“The next time he puts his hands on you, I want you to fight back.” I stiffened. “Are you listening to me?” I nodded. “If he touches you again, Shannon, then I want you to grab the sharpest knife you can, and I want you to plunge it into his heart.” Sniffling, I turned to look at him. “You’re not coming back, are you?” Joey just stared at me, eyes filled with tears. “I can’t,” he whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek. “If I go back inside that house, I’ll kill them both.”