9. Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Tessa
“ G oddamnit, Tessa. I asked you to do one simple thing and you couldn’t even accomplish that, could you?” Daniel accused as I shrank back against the counter.
“Daniel, I’m so sorry,” I said, tears streaming down my face. I quickly wiped them away, knowing that seeing me upset would only make him more volatile. “I lost track of time at the shelter, and by the time I got to the dry cleaners, they were closed.” Wincing, I braced for the barrage of insults I knew were coming.
I jolted when his arm swept the pots and pans I washed earlier off the counter. The metal crashed against the tile, reverberating around the otherwise pristine kitchen. Daniel stalked toward me, and I told myself not to tense up, knowing firsthand my fear only enraged him further. His lean form halted right before me, and he pressed his face so close to mine the smell of alcohol on his breath and the perfume on his clothing wafted over me. The acrid combination filled my nose, forcing me to breathe through my mouth to force down the nausea swimming in my gut. My eyes met his dilated pupils. The normally steel blue of his iris was practically nonexistent, giving him a slightly demonic appearance.
“I have given you everything, Tessa. Everything! And it’s still not enough!” he yelled, his words slurring as he became more agitated. “You were living in your car when I picked you up out of the gutter,” he sneered. His lip curled while he looked down at me in disgust. “You had no money, no family, and no education.”
Before I could blink, he ripped himself away from me and began to pace. His hands gripped his hair with such force I was shocked they weren’t filled with the soft blonde strands when he eventually pulled them away.
“I moved you into my penthouse. I gave you money so you didn’t have to work anymore,” he bellowed before storming back to where I remained motionless. His hands shot out and gripped my biceps so hard I bit my tongue to keep myself from crying out. “And the one thing, the only thing I asked of you in return for the life I so generously provided, is that you keep my house in order. Is that really too much to ask?”
His eyes bore into mine. I blinked several times to stem my tears, loathing that I allowed him to see the fear and pain he regularly inflicted on my soul. When I failed to answer him quickly enough, his hands shook my body so hard my brain rattled around in my skull.
Knowing there was only one answer that wouldn’t end with him killing me, I shook my head. “No, baby,” I choked out. “I’m sorry. It’s completely my fault. I know how much I owe you and you didn’t deserve to have me screw up like that. I’ll do better, I promise.” My eyes watered while I waited to see if he bought my lies.
Daniel studied my face, likely looking for any signs of deceit. Seemingly satisfied, he released a long breath, and his posture softened. His face descended against my neck, his nose buried in the crease between my neck and shoulder as he inhaled before bringing his face back up and meeting my watery stare.
“I’m sorry, baby,” he murmured. “You know how much I love you, right?”
Love? Yeah, I’d known for a long time this was not love. In fact, it was about as far away from love as you could get.
Knowing whether or not I made it out of this encounter without requiring a visit from his private physician depended on what I said next, I managed a small nod. “I know, baby. I know how much you love me. You’re under a lot of stress with work, not to mention the campaign, and I’m sorry I made it worse.”
I held my breath, waiting to see if my apology placated his rage. Something behind his eyes shifted, and my stomach sank.
He leaned down and pressed his dry lips to my neck, his whiskey-tinged breath spreading across my skin. I closed my eyes and forced myself to practice the deep breathing techniques I learned in therapy after my parents’ deaths in an effort to prevent myself from shuddering at the intimacy of his touch. The last thing I felt around him anymore was desire, but anything he perceived as rejection would result in me being unable to breathe properly for the next several weeks.
I forced my hands to run up his arms and wrap around his neck. He took the gesture as a sign of my mutual attraction, and his hands slid down my torso before latching onto my thighs. His strong hands clenched the flesh hard enough to leave marks. A deep grunt left his chest when he lifted me onto the counter and spread my thighs.
“You’re feeling awfully heavy these days. I thought we talked about you getting in shape for the campaign?” he asked with his nose pressed against my neck. My cheeks heated with shame, and I clamped my teeth along my bottom lip to keep it from trembling.
“I’m sorry. I’ll go to the gym first thing in the morning,” I conceded, knowing any other answer would only reignite his rage.
His right hand pushed the hem of my dress up as the other fumbled with the zipper on his slacks. Silent tears slipped down my cheeks while he jerked himself off to combat the whiskey dick. Several long minutes passed, and he rotated between grunting against my neck and kissing my skin, his hand repeatedly bumping into me as he worked his cock. I felt him grow hard against my thigh and cursed the universe for allowing a man like Daniel to exist. Well aware I had no other choice, I squeezed my eyes shut, leaned back against the counter, and prayed for absolution.
I gasped for air as my eyes sprang open. My heart pounded, threatening to break free from my chest. A soft orange glow filled the room while my eyes darted to every corner, frantically scanning for signs I was not alone. My eyes snagged on the fireplace I forgot to turn off before bed, and my pulse began to slow when I remembered where I was. A dull pain radiated from my hands, and I looked down to find my fingers gripping the comforter so hard my knuckles were white. Forcing myself to release the soft bedding, I dropped my feet to the floor.
I padded along the smooth hardwood before turning on the bathroom light and turned on the sink. The cold water seeped into my pores, washing away the remnants of my nightmare as it splashed across my skin.
When I woke the morning after that encounter, Daniel was gone from our bed. In his place was a bouquet of roses almost too heavy for me to lift and a box containing a dress that cost more than some peoples’ cars. Bile churned in my stomach when I opened the note. His slanted handwriting declared how special the night before was, how much he loved me, and that he was looking forward to seeing me in the dress later that night for a charity function we were scheduled to attend.
I sat on the bed, the note shaking in my hands while I trembled, and I knew. I knew that if I didn’t get out, one day he would kill me.
When he returned home that night to take me to the gala, I told him I wasn’t feeling well. He proceeded to punch me in the stomach so hard the air was knocked from my lungs before pushing me to the ground. I landed on the end table, smashing my face into the lamp. My nose collided with the cold porcelain as it cracked beneath me. His disdain for tardiness was the only reason I managed to escape the encounter with relatively minor injuries.
I sat on the couch, watching the seconds tick by on the clock above the fireplace until I was sure he was gone. Grabbing the screwdriver from the toolbox, I hurried to the air vent and retrieved the few photographs that remained of my parents. I knew he wouldn’t hesitate to use something of such sentimental value against me in the event it suited his purposes, so I started leaving them hidden, except for the rare occasions when I needed to remember my life hadn’t always been like this.
As soon as I retrieved the only thing in the entire penthouse of any value to me, I quickly changed into comfortable clothes before sneaking out.
Cracking the main door of the penthouse, I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw no one stood on the other side. I sent up a silent prayer of gratitude to anyone listening that Daniel took the bodyguards with him.
When I fled, I didn’t know how I was going to disappear. The only thing I knew was that there was one person I trusted to keep my secret.
I met Layla a couple years prior when I started volunteering at the homeless shelter. At the time, she and her son were hiding from her abusive husband.
Volunteering was the one thing Daniel allowed me to do outside of the house. His acquiescence to allow me something of my own had nothing to do with whether or not it provided me with fulfillment but was instead solely due to the way it improved his image in the media.
I was always in awe of Layla. Her courage and bravery were something I aspired to and hoped I finally found the wherewithal to possess. She knew, even at nineteen, that a life on the streets was better than one including her abuser. It took me longer than I was proud of to gather enough courage to leave, but I was grateful every day for her example to look toward.
Despite becoming fast friends, I made sure to distance myself from her when it came to revealing anything personal. She made comments over the years that let me know she suspected what was going on at home, but I could never bring myself to put her in the line of fire that would accompany anyone who knew my secret. Well, until now anyway. Apparently, desperation could cause a person to do all kinds of things they normally never would.
I patted my face dry as my thoughts turned back to the present. I stared at my reflection in the mirror and wondered for the millionth time how my life ended up like this. Staring at the broken woman before me, it was unsurprising when I found no answers.
Deciding that falling back asleep was about as likely as my odds of winning the lottery, I made my way to the living room to stare out the wall of windows. The fat heavy snowflakes that fell constantly over the last four days had stopped, leaving the full moon to illuminate the pristine winter wonderland that lay beyond the cabin.
The quiet clacking of nails on the hardwood brought me out of my trance, and I turned around to see Luka, his tail wagging while he looked at me. I knelt down as he came closer to allow me to rub his ears.
“Hey, boy,” I whispered. “What are you doing up? You should be asleep with your dad.”
Luka sat and snuffled his nose into my palm. I smiled. We never had a dog growing up, but I’d always loved animals. There was something intrinsically rewarding about receiving unconditional love from a living creature who wanted nothing from you in return except the love they so willing gave.
“You’re up late.”
Jerking upright in surprise, it took me a moment to recognize Finn after reliving Daniel’s reign of terror. Finn stood in the doorway, his laptop tucked underneath his arm.
He made his way toward the coffee table before setting the computer down and walking over to where I stood. Bending down to pet Luka, he repeated his earlier statement. “You’re up late.”
I gave him a weak smile while I tried to come up with an excuse he might buy to explain why I was awake at this hour.
He studied my expression before sighing and looking out the window behind me.
“Yeah, I don’t sleep much anymore either,” he confessed before turning away and walking back over to the couch. His large body folded itself into the sofa, a haunted expression crossing his face.
Unsure whether he wanted to be left alone, I moved toward the hallway.
“You have a nightmare?” Finn asked.
I froze at his question. Did I want to admit the truth to a relative stranger?
Deciding I owed him whatever bits of the truth I felt I could give, I nodded my affirmation as my eyes met his. “Is it really a nightmare though if you’re just reliving a memory?”
Finn stared at me while I stood there, refusing to break his eye contact. His eyes grew sorrowful, and for the first time since I met him, he allowed me to glimpse the pain I sensed hiding behind his dark brown eyes.
Huh. Maybe I wasn’t the only one with demons that chased them down at night.
Finn called for Luka, effectively shattering the trance we seemed to be stuck in. He ran his hand down the dog’s back a few times before pointing toward me. Luka wagged his tail and walked in my direction.
“It’s late,” Finn grumbled. “You should try to get some sleep. Take Luka with you. He loves to snuggle.”
Before I could respond, Finn opened his laptop and began scrolling, effectively dismissing me.