She lifts her hand and I see the hit coming, but instead of stopping it, I let her slap me across the face. Tears shine in her eyes despite the scrunching of her nose to keep them at bay and hide her weakness. “You’re a monster,” she snarls. “I hate you.” “Your feelings for me have no importance.” I turn around. “Follow me or I’ll make your worst nightmare a reality.” She doesn’t. At least, at first.
