Page 4 of Love Me Gently

I gagged. “Gross, Val.”

“I wasn’t born and raised a sweet Southern Baptist,” she teased. “I’m allowed to be.”

Fat lot of good that upbringing did me now.

Till death do we part…

I’d never thought the vow would be a bad thing… but that was before… back when I was naïve to the true horrors of the world.

“You look beautiful.”

I stood tall and lithe on heels, in my silk nightgown and robe Jonathan insisted I wear when he was home. At one time in my life, I’d been called a doll.

Now I was forced to dress and behave like one.

“Thank you. How was your day?”

“Better than yesterday. You were home early.”

“I wanted to make sure everything was perfect for you.” I plastered on a smile and handed Jonathan his drink. The table was set, the salad and sides ready. The roast was cooling on the stove.

Jonathan sipped his bourbon, thumb playing with his wedding band that had left me cut last night. I was certain I saw an excited gleam in his eye as he caught sight of the mark.

Normally my bruises made him more disappointed in me. Hehatedhaving to discipline me that way.

Sometimes, like tonight, he enjoyed them. He’d press them, hurt me further, and kiss them like they were his trophies.

The trophy he currently watched with eagle-precision eyes was tarnished and broken and nothing but dirt and bile on the inside. Jonathan and the rest of creation only saw my outer shell.

“Aren’t you going to give me my kiss?” he asked.

“Of course. I’ve missed you.” I closed the space between us, heels clicking on gleaming wood floors, and pressed my lips to him. He tasted of darkness and alcohol, and as his hand rested at my hip, I forced myself to relax into him. “I’ve been looking forward to kissing you all day. You know how much I love you.”

“Beautiful,” he murmured against my tongue. “You’ve always been so beautiful and exquisite when you’re like this. You’ll try harder, won’t you?”

His lips slammed to mine and his tongue dove into my mouth, I took the kiss like I took everything else. Pliantly. Regretfully.

“I’ll try,” I whispered when he pulled back. “Of course I’ll try to do better. I only want to please you.”

I smiled up at him and hoped he believed it.

“Very well.” His fingers dug into my hips before he pushed me back. “Let’s eat then and see what the night brings.”

I already knew what the night would bring, but thankfully, this time I was prepared.

And when the darkness pulled me under later, I barely felt the pain.

Only the sheer regret of what had led me down this path in the first place.

Four

Trina

Then

Our legs swung backand forth from the back of Cole’s beat-up Chevy pickup truck. He was sitting next to me, but he might as well have been in Alaska for all the anger pulsing off of him in heavy, thick, pulsing waves.

Not that I could blame him.

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