Chapter Fifteen: June

Ugh, I hate this man. Frustration boils inside me as I strike the nearby wall, my knuckles throbbing in protest. The pain in my body is still there, dull but bearable. I refuse to let it control me. I need to leave this room. Staying here only reminds me of him—his proximity, his touch, the way he tied the strings of my dress like he had some claim over me.

By the time I reach Mia’s store, I’m already exhausted, but I push through. “Hello, can I see Mia?” I ask the receptionist. She gawks at me like the other customers do, eyes trailing over the dress I’m wearing. I know it looks good, but the attention makes me uneasy. I shift under their stares, wishing I had worn something else. The receptionist spots Mia on the second floor and quickly calls out to her.

Mia looks over and grins. “Oooh, babe! Come up here. I’m dealing with a customer right now. You can wait in my office or join me.”