Vanessa had gone back to work a few weeks after her mom’s death. She’d needed the distraction and to get back to her normal routine. A huge bunch of flowers from Toby had arrived at the café the day she started working again. She had been touched. Then again, he’d lost his mom too and knew what it felt like, the devastation it could cause.

Vanessa was mopping the floor at the end of the night, three months following her mom’s death. She had forgotten to lock the door, which was unlike her, but she was looking forward to getting home. She realized with a start that she was looking forward to seeing Billy, and she knew then that her attraction to him couldn’t be denied anymore. She wanted him, and she intended on telling him when she got home. What was the point in waiting any longer? Life was too short, and she knew there was a risk of being hurt again, but she was willing to take that chance.

The bell on the door jangled and without looking up, she said, ‘Sorry, we’re closed.’

‘Good, that makes this easier.’

She spun around quickly.

‘Mark,’ she breathed.

‘In the flesh,’ he said, smiling a wide grin.

‘What do you want?’ she asked, her eyes wide, panicking.

‘What do you think I want? I miss you.’

‘You don’t miss me; you miss the control you had over me.’

‘Whatever,’ he said as he launched himself at her.

She completely forgot that she had the mop, a weapon, in her hand. She shoved the bucket at him, hoping it would fall and cause him to slip so she could duck out the back. But it didn’t work. Her keys lay in full view on the counter. She made a grab for them, her hand just grazing them before she was pulled back by her hair. She screamed in pain. No one would hear her because the café was surrounded by now empty buildings, but she screamed anyway. He smashed her face into the counter, breaking her nose once again, blood gushing down her chin and pattering onto the bench, startling in its color contrast to the cream laminate. Then he pulled her back and let go of her hair. Suddenly free from his hold but off balance, she collapsed to her knees. He punched her, landing across her eye before she fell to the ground and he laid into her with his boots, breaking at least one rib, the familiar pain stabbing her. She was certain it was the same damn one as last time. She curled up in a ball, trying to make herself a smaller target, all the while screaming.