Page 113 of A Dash of You

I choke out a laugh. “You’re kidding, right? You honestly think I was happy?”

He cocks a brow. “There’s a time you were.”

I lean forward. “I was never happy here. I may have put up with you and this place, but never was I happy.”

He aggressively drops his fork to his plate, causing a crash, and I jump. “I gave you everything. And this is how you show me gratitude?”

I sit biting my tongue because there’s so much I want to say.

“You think you’ll be happier in that disgusting town you ran off to?”

“Yes.”

He snorts, picking up his fork before continuing to eat. “Well. You’ll never see that place again. It seems you've forgotten the deal your stepfather made. You’re mine now and you’ll always be mine.”

I eye the butter knife next to my plate. One good toss and maybe it’ll land in his eye, piercing his skull. Fuck my stepfather and all he stood for. He ruined my entire adult life. I could have been married to a man who loved me. Instead, I’m locked in thisdealand married to the devil.

“He’s dead. Doesn’t that erase the contract? Erase any debt owed.” I wish I could have seen my stepfather suffer, but I suppose him drinking himself to death was good enough.

“It does not.” He takes a sip from his glass, setting it nicely back down. “Come here.”

My attention snaps to my husband, who is sitting so calmly that it’s scary. I swallow and then, with a deep breath, rise from the expensive Victorian chair. I stop just short of him, my spine straight, my head held high with pride.

“Closer.” His deep demand runs a shiver through me.

Once I move a few more steps, Jason quickly leaps from his chair and grabs a fist of my hair. It happens so fast. One minute I was standing in front of him, then the next, he has me pinned to the wall, my cheek pressing roughly against it.

My scalp screams in pain, but I quickly forget it when he tugs forcefully on my arm, causing me to drop the butter knife. It hit the floor with a clink, and he leans closer to my back, practically crushing the air from my lungs.

“Were you planning on doing something with that knife, darling?”

He tugs my arm back more and I’m unable to stifle my banshee scream.

“A girl can’t be too careful,” I say in a struggle. Yes, my arm hurts way worse than my skull, but both will be in pain for days. Unless he kills me. Wishful thinking.

“You’ve been nothing but a senseless whore—”

“Excuse me, sir. You have a phone call.” Audrey’s voice carries over and relief slams into me.

“Maybe take a message,” Jason spits, anger lacing his tone.

“They said it’s urgent… sir.” Her voice shakes. She’s been working for my husband for years yet, she still trembles like a leaf around him. He did a good job of intimidating his staff.

Jason huffs, finally releasing me. Instant relief floods through my limbs. But I am left with a lingering ache.

I meet Audrey’s eyes, flashing her a small nod of gratitude before she disappears, following Jason. Not sure if she’s truly helping, but I didn’t want her to think it had gone unnoticed. My husband can make her life a living hell if need be.

I rub my arm, trying to recreate life back into it.

The fear of always running scares me, but it’s better than this. The little tease of freedom was enough to spoil me. I haven’t had that independence since I was a teenager.

Jason returns, straightening the sleeve of his dress shirt. “I’m afraid I won’t be home tonight. Business calls,” he addresses me while I still haven’t moved from the safety of the wall.

Solace rushes in. Tonight, I’m able to avoid him, but what about tomorrow or the next? An endless form of torture.

I press myself back, hoping it’ll suck me in as he stalks toward me.

The grip on my chin is violent, and he forces my eyes to meet his. “Kiss me.”

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