The Prologue by Kassandra Kush Read Free Book Online

even flinch when his hand resumes it’s position on my neck, holding me tightly so I can’t get away. My stomach is churning, raging around like a hurricane, and I feel I might vomit. Finally, I can stand it no longer. Only Josh and Chantal are still at the wedding, and I make my excuses, saying I need to use the restroom.
    I’ve barely made it three feet away before Tony excuses himself as well, and I can feel the heavy footsteps following me. It’s time. There’s no escaping it. I wrap an arm around my aching ribs and swallow hard, willing the sick feeling to go away. I blink back the tears of fear and keep a careful, slow stride toward one of the exit doors, and stand waiting, as one at the gallows.
    Then a hand fists in my hair and yanks me, and the pain pulls me down until I’m firmly rooted in reality. I’m pulled sharply against a hard body, and a voice whispers in my ear, “Let that guy touch you, huh?”
    Tears sting my eyes. “I didn’t mean to, Tony. It’s nothing. I was just surprised, that’s all.”
    “You’re a slut, that’s what you mean.” He’s whispering, which means he’s beyond outraged. Tony’s harsh whisper always makes me quiver in a way that yelling cannot. “How long has this been going on? I always see him sitting behind you in class, I should have known.”
    “It’s nothing,” I repeat, as he pulls me farther away from the door, and then pushes me up against the brick side of the building. His forearm is at my throat, cutting off my air, and I can barely speak. “It’s nothing, Tony, I swear. I love you. Not him. I always have. He’s just jealous!”
    I appeal to his ego, but he won’t have it, not tonight, not right now.
    He slaps my cheek with his free hand, a hard, stinging contact. My eyes instantly water, but it’s nothing compared to yesterday’s blow to the ribs. “Don’t lie to me!” he hisses, spittle landing on my face in sharp little drops. “If you think you can go running around on me, Evie, then you’re crazy. I don’t share! I can’t believe you would do this to me. After last week, too! After we finally made love! I thought everything was good between us. You said you were fucking trying . You lied to me!”
    I’m crying now, and I hate myself for showing weakness. “I wasn’t lying,” I gasp out. “I love you, baby. Nothing is going on between Zeke and me!”
    Suddenly my right side is exploding in white-hot pain, and I can practically feel my ribs popping. I give a strangled cry against Tony’s arm, and realize he’s grabbed my side, right where he hit me yesterday.
    “There better be nothing,” he says. “I’ll kill you if there is. I will, Evie.”
    There isn’t a doubt in my mind that he will.
    Sometimes, I think that it’s just a matter of time before he does.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

 
     
     
    Ezekiel
    6
     
     
     
    I slide the heavy tray onto the counter of the bar and then roll my shoulders to release some of the tension from them.
    “Be back in ten,” I tell the bartender, also my Uncle Alex and one of the club managers, and he nods and waves me away.
    I walk down the long hallway toward one of the exits, undo the top button of my white collared shirt and hope I remember to do it back up before I return to the hall, or Alex will be on my ass faster than I can blink. But right now, I’m distracted by the promise of some nicotine, and push out the door and light up a cigarette.
    I don’t smoke often, mostly when I’m feeling stressed, which is usually every time I work or fight with my dad. I take a long drag on the cigarette and breathe the smoke out slowly into the dark April air.
    Peace.
    Or so I think.
    “I love you! I love you, and this is the thanks I get! All I do is take care of you, and you’ve never appreciated it.”
    The voice is low and masculine, and I’m sure I only hear it because of all the brick walls and empty tennis courts around us, echoing the noises. I raise an eyebrow