Here is the prologue to my Book Walking Home.
~ PROLOGUE ~ Nikole pulled her auburn hair back in a loose bun and stood looking at herself in the mirror. Gently, she applied cover-up to the bruise on her left cheekbone. She was working hard to restrain the tears that threatened to fall as she listened to her boyfriend, Garrett, swearing in the next room. She took in a deep, calming breath. Out of the corner of her eye, Nikole saw her phone screen vibrate to life. Out of necessity, she made sure that her ringer was always on silent for any notification - or these wouldn't be the only bruises needing to be covered. Quickly, she picked up her phone and checked to see who was calling. It was her sister. It had been two years since they had seen each other, over six months since their last conversation. Nikole couldn't believe it had been two years since she walked away from Haven Falls, her family, and God. She couldn't risk answering it, so she let it go. A few moments later, a text came through. CALL ME! MOM'S CANCER IS BACK. She cautiously glanced to see if Garrett was nearby. She couldn't get caught replying to a message. He was jealous of everyone and anything that drew her attention away from him. These days, even saying "hi" to a co-worker, especially a male one, could push him over the edge. Nikole had learned the hard way how to walk on eggshells without making them crack. She heard his cell phone ring in the living room. "Hi, Dodger." He answered. It was their boss, and she knew she would have a moment to send a quick text. CAN'T TALK NOW. WILL CALL LATER. She put the phone down and went back to her makeup as Garrett walked into the room. "Let's go. Dodger has some high-profile guys coming in tonight, and he wants you to host." "Okay, just give me a second." She had used her sweetest voice, but Garrett turned and stormed toward her. She cringed as his strong frame lumbered toward her. His walk was more like that of a gorilla than a man - mostly when he was angry. Which seemed to be all the time lately. She tried very hard to remember why she had been attracted to him. She had resisted him, at first. But his sky-blue eyes and rippling muscles, which took up every bit of space in his well-tailored shirts, had proven too irresistible. When they first started dating, Garrett knew how to turn on the charm. He was sweet and caring, but that all seemed to change about six months after she agreed to move in with him. Then hiding his true self became too difficult. What once had seemed very attractive now revealed itself to be downright ugly. He clutched onto her arm and swung her around to face him. She stared into the very eyes she had fallen for, only now they were dark and foreboding. Fear crept into her as he towered over her and glared at her, yet her stubbornness would not give him the satisfaction he wanted; she refused to flinch. That in itself could be dangerous. "I was just finishing getting ready." She said, "Babe, don't you want me to look my best? I know you like to show me off." She winked, and he relaxed a little. Appealing to his ego was always her best weapon. "Also, what if, by some chance, Dodger decides to drop in? You know he wants me to look good. He knows that you are the reason I want to look good." Garrett put both arms around her, "Sweetie, I'm the only one you need to worry about looking good for. Nobody else. Everyone knows you're my girl. And you better tell any guy who looks at you that very thing." He took this opportunity to study Nikole's face and decided she needed more coverup. "And, Nik, don't ever tell me to wait on you again. Do you understand?" She nodded. "You have two minutes. You can thank me for my generosity later tonight." She gave a small smile, and she tried not to think about what that meant. She turned back around and sat down at her vanity table, exhaling shakily. Through the mirror, she watched him leave the room. Nikkie knew she needed to get out, but Garrett had made it very clear the only way she would be leaving was over his dead body. She shivered as she remembered the words that followed "the chance of that is slim to none. You will be dead first." She took another deep breath to keep the tears in check. One wrong decision led her to make even worse choices, and now her life felt like a train wreck. She blamed herself for a small part of the mess she was in, but she mostly blamed God. He was the catalyst for the hurt that caused her to leave home in the first place. Because of this, she vowed never to trust Him again. "Your two minutes are up!" Garrett yelled from the front door and cursed at her. Nikole stood and grabbed her phone. She headed out of the bedroom and into the hallway. An idea began to form while walking to the front door. She looked at her phone. What if she recorded Garrett doing one of the many illegal things he was involved in? She had seen plenty of illicit activity the police would be interested in knowing. She could anonymously turn it over to the authorities. Then Garrett would go to jail, and she would be free. She knew she had simplified it in her mind, but the thought of taking action - and gaining her freedom – brought Nikole a measure of comfort she had not felt in a long time. Taking a deep breath, she held up her head and walked out the front door.
If you would like to read the rest of the story you can purchase the book through me by sending me a note through the website. You can also go to Amazon.com and purchase that way as well. There is a $10.00 special for those purchasing the book through me plus $3.00 for shipping. Thank you for reading the prologue of my book and for the consideration of buying Walking Home.
RE Schwob
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