Jessica stepped out of Herbert''s car.
Herbert got out as well, slipping his hands into the pockets of his trench coat. He watched her go, his expression soft, his gaze lingering as she walked toward the house.
She''d barely taken a few steps when his voice called out, quiet but clear. "Little Mute."
Jessica turned back.
Herbert''s lips parted, as if he''d meant to say something else, but he simply said, "Goodnight."
Jessica smiled and signed goodnight in signnguage.
Herbert stood there, motionless, watching until she disappeared inside.
Upstairs, Timothy pinched his cigarette between his fingers, snapping it in half. The glowing tip scattered sparks onto the floor. He turned off themp, plunging the room into darkness.
Ding-
Jessica keyed in her code. The door swung open. She hadn''t even reached for the light switch when strong arms swept her inside, pinning her against the door as someone''s lips crashed onto hers.
A faint scent of tobo, edged with cedar, filled her senses.
It took only a moment for her to realize it was Timothy.
She tried to pull away, but he''d already trapped her wrists, his grip iron-strong, his body pressing her immobile.
There was nowhere to run.
Her back was t against the door, the cool wood biting through her clothes, chilling her to the bone.
Timothy''s kiss was fierce, possessive, his heated breath mingling with hers, as if he wanted to consume her whole.
His hands slid along her waist, his touch hot against her skin. Jessica''s nerves sparked at his every movement, her body trembling out of her control.
Panic welled up. Tears pricked at her eyes.
She couldn''t speak. Her resistance, feeble against his strength, was useless.
When she finally managed to cup Timothy''s face with both hands, he seemed to think she was surrendering, leaning in for another kiss.
But then-crack.
Her open palmnded hard against his cheek.
His head snapped to the side, a few pale fingerprints blooming on his skin. Whatever desperate need had been burning inside him vanished in an instant, snuffed out by the sting.
He reached out and flicked on the lights.
Jessica instinctively crossed her arms over her chest, her breathing in shaky gasps. Her tear-filled eyes red at Timothy, raw and wounded.
She was a mess-clothes rumpled, buttons torn away, hair in disarray-while Timothy, save for some wrinkles in his suit jacket, looked every bit theposed man he pretended to be. But his eyes, dark and bottomless, brimmed with barely restrained fury.
Jessica''sshes trembled with unshed tears, her silent usation hanging heavy in the air.
After a long moment, Timothy''s voice broke the silence, cold and t. "What, I can''t even touch you now?"
He''d spent the night with She...
Alone. Just the two of them. Who knew what had happened?
And now Jessica was asking for a divorce. How could he expect her to stay close
to him after that? Her shirt was already missing buttons, torn by his hands.
She red at him, battered and furious, her movements sharp as she signed angrily, I told you-I want a divorce!
Timothy''s eyes narrowed, a sneer curling his lips. "Don''t test my patience."
He didn''t raise his voice, but the threat was unmistakable.
Jessica smiled, but it was a hollow, brittle thing.
Timothy''s brow furrowed, tension building in the space between them.
Just then, Jessica''s phone rang. She pulled it out-Mabel''s name shed on the
screen.
She didn''t answer.
A momentter, Timothy''s phone rang as well. Mabel again.
He picked up.
"Sir, it''s Henry—he''s burning up with fever. He keeps calling for his mom. I tried
Mrs. Carter, but she didn''t pick up. Please,e home right away."
"I''m on my way."
He hung up and grabbed Jessica by the wrist.
"Let''s go—Henry''s sick."
Jessica''s heart clenched. Before she could think, she was already hurrying out the door, following Timothy into the night.