Several times over the past few months, she had considered leaving him. But with her parents gone, no money to start over, and no one to turn to, she’d hesitated.
Then, a month ago, he’d beaten her so badly she’d been knocked unconscious. When she came to, she knew she had to get out before he killed her. She stole change out of Dillon’s drawer, only a little at a time so he wouldn’t notice. After a couple weeks, she had enough for a tank of gas.
Dillon settled into a pattern of drinking, beating her, and passing out. She used the hours he was unconscious to scour the house in search of her keys. She’d begun to despair, thinking he’d thrown them away. Until last night. He’d gone out drinking with his teammates. When he’d arrived home, he’d gone straight to the refrigerator for another beer. He’d forgotten he’d finished off the last bottle the night before and blamed her for drinking the beer. With no beer left in the house, he reached for the whiskey.
With a sickening sense of the inevitable, Kinsey braced herself, but she was never prepared when he started hitting. This time, when he passed out, she’d raided his pockets and the keychain he guarded carefully. On it was the key to her car.
Grabbing the handful of change she’d hoarded, she didn’t bother packing clothes, afraid if she took too long, he’d wake before she got her car started and out of the shed.
Heart in her throat, she’d pried open the shed door and climbed into her dusty old vehicle. She’d stuck the key in the ignition, praying it would start. Dillon had charged the battery and started the car the week before, saying it was time to sell it. Hopefully, the battery had retained its charge.
On her second attempt, she pumped the gas pedal and held her breath. The engine groaned, and by some miracle it caught, coughed, and sputtered to life.
Before she could chicken out, before Dillon could stagger through the door and drag her out of the vehicle, she’d shoved the gear shift into reverse and backed out of the shed, scraping her car along the side of Dillon’s pristine four-wheel drive pickup, and bounced over the curb onto the street.
She’d made it out, and she wasn’t going back.
About the Author
ELLE JAMES also writing as MYLA JACKSON is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of books including cowboys, intrigues and paranormal adventures that keep her readers on the edges of their seats. When she’s not at her computer, she’s traveling, snow skiing, boating, or riding her ATV, dreaming up new stories. Learn more about Elle James at www.ellejames.com
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Or visit her alter ego Myla Jackson at mylajackson.com
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Also by Elle James
Iron Horse Legacy
Soldier’s Duty (#1)
Ranger’s Baby (#2)
Marine’s Promise (#3)
SEAL’s Vow (#4)
Warrior’s Resolve (#5)
Delta Force Strong
Ivy’s Delta (Delta Force 3)
Breaking Silence (#1)
Breaking Rules (#2)
Breaking Free (#3)
Breaking Hearts (#4)
Brotherhood Protectors Series
Montana SEAL (#1)
Bride Protector SEAL (#2)
Montana D-Force (#3)
Cowboy D-Force (#4)
Montana Ranger (#5)
Montana Dog Soldier (#6)
Montana SEAL Daddy (#7)
Montana Ranger’s Wedding Vow (#8)
Montana SEAL Undercover Daddy (#9)
Cape Cod SEAL Rescue (#10)
Montana SEAL Friendly Fire (#11)
Montana SEAL’s Mail-Order Bride (#12)
SEAL Justice (#13)
Ranger Creed (#14)
Delta Force Rescue (#15)
Montana Rescue (Sleeper SEAL)
Hot SEAL Salty Dog (SEALs in Paradise)
Hot SEAL Hawaiian Nights (SEALs in Paradise)
Hot SEAL Bachelor Party (SEALs in Paradise)
Brotherhood Protectors Vol 1
Hellfire Series
Hellfire, Texas (#1)
Justice Burning (#2)
Smoldering Desire (#3)
Hellfire in High Heels (#4)
Playing With Fire (#5)
Up in Flames (#6)
Total Meltdown (#7)
Declan’s Defenders
Marine Force Recon (#1)
Show of Force (#2)
Full Force (#3)
Driving Force (#4)
Tactical Force (#5)
Disruptive Force (#6)
Mission: Six
One Intrepid SEAL
Two Dauntless Hearts
Three Courageous Words
Four Relentless Days
Five Ways to Surrender
Six Minutes to Midnight
Hearts & Heroes Series
Wyatt’s War (#1)
Mack’s Witness (#2)
Ronin’s Return (#3)
Sam’s Surrender (#4)
Take No Prisoners Series
SEAL’s Honor (#1)
SEAL’S Desire (#2)
SEAL’s Embrace (#3)
SEAL’s Obsession (#4)
SEAL’s Proposal (#5)
SEAL’s Seduction (#6)
SEAL’S Defiance (#7)
SEAL’s Deception (#8)
SEAL’s Deliverance (#9)
SEAL’s Ultimate Challenge (#10)
Texas Billionaire Club
Tarzan & Janine (#1)
Something To Talk About (#2)
Who’s Your Daddy (#3)
Love & War (#4)
Ballistic Cowboy
Hot Combat (#1)
Hot Target (#2)
Hot Zone (#3)
Hot Velocity (#4)
Cajun Magic Mystery Series
Voodoo on the Bayou (#1)
Voodoo for Two (#2)
Deja Voodoo (#3)
Cajun Magic Mysteries Books 1-3
Billionaire Online Dating Service
The Billionaire Husband Test (#1)
The Billionaire Cinderella Test (#2)
The Billionaire Bride Test (#3)
The Billionaire Daddy Test (#4)
The Billionaire Matchmaker Test (#5)
The Billionaire Glitch Date (#6)
The Billionaire Perfect Date (#7)
The Billionaire Replacement Date (#8)
The Billionaire Wedding Date (#9)
SEAL Of My Own
Navy SEAL Survival
Navy SEAL Captive
Navy SEAL To Die For
Navy SEAL Six Pack
Devil's Shroud Series
Deadly Reckoning (#1)
Deadly Engagement (#2)
Deadly Liaisons (#3)
Deadly Allure (#4)
Deadly Obsession (#5)
Deadly Fall (#6)
Covert Cowboys Inc Series
Triggered (#1)
Taking Aim (#2)
Bodyguard Under Fire (#3)
Cowboy Resurrected (#4)
Navy SEAL Justice (#5)
Navy SEAL Newlywed (#6)
High Country Hideout (#7)
Clandestine Christmas (#8)
Thunder Horse Series
Hostage to Thunder Horse (#1)
Thunder Horse Heritage (#2)
Thunder Horse Redemption (#3)
Christmas at Thunder Horse Ranch (#4)
Demon Series
Hot Demon Nights (#1)
Demon's Embrace (#2)
Tempting the Demon (#3)
Lords of the Underworld
Witch's Initiation (#1)
Witch's Seduction (#2)
The Witch's Desire (#3)
Possessing the Witch (#4)
Stealth Operations Specialists (SOS)
Nick of Time
Alaskan Fantasy
Boys Behaving Badly Anthology
Rogues (#1)
Blue Collar (#2)
Pirates (#3)
Stranded (#4)
First Responder (#5)
Blown Away
Feel the Heat
The Heart of a Cowboy
Protecting His Heroine
Warrior’s Conquest
Enslaved by the Viking Short Story
Conquests
Smokin’ Hot Firemen
Love on the Rocks
Protecting the Colton Bride
Protecting the Colton Bride & Colton’s Cowboy Code
Heir to Murder
Secret Service Rescue
High Octane Heroes
Haunted
Engaged with the Boss
Cowboy Brigade
Time Raiders: The Whisper
Bundle of Trouble
Killer Body
Operation XOXO
An Unexpected Clue
Baby Bling
Under Suspicion, With Child
Texas-Size Secrets
Cowboy Sanctuary
Lakota Baby
Dakota Meltdown
Beneath the Texas Moon
