“Have a nice weekend,” she chirped to the two of us.
“You too,” I said and led Eli out the doors.
Eli talked none stop on the way home. He told me everything that he had done with Miss Cooper, I think he may even have a little crush on her. It was cute.
It wasn’t until we got in the apartment that I remembered that Max was taking me out tonight. He wouldn’t know that I’d been wearing this all day so there was no need to change.
I cooked Eli’s dinner and sat with him on the couch while we watched cartoons and that’s how he fell to sleep, tucked against my side. I’d been so busy this week and with Max being home every night, we hadn’t had the time together like we normally did.
The door slammed shut and loud footsteps sounded into the kitchen. I shuffled forward and picked Eli up.
Jeez. He was getting heavy.
The clock read nine pm, I guess that meant we wouldn’t be going out. If I was honest, I was relieved. I carried Eli to bed and tucked him in.
“Hey, baby.” He sneered when I walked into the kitchen.
“Hi, Max,” I said and turned the tap on.
I washed the dishes from Eli’s dinner and felt Max’s eyes on me the whole time. I tried my best to ignore it by opening the fridge and looking inside. Mainly for a distraction.
“What do you want for dinner?” I asked with my head still in the fridge.
“What do I want for dinner?” he slurred.
“Yes.”
A hand grabbed my arm in the exact place that Tyson had earlier in the day. This touch was much rougher. I shivered and not in the same way that Ty’s touch had made me shiver.
“Ow Max, you’re hurting me. Let go.” I moved my arm, but his grip tightened.
“You telling me what to do?” He pulled me closer to him, the fridge door shut as he pushed me against it.
His nose touched mine as he pushed his face closer to me. The green in his eyes swirled with anger, there were times like this that I wished I couldn’t read him when he was angry. It was the only time that I knew what would happen.
The only time I could read him.
“Answer me!” he roared, spittle flying on my face.
“No Max, I’m not telling you what to do.”
“Tut. Tut.” He shook his head and backed away a couple of inches.
“I’m sorry, Max.” It was an automatic answer when it came to him.
His brows lifted and he let me go. I sagged against the fridge and blew out a breath. He backed away and then started to laugh.
I couldn’t help but compare it to the laughter that came from Evan. This one was sinister and cruel. He wasn’t laughing with me; he was laughing at me.
He flew forward and gripped my head in his hands, spun me around and slammed my face against the fridge door.
“This is for not having my dinner ready.”
“But-” I was cut off when he pulled my head back and slammed it back into the fridge.
Pain exploded across my face wetness trickling down past my eye and rolling onto my cheek. He pulled me back again by my hair.
“This one is for not keeping your mouth shut.” He slammed my face into the door a second time.