(Jasmine's POV)

I push open the door to Paradise, the local bookstore where I've spent the last ten months working.

After leaving college last year, it was impossible to get a job. It took me three months to find somewhere to work and, initially, I hated the thought of working in a bookstore, but now, I absolutely love it! I enjoy coming to work everyday; I live for it.

"Jasmine!" The owner, Martina, says in a surprised tone when she sees me entering the store. "Is everything okay, dear?"

The older woman has been a somewhat mother figure to me ever since I started working here. Mom died when I was three, and Dad done everything he could to be both parents for me. He was absolutely amazing and I couldn't ask for a better parent but it's nice to have a woman I can talk to.

"Yeah, fine," I tell her, confused. Why wouldn't everything be okay?

I know deep down that everything isn't okay, but Martina doesn't need to know that.

"I see." She frowns slightly. I step further into the shop, slightly puzzled by her behavior. She takes a step towards me and I can see her brows are scrunched together as she peers at me in confusion, though her brown eyes remain kind as always. Her wiry grey hair sticks out in all directions, as usual, while her gold-rimmed glasses are perched perfectly between the masses of curls.

"What can I do for you, dear?" She asks.

"What do you mean?" Now it's my turn to scrunch my face in confusion. "I'm here for my shift."

"But, Greg said you quit."

My breath catches in my throat and my heart races as I try to think of a believable lie.

Greg, my boyfriend of four years, has been becoming more and more controlling. He told me two weeks ago to quit my job or else he would do it for me, but I didn't. I loved my job too much to leave it and I didn't actually think he'd follow through with his threat.

"Are you okay, sweetie?" Martina asks as she makes her way towards me.

She reaches out and I subtly move away from her, knowing that I won't be able to hold in my cry of pain if she even brushes against my bruises.

"You look a bit pale."

"I'm fine," I reply, throwing her a small smile.

"Okay," she replies, uncertainty clear in both her voice and in her eyes.

"I'm actually here to get my jacket. I think I left it here yesterday." I know she can see through my lie and I thank God that a customer walks into the store just at that second.

"No problem, dear." She smiles warmly at the customer before throwing me a look that clearly means 'I know you're hiding something from me'.

"Go ahead back and grab it," she says, her tone laced with concern.

I nod my head before making my way towards the small office at the back of the well-stocked store. Tears well in my eyes when I realize that I no longer have a job, and, if Greg has his way, this may very well be my last time in here. I should have known not to doubt him.

He used to be so sweet and kind when we first started dating, but now, he's a monster. He used to make me laugh all the time, whereas, now all he does is make me cry and cower in fear. If I had known what he really was like I never would have agreed to that first date with him.

The first time he laid a hand on me, things instantly changed. I should have known to get out of there while I had the chance, but I couldn't see through his lies. Stupidly, I fell for his tricks.

I'll never forget the first time he hit me.

"Babe, I'm home!" I call as I push open the door of our apartment.

Greg and I have been living together for just under a year now. When we started dating a year and a half ago, I was living on campus while Greg was living with his parents. After five months of us being together, Greg asked me to move in with him. Some people said it was too soon but Greg convinced me otherwise.

"Greg?" I say, when I'm greeted with silence.

I drop my purse and my keys on the coffee table and make my way further into the small two-bedroom apartment. I spot my boyfriend's keys on the kitchen table, indicating that he's here, before making my way into the living room.

"Where were you?"

I let out a loud shriek when I hear Greg's voice directly behind me. I whirl around to face him. He's sitting on the sofa on the far side of the room. How I missed him, I'll never know.

"Greg," I say, laughing, while placing my hand over my racing heart. "Don't scare me like that again! You gave me a heart attack!"

"Where were you?" He repeats himself.

I look closer at him and see that his fists are clenched tightly by his side, his knuckles white. His eyes hold an anger that I've never seen before.

"Babe, what's wrong?" I ask, stepping towards him. Something must have happened for him to be this angry.

"Where were you, Jasmine?" He grits out.

"I was in college."

"Doing what?"

I stare at him in pure confusion. Why is he acting like this? "I was working on a project. Why? What's wrong?"

I sit down on the sofa beside him and take his hand in mine. He tenses under my touch.

"Who were you with, and don't lie to me?" He spits.

"I was with a friend from my class."

"LIAR!" He screams, jumping up from the sofa and pointing an accusing finger at me. My breath catches in my throat at his outburst.

"I'm not lying. We were working on a project in the library!"

"LIAR! STOP LYING TO ME!"

"I'm n-"

I don't fully register what has happened until I look up into Greg's eyes. My cheek burns and I bite back a sob when I place my hand on it. Judging by the pain it will no doubtfully leave a bruise.

Greg looks at me in pure horror. His eyes fill with guilt as he realizes what he's done.

He's slapped me.

"Jasmine, dear," Martina says softly beside me, dragging me out of my memories.

"Huh?" I turn to face her.

"Your phone is ringing, honey. It's been ringing for the past five minutes."

"Oh, right. Yeah." Now that she's mentioned it, I can hear my ringtone playing from my pocket. I pull it out and my body physically shivers.

Greg.

Just as I make to answer it, the phone stops ringing.

Six missed calls.

Shit!

I glance at the time on the small screen and notice that I was supposed to be home thirty minutes ago. Shit! I could have sworn I had at least another twenty!

I turn, not sparing Martina a glance, and race out the door.

"Bye, Martina!" I call, panic rising in my voice.

"Jasmine, wait!"

But I don't. I ignore her pleas, and continue to race towards my apartment.

***

With trembling hands, I turn the key in the front door and silently push the door open. I hold my breath as I tiptoe into the silent apartment.

Greg appears at the end of the hallway when the door clicks shut behind me. Fear grips me as I await his reaction to my late return home.

"You're back," he says as he approaches me, his expression neutral.

"Y-yeah," I reply, putting my keys on the hall table before taking off my coat.

He wraps his arms around my waist and mumbles into my neck. "I missed you, baby."

I swallow loudly as his arms tighten around me. I do my best not to wince in pain when he applies pressure on my newest bruises.

"You're back early." He starts peppering kisses on my neck, making it hard for me to think about what he's just said. Knowing Greg though, he probably doesn't even want a reply – he prefers me silent. In his eyes, that's how a woman should be, silent, yet always ready to satisfy her man.

I glance up at the clock on the wall beside me and I almost kick myself for thinking I was late. I had only been gone half an hour, not an hour and a half like I had thought. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

"Baby," Greg moans as he pulls me closer to him before he sucks on a spot on my neck. I let out a gasp of fear when I feel his hardened length pressing against my hip and I shut my eyes tight to keep the tears from escaping. However, Greg takes this gasp as one of encouragement and sucks harder on my neck, before giving me a harsh nip. I let out a whimper and his hips automatically move to grind against me.

Greg pulls away from me and takes my hand in his before leading me down the hallway to our bedroom. His grip is tight, and I know instantly not to object – I've learned that the hard way. Not only is this a display of his dominance and control over me, but also his way of ensuring that I won't pull away from him.

He leads me into the room and lies me down on the bed before leaving a soft kiss on my lips. I close my eyes once more, trying my best to stop the sobs I so desperately want to let out. I feel him climb off the bed, hear the soft padding of his bare feet against the floor before I hear the door clicking closed. Not even five seconds later I feel the bed dip on either side of me as Greg climbs on top of me.

His lips press against mine once more and I timidly move mine in sync with his, all the while trying to hold down the bile churning in my stomach.

"Look at me, Jasmine," Greg orders. My eyesflutter open and I let out a second gasp of fear. His eyes are locked with mineand they hold nothing more than lust.