CHAPTER THIRTEEN
GRACIE-MAY
When I stepped up onto the porch and opened the front door, an ominous feeling made me nervous.
It could have been the unusual aroma, or the temperature being too cold – as if a window had been opened in my absence.
I searched my memory, wondering if Martha or I had left any windows open. I couldn’t be sure. Every instinct in me screamed at me to run. Hairs on the back of my neck stood on end, goosebumps pebbled over my skin. I walked in regardless. I stepped inside and clicked the door behind me, seconds later a baseball bat hit me sharp in the head. I felt the pain discharging through me and saw the second blow heading towards my abdomen.
“Where the hell have you been?” Ben shouted.
My body doubled over in protection mode. Ben wreaked of alcohol, his eyes were glassy, his stance aggressive and threatening.
I responded meekly to his question. “I was at work.”
“Bullshit! Who were you with?” He stepped up in my face and I shook with fear.
“Iwasat work.” I repeated quietly.
His fingers flew to my throat and tightened, forcing my head back against the wall. I attempted to turn my head, my hands dragged at his to release the pressure, but he held me too tight.
“You’re fucking cheating on me aren’t you? You fucking slut! Who were you with?” Spit landed on my face when he shouted.
Buzzing grew loud in my ears as oxygen was denied to my lungs. My heart slammed against my chest and I tried again to push him away but didn’t have the strength to compete with his alcohol-induced anger.
“Who were you with, Gracie-May?” He pressed harder on my neck and I felt bones giving under the pressure. Breathing became even more difficult. Black spots danced on the insides of my eyes.
“Work,” I squeaked out.
He released my throat and punched a hole in the drywall beside me. I shrunk away from him, putting as much distance between us as I could. I sucked huge gulps of air into my lungs, the sound of bees buzzing was loud in my ears.
I didn’t dare move any further until he turned and stormed away. My shoulders slumped and I bit my lip in an attempt to hold the tears back. I slid to the floor; my hands wrapped around my head. Blood seeped over my fingers from what I could feel was a large cut.
“Where have you been?” He flopped down on the sofa and lifted his feet to the coffee table. Dirt flaked off his boot onto the wood. My head felt foggy, I couldn’t remember what he’d just asked me. All I could feel was pain bouncing inside my brain and a burn lacing my throat.
“What?” I licked my bottom lip, tasting my own blood from biting down hard. The split from the previous beating had re-opened.
His boots slammed to the floor and he stood up in a swift movement. I froze when he turned his glare on me. I felt like a deer trapped in the headlights of an approaching Army truck.
He stalked towards me and I knew in that moment, being against the wall was a bad place to be. I started to haul myself up, the kitchen my goal. A sharp knife would act as a weapon against further onslaught. I wouldn’t hesitate to stab the prick if he started on me again.
Ben was too fast. He grabbed me by the long braid I’d weaved into my hair on the walk home, using my fingers as a brush.
Kaden was clear in my thoughts and how happy I was when I was with him. Moments later, reality slapped me in the face, I would never be free. I would never escape Ben.
I was yanked to an abrupt stop. I reached up in an attempt to release the hold he had on me but he jerked his arm and I smashed into his chest, almost knocking us both over. He wobbled on his prosthetic.
“Where the hell have you been?” His scream was maniacal. He twisted my hair in his fist, wrenching me down until I dropped to my knees. “I’ve been home for fucking hours waiting for your whore ass to get in.”
“I told you I was at work, let go, you’re hurting me!” The pain in my head was like someone had sliced me with a knife.
I felt something sharp against my back, it dug deep into me, a burning sensation crawled down my spine as stitches burst open on the unhealed gash . My lip continued to bleed and the previous slice to my neck screamed in pain along with the yet to heal injury to my eye.
He twisted the long hair around his hand and yanked hard. I screamed before he flung me away from him. I bounced off the wall and dropped to the floor, not moving. One hand was buried in the soft carpet, the other held my head where blood oozed into my hair. Had the soft locks not been under my fingertips, I would have sworn Ben had pulled my hair out.
“Fucking bullshit, bitch.” He spat at me in anger. “You’re not even wearing your fucking uniform. I ain’t no fucking fool.”
“No, you’re just a fucking drunk,” I breathed out quietly. I immediately cursed myself, I hadn’t spoken softly enough and he’d heard me.
