The Prologue (6 page)

Then a hand fists in my hair and yanks me, and the pain pulls me down until I’m firmly rooted in reality. I’m pulled sharply against a hard body, and a voice whispers in my ear, “Let that guy touch you, huh?”

Tears sting my eyes. “I didn’t mean to, Tony. It’s nothing. I was just surprised, that’s all.”

“You’re a slut, that’s what you mean.” He’s whispering, which means he’s beyond outraged. Tony’s harsh whisper always makes me quiver in a way that yelling cannot. “How long has this been going on? I always see him sitting behind you in class, I should have known.”

“It’s nothing,” I repeat, as he pulls me farther away from the door, and then pushes me up against the brick side of the building. His forearm is at my throat, cutting off my air, and I can barely speak. “It’s nothing, Tony, I swear. I love you. Not him. I always have. He’s just jealous!”

I appeal to his ego, but he won’t have it, not tonight, not right now.

He slaps my cheek with his free hand, a hard, stinging contact. My eyes instantly water, but it’s nothing compared to yesterday’s blow to the ribs. “Don’t lie to me!” he hisses, spittle landing on my face in sharp little drops. “If you think you can go running around on me, Evie, then you’re crazy. I don’t share! I can’t believe you would do this to me. After last week, too! After we finally made love! I thought everything was good between us. You said you were fucking
trying
. You lied to me!”

I’m crying now, and I hate myself for showing weakness. “I wasn’t lying,” I gasp out. “I love you, baby. Nothing is going on between Zeke and me!”

Suddenly my right side is exploding in white-hot pain, and I can practically feel my ribs popping. I give a strangled cry against Tony’s arm, and realize he’s grabbed my side, right where he hit me yesterday.

“There better be nothing,” he says. “I’ll kill you if there is. I will, Evie.”

There isn’t a doubt in my mind that he will.

Sometimes, I think that it’s just a matter of time before he does.

Ezekiel

6

I slide the heavy tray onto the counter of the bar and then roll my shoulders to release some of the tension from them.

“Be back in ten,” I tell the bartender, also my Uncle Alex and one of the club managers, and he nods and waves me away.

I walk down the long hallway toward one of the exits, undo the top button of my white collared shirt and hope I remember to do it back up before I return to the hall, or Alex will be on my ass faster than I can blink. But right now, I’m distracted by the promise of some nicotine, and push out the door and light up a cigarette.

I don’t smoke often, mostly when I’m feeling stressed, which is usually every time I work or fight with my dad. I take a long drag on the cigarette and breathe the smoke out slowly into the dark April air.

Peace.

Or so I think.

“I love you! I love you, and this is the thanks I get! All I do is take care of you, and you’ve never appreciated it.”

The voice is low and masculine, and I’m sure I only hear it because of all the brick walls and empty tennis courts around us, echoing the noises. I raise an eyebrow to myself as I hear a terrified panting. Then there’s a low, feminine voice, filled with fear and tears. It sounds familiar, but I can’t immediately place it.

“I’m sorry. I’ll do better, I swear. Just, please don’t-”

The words are cut off by the unmistakable sound of a slap, and a sharp cry of pain.
Damn.
I edge toward the corner of the building and peer around. My eyes about pop out of my head.

Anthony Stull has Evangeline Parker up against the side of the building, an arm at her throat, pinning her down. Her cheeks are wet with tears, and Tony is practically vibrating with rage.

“You said you would do better last time. You said you would do better yesterday,” Tony is saying, his face right up against Evie’s, practically spitting in her face as he speaks.

She turns her face to look him in the eye and deadpans, “And you said yesterday it would never happen again.”

“Guess we’re both liars then, aren’t we?” Tony growls, and grabs her right side with his free hand.

Evie’s body jerks in pain, and her chest is suddenly heaving as she struggles against Tony’s arm. Her head rolls from side to side, and then it rolls fully to the right, and she catches sight of me. Her body instantly goes deathly, frighteningly still. There’s a long, heavy moment as our eyes meet, hers wide with fear and shock.

Then she’s turned back to Tony, and her voice is low and soothing. “I’m sorry, baby. I’m really sorry. I deserved it. I’m so sorry I don’t treat you how I should. Please forgive me.”

I’m startled by the sudden change in Tony. His arm falls from Evie’s throat, and he gathers her against him, pulling her face to his shoulder as she takes giant, shuddering breaths, no doubt trying to catch her breath after his pressure on her throat. He strokes her hair, and I get a sick feeling as he rocks her slightly, murmuring to her.

“I love you, Evie. I hate when you make me do that to you. Why can’t you just do better? I swear, I won’t do it again. Don’t make me do it again.”

“I won’t,” Evie sniffles against him, and I can’t believe she is actually allowing him to touch her, to comfort her, after what he’s just done. A sick, tingly feeling is creeping all over my body, and I know I should back away. But I can’t. It’s magnetizing, watching the psychotic workings of Tony’s head, and I realize with a chill that he’s one crazy motherfucker.

Finally, he pulls away and puts a hand under her chin. “Go wash your face, babe. I’ll wait for you in the car, okay?”

Evie nods, taking a step back and wiping at her cheeks. Even from this distance, I can tell both of them are red from Tony’s hand. I’m filled with a disgust and rage so strong, it’s foreign to me. I can’t imagine ever hitting a girl, especially one as small and fragile looking as Evie.

“Go on. Love you, baby,” Tony says, and sends Evie on her way with a pat on the ass.

Disgusting.

I pull around the corner and hesitate for just a moment, and then I’m off, sprinting back through the doors and into the club once again, running down the halls so I can make it around to the hallway I know Evie just entered. I get there just in time to see the door of the bathroom close behind her. I hesitate again, and then I burst inside. I walk straight up to the handicap stall and easily jimmy the door open.

Evie is standing in front of the mirror, dress pulled up to display a pair of black underwear that I don’t even notice. She gasps when she sees me and lets the dress fall.

“What the, what are you doing, Zeke?” she cries, but I don’t pay attention.

I walk straight up to her and grab the hem of her dress, trying to pull it up once more. She grapples against me, trying to fight, but she’s no match for me. I get the dress up and stare at the monster bruise covering her right side.

“What the fuck, Evie!” I cry, suddenly remembering her ginger movements at the dance studio, the way her body arched in pain when Tony grabbed her here. On purpose. Because he’d put this mark here. “Tony did this to you?”

“Get away from me!” Evie is fighting and spitting like a cat, and I finally let her back away. “Don’t touch me! Ever!” she says, her chest rising and falling with rapid speed. She’s backed herself into one corner of the stall, both arms wrapped around her waist, partly in defense, partly to cradle her ribs, no doubt.

Her eyes are huge in her face, and I realize I’ve scared her, grabbing her like that. I lift up my hands and stay completely still. I try to control my shaking voice, and it takes a huge effort not to let it be deep and hoarse with rage. “How long has this been going on, Evie? Why are you letting him do that to you?”

Her chest is still heaving, and tears are leaking out of her eyes. She lifts up a hand to wipe them away, but it’s shaking so badly that she barely pushes away any of the moisture. “N-n-none of your business,” she pushes out.

“Are you kidding me?” I spit, and then close my eyes for a beat to try and gather my control. “Evie, you need to tell someone. You can’t let him do that to you. Your dad is still here, come with me and we’ll tell him.”

“NO!” The word comes out instantly, loud and full of fear, and now it’s her turn to close her eyes for a moment and gather her control. “I can’t. Go away, Zeke. Leave me alone.”

I’ve heard of the fear that holds victims of abuse, and always been unable to understand it. It’s incomprehensible to me how someone can stay with a person who hits them. Even with Evie trembling before me, I still don’t understand. I don’t understand why she doesn’t want to escape Tony, go somewhere safe. I’m not even sure why I’m pushing her, but I can’t get the image of that big bruise out of my head, the way Tony snapped from hitting her to cradling her, telling her that she had made him do it.

“Evie,” I say, amazed at the calmness in my voice. “You have
got
to tell someone. They’ll go to the police, they’ll keep Tony away. With that bruise, he’ll probably go to jail.”

“No,” she repeats. “I can’t. You don’t understand anything about this, Zeke. Go away. I can handle Tony.”

“Like hell!” I spit out, and suddenly I’m enraged again. I start forward, not even noticing when she shrinks away from me. I grab her wrist and start pulling her toward the door. Even though in my fit I’m careful not to hold her too tight, Evie flips out when I have hold of her wrist.

I mean
flips out.

She’s turned hysterical, fighting and struggling against me, her heels skidding against the hard floor of the bathroom. She’s actually spitting again, her hair flying everywhere as she fights tooth and nail to get away. I’m so startled by her reaction that I let go of her go, more out of surprise than actual intent.

“
Don’t ever touch me
,” she hisses as she backs away.

I’m still too fired up to care that she’s afraid of me. “You need to tell someone!” I insist. “I’ll get your dad and bring him in here if I have to, Evie.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she practically howls. She’s shaking again, but now I’m pretty sure it’s with anger toward me. “You don’t know
anything
about me, Zeke. Nothing at all. Get out. Right now. Get out, or I’ll tell someone that
you
had me trapped in the bathroom.”

I stare at her in disbelief. “Are you kidding me?”

“
Get out
!” she screams, pointing toward the door.

I shake my head and slam the door open, the loud BANG giving me little satisfaction. If she won’t accept my help, than I’m out. I’m not going to try and reason with a crazy person. Because it appears that Evie is just as crazy as Tony, if she willingly stays in a relationship with that psycho.

The last thing I hear as I continue on to the banquet hall are Evie’s sobs, echoing out of the bathroom. I don’t look back.

Evangeline

7

I hear the door slam behind Zeke and nearly collapse with relief. I grab the sink with both hands and use it to hold myself up, letting my tears drip into the bowl.
Plink, plink, plink.
I watch the black spots splatter, and then travel slowly down the porcelain sides and into the drain. I’m aching all over now, my ribs, my neck from Tony, my wrist from Zeke, my back from the hard brick wall, even my feet from my shoes.

Of all the people to stumble upon Tony and me… I bite my lip, so hard that the pain forces me to keep my focus, not to space out.
Stay in the present, Evie. Get going, or Tony will come looking for you.
I take a deep breath, then pump out some paper towels and turn on the cold water. I wash the tears from the sink and pat my face, the cool towel bringing relief to my stinging cheeks. I clean my eyes and then take a deep, shuddery breath to prepare myself for the ride home.

Slowly, I leave the bathroom and the club, heading out to the parking lot. Of course it would be Zeke Quain that saw us. In the two years since Tony had first laid his hands on me, no one had ever stumbled upon us before. It’s an incredibly long time, considering we are in high school, and it isn’t as though we live together and have the privacy of our own home. But Tony has mastered the subtle art of concealing what he does, and somehow we have kept the secret all this time.

I remember the bolt of fear that had struck through me as soon as I met eyes with Zeke. I’d thought I was going to have a heart attack, right then and there. I had seen, in the flash of just a second, Tony catching sight of Zeke as well, the very person who had sent him into his rage. A shudder goes through me as I picture how it would have caused him to fly off the handle. He would have killed me, I was sure. He would have become completely irrational, lost all control.