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"I’rily "If I can’t have you, no one will!"

The ht response kicks in and I turn and start running for the rooht just be ok I reach the entrance to le in rab onto the door fra my nails in so hard that I feel them separate fronore the pain and give in toPrincess?" His voice is rough and reater I can feela screa pulled out at the back ofht hand is balled into a fist and flying into h my ear as his knuckles h round hard and my eyes roll as I try to orientateoverI kick wildly, thrashing and writhing as he grabs s me until I’ down my cheeks Panic roots itself in my belly I’ to hurt me more than it will you" I’s on either side ofbetween sobs, "Don’t hurt er touches my cheek and I turn away His touchat him and I cry harder His eyes travel down er "Did you really think that you could ever belong to anyone but me?" he snaps "He can never love you the way I do"

He pulls out a knife and starts cutting Graysons’ shirt He tears it until my torso is bare andmy breasts and I squeeze ers wrap around , and his face hovers over rowls "Let me see how much you like it when I touch you"

I will my eyes to open, butbeyond my tears Jake lowers his head and presses his lips to ue intoain "Please Jake," I whimper, piteously "Don’t do this to ainstpunch towhen the second blow lands in the same spot It feels like my ribs have splintered with the force of his fist and it brings back the ht he killed my baby Our baby His hands fiddle with the button of ers into my panties Oh God, no! Please don’t touch me there, God, PLEASE! I will not be able to look atthat part of me is sacred and for Grayson only I will be tarnished Grayson won’t wantthat Jake would just kill me already Get it over with I would rather die than have Grayson not want led sob escapes ain Crack… And again… Crack… And again… Crack…

My head rolls and I feel the fight leave my body as I look up into his dead eyes "I could never love you," I whisper, struggling for air "You killed our baby"

His face falls I expect hiain but he doesn’t For a split second I see reone

The front door flies open and sainst the wall I turn my head and watch as Grayson runs down the hallway in slow motion, followed by Brody and then Deer than Jake and when his body collides with Jakes’, Jake doesn’t stand a chance Brody follows and soon they’re both tackling Jake to the ground Brody pins hiot this! Call an ambulance!"

Grayson is at my side and I want to smile at him but my face andbut I can’tbut I’m not sure The world around me fades as darkness takes over and blankets es ofat theht of them I feel a little hand slip around reen eyes that match Graysons’ The brown-haired little boy looks up atI watch,after the little boy

"No Daddy," the little boy squeals He runs towards me and I open ain

I kiss his forehead "Mommy’s here," I coo

Grayson wraps his arms around us and I feel peace in this moment, unaware of what’s real and what’s not