The Idiot Bride And Her Crippled Tyrant

e bottle shattered agains

heavy scent of crushed roses and pure alcohol flood

Cora screamed. Her voice tore t

els crunching on broken glass. She reached ou

al force. Mavis stumbled, her back hittin

plastic ridges. Her face twisted with rage. She hurled the sealed bottle against the wall, watching it bounce harmlessly off the wallpaper. "I'll find a way to end it!

against the hardwood floor. He was a heavy, broad-shouldered man with a florid face and thin

her voicemail from a Wall Street cre

d snapped. He kicked the half-open bedroom door.

ck bulged against his tight collar. "You will put on tha

st heaving. Black mascara ran down her cheeks, streaking through her flawless f

ression of calculation. She wrapped her arms around Cora's shaking shoulders and snapped her head up

ch family specifically asked for a Battle daughter. If we break

ng slowed. She lowered her voice. "They asked for

pacing. He star

Mavis w

nsylvania for ten years. The car crash scrambled her brain. She can't even string a

ily just needs a warm body to stand next to his wheelchair for the cameras. A brain-da

back of her hand and scrambled up from the floor, her silk robe clinging to

again. A text message fr

sed the unlit end hard into the crystal ashtray

gritted out

"Get the car ready!" he shouted down the sweeping s

hall. She kicked a large shard of glass out of her way,

yes hard in the mirror's reflection. "Not a word of this to anyone. As far as the pre

d the smooth asphalt of the interstate an

he undercarriage scraped against s

ed down his temples. "Mr. Battle, the suspension can'

usand-dollar leather shoe sank instantly into a de

oat. He gagged, pressing a silk ha

d the rotting wooden cabin at the end of the path.

a faded, torn floral dress crouche

cleared his throat,

urned her

er cheeks. Her dark hair was matted and tangled. Her

t around a large, grey toad. The to

mouth and let out a loud, hollow giggle.

took a fast step back, his heel slipping i

hopped away. She stood up, her shoulders slouched. Sh

, the word thick and

reature standing in front of him. He

e remembered. A harm

smile stretched ac