“Get out,” I demanded. “This ismyhome, and I don’t want you here.”
“That’s enough,” he snapped. I could see that his temper was rising, but I couldn’t back down. “I’m getting Dominic, and we’re all leaving.”
No way.
I blocked his way back to the kitchen, folding my arms across my chest. Jeff smacked me across the face in one fluid movement, apparently abandoning his unspoken rule about leaving no marks that could be seen. My cheek stung at the contact, and he put enough force into it to knock me off-balance. I gasped, and my hand flew to my cheek, gingerly touching the sensitive skin there.
“I told you,you never learn.But I’m going to teach you the hard way.”
I tried to fight him off, in a way that I hadn’t for years, but it was no good. I found myself shoved and slapped as he unleashed his anger. He wrapped one of his hands around my throat and squeezed, cutting off my air until my vision started to darken, and I thought I might pass out. Desperately, I reached up and dragged my fingernails across his face, drawing blood and a curse from his lips as he let go. I staggered away from him into the living room, but I hadn’t gone more than a couple of steps when Jeff was on me again.
Eventually, I ended up on the floor at his feet, and a swift kick to my ribs caused a sickening crunch, and a horrid pain bloomed. He’d definitely broken a couple of ribs with that move. I’d never experienced more than one of them fractured at a time. The resulting pain made me want to scream if only I could draw enough air into my lungs.
“Mom?”
Like a nightmare, I lifted my head and saw Dominic standing in the doorway, watching us with wide eyes.Shit.
“Get your shit packed,” Jeff said in a tone that suggested there was no room for argument. “We’re going home.”
Dominic’s dismayed expression turned to pure panic at those words.
“No,” I croaked out. “Dominic, get the hell out of here.”
“Shut up,” Jeff growled, but I ignored it. I needed Dominic to get the hell out of here.
“Run,” I told him, maintaining eye contact. “Leave the house right now. Don’t come back.”
Dominic only hesitated for a second. Then, he pivoted on his heel and raced back through the kitchen. I heard the back door slam into the wall as he ripped it open.
He was gone.
Thank God. I could endure whatever Jeff threw at me, but I didn’t want him setting his sights on my son. As I watched, he gritted his teeth and started to follow Dominic. I tried to get up and follow, but the screaming pain in my side made it impossible to move fast enough. I looked around wildly before spotting the baseball glove that Dominic had discarded on the floor after playing catch with Trainer yesterday. Grabbing it, I found the baseball inside.
Generally, luck didn’t appear to be on my side today, but when I lobbed the baseball in Jeff’s direction, it sailed through the air and hit Jeff right on the back of the head.
“Son of a bitch!” he yelled, his hand going to the back of his head. I could see that it hadn’t even drawn blood, and was slightly disappointed, but at least I’d gotten his attention.
“You must truly be crazy,” he said darkly as he advanced on me. I kicked out at him, to keep him away, the movement causing more pain in my ribs. He caught my foot and twisted it with a sick grin. I let out a scream of agony. “But you wanted my attention, and now you’ve got it.”
“I hate you,” I said, meaning it with every fiber of my being.
“I don’t care. You’re mine.”
How sick could he be?
“I’m with someone else now.” I wasn’t sure why I was telling him that. “And he’ll make you pay for this.”
“We’ll see about that.”
The next thing I knew, Jeff’s foot was coming toward my head. I flinched, but I wasn’t fast enough to stop him. The toe of his boot connected with my temple, and darkness swallowed me whole.
Twenty-Three
Trainer
“Are you going to place a bet?” Hawk asked, his notebook open in front of himself on the bar.
I was at The Blue Dog with Hawk, Swole, and Yoda to watch the UFC fight on the big flat screen. The place was full of people tossing back shots and getting geared up for what promised to be one hell of a fight.
