Page 1 of Brutal Savage

CHAPTER 1

ELARA

My fingers feather over my abdomen, my heart racing.

I wish it would all stop.

I need it to stop.

Because it hurts.

It hurts so much I can’t breathe.

I often wonder when it’ll actually stop hurting. When I’ll finally be able to breathe again.

Except that’ll never happen.

I’ll always live this way: in fear. Looking over my shoulder. Wondering when he’ll come back and finish what he started.

I’m in a constant loop of the past. Stuck in cement. Unable to climb out.

I want to.

I’ve tried.

Yet I still see his face.

Both of their faces.

My life has never been the same since I found out.

Since I was forced to do things no one should be forced to do.

So I knew I had to go.

And I made a plan to run.

When that day finally came, I did.

I left it all behind.

My life.

My past.

I tore off the woman I used to be, and in her place, I became Elara Hill.

Evelyn Connors was someone else. She had to be. I couldn’t be her anymore.

Foolishly, I thought leaving it all behind would be enough. But it wasn’t. Because I’m still here, reminded of what was.

Reminded of the betrayals.

The lies.

The pain.

I didn’t think I could get away. But I made a friend, Derek, who set me up with a whole new identity.

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