Chapter 1
Hailey felt him move in bed. She stiffened to his touch. He wrapped his arm around her, causing a sharp pain to shoot from her ribs… a reminder of the beating she received earlier for his food not being on the table when he got home. She tried shifting from under his arm but he tightened making her wince, but she pressed on.
"Where are you going?" he growled still asleep.
"Bathroom." she whispered.
He just rolled over with a groan and continued snoring. Hailey got up and walked into the bathroom. She didn't need to use it, just needed to get away from him. She washed her face and couldn't help but cry at the site of herself in the mirror. Her face was bruised and swollen. Black eye, busted lip, fat cut on her eyebrow, making her unrecognizable to herself. She brushed her fingers lightly over the handprints on her arms and scratches on her shoulders. At that moment she knew what needed to be done.
Hailey jumped at a sound forcing panic to set in. She started searching through the hamper pulling out a pair of sweatpants and an off the shoulder tee shirt. The fact they were dirty didn't matter to her as long as she wouldn't have to go through the bedroom. She'd never been so happy to have a bathroom with two entrances. She quietly opened the door and creeped into the living room where she slipped on her Ugg boots, hoodie and hat. Seeing her purse, phone and keys on the table when she normally took them in the bedroom with her only showed her it was time to run. Hailey quietly and quickly grabbed her things and unlocked the door.
The freezing cold air took her breath as soon as she stepped outside. Her tears froze to her cheeks. The only thing she could leave with was a little stuffed husky given to her by the man she hoped to be with forever. As soon as the door clicked closed behind her, she felt the weight lift off her shoulders and she just started running to her car. Hailey didn't even give it a chance to warm up before she put it in drive and sped off… away from hell.