Broken Heartbeat

Chapter 1

(Jasmine's POV)

I push open the door to Paradise, the local bookstore where I've spent the last ten months working.

After leaving college last year, it was impossible to get a job. It took me three months to find somewhere to work and, initially, I hated the thought of working in a bookstore, but now, I absolutely love it! I enjoy coming to work everyday; I live for it.

"Jasmine!" The owner, Martina, says in a surprised tone when she sees me entering the store. "Is everything okay, dear?"

The older woman has been a somewhat mother figure to me ever since I started working here. Mom died when I was three, and Dad done everything he could to be both parents for me. He was absolutely amazing and I couldn't ask for a better parent but it's nice to have a woman I can talk to.

"Yeah, fine," I tell her, confused. Why wouldn't everything be okay?

I know deep down that everything isn't okay, but Martina doesn't need to know that.

"I see." She frowns slightly. I step further into the shop, slightly puzzled by her behavior. She takes a step towards me and I can see her brows are scrunched together as she peers at me in confusion, though her brown eyes remain kind as always. Her wiry grey hair sticks out in all directions, as usual, while her gold-rimmed glasses are perched perfectly between the masses of curls.

"What can I do for you, dear?" She asks.

"What do you mean?" Now it's my turn to scrunch my face in confusion. "I'm here for my shift."

"But, Greg said you quit."

My breath catches in my throat and my heart races as I try to think of a believable lie.

Greg, my boyfriend of four years, has been becoming more and more controlling. He told me two weeks ago to quit my job or else he would do it for me, but I didn't. I loved my job too much to leave it and I didn't actually think he'd follow through with his threat.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Martina asks as she makes her way towards me.

She reaches out and I subtly move away from her, knowing that I won't be able to hold in my cry of pain if she even brushes against my bruises.

"You look a bit pale."

"I'm fine," I reply, throwing her a small smile.

"Okay," she replies, uncertainty clear in both her voice and in her eyes.

"I'm actually here to get my jacket. I think I left it here yesterday." I know she can see through my lie and I thank God that a customer walks into the store just at that second.

"No problem, dear." She smiles warmly at the customer before throwing me a look that clearly means 'I know you're hiding something from me'.

"Go ahead back and grab it," she says, her tone laced with concern.

I nod my head before making my way towards the small office at the back of the well-stocked store. Tears well in my eyes when I realize that I no longer have a job, and, if Greg has his way, this may very well be my last time in here. I should have known not to doubt him.

He used to be so sweet and kind when we first started dating, but now, he's a monster. He used to make me laugh all the time, whereas, now all he does is make me cry and cower in fear. If I had known what he really was like I never would have agreed to that first date with him.

The first time he laid a hand on me, things instantly changed. I should have known to get out of there while I had the chance, but I couldn't see through his lies. Stupidly, I fell for his tricks.