Page 176 of Dagger

I rolled up on my toes and touched my mouth to his. “Go, John.”

With a final kiss on my cheek, he turned for the door and left.

I held the sink with both hands, staring into the mirror above it.

My face was smooth, and the only wrinkles I had were thin laughter lines you could only detect if you looked closely for them.

Robert forced me to get plastic surgery every year.

I’d had a facelift and Botox, which thankfully was starting to wear off. My breasts had been lifted, and my tummy tucked, although it was already concave flat since Robert kept me on a calorie deficit. I hated my surgery so much that I despised looking in the mirror because the reflection wasn’t me. I’d been his doll, his toy, his fucking punchbag, and he’d done that shit to me for the sole reason of getting one over on John.

Robert loved other men complimenting him on his beautiful wife. They’d gush, telling him how lucky he was that I never let myself go. He was such a liar and a hypocrite; he’d tell everybody how much he loved me and then, days later, turn up at a fancy restaurant, showing off his latest mistress, and the same men would clap him on the back proudly.

Robert Henderson didn’t know what love was. The asshole was so stupid he couldn’t tell the difference between love and obsession. He never loved me; he was obsessed with stealing me from John.

Turning away from the mirror, I pulled my clothes off and slipped John’s tee over my head. After brushing my teeth, flossing, and cleansing my skin, I folded everything into a neat pile, headed back into the bedroom, and carefully placed my clothes on a chair.

I switched on the lamp before turning the light off at the wall and, with a yawn, got into bed. The sheets were clean, crisp, and cool when I slipped under them. My heart fluttered when I caught John’s scent on the tee I wore.

The club run must have taken more out of me than I realized because the instant I closed my eyes, I felt myself nodding off, smiling as John’s sandalwood scent enveloped me.

I awoke with a start, and my still sleepy gaze fell on the floral drapes.

“Elise,” Robert murmured chillingly. “I’m back.”

My body locked, for a split second, ice filling my veins, and I started to shake violently. “G—Get out.”

His hand slid over my shoulder from behind, and I shoved him off. Every muscle in my body stretched taut, and every nerve-ending set alight. My breath sawed painfully through my burning lungs.

My frantic stare fell on my pink comforter, and I wailed, tearing my hand through my hair before hauling myself to my knees. Every hair on my body stood on end, and my skin burned.

Robert’s shadowy figure loomed before me, and his fingers curled around my arm.

“Don’t touch me,”I shrieked.“Don’t ever fucking touch me again.”My fingers balled into fists, and I swung hard, punching his temple.“Get out, get out, get out.”

“Elise,” he croaked, grabbing me again. “Calm down—”

Snarling, I leaped at him, clawing his skin with my fingernails, kicking and screaming.“I hate you,”I shrieked.“I fucking hate you.”I rained more blows down onto his head, screaming,“I don’t want you near me.”

A loud banging noise filled the room, and somebody bellowed, “Dad. Open the door.”

“Help me,”I screeched, wildly looking around the room, my shoulders slumping as all fight drained from my body. Scrambling from my bed, I fell to my knees and crawled to the corner of the room. “Please help me,” I begged, bursting into tears. Pulling my knees up to my chest, I hugged them, resting my face on them. I began to rock back and forth. “Please help me,” I whispered.

“It’s okay, Duchess,” John soothed.

“H—he’s here,” I stuttered through my chattering teeth. “He’s here.”

Chapter Thirty

Dagger

Leesy rocked back and forth, her cheeks aflame and her body wired.

“He’s here,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from screeching. “Don’t let him touch me, John.” She thrust her fingers through her hair, already wild from sleep.

Cash thumped on my door again and shouted, “What the fuck’s goin’ on?”

I held my shaking hands out toward my woman like I was calming a wounded animal. “It’s okay, baby. I won’t let him hurt you.”

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