AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I know, baby.” I caress her back. “It’s been lonely without you too. I miss everyone.”
There’s a knot in my throat as I drive away from the trailer park. In my mirror, I can see Nyx standing at the entrance, still holding over ten thousand dollars of cash in her hand.
Stupid kid.
I drive to the other side of the North Shore before needing my phone. I have to put in the directions to my mother’s town. I used to go once a month, more, if possible. I would visit them as often as I could, but I can never remember the directions for the entire five-hour drive.
They’ve already started wondering why I didn’t visit this month, and I don’t need to lie to them about being too busy for a second time because I’m free.
I dig into my duffle bag on the passenger seat while I’m at a traffic light. And then my heart stops. My phone is in the purse Nate had given me.
And so is the rest of the fucking money.
Shit.
Doing an extreme U-turn, my tires screech as I speed down the road. I need to get that purse from my house and get on my way. It’s not like that doctor’s appointment can buy me an entire day.
I run into my house, my eyes scanning the living room for the purse. I grab it, ready to sprint back out, when the door bursts open.
“You are in trouble, wife.” My stomach sinks.
I know it’s not the fun kind of trouble.
Nate is absolutely fuming, and I barely have time to drop the purse. He’s already right in front of me, his eyes darting to my hand. I’m too late to put it behind my back. It would be an obvious move anyway.
“Your rings.”
“I-I can explain.” But the second I put my hands in front of me to keep him away, his one shoots to my hair, making me wince as he wraps the length around his fist.
“I was clear, Kayla,” he hisses, dragging me with him as he walks the short length of my living room. “From the beginning, I told you, the rings stay on. You were aware of that, weren’t you?”
“Y-yes,” I stutter, barely capable of keeping up with him. Pain shoots through my scalp, and I slap his arm. “Let go!”
He takes me all the way to the kitchen, looking through drawers and making me stumble as he moves.
“So you agree that you knew. That you were fully aware you were disobeying me. I want you to remember that when I punish you. And it’s going to fucking hurt.”
When he finds a kitchen knife, my eyes widen. “What are you doing?” I shout, as nerves ricochet throughout my body. “Nate, please wait. Let me explain.”
“You will be punished for taking the rings off. Explanation or not. Better get it over with.”
He bends me over the small table. It can barely hold my weight from how old and used it is.
Letting go of my hair, he grips my left wrist, slamming it next to my head.
“What are you doing?” Panic seizes me fully, freezing my muscles. Fuck…is he going to cut my fucking finger?
“Where were you running to?”
“Please, don’t. Please…”
“Where were you running to?” he repeats with a purpose that makes my entire being tighten.
“I-I–”
“I trusted you to go out on your own. I made the mistake of thinking you were adapting. Imagine my surprise when the bank called me asking why I was withdrawing enormous amounts on the North Shore.”
“I am adapting!” I yell so forcefully I hurt my throat. “I am, that’s why I panicked. I-I was going to come back. I just needed a moment to myself. I needed to breathe.”
