Page 82 of Somewhere Without You
“I’m not scared of you,”I said, forcing calm into my voice and failingmiserably.“Not anymore.”
He paused, his smile twitching.“I’ll admit,thatnightwasn’tmy finest hour,”he said, straightening to his full height.“An unfortunate incident, to say the least.”
“An unfortunate incident?”I echoed, disbelief tightening in my throat.“You tried to kill me!”
Jackson took a small step back, as if the accusationhadstruckhim.“IfI wanted to kill you, I would have.”Likethatsomehow made it better—like beating your wifenearlyto deathwasjusta matter of miscommunication.
I scrambled to my feet, my heart crashing against my ribs. I gripped the spade tighter.“You need help,”I said, voice shaking.“You’re sick.”
He tilted his head.“Maybe, butthatdoesn’t erase our vows.Andlast I checked, you’re still my wife.”He swept a hand around us.“This little fantasy? It’s over. It’s time to come home.”
A chill crawled up my spine.
“I am home,”I bit outthrough clenched teeth.“AndI’m not going anywhere with you.”
Jackson’s face darkened—causing his charming mask to slip.Andfor a brief, chilling moment, the monster underneath emerged.
“Don’t make this harder than ithasto be,”he said, voice tight.“Youknewthis couldn’t last. Hiding out here, playing house like some broken little bird. It isn’t real, Emily.Andno matter where you go, I willalwaysfind you.”
I scanned the field, desperate for a glimpse of Winston—but all Isawwerelong shadows bleeding from the base of the mountains. The sunwasalmost gone, swallowed by dusk, and the moonwasalready rising like a warning. Hot panic surged through my veins.
“I’lljustkeep running,”I said, my voice trembling with false bravery. I took another step back, my spine meeting the back of the house. Ihadnowhere left to go.
Jackson’s jaw flexed.“You still don’tgetit, do you?”he said, advancing.“You’re mine. You always have been.”
“Iwasneveryours,”I spat.“You shattered everything the moment you laid a hand on me.”
A flicker of rage ignited in his blue eyes.“You think anyone else would want you?”he snarled.“Your own parents abandoned you. Your sister left the second shecould. I’m the only one who’s ever stayed. The only one who’s evertrulyloved you.”
“Your love is fucking poison,”I snapped.
Alowrustle sounded in the distance. My eyes flicked toward it—justfor a second.
Itwasall he needed.
Jackson lunged, his breath hot as he grabbed my face with both hands, fingers digging into my skin.
“You’ve always been such an ungrateful bitch,”he spat.
I struggled against him, the spade slipping from my grasp as his grip tightened. His thumbs pressed against my cheekbones, forcing my head back.
“Let go of me!”I thrashed, but hewasstronger. Rage and desperation burned in my chest as I tried to fight back.
“I gave you everything,”he growled. “Youbelongto me, Emily. Youoweme.”
“I don’t owe youanything!”I screamed, twisting hard.
Jackson grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked me forward. Pain exploded across my scalp as I hit the ground. I struggled for air as the breath knocked itself from my lungs.
“You never learn,”he sneered, towering over me.“MaybeI need to teach you another lesson.”
I curled onto my side, folding into myself as I braced for the inevitable blow.
Butit never came.
A sudden, sharp yelp cut between us.
I lifted my headjustin time toseeWinston snarling, his teeth sunk deep into Jackson’s ankle. Jackson reeled, trying to shake him off.
