Dangerous temptation

Chapter 1

Mara’s pov

Tell me, Daniel was she worth our marriage?”

The words left my mouth before I could think. My voice didn’t even shake. I think that scared him more than if I’d screamed.

He turned, shirt half-buttoned, eyebrows drawn together. “What are you talking about?”

I held up his phone my hands trembling. “You should really lock it.”

His face changed a flicker of guilt, then arrogance. “You went through my phone?”

“I wasn’t looking,” I said quietly. “It was open.”

He scoffed. “God, you’re unbelievable. Always searching for something to fight about.”

“I wasn’t searching. You left it there.”

He grabbed his jacket, muttering, “You know what your problem is? You can’t just let things go.”

I laughed. It came out broken. “Yeah. I guess being lied to makes it hard to ‘let things go.’”

He didn’t answer. Just slammed the door.

A moment later, his mother’s voice came from the hallway. “You shouldn’t provoke him like that, Mara. You know how men are.”

I stared at her. “How men are?”

She folded her arms. “If you were a little more patient, he wouldn’t be looking elsewhere.”

I almost said something something sharp but instead I just turned away.

Same words. Different house. Different abuser.

I sat on the edge of the bed, wiping my tears with the hem of my shirt.

“Stupid.”

“Useless.”

“Good for nothing.”

Those were the kind of words I grew up hearing sharp as knives, meant to slice me down until I believed them.

And now, years later, I was married to a man who said the same things but in different ways.

All my life, I thought marriage would be my escape.

I imagined love soft and safe, like the endings in the books I used to hide under my pillow.

But happiness was fiction, and I was living the sequel to my childhood.

I couldn’t stay in that room any longer.

Daniel’s scent clung to the sheets like poison, and the thought of him with her made my stomach twist.

I grabbed my phone, stepped into the hallway, and saw a door half-open down the corridor. The guest room. Maybe I could breathe in there for a while.

I pushed the door wider, not really paying attention my vision was still blurred from crying. I slipped inside and layed on the bed. The quiet felt good, almost safe.

Until the mattress dipped beside me. someone was definitely on the bed but who could it be?

not wanting any trouble I made an attempt to leave but a hand firmly grabbed me and pinned me to the bed...l didn't dare to move my heart pounded...l heard a low growl above me and I could make out the silhouette of a man...the bed creaked as he moved closer and smelled my skin.my heart raced and I gasped slowly.

He let go of my left arms my instinct kicked in and I was about to make the run for it but he pinned both of my hand with one of his.

"Stubborn" he said

His voice was deep and seductive he definitely wasn't someone I knew... his fingers trailed down my face to my neck

"smooth skin"

He complimented me l blinked twice anxious as hell.Daniel never complimented my skin, heck he never liked anything about me... within seconds his fingers has reached my shoulders his touch tickled but, I didn’t complain I found myself wanting more of it.

his fingers trailed my scar line my eyes widened and I looked away.the scar was my greatest insecurity and have always kept it hidden...

“beautiful" he said

before planting a kiss on the spot...l looked backed at him with a curious look did he just call my horrifying scar beautiful?who was this lunatic?

his fingers trailed up again and found my lips...they were swollen from Daniel's abuse.he frowned a bit then got off me. For a heartbeat, the room felt heavy with something I couldn’t name. And then he was gone.

Just gone.

I looked around, pulse racing. The air was still, like he’d never been there at all. My hands trembled as I pushed off the bed and stumbled into the hallway, desperate to breathe.

That’s when I saw Daniel

“You’re back,” I managed, my voice barely steady. The sight of him made my stomach twist his shirt unbuttoned, that smug look on his face.

“I’m hungry,” he said flatly, brushing past me. “Make something for me.”

I stared at him, disbelief curdling into anger. “You expect me to cook for you? After everything?Are you insane ?my anger burst out for the first time in three years I had dared to raise my voice at him.

He blinked, surprised that I’d raised my voice.

“Did you just yell at me?”

“Yes,” I said, heart pounding. “And I should’ve done it a long time ago.”

For a moment, the air between us went still too still. His jaw tightened, and his hands curled at his sides. The tension was thick enough to choke on.

I took a step back, ready for whatever came next.

His eyes darkened and his finger rolled into fist he ran towards me l turned back in fear running away as fast as I could.

I ran into our room but he was quick Enough to enter before I could even close the door.i screamed even tho I knew no one would save me.

Daniel grabbed my legs sending me crashing to the floor and hitting my elbows in the process.without thinking twice he knelt down placing me between his legs.his fist made hard contant with my face, making me see stars and a spinning world.

“How dare you disrespect me like that you fool”! He yelled at me.

My cheeks stung from his slaps and tears fell but he didn't stop he kept hitting me like I was a punching bag.

I had always taken this but not this time

My jaw clenched

“f**k you Daniel”

I gave him I gave him a blow on his belly with all the strength I had left when he wasn't looking...his eyes rolled in pain as he collapsed on me...my vision blurred and I passed out.