Shattered Vows: The Wife's Bloody Escape

Daisy's fingers brushed the doorframe.

Behind her, Eryn let out a soft, trembling sob. It sounded weak, but Daisy heard the unmistakable edge of triumph in it.

That sound snapped the last thread of Daisy's control.

She spun around. She ignored Emmett entirely. She marched past him, her wet heels slapping against the floor.

Before anyone could react, Daisy raised her right hand and brought it down hard across Eryn's face.

The slap echoed like a gunshot in the sterile room.

Eryn's head snapped to the side. She screamed, clutching her reddened cheek.

"Daisy!" Emmett yelled.

He lunged forward. His hand shot out and clamped around Daisy's wrist before she could pull her arm back.

His grip was like a steel vise. His long fingers dug brutally into her delicate skin, instantly bruising the flesh.

Daisy gasped in pain. She looked up at him, her eyes blazing with pure hatred. "Asshole," she spat.

Emmett stared at the fury in her eyes. His chest heaved. He looked down at his hand crushing her wrist, and he flinched. He let go instantly, as if her skin had burned him.

The second she was free, Daisy shoved both her hands hard against his chest. She turned and bolted out the door.

She ran down the hallway. Her wet dress slapped against her legs. Her breathing was ragged and loud in her own ears.

"Daisy!" Emmett cursed loudly. He didn't even glance back at Eryn. He sprinted after her.

Daisy reached the elevator bank. The doors of the car she had taken up were just starting to close. She threw herself inside and frantically slammed her palm against the 'Close Door' button.

The metal doors slid together.

Just as they were about to shut, a large, calloused hand shoved through the gap.

Emmett gripped the edge of the door and ripped it open with terrifying strength. He stepped into the elevator, his eyes completely black with rage.

He slammed his fist into the emergency stop button.

The elevator jerked violently and halted between floors. The sudden stop threw Daisy off balance.

She scrambled backward until her spine hit the cold metal wall. There was nowhere left to run.

Emmett stalked toward her. He looked like a predator cornering its prey. He placed both hands flat against the wall on either side of her head, caging her in completely.

"You do not get to say that word to me," he growled, his face inches from hers. "You are not leaving."

Daisy turned her face away. The heat radiating off his body made her skin crawl. "You make me sick," she whispered, her voice dripping with disgust.

The words shattered Emmett's remaining sanity.

He grabbed her chin, his fingers biting into her jaw, and forced her to look at him.

He crashed his mouth down onto hers.

It wasn't a kiss. It was an assault. It was a desperate, punishing attempt to brand her, to force her to submit. His lips were hard and bruising against hers.

A wave of intense humiliation crashed over Daisy. She shoved her hands against his shoulders, hitting him, trying to push his massive weight off her. He didn't budge.

She opened her mouth and bit down hard on his lower lip.

She tasted hot, metallic blood instantly.

Emmett groaned in pain. His grip loosened for a fraction of a second.

Daisy used all her strength to shove him backward. She swung her arm and slapped him across the face as hard as she could.

Emmett's head turned. He stood frozen in the center of the elevator, a drop of dark blood welling on his split lip.

Daisy didn't wait. She hit the emergency release and smashed the lobby button.

The elevator dropped. The doors opened to the ground floor. Daisy sprinted out into the rain, threw herself into her Porsche, and sped away into the dark.