Page 42 of Ignite

Now? He’s unhinged.

“It’s all a game,” he mutters, yanking at his hair. “A sick and twisted game.”

“Are you high? Or drunk?” I ask.

His head snaps up. Red eyes. Wild stare. I’d say he’s high.

“No,” he snaps.

“Right. So what game are we playing? The one where I’m a stupid bitch who takes her cheating ex back? Because I’m not playing.”

I slip my phone out of my back pocket, careful not to let him see.

“We’re playing the one where his whore ex takes him back so she doesn’t die.”

My breath catches.

“I’m calling the cops, Ben.”

He lunges again.

His hand clamps around my wrist, and the phone goes flying. We crash to the floor.

Pain explodes across my forehead as I hit the side table. A scream tears from my throat.

“Get off me!”

I kick, hard, landing a shot to his stomach. He rolls off with a grunt, and I scramble away.

I grab the lamp from the floor, gripping it like a bat.

“I’m trying to save you! Hallie, I fucked up. I did something bad—and now I’m trying to stop it.”

I don’t care. He’s not going to scare me into taking him back.

I crawl to my phone, snatch it, and type 9-1-1. I hold it up, thumb poised over the call button.

“Get out or I’ll press dial. Your choice.”

I feel the blood trailing down my face, warm and sticky. My hands tremble.

His face twists with rage.

“You’ll fucking regret this. Good luck, Hallie.”

He storms out.

The door slams so hard the walls shake. Tires screech, and he’s gone.

I don’t move.

I just stand there, heart pounding against my ribs, breath ragged.

Then I sink to the ground. My knees give out. Tears stream down my face. My whole body trembles. I clutch my legs to my chest and try to breathe.

I’ve never feared for my life before. But that was terrifying. I don’t want to be here.

Bertie whines and nudges his nose against my shoulder. I bury my face in his fur. This is the one thing that grounds me. The only connection I have left to Dad.

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