Page 9

Willow

My mouth was dry as the room fell silent, my heartbeat pulsing through my ears.

My eyes bounced between his, frantically trying to find evidence that this was just a horribly planned joke. I could recover from that.

I couldn’t understand why here, why now. But then it clicked. In public, he knew I’d never embarrass him, never reject him.

The longer my thoughts reeled, the firmer his hold became, sucking me back to the reality I wanted to run far away from.

“ Willow— ” he gritted out, the smile on the audience-facing side growing wide and the other, which was shrouded in darkness, remained a firm, harsh line.

The past seven years ran through my mind.

Years of running out of money despite just being paid, years of bruises in places no one else would see, years of disparaging comments about my body. Seven fucking years of being made to feel less than I was.

Peeling my hands out of his, I stared at him. Tears begging to spill over held themselves back, knowing he wasn’t worth the effort of jumping ship. Once my hands were free, I wiped them down my hips over the smooth material of the dress, removing his grimy sweat from my skin.

I held his eye contact, his expression now thunderous, shook my head slowly and spoke clearly.

“No.”

A tsunami of emotions flooded my body. Pride, relief, strength, fear, anxiety, and a full-blown panic attack hit me. How I’d longed to feel free of him but never had the power. I had to get out of here before he could cause any more harm.

I turned and ran, the flight to my fight taken literally. Passing Jack, Mike, and the curtained sides of the stage, I flung my body down the steps, frantically searching for an escape.

I had to get out .

Though beautiful, the dress and heels were a hindrance to my getaway. I stumbled over boxes, props, and material as I hunted for a fire exit. My lungs burned as I gasped for air.

My name was called from behind me. It could have been anyone, but I couldn’t risk it being Cain.

I ran down what felt like endless corridors before finding the blissful sight of the fire doors, pressed my hands against the push bar and allowed them to swing open so hard they hit the external wall with a crash.

Cold winter air hit me.

I allowed myself a second, shutting my eyes and relishing the freedom I’d long yearned for. Hearing my name again, my lids snapped open and shifted to my right. I ran down the side street to the hotel towards a main road where cars moved slowly.

Reaching the corner of the building, I peeked around to find normalcy in the street. I moved quickly to the taxi rank on the roadside driveway of the hotel. Stumbling to the front vehicle, I banged on the window to find a female driver, she opened her window and offered a friendly smile.

“Where to, love?” I glanced around in bewilderment. I couldn’t go home, I couldn’t go to my safe space at work since I’d left everyone behind. Suddenly, I thought of Elle and rushed out her address. If she wasn’t home, I knew where her spare key was.

I realised at that moment I had left my phone and purse on the table, I had no way of paying.

“I’m so sorry, I-I think I’ve left my phone and purse in there,” I nodded at the hotel, “but where we’re going – they can pay.

” I began to sob and heave at the need to get the away from here and the fear I was about to be caught.

Clinging onto the window frame of the car, I begged, “I-I just really need to get out of here.”

“Are you alright?” Her face was full of concern and her voice was full of worry. I would be too, a girl slamming on my window desperate for a lift.

“Please, please, please. I just need to get out of here.”

“Of course, get in, we’ll figure out money later.”

I thanked her and moved to the back of the car, fumbling with the handle of the door which was slippery with rain.

As quickly as I opened the door, it was forced shut with a slam.

I froze.

A hand splayed across the window. The arm connected to the hand reached over my shoulder and brushed my ear, sending a shiver to crawl up my spine .

I knew that hand better than I knew my own, the nails bitten to the quick, the scars – old and new – along the knuckles, the whispers of hair over the fingers and up the back of the hand.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

“ Please ,” I whispered as I clenched my eyes and let the tears fall.

“Not going to get far without these are you?”

The other arm loomed over my other shoulder, my purse and phone clenched in them. I spun around to find Cain, a scowl crinkling his reddened face.

My bottom lip trembled, which he found amusing.

Pushing his face closer to mine, bracketing me in as he opened the taxi door.

“Get in the car, Willow.”

Shaking, I obeyed. He had me trapped. There was nowhere else to go, despite my best efforts.