Page 28 of Freed By Wrath

Hit.

Hit.

Even tired. Even losing strength.

Hit.

Hit.

Hit.

Frustration starts to grow heavy inside me, and I feel tears wetting my cheeks.

Why doesn’t he… stop me?

“Do something!” I believe I scream.

Push me away.

Grab my wrists.

Fight back.

Make me forget.

Instead… Nothing.

I swallow the hurricane of feelings inside me and try to stop.

I know I try.

I’m not sure I stop. Not until I feel him slowly, shifting below me, sliding one hand to the floor beside him instead of reaching for me and propping himself up just enough to close the distance between us but still not enough to touch me.

Just enough that I feel his breath brush my skin.

Close enough that my next punch stalls halfway to his chest.

Close enough that my heart forgets its rhythm.

“Is that all you’ve got?” His mouth curves, and he tilts his head, studying me. “Come on, baby. Hurt me properly.”

I hate that my body listens to the way he says it more than the words themselves.

I hate that I… don’t want to do it. Not anymore.

Time hangs there while I observe him and he watches me, my blood ringing in my ears and my heart skipping beats inside my chest.

He looks at me, deeply. And I… see him.

He’s not fighting it.

He’s not fighting me.

His eyes drop from mine and land on my mouth, and with that, my fists loosen.

My already rapid breath quickens, for a completely different reason now and the fire burning through me shifts, no longer demanding destruction but… something more.

A touch.