Damaged Goods: Prologue

Here's the new prologue for Damaged Goods... I feel so giddy about this one! Seriously excited every time I write in it... we're now at 67,000 words in this Chick Lit. Comments are always a plus!

PROLOGUE

Harden’s face is swollen with fury, anger seeping through the slits of his eyes – he wants to kill me. I can’t let him. I must live so they can live. My only chance are the two things in my hands – a gun and Annabelle’s throat.

Handed to me only moments ago, the gun will either save my life or end it. I’ve watched this scene play out too many times in the movies. One second the girl has the gun and control, the next it’s in the bad guys hands and she’s begging for her life. This is where Annabelle comes in.

“You don’t want to do this,” he says with arrogance. He’s right.

I take in a deep breath, drawing on what little strength I have left, and say, “Clearly you don’t know what the hell I want. If you did, my family would be here holding you fucking hostage. Do you hear what I’m saying?”

His stare doesn’t waver, forcing me to squeeze her neck tighter. Annabelle, continuing her struggle under me, pleads with her father, “Daddy, I don’t want to die. Please Daddy, give her what she wants.”

This apparently, convinces him. “Leave her alone.”

“Or what?” Annabelle gurgles with perfect timing. “Are you going to deliver them or not?” I demand.

He slumps his shoulders and the tightness of his eyes relax. His confidence evaporates with a soft exhale. The transformation of power is complete and I use my new position of strength and hiss, “I mean it. They’d better not have so much as a scratch or I’m going to fuck her up. It won’t make us even, but I’ll be satisfied.” Again, I tighten my grip. “Do you hear me, asshole?”

He lowers his head into his hands and whispers, “What is the right choice?”

In this moment, the most intense moment of my life, I remember Tim’s words on that fateful day, “It’s a choice.” It was a choice and it still is and I realize this is my new life. The one I’d been searching for, the one offering love, excitement, and acceptance. No, Harden will not win this battle. Again, I wrench her neck, tighter than before and more believable.