PROLOGUE
NINE MONTHS EARLIER
Cassidy knew her husband would be home any moment and dinner wasn’t ready. It was a stupid mistake that she had no control over, but he wouldn’t care.
It wasn’t her fault that the lines at the grocery store were extra long today when she went. Then she had gotten distracted by reading the latest release that her favorite author put out.
She knew better than to start something so close to him being home, but it had tempted her all day.
That part was her fault, but these days the only light she had in her life was the books that she read without David knowing. It would only give him more ammunition to use against her.
However as the days progressed, Cassidy didn’t think he needed a reason to hit her anymore. She could breatheincorrectly and he would take that as a sign that she needed to learn another lesson.
Standing at the stove stirring the pasta, she heard the key slip into the lock. Tensing she took a breath waiting for him to make his presence known.
“Darling? Where are you?”
Cassidy cleared her throat before responding. He would prey upon any sign of fear that she showed.
She learned that lesson the hard way once before. Now she made it a priority to not show any sort of emotion that he could use against her.
“I’m just finishing up dinner. It should be done in less than five minutes. I’m sorry that I didn’t have it done before you got home. There were long lines at the store and it put me behind getting home and starting it.” She responded hearing the safe open as he dropped his utility belt and stored the gun he carried for work.
David was the captain of their local police department. The irony wasn’t lost on her that the person who took an oath to serve and protect the community made it his mission to keep his wife on a short leash and control her every move.
She was still healing from the last bruises that he left. Luckily, it was starting to cool down and so she had an excuse to wear long sleeves. It was always harder to hide things during the summer.
Cassidy stilled as he walked up behind her and pressed a small kiss upon her cheek.
“It’s fine, darling. The chief held us a little longer today to go over a case, so it will be fine. Smells delicious.”
The compliments started early, which could only mean that he had a rough day at work. Those days meant that she wouldn’t fare well and needed to be extra cautious because hismood would flip in a second, and she would be on the receiving end of his wrath.
The sound of ice hitting a tumbler clued her in that he was pouring his drink early. David’s drink of choice is always scotch, and he never hits the bottle lightly.
Carrying over the plate of chicken alfredo and breadsticks to the table he had settled at, she tried to steady her hands. It was as if everything happened in slow motion.
Cassidy had never been the greatest at walking and tonight seemed to be the night that the air decided not to play nice.
Tripping, she tried her hardest to keep the plate upright and in her hands, but the unimaginable happened instead.
Cassidy hit the floor watching as the plate of hot food landed on David’s lap. She knew what the roar that followed meant.
“I’m so sorry! Please, I didn't mean to drop the plate.”
Cassidy tried to scramble to her feet, but pain exploded across her abdomen dropping her back to the floor. Gasping for breath, she tried to move again.
Sharp pain gripped her as she was pulled to her feet by the strong hand tangled in her hair.
“You worthless piece of shit!” David roared above her.
Blood dripped out of the split lip that followed the open-hand slap she received. Cassidy hasn’t seen him this angry in a long time. It was her fault for being stupid. She should have been watching better where she was walking.
Cassidy saw stars as he slammed her against the wall. She did not doubt that she would have another concussion after this. David’s hands wrapped around her neck and began to squeeze. Panicking, she scratched at his hands hoping to dislodge his hold on her.
“David,” she gasped out the moment he released her just the slightest.
She looked into his eyes seeing nothing but hatred. Cassidy would never understand what she had done to deserve the abuse that he gave her.
