Remember to Breathe (Book One of the True Desires Series) Read Online Free Page B

Morts (Allie's selection) with a six pack and nearly a fifth of whiskey sloshing through him. Allie liked the film even though the title was misleading. There were few Petites Morts and what had led to them was anything but graphic.   No kind of sleeping pill could have worked better on Kevin and yet, here he is- still grunting and drinking on the cusp of midnight. Even sober, staying awake for the duration of any movie at all is a notable accomplishment for Nick.  She's worried. As far as she knows, the only force powerful enough to keep him awake through all that is jealousy. Gina and her damn camera. But it's almost sweeps week and he's a first year station manager.  Hopefully it's that. Yes, probably that.
     
    “I really wanted Jacques to come back, even though he was kind of a dirt bag. Then again, I kind of go for the dirt bags, right?”  No reaction. “So really, what did you think?”
     
    He looks at her as though he hadn't known she was sitting next to him, then blinks.  He grunts and frowns and takes another pull from his bottle.
     
    “I see. That's a good point. Well... I'm going to bed. You coming?”  Allie asks.
     
    Nick grunts and his eyelids droop. Allie wonders if he is finally passing out.
     
    She carefully kisses him on the forehead. His eyes pop wide open at this.
     
    “You sure you're going to be okay?” She asks.
     
    Nick is looking away but nodding. It is a firm nod.  Allie hopes this means that whatever sort of volcanic activity is percolating inside him will dissipate soon enough.
     
     
     
    Nick appears behind Allie as she is drying her face in their bathroom. He embraces her.  Allie exhales in relief. It's not me, it's sweeps week. Life will be so much better after it.
     
    Allie loves his giant teddy bear hugs.  She appreciates this one especially, even if his boozy breath makes her nose crinkle. This is the Nick she knows and loves. She tilts her head up to kiss the bottom of his chin. He kisses her head before clearing his throat. “You still want to get married?” he asks.
     
    Allie gulps. “ Why would you ask that?”
     
    And then the pressure from his arms begins to increase and he presses her hard into the sink counter.   “Nick, what are you doing?”   Nick latches onto her throat and squeezes, turning her scream into froth. His body eclipses her slender figure- almost swallows her in its folds. Her hands- doll hands in comparison to his- claw and scratch helplessly at the one on her throat. She  notices their faces in the mirror- his face red and swollen with welling eyes and hers the same only on a smaller scale.  They are in the same position as they were in the photograph they had sent to announce their engagement.
     
    “ I saw your emails,” he whispers acidly into her ear.  “Some guy you used to fuck, yeah?”   Allie struggles to register what he's talking about. Since they'd met, she hadn't been with anyone but Nick. Then she remembers the email an old flame had sent her a few weeks ago.
     
    It was innocent enough, Allie thought.  A few replies were exchanged. The tone was friendly; nothing  forward or even flirtatious, really. He suggested they meet to catch up over coffee and Allie agreed but they never got around to it. She was going to mention the emails but kept forgetting.
     
    Nick won't let up and Allie feels on the verge of losing consciousness.
 
    “ Listen you bitch,” Nick  presses into her harder.  “Some day. Could be tomorrow. Could be five years from now. Could be at the church before we walk down the aisle- someday I'm going to  violate you. Hard.  And you're going to wish you had never met that little fuck.  Don't you ever, ever , go behind my back again. You hear me?” They are both hyperventilating when he releases her. Allie exhales  and crumples to the floor.
     
    “I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry,” she repeats over and over through waves of sobs.
     
    Sure, she knew Nick had a jealous side but not, she