Leverage

Cradling my bump, I picked up the can of soup that I dropped at the grocery store when my eyes met his. The smoldering grey in them promising the punishment that awaited me after he got his hands on me. My entire body went numb thinking about the consequences of my actions. It took me years to come up with the courage to finally fight for myself and leave all this behind but now, as he glares at me I can feel the ground sinking beneath my feet.

There will be no second chance. This much I've come to know while living with him for years. Roman Bishop is not a man who favors second chances. Which is why I knew that running from him now will only aggravate the situation and make it worse for me and my baby. His men covered all the exits of the store and glancing past the aisle I could see a large black SUV parked at the entrance of the store between two similar cars which I was sure belonged to him as well.

I tried to take a step back when he suddenly closed the distance between us and took hold of my arm in a vice grip and roughly pushed me towards Samuel, one of Roman's men. "Take her to the car", he said to Samuel who gently led me towards the car with eyes filled with pity.

I was rocking back and forth in the backseat of the car resting my elbows on my knees and hands in my hair pulling at my roots out of fear. Tears were leaking out of my eyes and I was trying to make myself as small as possible.

A strangled sob escaped me when the doors of the car opened and he along with the driver entered the car. He slid into the seat adjacent to me and I pressed myself further towards the door. His impassive expression turned into rage upon witnessing my actions. His long arms grabbed me at the back of my neck, pulling my trembling body closer to his and backhanded me.

They said blood is thicker than water. But was it really? Marcella gave it all up to escape the dirty clutches of her past, only to end up in the arms of her arch nemesis.