Page 17 of Hold Me Before You Go

Robert tilted his head to the side, studying my face. “It’s already starting to bruise,” he noted more so to himself than to me. I swore I could hear some fucked up sense of pride in his voice, remorse non-existent.

“I’ll call the police,” I threatened, my voice trembling.

My dear husband smiled then, a true, genuine smile, like the one he use to give me before we were married. “Then what, Carrie?”

I remained silent, glaring at him.

“Where would you go?” Robert pushed, chuckling slightly. “There’s no one who wants you, who would put up with you, let alone stand to be in your presence.”

He was a monster. My husband was nothing but a monster, and I’d been tricked into believing he would be my escape from the world I’d been born into. “I’ll go to Sullie’s,” I told him, venom building in my voice now.

Robert’s head cocked to the side violently, irritation in his shoulders. “What did you just say to me?”

Quickly, I realized my mistake, but the damage was done. There was nothing I could do.

He moved then, closing the distance between us like a snake, quick and swift. I tensed, bracing for his next strike and closing my eyes, but it never came. I felt his fuming breath on my forehead, his anger radiating from his body.

But when I looked up to his face, he wasn’t looking at me. Instead, his head was twisted to the right, his eyes on our front door.

Sunshine.

“Get out of here,” Robert commanded, throwing his arm out and stepping away from me, my punishment forgotten.

In the next second, the hunger pain was gone. I looked down at myself, a soft gasp leaving me. I was normal again. My body was full and healthy. My curves were showcased by a light pinkwrap dress, my feet in heels now. I looked back in the mirror. I was glowing now, the bruises gone.

“Did you fucking hear me? I said leave.”

Robert’s voice pulled my attention from the mirror, and then I looked to the door.

My breath caught, my heart halting.

My shadow man was here.

His tall, broad frame nearly filled the entire doorway. His eyes, once again, were hidden within the shadows, but I could feel them on me.

“Fight, baby,” he whispered to me, his rough voice like velvet. “You gotta fight for me.”

Robert and Leo were forgotten now as I took a step towards him, needing to be close to him. My hands fell to my sides, my heart thrumming hard now. “Don’t go this time,” I pleaded. “Stay here with me.”

“Fight, sunshine,” he ordered, his voice rough now. “I need you to focus on fighting. Nothing else.”

I took a few more steps, the shadow around him fading away. I reached for him, needing him. “Please,” I rasped.

Suddenly, he roared, “Wake up, Carrie! Wake up and fucking fight!”

My eyes shot open, and I gasped for air, my heart pounding in my ears. I checked my surroundings. I was still in the van, and it was still moving—quickly. Then, it hit me.

I wasn’t dizzy, and I didn’t feel like I was being weighed down.Could the drugs have worn off by now?Testing that theory, I moved my feet back and forth, and stifled a whimper.

I had control over my body again.

You can fight, Sunshine. Fight for me.

Grayson’s voice echoed in my mind, and I felt warm all over, a small flicker of hope igniting in my chest.

Twisting and arching my neck, I didn’t see much light coming from the window where Brandon and that woman sat.

It was nighttime once more.

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