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“Just stay there,” he grunted. I heard the clank of his belt buckle.Zzzziiipfollowed soon after. “It’ll be easier.”
I turned over, finding him looming over me, freeing his limp dick from his pants. Bile rose in my throat, and I scrambled off the bed. His arm shot out, gripping me by the forearm so hard tears came to my eyes.
“Eli!” I shouted. “Get off of me!”
“You owe me after what you did tonight,” he growled, pure venom in his voice. My entire body quaked, fear turning me to jelly, but I yanked my arm free. I slipped out of his grip and bolted for the bathroom before he could turn on his unsteady legs.
I slammed the door shut behind me and locked it, my heart hammering in my throat as I sank down against the cool wall and curled into a ball.
Waiting. Praying.
Thud thud thud.“Cora! Open the fucking door!”
I gathered my knees against me, burying my face there. I would not respond, react, or invite more. I just prayed that he would leave without forcing his way in here. I didn’t know what would happen if he actually made it in.
Nothing good. I knew that much.
“Cora!” He pounded again, louder and harder this time. I jolted, squeezing myself into a smaller ball. “Cora, I said open. The fucking. Door!”
The door vibrated with every slam. His rage boomed and filled the condo. The bedroom was positioned so that no neighbors would hear through the walls. This attack was hidden. Nobody would come knocking. Nobody would check on me.
After all, this was just a routine interaction between husband and wife.
“Please please please please,” I whispered into my knees, squeezing my eyes shut as he released another round of angry pounding. I’d dropped my phone in the bedroom. Which meant he could find it. He could see that I’d called Axel. He could begin piecing things together, which would only make him angrier.
“Please please please.” I was too scared to even pray properly. I just wanted out of here alive. Unharmed.
"You can’t hide in there forever,” he shouted gruffly.
But I could. I would. If I had to.
He pounded on the door again, but it lacked the previous vigor. Maybe he was getting tired. He grunted from the other side of the door. “Cora, can you hear me?”
He sounded sleepy almost. Or maybe that was sadness. I couldn’t tell. And there was no way in hell I was going to investigate.
“You can’t stay in there forever.” His speech was slurred now. Heavy footsteps fell outside the door. From farther away, he said, “I’ll just wait here until you decide to come out. Watch me.”
Challenge accepted. I stayed in my spot, huddled and alert, for what felt like forever. Every whir of the HVAC or flutter from the pipes jolted me. I didn’t doubt he’d be sitting out there on the bed, waiting for me to come out. Ready to finish what he started as soon as I unlocked the door.
I listened to the in and out of my breaths, my eyes squeezed shut, for so long I couldn’t remember if I’d been doing it for ten minutes or two hours. Time melted away in my quest to disassociate. The aches in my body were the only sign I’d been curled up here for too long. I stretched out a little bit, my body grateful for the chance to stand down. I took a deep breath.
“Eli?” I called out. Testing the waters.
No response.
“Eli, I’m ready.” Though it was a lie. I would never be ready forthat.
Silence filled the bathroom once more. Wincing, I shakily pushed to my feet, pain blossoming along my forearm and in my shoulders from where he’d grabbed and yanked at me. But I’d deal with that later. As silently, slowly as I could, I unlocked the bathroom door and pushed it open. I could hear every thump of my heart as I peered past the door.
I spotted him splayed out on my bed. Fully clothed. Fully asleep.
Relief pounded through me, tears pricking my eyes.Thank you, Lord.I let myself out of the bathroom, my legs tingling from how long I’d sat hunched up and fearful. But there was no time to let them recover.
I didn’t plan on being here when Eli woke up. Which meant I needed to pack my things and get the fuck out of here.
Immediately.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
