A snarl rips through me as I slam both of my fists into Jay’s shoulders, landing hard and knocking into him with all my weight. I’m not used to this aggression. To this all-consuming rage, but when it comes to her, I can’t hold it back. She makes me feel a side of me I’ve never known. She makes me want more. And I want her all to myself.
Jay’s a fucking dead man.
He stumbles, smashing his shoulder and head against the bathroom wall. Before he gains his balance, I land a blow into his gut that nearly has him doubling over. But Jay’s taken enough punches to know how to handle them. He mutters under his breath, “Motherfucker!” while ramming his shoulder into my gut. My eyes shut tight with the spike of pain that shoots up my body.
My legs lose their balance as my boot backs into the tub, tripping me. I grit my teeth and cling to the shower curtain as it rips the bar down, falling violently with a loud clank into the tub behind me.
I fall hard on my knees and elbows onto the tile with Jay’s muscular frame crushing down on mine. I quickly wrap a leg around his calf and push my weight to the opposite shoulder, forcing him down on his back with me landing hard on his chest.
“She’s mine,” I tell him finally. “I won’t let you hurt her,” I say although I’m winded. He already has. He’s destroyed her and ruined something so beautiful and pure. “I fucking hate you,” I seethe at him.
My fist slams into the floor as I try to gain my balance and focus. It hurts like a bitch and splits my knuckles. My left hand grabs the collar of his shirt as I raise my bloodied right fist, eyes focusing on his pretty boy nose.
My breaths come in pants as he plants a punch on my left cheek before I’m able to gain my balance and take a swing at him. Fuck! I stagger back, both fists immediately going to my face to block any more punches. I land on my ass, but move to my feet the second I see Jay breathing heavy and struggling to get up.
“I hate you too,” he says with a smile. There’s blood coating his teeth as he sways in front of me. “I can’t tell you enough how much I fucking hate you.”
The venom in his voice is all too real, and I feel the same right back.
It’s me or him when it comes to Robin. “Between the two of us, she’ll choose me. Always,” he says as if reading my mind. The smile stays in place as he wipes the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.
He’s right. My heart beats hard at the recognition. She’d choose him. And I can’t fucking let it happen. She deserves so much more. Someone better than him.
My hands grip around his throat and at first, I feel flesh, real hot flesh that my fingers sink into, but the harder I push, the more I try to choke the life from this bastard, the less it feels real.
My vision shifts and he’s no longer in front of me. My fingers are no longer around his throat, but instead on the edge of the mirror.
“Fuck you!” he sneers and he’s back, his vicious eyes piercing into me with a threat of death and I smash my forehead against his.
Glass splinters against my forehead, it smashes around me. I hear the crack, I can fucking feel it, but when I open my eyes, he’s there staring back at me. A smile on his face as he bashes his head into mine again and again and again.
A punishing abuse until I’m standing in front of a broken mirror, clinging to the edges of it and his image fades, leaving only my reflection.
My heart races, and my head’s dizzy with pain throbbing and shooting through me.
Chapter 25
John
Twenty years ago
“Come on,” I say and my voice is low. So low. I can’t speak any louder, but she’s moving so slow. I’m afraid he’ll hear us. The keys jingle if I hold her hand. But I can’t let go of her.
My heart races, beating uncontrollably at the thought of what will happen if he catches us. If he finds out that we’re trying to escape.
He’ll kill us. I know he will. He’ll definitely kill my little bird. I can’t let that happen. I turn back to look at her over my shoulder.
Her heels dig in and scrape against the cement as she resists me, and her fingernails scratch at my wrist to let her go.
“We need to go now,” I tell her in a stern voice and her face crumples with fear. She shakes her head and her dirtied hair barely moves. Her eyes are wide with fear as she tells me, “We can’t.”
Her shoulders hunch when she hears the vicious barking of the dogs. “Close the door,” she begs me, but I refuse.
I can hear him banging on the door. I can hear my father screaming. I’m surrounded by threats, threats that are promises for me, but empty for her.
“Right now, Robin,” I say and grip her chin in my hand and look her in the eyes. “It’s now or never,” I tell her in a soft voice. My heart pains in my chest. Like nails scraping it slowly, shredding it piece by piece.
“I’m dead,” I tell her. “If I stay, I’m dead.” I only say those words for her. There’s no other choice for me.
