(Jasmine's POV)

I lie in bed; my eyes filled with unshed tears. I hear the soft snores of Greg behind me. His arm tightens around me and he moans in his sleep. I wince in pain as he squeezes my bruised ribs.

How did I let this happen? How did I not realise what he was turning into? What he really was?

When Greg eventually fell asleep last night, I made to a decision, a decision I should have made long ago. I'm going to leave Greg, once and for all. The company he works for, thankfully, sends him on business trips every now and again. I don't know when his next one is, but what I do know is that, I won't be here when he comes back from it.

Greg's snores slowly come to a stop and, on instinct, my eyes shut. I pretend to sleep while biting back a cry of pain as he pulls me even closer to him. His naked body is flush against mine and I can feel him pressing against my lower back.

With one hand he reaches up and pulls my hair away from my neck before peppering kisses along my jaw line. It takes everything in me not to tense in his arms as he turns me around to face him. He kisses my lips softly.

"I love you, Jas," he whispers. "I love you so much."

He kisses me once more in an attempt to wake me up.

"Come on, baby. Wake up."

I reach up and rub my eye as I slowly 'wake' up.

"Morning," I mumble, finally meeting his eyes.

"Morning," he beams down at me before capturing my lips with his. He moves urgently against my mouth, trying to get a better reaction out of me. When I don't respond the way he wants me to, he squeezes me tightly and I let out a cry of pain.

I feel him smile against my lips before taking the opportunity to plunge his tongue into my mouth. His fingers remain gripped to my hips, as a silent threat for me to kiss him the way he wants me to. I reluctantly move my tongue against his, the way he likes me to, knowing that if I don't I'll have more bruises on my already battered body.

Finally he breaks the kiss only for him to roll me over onto my back. He straddles me before continuing his earlier assault on my jawline and neck.

"I'm going to miss you while I'm gone," he tells me between each kiss, lick and bite he roughly places on my neck.

"What do you mean?" I gasp out due to him placing all his weight on me to keep me still.

"I have to go on a business trip this weekend." He sits up, pulling me up with him.

"You're leaving?"

"I'm afraid so, baby. I tried to get out of it but you know how my boss is."

I nod slowly, absorbing what he's just said. He pulls me into a hug and cradles my head in the crook of his neck.

"I'll only be gone for a day. I'll be back tomorrow night." He kisses the top of my head before continuing. "You won't have to miss me for too long."

"Good,' I say with a genuine smile on my face. I certainly won't have time to miss you; I'll be too busy running.

I try not to gag when I kiss him gently on the cheek. "I'll make breakfast while you get yourself ready."

"Thanks, babe. You're the best," he beams.

I smile as he pulls his t-shirt over my naked form before pulling me off the bed. He slaps my ass as I leave the room.

"You look so sexy in my clothes."

I hurry out of the bedroom before he changes his mind about getting himself ready to leave.

***

My hand trembles as I carry the plates of food over to the table. The thought of leaving Greg once and for all has me overjoyed, but the thought of getting caught is what has me trembling. I know what Greg is like, and I'm fearful of what will happen if he does manage to find me. I know I can't keep living the way I am and that leaving is my only true chance at happiness. I'll just have to suffer the consequences if it comes to that.

"Babe, why are you shaking?" Greg asks, as he walks into the room while rubbing his hair dry with a towel.

"I-I'm just cold," I tell him. "Breakfast is ready."

"It looks amazing." He sits down on the chair nearest him before pulling me onto his lap. "Sit here, I'll warm you up."

I smile timidly at him. He adjusts me on his lap before pulling our plates closer.

Greg looks at the two plates and shakes his head in disgust. He grabs my plate and takes a pancake from it and places it on his own. Next he takes two of my slices of bacon and adds them to the six already on his plate.

"There, much better."

I look down at the remaining food on my plate, one pancake and one small piece of bacon.

"What do you say, Jasmine?" Greg grits out, squeezing my side tightly.

"T-thank you."

"You're welcome, babe." He kisses my temple after releasing his death grip on my hip. "You know I'm only looking out for you, right?"

I nod my head softly. I take a bite of the bacon and close my eyes, fighting back the tears that are threatening to fall.

Ever since we moved in together Greg has slowly taken control of almost every aspect of my life, from what I wear, to who I talk to, right down to what I eat. When we first started dating I was thriving in the gym and I was loving every second of shaping my body into a way that I was proud of. Greg, however, had other ideas. He cancelled my gym membership and burned all my gym clothes because, according to him, I "look like a cheap whore in them."

Over the last year and a half I have gotten thinner and weaker. The constant abuse my body has suffered has not only taken a toll on me physically, but also mentally. My once fit, healthy body is now delicate and frail. I also think that Greg's brutality with me has caused some permanent damage to me internally.

"We don't want you getting fat, sure we don't?" Greg's voice drags me back to the present.

I shake my head quickly as his hands travel up my thighs. Instantly I squeeze my legs together as his hand moves along my bare skin. A sharp tug of my hair has me instantly reopening my legs for him.

"No, we certainly don't. We want you to stay nice and sexy for me." He cups me with his hand and continues with his earlier assault of my neck. His fingers roughly enter me and I let out a cry in pain. My body is extremely sore after last night. He was rough with me and I know it will take at least a week to recover.

"G-Greg," I gasp out.

"Mmm?"

"Your p-phone is ringing."

"I'll be right back," he says, lifting me off his lap and placing me back down in his seat once he stands. He gives me a long lingering kiss on my lips before hurrying to the living room to answer his phone.

The second he's out of sight I race towards the bedroom to grab some clean clothes. I notice Greg's case sitting on the bed and it has me wondering when he's leaving. If he doesn't leave soon it won't give me enough time to put as much distance between us as I'd like.

"Babe?" He calls, just as I'm about to enter the bathroom.

"Down here."

"I've some bad news," he says, wrapping his arms around my waist and pulling me flush against him.

"What is it?" I ask, looking up. I pray he's going to tell me he'll be away longer than originally planned.

"My flight's been moved forwards a few hours. I have to leave now. The cab is on the way."

"Oh," I say, trying to sound disappointed. At least him leaving earlier gives me a couple of extra hours.

"I know, baby. I'm sorry, I wish I could stay." He places his lips against my forehead and tucks my head under his chin. "Believe me, I'd love nothing better than to stay in bed with you underneath me all day."

I shiver in response and I hope he doesn't notice. He doesn't. His hands travel down my body and he grips my ass tightly in both hands.

"Don't worry though, I'll make it up to you when I come back. You won't be leaving the bed for a few days."

Greg's phone rings again he groans into my ear.

"Hello?" His hands never leave my body as he speaks to whoever's on the phone. "Thank you, I'll be down now."

He hangs up the phone and shoves it into his back pocket.

"You've to go?" I ask softly.

"I'm afraid so, baby. The cab is outside."

I nod softly and pull away from him.

"Where is your meeting this time?"

"Pennsylvania." He grabs his case from the bed and carries it to the front door of the flat. "It'll be a long flight."

I swallow the lump in my throat. This is it. This is goodbye.

"I'll miss you," I tell him honestly.

I will miss him. Despite everything I've been through, I'm still in love with the man I met. I'm still in love with the Greg I used to know, the Greg that was kind, funny and caring. The Greg that went out of his way to make me happy; the Greg that gave me butterflies every time he smiled my way.

He's long gone though, and this goodbye, in more ways than one, is me finally getting a chance to say goodbye to that Greg.

"I'll miss you too, baby." He pulls me into his arms and kisses my forehead. "I love you."

His phone starts ringing once more and he swears loudly before answering it. "I'm on my way down to you now. Thirty seconds."

Greg kisses me deeply before grabbing his case. "Bye, baby."

"Bye," I whisper as he starts to leave.

"Thanks again for last night, Jasmine. You were amazing!" He winks at me before pulling the door shut behind him.

I race to the window and wait for him to get down onto the street. I see the cab driver opening the trunk of the car and putting his case into it for him. Greg looks up towards the window and waves at me before climbing into the back seat.

I watch as the cab drives down the street. The second he's turned the corner, I turn and pull my own case out of the wardrobe.

It's time to leave, once and for all.