His body stiffened, his fingers lifting from her throat. Crawling backwards to the edge of the bed, he froze to gape at her before scrambling to his feet.
Kristen gasped, coughed, panted, taking urgent gulps of air into her lungs. With each renewed breath, her mind became clearer. She focused on him as he stood immobilized, a pathetic, confused expression on his face.
I have to move fast. There’s only one chance.
Struggling with every ounce of strength left in her body, she slid to the edge of the bed. She had to get close enough to make contact. Bracing herself, she raised her leg. With a powerful lurch forward, she drove her foot into his groin. He let out an anguished wail, doubled over, clutched his testicles, and sank to his knees.
In a state of shock, she stared at his face contorted in pain. She listened to his harsh breaths, unable to move. A scream rose inside of her, it’s startling intensity when it pierced the silence, knocking her back to her senses. It felt like a torch had been lit in her throat, her body was on fire, but at least she was alive. Springing from the bed, she swooped down for her bag, ran as fast as she could and bolted out the door.
Don't look back, keep going!
She flew down the stairs. By the time she reached the garage, her body was drenched in sweat, the pain in her chest excruciating. Her legs were burning—she had to rest or she would pass out. Squinting into the distance, she searched for him. It was clear.
No! Keep going! By sheer force of will, her battered body came back to life. By the time she made it to the car she was suffocating. Fumbling with her keys, she inhaled deeply, over and over. Finally managing to unlock the door, she stumbled into the driver's seat, stared at her lifeless fingers. How could she drive? Her mind and body shut down, there were no more tears or screams, all her emotions had run dry. With no energy left, she rested her face on the steering wheel, surrendering to her powerlessness. Alex’s face entered her mind. And then it happened, an instant, pump of adrenaline.
The engine cranked, she reversed the car, screeching onto the street.
A weak breeze floated through the palm trees. They swayed gently against the evening sky. She was safe. Now she could finally allow the tears to fall. The next chapter would begin after all. She was going home to face Jake.
FRIDAY
JAKE
The night was a success and he was wasted. By some miracle, he made it back to the motel without being stopped or crashing. It was 1:00 a.m. He stumbled through the shadows until he stood next to the bed, listening to Kristen’s erratic breaths. Careful not to make a sound, he undressed while gazing down at her. He found her unusually restless, tossing and turning, moaning. Resisting the urge to comfort her, he padded with careful light steps to the bathroom to clean up, brush his teeth, possibly soften any lingering scent of liquor.
She rolled over and mumbled something when he climbed into bed. He could hardly see her eyes in the dark, but sensed they were wide open. It’s too late to argue. I’m way too drunk and exhausted.
“Go back to sleep, Kris. We can talk in the morning,” he gave her a gentle kiss on her cheek. I hope she can’t smell it. Laying down beside her, he drew her close, inhaling her sweet fragrance as he drifted into a deep sleep.
“But it is morning.” she murmured, then closed her eyes, mesmerized by the peaceful rhythm of his breathing.
LOGAN
On the floor all night long, he only changed positions to vomit. Finally, he was able to move without screaming, without wishing he were dead. The excruciating pain wouldn’t release him as it radiated through every inch of his body. His head throbbed, an atomic bomb about to detonate. But the worst part—his brain, the dark thoughts—he had to obliterate them. Once again he'd fucked up. When he was supposed to do everything in his power to convince her to stay, he'd driven her even farther away. How could he tell Nick he'd almost killed her?
Clean up my act? No way, being wasted is the only way to survive.
His bitter cackle took him by surprise, possibly the only sound similar to a laugh that he would hear come out of his mouth for a long time to come. The depression wasn't going anywhere. This time he'd fucked up so bad he couldn't stand to look at himself in the mirror.
If I don’t talk to her, tell her how sorry I am, that I forgive her, I’ll explode!
The image of her face, of what he did to her, kept flashing through his mind. It was killing him. He had to know if she was all right.
A text would be much safer and the only thing he had the nerve to do.
Krissy please call me. I'm sorry. I hate myself. I need to hear your voice.
Contacting her didn’t help; the fear of more rejection was overwhelming. He had to do something to silence the screaming in his head.
KRISTEN
I don't know who I am anymore. That reflection in the mirror, that face, it’s not mine! I don’t recognize it! What is going on? That man…I would’ve died for him once. How could he want to kill me? And now Jake’s going to blame me. Why the hell did I have to go back there?
The dark thoughts haunted her, refusing to disappear. The guilt—it was going to be hard to live with.
Lucky for her the bruises on her neck were almost invisible, her eyes no longer bloodshot, and she could now swallow without screaming, even though it still burned like hell. Lucky for her Jake wasn't home when she got back and knew nothing about her insane decision, or the gun she had carefully hidden away in her duffle bag. Lucky for her she was still alive, even if it was only to hold her baby in her arms.
Yes, she was nothing if not lucky.
Until that moment she hadn't wondered with suspicion where Jake had been until 1:00 a.m. Until that moment, she hadn't cringed from the memory of the mingled scents of perfume and liquor saturating him. He was still asleep. It must've been quite a night for him.
Time to see her baby. She called Alicia to go with her. They needed to talk. Alicia told her she might have a place for them. After taking more vitamin C and honey for her throat, she checked her phone.
How could Logan have the nerve to text me? This time instead of feeling that unbearable tingling in her stomach when she read it, revulsion made her skin crawl.
* * *
“What are you talking about, Kris?” Alicia, stunned by the revelation, gaped at her like the insane woman that she was. Kristen was beginning to accept it.
“He's poison! When are you going to understand that? After he puts you in a coma? Or worse?” She shivered, unable to put the terrifying images in her mind into words
They pulled into the hospital parking lot. Why do I still get so agitated whenever anyone challenges how I handle my twisted relationship with Logan?
Kristen turned to her. “The funny thing is I do. I know he's poison. I've known it for years. I just couldn’t do anything about it.” And he sure as hell never helped. Her fingers subconsciously touched her throat.
Alicia exhaled long and hard. For a few minutes she sat flabbergasted into silence, the only sound in the car, the chime indicating the door was ajar. They both jumped, startled by the loud shrieking of Kristen's phone interrupting the stillness. The look in Kristen's eyes alerted Alicia immediately.
“Talk to him! Get it over with.” More angry over the situation than upset, Alicia stormed out of the car, slamming the door behind her.