Page 95 of Dark Endures

My head slams against the wall as Adonis bashes me into it, holding me up by my throat.

“I had a plan. You’re just too stupid to help. Dahlia was meant for me. We were supposed to be together, but she met him first. All I needed was a chance to show her that she’s picked the wrong guy. But you had to come back in and ruin our first kiss before it even got started. Why do you think I invited you to move in here?”

He reaches his arm back and then there’s a sharp pain in my gut.

“You probably thought I liked you.” He squeezes my neck as he laughs. “Like there was any way a man would pick an ugly little thing like you when they could have a woman like Dahlia. The whole reason was to get closer to her, and you ruined that. You ruined everything.”

The world goes fuzzy, then dark.

***

Pain. Pain floods through me as I open my eyes.

What happened?

Why do I hurt this badly?

Adonis!

Is he still here? I scoot towards the wall and search for him. The living room is empty.

Did he leave? Or is he in the bedroom?

I need to get out of here.

Can I stand? I’ve got to try.

Nothing has ever hurt this badly. Even when my stepbrother hit me, and Mom sent me to boarding school.

The pain doesn’t matter. I need to get up. I need to get away.

One inch at a time, I push my body up the wall until I’m standing sort of upright. Mostly, the wall is holding me up. But I’m standing. That means I can get out of here.

Just a few steps and I’ll be safe.

My purse… my money. I’ll get out and go somewhere safe.

Hurry!

He might come out.

You can do it.

One foot in front of the other. I take a shaky step but don’t fall.

That’s it. You can do this.

One foot in front of the other. I make it to my purse. Reaching down to pick it up, I almost tumble to the floor. My other hand hits the armrest hard, but I don’t smash to the ground. Biting back the screech of pain that wants out, I heft it onto my shoulder.

You’re almost to the door.

He won’t hurt you when you’re in a public space.

Just get outside the apartment.

One foot in front of the other.

You’ll make it.

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