You Have My Attention

Ten

« Winter's POV »

My hands tremble as the right one hovers over the door handle, my left dangling at my side. The door to Kason's apartment rattles as Vincent bangs on it again, and I jump fearfully.

Do I open it? It's not like I want to go leaping into Vincent's arms (because he'd most likely try to suffocate me). I don't want to be with him anymore, as much as it hurts me to admit it. But there's still that piece of me that wants him to hold me and tell me he wants me. I want him to say that he's sorry and that he'll never hurt me again.

But I know he won't. I'm not naïve. I'm not stupid. Vincent won't change back into the man I fell in love with. He'll forever be this way now: abusive and cruel. I don't even know when he became such a way, but he did. And now we're here. Now I'm here: shaking and afraid.

"Winter, I swear to fucking God if you don't open this door right now, I'm busting it down," he growls loudly.

I swallow nervously and quickly open the door, backing up instantly. Vincent towers over me and steps inside, unwelcome, with a look of rage plastered on his features. This look is different than Kason's furious expression in the streets below. This one isn't lifeless. This one is full of emotions that I can clearly read. And I can tell that he's really, really angry at me.

"Vince...what are you doing here?" I ask nervously.

"I think I should be the one asking that question, don't you think?" he snarls, stepping closer to me.

My eyes dart out towards the window. Kason isn't there anymore, and the blood stains are covered in some sort of white powdery substance. His absence frightens me. Is he coming upstairs now? Oh God, this will be messy. Messier than it already is.

"I-I...I don't want to be with you anymore, Vince," I stutter.

His eyes narrow, and he places both hands against the wall near either side of my head. "What?"

"You hurt me," I whimper. "You hurt me a lot. I'll always love you, but the fear I have overpowers that love. It's almost...it's almost gone."

He slams his fist against the wall, and I flinch, curling into myself. I have a little blood dried on my forehead. He didn't even say anything about it. Clearly he doesn't care. He doesn't even question it.

I'm guessing it's because he's used to seeing me marked and bruised, since he did it all the time.

"You aren't fucking leaving me!" he shouts. "I need you! You need me!"

I swallow the dryness in my throat, my body shaking. I pry my eyes open and find him seething, and Kason standing behind him wielding the gun.

"No!" I shout, eyes wide towards Kason. He gives me a hard glare.

"What did you just say to me?" Vincent snarls, averting my attention back to him. My chest rises and falls quickly.

"I...I...no. No, I can't go back to you," I say weakly.

Outraged, he grips my hair and tosses me on the ground like a simple rag doll. I land on my arm the wrong way, crying out when I hear it crack. Undoubtedly, I've just broken my arm. Or more, he just broke my arm.