Ravel

At twenty-three, I’m left with a decision.

The outcome could be life or death. Trent hit me once, and I cried.

Then he hit me again. And again.

After a while, I got used to it, as I slept on the floor beside his bed, night after night.

Everyone told me to leave him, but I can't. He won't let me.

The moment I wanted to give up on myself and any form of hope, Kemper—a tall, mysterious Marine just home from Afghanistan walked into my bar.

With one look in his eyes, I saw pain that mirrored my own. At first, I thought maybe he would be my prince charming, riding in to save me, but all it took was one tragedy for me to remember…fairytales don’t exist in real life.