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Prologue

January 25, Midnight

Four Years Earlier

Nashville, Tennessee

Leah never slept deeply Her brain, always on alert, ski for him to return Not a matter of if he’d strike A matter of when

When floorboards creaked and a cold hispered in the shifting shadows of her first-floor apart the sheets, heart slahtstand and waited, her thuency 9-1-1 speed dial Seconds passed Was this another false alared husband finally come to kill her as he’d promised?

Adrenaline surged and rushed through sinew and bone, pricking the underside of her skin as she listened and waited

The temptation to call the cops pulled, beckoned, screamed But she’d cried wolf too often Too many false alarh with frustration, had told her to count to ten before she called again

“One Two Three” Her breathing quick and shallow, she listened, expecting footsteps, but hearing only silence and the thud, thud, thud of her heart

God, she was so tired She needed sleep Freedom Peace She needed her life back

During the day, Philip was always there

, standing and watching He sent her flowers Called her cell at all hours Left scrawled es under her windshield wipers You can’t escape I own you Months of his relentless pursuit had stretched frayed nerves to breaking During the day, she juht, terrors jerked her fro her chest and shallow breathing chasing a racing heart

Holding her breath, she listened as she stared at her locked bedroo save for the hum of the furnace

“Four Five Six”

She scraical reason to explain this latest scare It was Tuesday Thatthe late shift at the bar Greta closed on Tuesdays Howwhen Greta had returned horad student and bartender, now hts, fearful any sound would send her roommate into hysterics

Leah glanced at the clock Midnight Too early for Greta She listened, heartbeat still jackha Thank God, no more sounds Had this been another dreaht Nine”

Slowly, she lowered to her pillow, clutching the phone to her chest, eyes wide open, staring at the swathe of shadows slicing across the ceiling Breathe in Breathe out

The day she’d finally fled her e of questions, her proot off work But that , she’d been at her desk when a coworker had asked her about the bruises on her arm She’d lied of course, but this time, the words hadn’t tuue Sickened, she’d asked for the afternoon off No matter how much she’d hoped, his contrition always faded and his te I’m sorry to ash

She had no plan when she’d returned to their apartreen trash bags Take only what you need Get the hell out of here fast The words slammed as hard as his fists

When she’d twisted off her wedding band and laid it on the kitchen counter, it was exactly three o’clock in the afternoon, just thirty s into the hallway, and when the apartment door slammed behind her, she’d actually felt free It’s over It’s over

But it wasn’t

Philip had called her cell seconds after five that same day Guilt had prompted her to take that first call as she’d sat in the shabby ed her to return I love you I need you It will never happen again

Of course he was sorry He was always sorry

He’d sent flowers Called Waited outside her office No matter where she looked, he was there Please come back to me I love you so much

Floorboards creaked in her closet, and she bolted back up, clutching her hand to her ic couldn’t silence the alarrier until reason scurried away like a frightenedthe restraining order, furious This is bullshit! You don’t knohat you’ve done!

Her fingers poised over the 9-1-1 direct-dial button, her gaze scanning the darkness At first glance, nothing was out of place Her door was closed Locked along with a dead bolt

And then, the faint flutter of movement in the shadows inside her closet Another cold breeze from a half-openbrushed her skin Tirew heavy

“Hello, Leah” Philip’s deep voice sounded amused as he stepped out of her closet

Philip! How had he gotten into her room? Mentally, she ran fro

He clicked on the overhead light,a dark turtleneck, jeans, and boots, his broad shoulders ate up the tiny space of her roo and unclenching at his sides Attached to his waistband was the brown leather holster that cradled a six-inch knife blade The blade was inches froht hand

“Philip”

“Leah” His voice devoid of concern or fear, as it always did when he ca back

Without taking her gaze from hiency?” echoed from the phone

“My husband’s going to kill me,” Leah said “I live at One-Twelve Main Street, Apartment Two Treemont Apart this moment over and over?

“Ma’am, repeat what you just said” The operator’s voice was clean, crisp, and so blissfully free of fear