Page 43 of Love Me Gently

“What did I say?”

“You’re on your phone.”

“Drop the sass, Katrina. I told you that you can call them later.”

An icy sensation tickled the back of my neck and my spine.

This wasn’t just rudeness. He was beingmean. My chin wobbled and I swallowed the thick lump growing in my throat. His fingers wrapped around mine until I flinched in pain.

“You’re hurting me.”

A sneer scrolled across his face, twisting his features into something unrecognizable.

“And when you tell me you’ll listen when I tell you to do something, I’ll let go.”

I scanned his face, trying to find something that resembled the man who had slid my engagement ring onto my finger and kissed me so tenderly only a few hours ago when I was the happiest woman in the world. “They’re myparents, Jonathan. I’ve dreamed of getting married my whole life. Ihaveto call them. Please.” I tacked it on at the end and hated the pleading in my tone. But his fingers were still pinching mine and his face kept contorting into something ugly. Sinister.

I stepped back but he only squeezed my hand harder. “Ouch.”

“Did I say you could leave?”

“What is going on with you, honey? We should be celebrating…”

“Tell me you’ll listen to me. You’re mine now.”

I was his in all the most beautiful ways but now an oily sensation covered my skin. “Jonathan.”

“Say it,” he demanded and squeezed my hand so hard I thought my fingers would break.

“Ouch. Fine.” I flinched and yanked on my hand again. “I’ll listen. Whatever.”

He let go of my hand, and I brought it toward my chest.

I blinked at him, only to see a blur of movement. A stinging pain slammed into my face, knocking me backward. I twisted as I fell, and my head slammed into something hard. Cold.

The fridge.

He’d justslappedme. Tears came immediately as I stood, hunched over, cupping my injured hand to my chest. A shriek rang out. Delayed reaction? And then a cry. That was mine.

Dang. Something warm and wet slipped down my cheek. I reached up and came back with blood on my fingers.

“What is wrong with you?” I gasped.

I couldn’t look at him, couldn’t bring myself to see the look on his face. Would he regret this? Maybe something on his phone upset him. Surely something had to be wrong. He’d never done this. He’dneverdo this to me.

And yet my cheek was throbbing, something was bleeding, and my fingers burned hot as I forced myself to stand.

“Jonathan,” I cried. “What are you doing?”

His shoes appeared, and then his fingers were at my chin. I cringed away but he pinched my chin between his thumb and finger and forced me to meet his gaze.

“You’re a mess, and you’ve made me ruin your pretty face.”

Ruin.

Ruined.

Iwasthat. I’d been that for years but thought I’d hidden it from him. He’d never mentioned Steven to me, and while I still worked for him, he hadn’t touched me since the night Jonathan and I met. Just one more reason why I loved him so much. He saved me from hell.

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