Page 7 of Undefeated

I shook my head slowly.

“What? You got something to say? I really ain’t in the mood for your mouth, you little bitch,” he barked as he wiped his hand on his jeans.

I wanted to tell him to get a different movie. I felt like crying. Why couldn’t we have a night together that we didn’t fight? Why did he have to drink so much? Why did he have to chew tobacco? It made his breath stink and his teeth were brown. To have him, for one night, be kind to me – I’d let him beat me for a week.

A week of having my face slapped and called names.

In exchange for one night of calling me beautiful and kissing me.

“I asked you a fucking question,” his jaw clenched as he shut off the truck.

Oh no. Not here. Please not here. Please, Josh.

“You see what I mean? You fuckin’ ask for it. It’s like you want it. I’ll never understand what drives you to fight with me, woman,” he said, and then opened the truck door and stepped out and into the parking lot.

He walked around in front of the truck, up to my door, and opened it.

“Gimme your fuckin’ purse,” he snarled as he held his hand out toward me.

“Gimme that sum bitch or I’ll slap your mouthy little ass right here in the parking lot,” he growled through his clenched teeth as he spit tobacco juice into the parking lot by his feet.

I handed him my purse.

He opened my purse and looked inside. He reached into it, shuffled through the contents, and pulled out my Kindle.

“This little motherfucker has become a problem. I know you talk to people on it. I know you do. Talk to people and read that fuckin’ filth,” he tossed it onto the asphalt beside his feet.

“Josh, no. Please,” I begged.

“What, afraid you ain’t gonna be able to reach your fuckin’ boyfriend? You little whore,” he snapped as he raised his boot over the Kindle.

“Josh, no. I don’t have a boyfriend. And I don’t talk to people with that. I just use it to read. It’s my only way to escape,” I sobbed.

“Escape? What the fuck you gotta escape? See? You always dig a hole,” he held his boot over the Kindle, raised his eyebrows, and spit again.

“It’s that mouth Kace, always getting’ you in trouble. See? Now I gotta do this, and it’s your fault, you did it, not me,” he said as he stomped the screen of the Kindle with his boot.

As he twisted his heel into the screen he shook his head.

“I was gonna scare ya and give it back. Hell no, you had to pop off and get lippy. Hell, I’d have liked to had a good night and a fuckin’ movie. You just don’t seem to give a fuck about my feelings, Kace,” he said as he bent down to pick up the smashed Kindle.

I looked down into my lap and wiped the tears from my face.

“Everything alright?” an unfamiliar voice asked from my right side.

I wiped my face and looked up through the opened truck door.

Ohmygod.

And there he stood - faded jeans, black boots, dark hair, sunglasses, and a black hoodie. He had his hands in his hoodie pockets and the hood half over his head. He quickly alternated glances between Josh and I. Slowly he pulled his hand from his pocket and removed his sunglasses. As he turned my direction his steel grey eyes met mine and he paused.

I wanted him to help me. Save me from Josh and take me away.

But.

I said nothing.

His face was covered in a few days growth of beard and was absolutely gorgeous. His jaw was tight and his facial features distinct. And. Those. Eyes.