Page 1

Prologue

River

The latch clicks—a sound that used to mean safety, but now means another night of Hell.

Dean stands in the doorway, the hallway light casting him in silhouette. He smiles, that terrifyingly fake smile he wears like a mask. "Time for your daily reminder, love."

I stay silent. I sit on the edge of the mattress, clutching my arms to my chest. The bruises from last week are just starting to fade, a roadmap of blue and purple splotches that cover my skin like watercolor. He likes to leave them in visible places, so he can admire his handiwork when we go out.

He approaches the bed, his presence heavy and suffocating. "Come here, River. Let's see how you're looking today. I want to make sure I didn't break anything important."

I stay still, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. He reaches out and grabs my chin, forcing me to look up. His fingers are rough, calloused, and smell of stale cigarettes and expensive cologne. The smell that haunts my nightmares.

"What are you thinking about?" he whispers, his thumb stroking my bottom lip.

That I'm going to die here.

That you're going to kill me.

"I was just thinking," I choke out, "how much I love you."

Dean laughs, a short, sharp bark of a sound. "You're so good for me. So obedient." He releases my chin and walks to the small table in the corner, where the TV sits. He turns it on, the bright light washing over the dirty white walls.

"I have a surprise for you tonight," he says, his back to me as he adjusts the volume. "I think you'll enjoy it. You always do when I do something special just for us."

He turns around, his eyes glinting with malice. "Stand up."

I slowly push myself to my feet. My legs feel weak and shaky from the constant abuse mixed with the fear. He circles me like a shark, his hand trailing up my arm, over my shoulder, stopping to pinch my skin hard enough to bruise.

"You look so fragile, River, so weak," he murmurs, his breath hot on my neck. "And I'm so strong. It's only right that I take what I want."

He pushes me backward and I stumble against the wall. He grabs my wrists, pinning them above my head. The pressure is intense, the pain sharp and electric. "You're mine," he growls. "Always. No one else can have you. No one else can see you like this. No one else can hear you scream."

I look up at him, his face twisted in a mixture of adoration and rage. "Please," I whisper. "Just let me go."

Dean's eyes darken. He leans in, pressing his lips against my ear. "Go where? You have nowhere to go. I'm your husband, River. I take care of you. I provide for you. And in return, you give me everything. Even your body."

He tightens his grip on my wrists and I cry out as the bones grind together. "You're trapped, River. I'm never letting you go."

He releases me and pushes me back onto the bed. I land hard, the mattress springs groaning in protest. He climbs on top of me, his weight pinning me down, his hands exploring my body with a rough, possessive grip.

"You're mine," he repeats, his voice low and threatening. "Don't forget it. Ever."

I stare up at the ceiling, fighting back tears, knowing that this will be my life until the day I die if I don’t get out of here.

one

River

Isit in my room, waiting until the perfect moment to execute my plan to get out of this situation. Dean switched the doorknob around so that the lock is on the outside of the door. He keeps me locked in here until it’s convenient for him. I’ve been stuck here for two years - going to the bathroom in a bucket that’s placed in the corner, sleeping on a dirty mattress on the floor. The only change that I get is clothing in case he needs me to put on a show for him and his friends. He wasn't always like this. He used to be sweet, he used to care and treat me like a queen. The day he was fired from his teaching job was the day it all started. He got progressively angrier and more aggressive with me until he was a completely different person.

I have spent the last six months plotting and racking my brain for ways to get out. To leave this life. I finally figured it out and I can’t wait to breathe fresh air again. I will never look back, I will disappear to somewhere that Dean will never find me.

I hear his angry footsteps and I know that my time is coming. If I don’t get out soon, he’s going to kill me anyway. If I'm going to leave this life, it's not going to be at his hands.

The door swings open, and there he stands with a tray containing bread, fruit, and a jug of water. In the other hand is a pile of clothes. He places the items down on the table by the door and makes his way over to me. Dean looks me up and down before he grips me by my throat and lowers his gaze down to my exposed breasts. He slaps the one on the left, making the sound echo through the small room. I try not to wince from the sting as the area burns and pulses.

“I have company coming tomorrow morning, so I expect that you will be awake and ready to put on a show for them. You wear the clothes over there and show them how happy you are to be mine.”