I really needed it.”

“You’re so welcome. But, I’m not leaving until you give me all the juicy details.”

I flush and she claps her hands together. “Oh, my God,” she squeals. “And juicy details there are!”

“Shhh.” I laugh. “I don’t want Rae to hear, the last thing I need is more of her attitude.”

Shania waves a hand dismissively. “She’s far too round to do much but sleep and complain these days, you’re safe. Now. Spill.”

“Well, I told him about York. Not all of it, but I showed him the scars and told him what happened. He was so kind, Shan. God, he made me feel so beautiful. He didn’t freak out. He just took it for what it was. I was always so afraid someone would look at me and think I was hideous, but he looked at me with such affection, and warmth, it was beautiful.”

“Aw,” she says, pressing her hands to her heart. “I knew he was a good one.”

I giggle. “Anyway, we, you know ... on the beach.”

“You what?” she squeals. “Oh, my God. I need to know it all. Was he good? Big? Was it incredible? Painful?”

I put a hand up. “Slow down, tiger. I’m getting there. Yes, it was incredible. God, it was so amazing.”

“And his ... you know ...” She holds her hands apart, indicating a size.

I roll my eyes. “Let’s just say, he has absolutely nothing to complain about.”

“Gosh, I’m so happy for you. Seriously.” She sighs. “You deserve this more than anyone I know.”