Page 105 of The Moment Promised

The corners of his lips curl into a crazed smile.

“I won’t hurt your little boyfriend,” he coos, bringing fingertips through my auburn hair in an uncharacteristically soothing way.

A cringe ripples through my body and I pull away but not before he yanks me by my hair. My neck is bent in a way that makes me cry out in pain. Tears prick my eyes.

“As long as you return my loving wife back to me,” he says.

Over my dead body.

“Oh, and not all fucking brain washed.” He lets my hair go, pushing my chest with strength so I fall back and hit my head against the wall.

I boil over, but he slams the door in my face right as I reach for him. I grab the door handle and push but I’m not fast enough, because it hits something and doesn’t budge.

“I’ll give you time to think it over,” he laughs.

He.

Fucking.

Laughs.

My consciousness comes in waves. I’m in and out of my own impending fate, only able to catch glimpses of it.

Here and there I hear Jason’s boots walking back and forth throughout my home. My nervous system knows what those boots mean and tries to protect me by releasing even more fight or flight hormones. But I do neither, I just sit and accept what was done to me.

The happy ending that’s being ripped so painfully from me.

I close my eyes and let a hazy memory sweep me up and away from here.

A raspy whisper digs into my subconscious, but not enough to wake me. I welcome it as a part of my dream.

“I shouldn’t tell you this, but it’s killing me.” Finn’s voice is comforting, and I try to open my eyes, but I’m tired. We’ve been on the boat all day. I’m not allowed to sleep at a boy’s house, but my mom told my dad I was with a girl friend from school. I’m probably the only girl in tenth grade that’s having a sleepover with a boy.

“You are the best thing that has ever happened to me.” I hear a smile in his voice. “You’re my favorite person in this entire world.”

Something soft presses against my shoulder, followed by a kiss sound. My entire body breaks out into goosebumps. Or maybe this is all just one very vivid dream I’ll forget about in the morning.

“Even if all I get to be in this life is your best friend, I’ll hang onto that title with pride. I know I may never get to call you mine, but I’m yours. I always have been.” Finn’s voice has dropped to an almost inaudible volume, as if he knows he’s not really talking to me. “Always will be.”

My dreams take over, but I still hear his voice.

“I know you are hurting right now, with everything happening at home. It’s painful to see you get knocked down, but I know you’ll get back up.” It’s quiet for a moment before the voice starts again. “You always do. I’m amazed every time youbrush yourself off and look life straight in the eye with bravery, you are the most amazing woman I’ve ever seen.”

The memory must awaken some dormant part of myself. I inhale a shaky breath, and slowly rise to my feet. I remind myself I’m not that little girl anymore.

I can fight, and I will.

I open the dryer, knowing my mother’s habit of leaving clothes in there and forgetting they exist. I grab a T-shirt, wipe the blood off me, pressing the cloth to my injury for a few minutes in hopes it clots.

I can kick and scream and beat at my chest, but that’s only going to get me as far as another injury. My head hurts, my muscles scream, all I want to do is shut my eyes and forget this is happening…but I can’t.

I refuse to lose without so much as a fight.

Happiness is an endless process and I plan to fight like hell for it. This isn’t the end of my story. I won’t allow it to be.

“Jason,” I call calmly.

My stomach sinks, I want to tumble over and die picturing the words I’m about to willingly speak.

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