Cloud Nine

9.

"Open the door Josephine!" he pounds on it once again, his voice full of revenge and anger, no sign of sleep in his voice.

"Just a sec" my voice doesn't waver this time, it's still and confident as I put on my robe before opening the door.

He's leaning on the doorframe, his white button-up shirt half open and his tired eyes staring into mine. His hair is a mess now and a bit of it covers his forehead. He is still reeking of alcohol and cigarettes, and his hand moves to the side of my face, not very gently.

"You didn't remove my shoes and clothes this time" he smirks, stepping inside the bathroom with me and closing the bit of distance between us.

"I was just going to"

I was not.

"Oh jo..." he sighs, his breath making me want to puke right now. He bends over to kiss my ear, and his other hand pinches the skin on my arm, before untying the knot of my robe. "My darling wife" he continues mumbling, kissing my neck now. And I put my hands on his chest, trying to shove him away but he doesn't move an inch. His hard chest falls up and down as he removes my robe entirely now.

"Not your wife yet," I push his hands away, and he immediately grabs ahold of my hands.

"From where do you get so much arrogance, baby?" I'm pressed against the wall, with his entire weight on me as he forces himself on me, his face not even an inch away from mine. His hand travels down from my face to my throat, and to my breast— making me feel more disgusting as he travels downwards.

"Don't look away" he forces my mouth straight to look at him when I try to look away from his daunting stare. "Why don't you tell me what were you doing with him alone in a corner, hm?" his finger traces my jawline, and I pinch my eyes shut already tired of his bullshit.

I don't feel the need to explain myself to him, but with regard to his drunken state, I am being forced to answer.

"I was feeling nauseating. I found a corner, he found me and he brought me dessert. That's it" I utter with a blank expression and he laughs.

Laughs.

His laugh, the one that I used to find attractive once in my life, is now scaring me because I sure as hell didn't crack a joke.

"Bullshit" he mumbles with a smile, "I know your intentions with him. I see it in your fucking eyes. You're pregnant with my goddamn child Josephine, you could at least have a bit of shame" he isn't smiling anymore. He's yelling. Properly, and loudly, yelling in my face.

"I am sick of you. You make me sick" I say with the same confidence, the disgust laced in my voice. 

"I have been trying to be so nice to you, I even put a fucking baby in you! And yet, you have absolute zero affection towards me. I cannot fucking understand why" his hand wraps around my throat, strongly.

How do I tell him that this exact behaviour of his, the angry, zero-tolerant, arrogant, selfish side of him has made me repulse him.

At this moment, when my neck is being squeezed by the person I am "supposed" to spend the rest of my life with, the person I'm going to have to raise a child with, the person with whom I am stuck... it is in this moment that I finally realize how deep in the water I am.

And I need someone to pull me up, save me from drowning, like right now.

"Don't for a second think about tolerating something you shouldn't have to" Hero's voice rings inside my head from what he had said earlier tonight.

"Nate enough!" I gasp as his hand grips tighter, making it difficult for me to speak.

"You are mine, Josephine. Whether you like it or not, you don't have an option" he smiles, forcing his lips on mine before he lets go of me completely.