The sound came again, this time sharp and urgent. She sat up, realization washing over her. Damien. He is back. She had not expected him home this early. Wasn't he supposed to be back in the evening?
For a second there, she thought of pretending to be asleep, but before she could move, the door swung open.
There he was..Damien..Tall, dark, and handsome.The man who had once made her feel chosen and untouchable. But at that moment, as he entered their bedroom, there was something else in his eyes. A storm.
"Hi, Damien," she whispered, looking at him, her voice low and unsure. She didn't get to say more. His fist connected with her face before her mind could catch up. Pain exploded across her cheek, sharp and hot, sending her to the ground.
"I told you not to provoke me, Jossy, didn't I?" His voice was low, but full of anger. "Who told you to go to that bar yesterday? Dressed in that thirsty little trap dress. Talking to strange men like you're free. Am I not enough for you?"
Jossy curled into the corner of the room, her hands instinctively shielding her face. Her heart pounded so loud she thought he could hear it.
But Damien was relentless. He grabbed her by the arm, yanking her off the floor with brutal force. She tried not to scream, from experience, it only made things worse for her. So she stayed quiet.
The rest blurred into the usual routine, the way he always reminded her who was in control. As he forced himself on her, Jossy's mind slipped elsewhere, into a memory of happier times. Memories that had made her love him, even now.
It was three years ago, at a college party in UCLA. She went reluctantly, dragged there by her bubbly best friend Hazel. Jossy was dressed simply in jeans, a loose blouse, and barely any makeup. At only 21, she was still working hard on becoming a marketing expert, that was her passion, and she wanted to be the best in the country. So, she wasn't looking to date.
But at the party, she noticed the crowd flocking to one guy in particular. Actually two, Damien and his friend Noah.