“Wouldn’t put it past you. You’ve probably fantasised about him being your knight in shining armour, saving you from the big scary monster. Am I right? Like you’re some damsel in distress.” He gives a sarcastic laugh. “You’re so sad and pathetic sometimes, Mila.”
I narrow my eyes, my jaw clenched so tight it almost hurts. Rising to my feet, I shoot him a furious glare. “You’re a pig, you know that, Dean! And fuck you for turning a very vulnerable moment after you violently hurt me, into some kind of joke! I think it’s best that you leave.”
He rises to his full height and steps in close, towering over me in a blatant attempt to intimidate. “I’m not going anywhere, you hear me? And neither are you.”
As I turn to walk away, a loud gasp escapes me when he suddenly fists my hair and yanks me hard against him. “Didn’t I tell you never to walk away from me? Or do you need some reminding?”
He spins me around forcefully and, in the next breath, slaps me hard across the face, sending me crashing onto the coffee table. I cry out in pain, clutching the left side of my ribs. He then drags me up by the hair again and shoves me onto the couch, hard.
The next few minutes blur as he straddles me, his hands clamped tightly around my throat. When my mind finally catches up, I thrash beneath him, clawing and kicking wildly, desperate to break free. But he’s just too strong, and the more I struggle, the tighter his grip becomes.
“I was doing so well controlling my anger… but you just had to test me, didn’t you, Mila?” There’s a darkness in his expression, as if he’s no longer there and something evil and terrifying has taken over his mind and body.
Panic surges through me as I gasp for air, fighting desperately in a futile attempt to escape his unrelenting grip. I try to make asmuch noise as I can, anything that could alert a neighbour, but all that escapes are the strangled sounds of choking and gasping.
Tears begin to fall as the pressure in my head and neck intensifies. I slap at his forearms, but there’s no real strength behind it—my body growing weaker and my lungs burning rapidly from the lack of oxygen.
I’m barely clinging to consciousness when Dean leans in close to my ear, his hushed voice cold and menacing as he whispers, “I love you, Mila. But you’re breaking my heart. And for that… you deserve this.”
Not a moment later, my body goes limp, and my vision blurs, until everything around me dissolves into complete darkness.
CHAPTER 23
Jason
Checking my phone for the tenth time, I see that it’s now 6:45 p.m. Mila is exactly forty-five minutes late, and there’s been no word from her. She’s usually either early or right on time, but never, ever late. Anxiety starts to build the longer I wait and stare at the front door. I’ll give her a few more minutes before I start calling.
Five minutes pass, still with no sign of Mila. I pick up my phone and dial her number.
It rings and rings, only to go straight to voicemail. I try again three more times, each attempt making me feel more anxious and on edge. By the fourth missed call, the panic has now set in.
The first thing I do is call Chris and let him know I’ll be coming in late tonight. Then I make a call to my dad, asking if he can look after Jake for me this evening.I can’t shake the feeling that something might be terribly wrong. That something serious has happened. It’s this very instinct that compels me to go to her place and check on her.
After making all the necessary calls, I get Jake ready and wait for my dad to arrive.
Normally I’d drop Jake off at his place, but I thought it was best to meet him here, just in case Mila suddenly shows up.
Twenty minutes later, my dad walks through the door with a worried look on his face.
“What’s going on, son?”
I grab Jake’s backpack and hand it over to him. “Mila didn’t show up tonight. It’s unlike her to be late, let alone not show up at all. I’m going to stop by her place and check if everything’s okay.”
“Is something wrong with Mila, Dad?” Jake asks, his tiny voice filled with worry.
I give him a tight-lipped smile and gently pat him on the shoulder. “I’m not sure, bud, but I’m going to go find out. Grandad’s going to take you out for a burger and chips, okay?”
His little brow furrows with concern, but he nods. Even at five years old, he can tell when something’s off.
“Let me know how it all goes. I’ll keep Jake with me overnight and bring him first thing tomorrow.”
I nod, thanking him, and walk them to the car. After helping Jake into his booster seat, I plant a quick kiss on the top of his forehead before waving them both goodbye.
As soon as the car pulls out of the driveway, I hurry inside to grab my phone, wallet, and keys, locking the door behind me, and make a beeline for my car.
The moment I’m on the road, my mind starts racing with all kinds of possibilities for why Mila didn’t show up tonight—maybe her car broke down somewhere and her phone died, she took a long nap and accidentally left her phone on silent, or perhaps there was a family emergency and she didn’t have time to call me. Whatever it is, I’m sure there’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for it.
Within minutes, I’m pulling into the guest parking spot in front of her building.
