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“Well, you would know,” I mumble before I even think about it. My eyes widen as I look up at Ryan.

Shit.

His eye twitches as he glares at me.

“What did you say?” he growls and I shake my head.

“Nothing.”

The next thing I know, his hand is gripping my jaw and forcing my gaze to his.

“Don’t lie to me.”

I struggle to free myself from his hold but he only grips me tighter.

“Let me go.”

His fingers press deeper into my skin and I cry out in pain. I swat at his hand and he releases my jaw to grab both wrists, squeezing so hard that he cuts off the circulation.

“Do you see what you’re making me do to you? If you would just tell me the truth and stop fighting me, this wouldn’t happen!”

“Let me go!” I scream, getting right up in his face, tears running down my cheeks.

“Do you even love me? Do you care that you embarrassed me? How could you do this to me? I give you everything! All I want to do is love you and take care of you but you won’t let me, and you force me to do this!”

“Let me go!”

“Fuck this! God, you are so mean to me. I don’t even know why I put up with you anymore. No other man would want you!” He finally releases me and takes a step back. “I’ll be in the bedroom. When you decide that you are ready to stop being a spoiled brat and apologize to me, you can come find me.”

With that, he turns and marches out of the room. As soon as I hear the door close, I fall to the floor, tearless sobs filling the room. I rub my wrists, gasping for breath as I try to come up with a plan. I’ve never felt so trapped in my life.

What happened? Where is the man I love? Where is the man that loves me? When I get my breathing back under control, I glance up at the front door.

Yes!

That’s what I’ll do. I will just leave for the night, give us both a chance to cool off, and then we can talk about this tomorrow. I get up off the floor and notice that Ryan’s keys aren’t hanging in their usual spot. I glance around the room as I hop around, trying to get my shoes on, and finally see them on the floor by the kitchen.

Oh, yeah…he threw them at the wall.

I make my way over to them and flinch when I pick them up and they jingle. I creep to the door as quietly as I can and turn the lock.

“Where do you think you’re going?” Ryan snarls from behind me as I pull the door open.

I jump and let out a small cry of surprise. Fight or flight kicks in and I throw the screen door open, praying I make it to the car before he catches me. Even as I’m doing it, I know I’m screwed.

A scream rips out of my body when Ryan’s arms wrap around my stomach and he hoists me up in the air.

“Shut up.” He carts me back into the house. He doesn’t release me until we’re back in the bedroom. He throws me across the room and I land with a thud on the floor. I glance up at him with tears pouring down my face as he advances on me. He grabs my face again and pulls me up so we’re nose-to-nose. “You think you get to leave me?”

“I wasn’t…” I start to say but stop when his fist connects with my stomach, knocking the wind out of me.

“Don’t you dare lie, you little whore. You need to apologize.”

I look up at him and try to force the words out but they feel so wrong. I didn’t do anything wrong. Why should I apologize to him? Slowly, I shake my head, watching the rage build in his eyes.

“No?” he asks.

I shake my head again. With his hand still firmly holding my face, he pulls my head away from the wall and slams it back into the drywall. I gasp at the pain that radiates through my skull.

“No?” he repeats.

What will he do if I refuse? Will he continue to slam my head into the wall? His fingers dig into my jaw and my mouth pops open.

“You’re hurting me,” I whisper, my voice scratchy and unrecognizable. He moves in closer, his breath wafting over my face.

“Don’t you see? You make me do this. If you really loved me, you would do what you’re told. Now, apologize.”

“I’m sorry.” Fear and guilt have me submitting to him.

He releases me immediately then steps back. My knees give out and I collapse to the floor. Without another word, he gets into bed and turns away from me. I gingerly stand and walk over to my side of the bed. As I pull the covers back and slide under them, I know that what he said is true. If I had just listened, then none of this would have happened. Another part of me wonders when the hell I became so weak.