Page 2 of My Heart To Heal

‘Jesus, will you shut the fuck up. I had a long day. I’m going to take a shower.’

‘A long day?’

That was enough. My anger overtook my fear, and I stormed out from behind the counter toward him.

‘You had a long day?You.’ I pointed at him and saw the anger flare in his eyes, but I had to hold it together. I couldn’t back down this time. I always backed down — he always made me back down. ‘Ihave had a long goddam day, Bax.Ihave been on my feet all day, cutting hair.Idrove Jonah to mygrandpa’s, even thoughyoudon’t have a job and could be taking care of your son whileIgo to work to pay for all this.Ipicked him up, andIfed him, bathed him, got him ready to greet you when you walked your ass in here to the hot supperIstill managed to prepare, butyouhad a long day?’

‘Watch your mouth, Marissa.’

His nostrils flared as he stepped in my direction, and I knew what he was thinking — what he was capable of. I’d seen that look on his face before, so many times, but not this time. This time was for Jonah.

He stepped closer, and I froze, swallowing, and he laughed.

‘There she is.’ He reached up and gripped my jaw roughly, squeezing, forcing my face up to his. ‘I thought you’d forgotten your manners for a second there.’ He grinned, and it was cold and harsh as his hand moved to my throat, and he gripped lightly at first.

‘Bax, stop.’

That made him laugh and squeeze harder as he walked me backwards and pressed me firmly against the countertop. Jonah stirred in his chair, and I prayed for him to be quiet — prayed for him not to make himself a target.

Bax held me against the wall with one hand and brought the other to the button on my jeans, and tears pricked my eyes. Not again, not now, please, I thought, but I stayed quiet because my cries and pleas only made him worse and drove him on.

‘You goin’ to be good to me, Missy?’ His lips moved against my jaw as he unbuttoned and unzipped my jeans. ‘Show me how sorry you are for giving me attitude.’

As his hand yanked at the waistband of my jeans, the other one leaving my throat to make the job of undressing me easier, I reached behind me and grabbed the knife I’d been using to prepare dinner.

‘You need to stop,’ I said, my voice trembling as much as my hands as he looked up, and I brought the knife around, pointing it at his face and then, as he straightened, moving my aim somewhere between his chest and his stomach. Not this time, not anymore.

He laughed, a humorless, clipped laugh. ‘You goin’ to stab me, bitch?’

‘Not if you back the fuck away, Bax.’

He laughed harder now, but his eyes widened slightly, and that was what I needed, that flicker of uncertainty, maybe even fear that I might be capable of it. He knew he’d pushed me too far — who knewwhat I could be capable of at this point? He stepped back —I won.

‘I’m not doing this with you anymore.’ My voice trembled with all the emotions, the fear, and the adrenaline that ran through me as he grinned. I stepped back and held the knife up the whole time. ‘Get out of my apartment, Bax. Get the fuck away from us.’

‘Thank God.’ He laughed, a cold, dark laugh that made my entire body tense up. ‘It’s about damn time.’ He picked up the jacket he’d just taken off. ‘I was done with you before we even got started.’

‘Why’d you stay? Why did you…?’ I didn’t finish the question as I stepped close and I held my breath, waiting.

‘You made it too easy, you dumb bitch. You paid my bills, cooked my food,andopened your legs, and what can I say? I like the way you look after you take a beating like a dog.’ He laughed and walked toward the door. ‘I’ll be back for my shit — guess I’ll go and get my dick sucked for the second time tonight.’

He slammed the door behind him, causing Jonah to startle and cry. My breath rushed out of me in a silent scream, and I put down the knife, staring at it for a second, calming my shaking hands before I picked up my baby, holding him close, and I cried with him, but I felt nothing but relief.

I’d done it. Now, I just had to figure out what was next.

HenryFucking Cavill Hot

Missy

I’m excited. Like, crazyexcited, kid at Christmas excited.Jeez, I really have no life. Standing at the airport to meet a complete stranger, I can barely contain myself, certain this woman, who I know nothing about, is going to become my new best friend.

Cara is my grandpa’s dead wife’s granddaughter. I have no idea what relation that makes us, if any at all, but I do know that we’re the same age, and she knows nobody else here; she didn’t even know her own grandmother.

Roberta married Grandpa when I was six, and she was wonderful. Losing her a couple of months ago was devastating, and then losing Grandpa when he couldn’t bear to live in that house without her and moved back to Montana was even worse. I have my Jonah, but it’s been lonely.

I watch as people start to file through, carrying bags, pulling cases, greeting loved ones, and driversholding up name cards. I don’t know what Cara looks like, but when I see a lost-looking blond, I know that must be her.

‘Cara?’ I ask as I approach, waving and grinning because, apparently, I’ve lost all self-control.

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