Read Online A Love Like This (Book 1) by Kimberly Lane - Free Book Online

relationship. ”   He hands her a bag of frozen peas for her bruises.     Nickie   isn ’ t sure how she disrespected their relationship so she doesn ’ t know how to prevent from doing it again. The first time he hit her she swore she ’ d never talk to him again.   Dana told her that if a man hits you there ’ s no telling what else he ’ d   do to you.   She knew that if her family found out they ’ d literally kill him.   And if she even mentions it to Keisha forget about it.   That girl could be more vindictive and mean than any man.   So she applied heavy cover-up to hide the marks he left from punching her and decided to never call him again.
    Sorry eyes, spoke not
    Of lost romance, but hurt.
    Hate often is confused.     Its
    Limits are in zones beyond   itself.    
    But he called her constantly after that first beating.   He said that he loved her so much that he went crazy over the thought of losing her.   He became attentive and passionate even fun loving in the weeks that followed.   The next time he hit her she thought she must have done something to make him angry.   She told herself that if she did what he asked he wouldn ’ t have a reason to punch her arms, chest and legs.   He never hit her   face, never wanted to confront the pain he ’ d caused.   Their relationship wasn ’ t sexual.   In fact they rarely had sex.   He told her that he wanted to wait until they were married.   She believed him.   He told her that she was a slut for pressuring him to have sex.   She believed that to.   Her spirit was broken a little more with each embarrassing painful blow.
    And
    Sadists will not learn that
    Love, by nature, exacts a pain
    Unequalled on the rack. ”
    “ I don ’ t want to lose you, ”   he says brushing her tears away.     “ Do you know how much I love you? ”     He asks gently stroking her smooth tan face.     Nickie   touches the hand that rests on her cheek without malice and nodes yes.     Later that night   Nickie   takes the train home in a fog.   She walks into her studio apartment and gingerly lowers herself onto the couch.   She can ’ t cry anymore.   Her whole body is numb and she feels as if her life is spinning out of control.   She sits on the couch for what feels like hours staring straight ahead blankly.   The phone rings and snaps her out of her haze.
    “ Girl pack up we ’ re going to see our baby. ”
    ________
    My phone rings at 5 AM on a Friday morning.     “ Leila! ”   Sarah says covering her ears with a pillow.     “ Answer your phone. ”     The phone continues to ring.   Sarah throws her pillow at me.  
    “ What, ”   I grown?  
    “ It ’ s your phone, wake up and answer your phone. ”     I look at the caller ID and sit straight up in bed.   I try to steady my breathing before answering.     “ Did something happen? Why are you calling so early? ”   I say when I answer.  
    “ Girl nothing ’ s wrong.   I ’ ve been calling you for days and you never respond. ”  
    “ So you decide to call me at the ass crack of dawn? ”   I say lying back in bed.   Sarah walks past me wearing a hello kitty eye mask pushed up to her forehead and a matching night shirt.   She scratches her butt and farts as she passes my bed.  
    “ Was that you? ”
    I exhale loudly and fan the air in front of me.     “ No Nick that was my roommate Sarah.   I guess she ’ s punishing me for waking her.   I ’ m sorry I haven ’ t called much lately.   I ’ m starting to think that doubling up on classes wasn ’ t the best idea.   I have no life and I ’ m pooped. ”  
    “ Well since we can ’ t get you to come home we decided to surprise you and drive up.   Put all your work aside because there will be none of that this weekend. ”  
    “ Who is we, ”   I ask. ”  
    “ Pookie   and I are driving through the Grape Vine as we speak.   We should be there in three or four hours.