A/n: I'm back:) There should be one more update later today...

WARNING: There is violent actions in this chapter. Nothing extremely graphic, but abuse nonetheless.

Sighs – our poor Batteredward...

Ch9

Once Tanya was done with me, she instructed me to get dinner ready while she showered. I dutifully did what was asked of me. Imagine my shock an hour later as we sat down to eat when she actually complimented my cooking skills.

"Don't go getting a big head or thinking that you are a master chef now, but you've finally got the recipe for this one down perfectly." She said as took another bite.

I just nodded my head and continued to eat. I miss meals with my family, the laughter and discussions around the table.

Most of the nights that Tanya and I ate together consisted of silence or her loud yell, it all depended on her mood.

"Give me a rundown of work the past few days since we haven't talked about it lately." Tanya said as she picked up her wine glass.

"I've had very minimal contact with anyone outside of Mrs. Cope or the new lawyer that they finally hired." I replied as I prayed that the hundreds of questions didn't start.

"A new lawyer, for what? Isn't that your job?" She asked with disgust for my job clear in her voice.

"The new lawyer handles custody trials or court appearances. You know that isn't my job, Tanya." I just tried to sound as neutral as possible so as to not give her fuel to come at me with her accusations.

"Is this lawyer a male or a female?" She questioned as she laid her fork down on the table and narrowed her eyes at me.

My mind whirled with the fear of what was about to begin. I was tired of being hit and feeling powerless. I was exhausted from the fights and the lies, but what choice did I have? I couldn't lie to her.

"Female." I spoke quietly without eye contact.

"Really? That's interesting that you are just NOW telling me this information." She clicked her tongue and flicked her hair over her shoulder.

"Have you fucked her yet?" She said with a wicked grin which caused me to choke on the food I was about to swallow.

"No, Tanya, I haven't and I don't intend to. I do not go around randomly fucking people, you know this about me." I angrily replied.

Dammit, I was giving her the ammo to come after me by my angry response. But, I needed to at least try to stand up for myself.

"Whatever, Edward. You are the only twenty-eight year old healthy guy that I know that needs extra work to get his dick hard. So you must be fucking someone to wear it out like that." She taunted me, baited me, and she was ready to pounce.

"Have you ever considered it might just be you that I can't get hard for?" I slipped and said out loud.

She gasped.

Her eyes were on fire.

She stood and threw her chair down as she moved around the table and punched me in the side of the head.

I groaned at the impact.

"You fucking idiot. I will destroy you. I will ruin your name. I will annihilate your family." She screamed as she continued to punch me, hit me, and slap me.

"Tanya, stop." I screamed as she dug her fingernails into my back and ripped my shirt with her nails in my flesh. "STOP! STOP! STOP!" I screamed and held back the tears.

My back burned, I'm sure it was bleeding, too.

She cackled and continued to berate me before she smacked my head one more time as she reached for wine glass, finished it off and threw the glass against the wall.

"Clean that shit up, I'm going to get ready to leave. You stupid piece of shit." She said as she kicked my knee on her way away from the dining room table.

Fuck, I hurt! I assessed as I sat there still on the floor, relieved that it was over.

I wasn't sure how much longer I could endure this shit. I wanted to curl up in a ball and cry.

I would wait 'til she left, I would not give her the satisfaction of my tears, again.

A/N: That was...the tip of the iceberg, I'm afraid...buckle up my lovelies...hell is just about to begin for Batteredward;(

See in a little while.

Kyla