Chapter 2 - Beginning of the end

Blissful days smothered us for another three months when we traveled to New Orleans to finally start our next chapter. We started in the french quarter after getting our license and going to a very nice restaurant. I will never forget the huge wine bottle on our table. I wore a blue cocktail dress and he was in a suit and tie. We drank and laughed about the "fancy food" and how the waiters were dressed as if it was a black tie affair. After dinner, we traveled to the minister's office where we were married. I expected a huge wave of change to flood me but after being issued our certificate, an unnerving sense of dread filled me with no cause of where it came from. Walking back to the hotel, there was a man in an alley we had to travel through. While I wasn't the prettiest in the room, I had a natural beauty not ever really learning how to do makeup or maybe I was beautiful and never really realized just how so. While passing the man, he reached up and grabbed my breast. I gasped at the sudden contact and shrunk into Mike. He roared at the man "MINE" while grabbing him up by the neck and throwing him into the street. This man had never been mad before. He had never raised his voice and while I knew he was built like a Roman God, he had always been so soft to me in every aspect. This man who was always calm tempered had just thrown a man a good 5 feet away from us. I was stunned before feeling a hand on my wrist and pain. Pain so bad it brought me to my knees. Looking up at the man who was now my husband who had a hold of my wrist. I groaned in pain "Mike, that hurts what are you doing?" "You are MINE MIA, it is YOUR fault that he grabbed you and from now on, you will cover yourself appropriately." A hand connected with my cheek at the last word and I was flung sideways, my vision blurring. I was so confused by what just happened. He scooped me up and started carrying me back to his normal self, "Shhh shhh don't cry Mia, I didn't mean it. I was angry." Over the next few months, the beatings got worse and the triggers becamesmaller. The worst one I had gotten was over not folding his pants correctly. I lost a tooth and thought I was going to lose my life until as abruptly as it began, it ended with sweet words and him comforting me. Gone were the days of being spoiled. He had turned me into a slave. He was openly having affairs and bragging about how he could have anyone he wanted. He constantly drilled into my head that I was scum and no one would miss me. Anytime I tried to call someone he would start arguments to embarrass me to the point that I didn't call anyone anymore. We didn't go out anymore. The only consolation he gave me was the twenty minutes after beating me. Until that day. That day started just like every other day. I made his coffee, laid out his clothes, and cooked him breakfast. He was colder than usual that morning. When I went to collect his plate, he smacked my hand causing me to drop it and immediately started yelling at me. "Can't you do anything right?! Why did I ever marry you? When I get back home this better be cleaned up!" he berated. Tears formed in my eyes and I barely whispered "I'll clean it up now, I'm sorry I'll do better next time.". I bent down and began cleaning up the plate when I felt my face going forward into the glass. Smashing on the floor I felt the shard pierce my skin and let out a painful groan. He roared "Look at what you've done, I SLAVED to buy you plates and you've broken one. Do I have to train you like a dog when it pisses on the floor?!". He dropped my head, grabbed his bag, and headed out the door slamming it. My thoughts swirled. He always comforted me. Why was he no longer comforting me? What did I do to deserve this? I sat in silence for what seemed like hours before I began to clean up the plate. I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror. The image looking back at me was startling. I had gashes all over the right side of my face and one was so deep that it probably needed stitches. I took a shower and bandaged what I could. The blood had dried and was a pain to get off. I started cleaning the rest of the houseafter getting dressed and time got away from me. Before I knew it, it was dark and he hadn't returned home. It got late so I decided to change and get in bed. Laying there I began crying again not knowing what to do about this. Should I run? No he'd find me. I would not ever find better. This I thought I knew but looking back, I know it was just ingrained in my head so many times. I fell asleep that night crying not knowing what would happen if he didn't return home. I was awoken suddenly by being ripped from the bed and thrown by my leg and arm through the door. "You can't even wait for your husband to come home before you go to bed you cow?!" I heard before I hit the frame. I put my hands out to try and catch myself and the moment I hit the floor, I felt it. A bone snapped. My right pinky laid over is a disfiguring manner. I looked at him and rage pooled off of him. "What are you doing Mike? Why did you do that? Look at my hand!" He ignored my words as I stood up and cradled my arm. A look of pure rage fueled him as he headed in my direction. In two short strides he was there and had me by my hair picking me up off the floor. I grabbed at his arm and screamed. I had never screamed before and it only added fire to the already burning bloodlust he was oozing. He tossed me right down the stairs. The fall felt like it took forever but I would never forget his face. He was smiling like he was proud of his work. I hit the door feeling the warm blood sticking my hair together and slumped forward hitting the floor groaning. I couldn't speak. My mouth was filled with blood. My vision blurred in and out. Between flashes, I could see him approaching me. He cradled my face and in a voice I hadn't heard for months said "Shhhhhh Mia go to sleep now. You'll be better in the morning. I'll take care of you" I became angry. The most angry I had ever felt in my life. I gathered my remaining strength and spat the blood in my mouth all over his face. I heard "You BITCH" a crushing sound and then everything went black.