Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 54817 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54817 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 274(@200wpm)___ 219(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
I never truly believed it, but now? I definitely do.
My life has been a series of gut punches.
First, my sperm donor did the same before I was even born.
Dear old Mom followed not long after my first breath.
My grandmother, Hester, hated me and never let me forget it.
Still, I was determined to make life better.
As soon as I graduated high school, I moved Virginia.
For a while, I thought things were finally looking up.
I met Vector, a man who made me believe I was special.
That was until he ghosted me.
He completely disappeared from my life. Telling me without words that I wasn't even worth a goodbye.
Just like my parents.
After that, I began a downward spiral, fully accepting all the hateful things my grandmother used to scream. I fell into a marriage with a cold-hearted bastard.
I did manage to escape and pick myself back up. I began a new life in North Carolina—just me and my son.
Now, there is no dreaming of happily-ever-after. I know they don't exist—
No matter how much a long-haired, sexy biker named Ford tries to make me believe in them.
This book is written in tandem with M. Merin's book Redemption. While each book can be read as a complete standalone, her story with Vector and Sloane takes place during the same timeline and scenes
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
PROLOGUE
GRACE
“You stupid bitch!” Benny growls as I fall down from his punch.
My cheek throbs, but I fight the urge to touch it. Instead, I spend all my effort trying to protect my stomach. I’m eight weeks pregnant. Benny doesn’t know and I’ll never tell him. I see his leg coming at me. I quickly turn. It still catches me in the ribs. At least he didn’t reach my belly. Benny loves to hit where he can inflict the most pain. I cry out when his Italian loafers that cost more than my entire wardrobe connect in the same spot. It feels like he cracked one of my ribs.
“Please,” I beg. He grabs me by my hair before I can continue to plead. He yanks hard, controlling me. I claw at his hand, but it doesn’t help. Benny slaps me hard across my face. The force of the hit causes my head to jerk back as I careen into the wall. For a second, my vision dims.
“I told you to be nice to Korslova, you stupid bitch!”
“I-I-I couldn’t,” I cry. My face is swelling already, or maybe his punch caused damage because I can barely see out of my left eye. My tears, which are continually falling, don’t help. I hate that I’m crying. I can’t help it, though. I’m terrified. “He wanted me to-to—” I can’t finish the sentence. Remembering what he tried to do to me makes me want to hurl.
Despite the terror of my current situation, I think back to just a few moments ago. I walked into Benny’s office, bringing him and Mr. Korslova drinks like requested. History had taught me to placate him as much as I could. If I failed, my punishment would be painful. I know I’m weak. I should’ve left Benny the first time he slapped me. The thing is, once you’re involved with the Korslova family—even a minor player like Benny—you’re stuck.
If I’d been smart, I’d have never married him. In fairness, in the beginning, the bastard gave me visions of a better life, with a picket fence and happy children running around my feet. It was a dream that I’ve always quietly held inside my heart. Benny used that to his advantage. He swore I’d never want for anything. I was gullible as hell.
I continue thinking of what got me here, pinned against the wall, Benny’s hand chokingly tight on my neck. His cold blue eyes that I once thought were beautiful, stare at me with a twisted pleasure, making bile rise into my throat.
Once I took their drinks into his office, I immediately knew from the way his friend was leering at me I was in trouble. Benny introduced the guy as Kerr Korslova. The smile the man gave me terrified me. Benny’s sadistic laugh as he plopped down in a chair made me feel worse. When Benny is relaxed, nothing good comes from it.
Korslova walked to me. I kept my fake smile on my face, thinking he was going to take the drinks from my hands. He did, putting them on Benny’s desk. I turned to leave, my heart running wild. Korslova grabbed me, pushed me up against the wall, ripping the straps of my pale-yellow sundress. I cried in horror as the fabric fell down, revealing my bra. I immediately tried to cover myself, but the man ignored me. He flicked the clasp on my bra, baring my breasts.
“Benny! Help!” I cried, begging.
My so-called husband laughed. “Help? I’m going to enjoy the view. You be a good little slut now and pleasure him the way I’ve taught you. If you’re really good, I’ll even join in for round two,” he laughs.
“Stop,” I implore. “This is rape.”
“C’mon. We know you want this,” Korslova taunts, as he pushes my hands out of the way, capturing one of my nipples in his mouth.
He sucks it into his mouth, while I do my best to twist and turn to get away from him. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Benny rubbing his hand against the erection pushing against his pants. I hate him. I wish I had the strength to kill him.
Korslova begins sucking harder on my nipple, his hand moving over my body. Rage and disgust fill me. I can’t let them rape me. I won’t survive it—I know I won’t. “Stop!” I scream at the top of my lungs. In retaliation, he bites into my nipple. White-hot pain moves through me. In desperation, I take my hand, angling my fingers to dig my nails into the side of his face. I’m too panicked to enjoy the fact that I’m drawing blood—although I feel it against my fingertips.
“You fucking cunt!” Korslova screams, his hand going to the side of his jaw. He slams my head backward into the wall so hard that I see stars. I whimper as the pain takes over. I try to shake off the dizziness that overwhelms me, but my legs give out and I crash to the floor.