Let It Be Me Read online

  “Are you going to call the cops?”

  When I don’t answer, he presses into me again and I cry out, “No, please, that hurts.” Tears are streaming down my face and I can’t breathe as I look up into his face. He’s a monster. He doesn’t care that he is hurting me. He doesn’t care about anything.

  “That’s right, now stop this mess. You understand me? The next time you kick me, I’ll make you regret it.”

  I nod, choking on my tears as he presses his knee into me again. “Okay. I’m sorry. Please, stop.”

  He lets up and I take in a lungful of breath as my tears run into my ears. He then bends down and puts his face beside mine. I cringe away, but he follows and then whispers, “Stop fighting me, Violet.”

  Then he slams his knee down onto my stomach, knocking the air out of me. I gasp for breath as he lets me go, standing up over me. I ball up into the fetal position, trying to ease the pain but all I feel is fire. Closing my eyes, I squeeze out my tears, begging God to make the pain stop, to help me as Rob says, “you won’t win. You’ll never win.”

  I listen as his footsteps retreat and when I hear the front door slam, I cover my mouth, letting the tears fall as I sob. Slowly I sit up, cringing from the pain but I know if I stay down, I’ll never get up and I have to get up. Just like before. I hate him. With everything inside me but I won’t let him win. I can’t give up. I won’t give up.

  Taking in a deep breath, I wail, “Yes, I will!”

  A sob escapes from me and I gasp for breath as my heart pounds in my chest. Looking around the room, I blink away my tears as I whisper, “I will.”

  Even though no one hears me, I continue to say it as I slowly get up.

  I may have not won right now but I will.

  I will…

  Another week passes and with each day, I slowly begin to hate my life.

  I live with a man that I hate. For the last couple days, I sit and think of ways to kill him but I won’t do it because I’m scared of what could happen to me if I did. I have completely shut down when he is around. I don’t talk to him, I don’t look at him and I walk on eggshells around him. I’m biding my time until the moment I can leave, but each time I make a plan and think it’s going to work, I always remember that there is a good chance I won’t get away. I can’t help but think that all this will be a failed attempt. But I refuse to give up, despite working every angle to get away and discovering that each time he finds me. It’s driving me crazy but I have to get out of here, I have to keep trying.

  Rob isn’t the only thing that is making me hate my life and myself. It’s my job too. I used to love this place. I used to get so excited about coming here but now I dread it. Now it’s the place I go to make money to leave this state. Tucker is still not talking to me. He didn’t even come to work for the first three days of the week. Dr. McCloud did, claiming that Tucker has to go out of town for something. Tucker hadn’t even told me he was leaving town when usually he tells me everything. He won’t answer my calls or texts and it’s killing me.

  I know what you’re thinking. Just tell him. He could help and you would feel better and honestly, I’m starting to feel the same way but each time I look across the hall at his door, I freeze. I can’t do it and I don’t know if I ever will. I’m not sure I can handle what he says and I don’t know if he’ll understand. He’d want to fix it but, like I’ve said before, I don’t know if this is something he can fix and I need to do it myself. I’m stuck between a hard place and a rock and I can’t get out.

  Going through my emails, I glance at the clock and even though I’m glad it’s almost time to go home, I have no desire to go there. Rob is on a vacation of some sort and has been home for the last four days. I hate it. Everything I do, he’s there, watching me and yelling that there is something better for me to do than work on the computer. I miss my time to myself and I wish he would go away.

  When a knock comes at my door, my pulse speeds up at the possibility of Tucker walking through it but when I look up, it’s Mrs. Yolanda. Trying to mask my dismay, I smile. “What can I do for you?”

  “Dr. T has called a meeting.”

  My brows come together. “He has?”

  “Yup, everyone is gathering in the break room. He asked me to come get you.”

  Fantastic.

  Still with a bright smile, I say, “wonderful, I’m on my way.”

  She sends me a grin before walking out and I crumble onto my desk. I have no clue what this meeting is about and I really don’t want to go. Sitting up, I grab my notebook and pen for notes and slide my feet back in my heels before leaving my office. When I reach the break room, everyone is there, laughing and carrying on with Tucker but when he notices me, he stops laughing and turns to grab his things.

  Well then.

  “Since everyone is finally here, we can get started,” he deadpans, making it clear that he is talking about me.

  Sitting down, I send him a look as I get my notepad ready to be written on. “I didn’t know about the meeting, so sorry I was late.”

  I may have said that a little rude, but he was rude first. Yes, that was a tad bit childish. I don’t care though. He’s acting like a jerk.

  “I sent you a message,” he says back and I shrug my shoulders.

  “Didn’t get a message, must have gotten lost in cyberspace, huh?”

  Turning from where he is grabbing things, his eyes narrow as our gazes meet. It’s only for a second but it feels like a life time and that’s all it takes for my breath to hitch and my heart to slow. I want to run to him, beg him to forgive me but before I can, he looks away, picking up the files he had on the counter. Everyone is watching us, I can feel their eyes on us and I want to scream from frustration.

  “Okay, so, I have exciting news. After my trip to Atlanta, my father and I have decided, after very careful research, that we want the office to become completely digital!”

  His trip? His research? Hm. Okay…

  I sit back and watch the faces of my co-workers. Some are excited while others, like Amy and Rita, look nervous. Tucker seems oblivious to it though; he’s talking about how great it will be for the office. How checking in patients would be a breeze and how everyone will benefit from it. While he goes on and on, I get madder and madder. Where is my credit for looking up all these facts? It could still come, so I sit back and watch, giving Tucker the benefit of the doubt but I don’t think it’s coming.

  When Rita’s hand goes up, Tucker points to her before asking, “yeah Rita?”

  “Um, is this going to affect my and Amy’s jobs?”

  Tucker smiles as he shakes his head. “No, I was going to offer you and Amy the opportunity to go to a trade school for Medical Assisting on the company’s account. I would need help getting the office in order too, so no, your job is sound. Everyone’s job is.”

  Amy and Rita are glowing with happiness, so is everyone else. Except me. I’m fuming. Really, I’m not sure I have the right to be mad but at the same time, I think I do. I feel like I’m not even a part of this office anymore. No one is talking to me when usually I run these meetings. Tucker hasn’t even looked to me for help; he’s doing it all himself. Does he even need me anymore? Am I going to get fired?

  Oh shit.

  “Everyone good?”

  Everyone nods and Tucker grins as everybody gets up to leave, saying bye to him first but not even sparing me a glance. Maybe I’m imaging this all. I am so hurt and upset with everything that I’m thinking things are happening when they really aren’t, because surely my office wouldn’t do this to me. I’m a great office manager, loving and attentive to everything they need. Everything Tucker needs.

  Tucker.

  Pinning him with a look, I watch as he laughs with Amy and Rita. I want to go over to him, smack him upside the head and ask why he’s being such a jerk. Why he didn’t credit me for anything or even act like I was in the room except to scold me? Folding my arms, I sit back in my seat and wait for them to get done talking. Whe