Begin Again

| Prologue |

Ruth's heart was pounding harder than it had ever pounded before. She swore she was seeing it in front of her now, bleeding out for the entire world to see and judge her for the very memory of it. Her muscles ached to drop to the floor and give into the urge to scream and cry.

But she couldn't.

Though her knees quaked, and the earth ached, she stood standing still, disbelief clawing at her chest like a caged animal. It was a strange concept. To feel like everything was in turmoil inside of oneself, but unable to act on that emotion as one was too busy standing there on the outside. That familiar shade of chestnut from the ghost of her past stared right at her, frozen and nearly engulfed by the white surrounding it. Those sinfully lovely cupid's bow lips were parted, fixed in a chilling recognition. Strong hands gripped the metal bar between his fingers softly, familiarly. He even had the audacity to take a hesitant step forward.

Ruth swallowed thickly, remembering he held her with those hands once. Years ago.

Before he ruined the old Ruth Semple.

The one before the woman she was now; before the Ruth whom Emily collected piece by piece to make her "whole" again. But she'd never been completely whole after something like that. Not really.

No, instead, Emily helped bring her into a newer version of herself. A stronger one who took no bullshit, and would never let another person mess with her heart again.

So, while she was feeling many feelings in that moment, she squeezed her fists and focused on the one emotion rising to the surface from a familiar place in the pit of her stomach. The blinding emotion of something hot and powerful lashed out from deep within her constricting chest.

Rage.