la'

d relentless.i could barely breathe,each gasp a reminder that I was

a hint of expensive cologne. My bare feet felt the chill of the wo

ng them into grotesque shapes. The atmosphere was dense,

en I h

tst

culated.P

reath catching in my throat at the

so

arkling with twisted amusement as he swirled a glass of whiskey in his hand.He hadn

-the darkness in his eyes had deepened, co

think you could

kind of calm that sent chills racing down

a

,but my body wo

stand,the sound echoing in the oppressive silence.He took

flinched ,but he seized my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes.His voice dripped with mockery as h

the alcohol

u could run?"Hi

hat I wouldn

ears welling in m

ugh the air, sending

xplode across my cheek. The sting was so real, so vivid, I could feel my skin burnin

steel, his fingers curling around my t

r as my vision blurred. My body convulsed, my ch

no

my mouth

ake with a st

d been fighting to hold me down. My chest heaved, my throat raw, the re

y fingers trembling as I reache

27

e away. But it clung to me like a second skin

ears. Five years s

still feel lik

teady my breath. My apartment was silent, the only sound was th

ye

asn

es. Not when the past still reac

damp hair, forcing myself

ust a ni

wa

the helplessness. The way my sk

ed the room, chasing away the shadows. My eyes darted around, scanning

redictable. He could be charming, sweet even-until he wasn't.

lieved h

apologies,

lla. You know how muc

whisper those words against my

e pain became unbearable. Until he n

tears that burned my eyes. I hated this.

dded to the bathroom. Flicking on the light, I turne

sted, broken. Dark circles framed my eyes,

the edges

keep living

to Los Angeles. Back to the c

ace where Maso

had moved on, that I was nothing

down, I k

didn't

n't fo

r me,to run back