Free Twisted Mind (Chequered Flag #2) by Mia Hoddell

virtual stranger. It was why I’d cut Raine and Teo off. People would view me differently and I would become a victim again.
    I didn’t want people to whisper behind my back or check up on me. All I wanted—no desired —was to move on. I needed to get over everything and leave it in the past if I had any hope of succeeding. And for some reason, Tazia helped me. I doubted it was intentional on her part, though I reasoned she deserved the truth if I planned to use her in secret.
    I leaned back against the sofa and puffed out my cheeks. I kneaded the back of my neck and exhaled heavily. “What do you want to know?”
    Silence lingered for nearly a minute. Tazia appeared deep in thought, her expression impassive before finally settling on a mix of confusion and resentment. “Were you really engaged to that…um what’s a nice way of putting this? Bitch?”
    Her question stumped me. I’d been preparing myself to conjure answers for the reasons behind the violence. Tazia didn’t seem like a person to dodge the major issues and I thought she would remember that most from the day. Unless she wanted to ease me in gently.
    “No. I’ve never been engaged to her, and I never will be.”
    Tazia nodded. She reminded me of a doctor waiting to diagnose a problem. “Why did Elora say she was then?”
    “Because she’s a psychotic, abusive, and manipulative woman.” I paused, glancing up at the ceiling. “Listen, my relationship with Elora wasn’t healthy. What you saw today had nothing on the levels she’s reached in the past.”
    I screwed my eyes shut to block out Tazia’s shock, but all it did was fill my mind with memories.
     
    * * *
     
    I walked in through the front door to Elora’s parents’ house. They knew me well enough that I could forgo knocking, so I dumped my bag by the shoes scattered around the hallway, kicked mine off too, and headed deeper into the house.
    “Baby, I’m back,” I called out.
    “You’re late,” Elora’s voice came over the back of the sofa.
    Rounding the corner of the chair, I took in her sleek body sprawled out. She had her feet kicked up and her body slumped as low as possible. Resting on her stomach was her mobile.
    “Our flight was delayed,” I explained apologetically. “Didn’t you get my text?”
    “No, Dustin. I didn’t get your stupid fucking text. You can check my phone if you want.”
    I perched on the corner of the coffee table in front of her with a sigh. “I don’t need to check your phone, Lor.”
    “Well maybe I need to check yours, because I got no text. What were you really doing, Dustin?” Her eyes narrowed and her lips formed a tight line. Hauling herself up, she dropped her feet to the floor.
    I resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of my nose in frustration. “Really? We’re back to this old story again? I’m not cheating on you, Lor. I’ve been working the whole weekend.”
    “Surrounded by gorgeous women twenty-four seven.”
    “Shit. How many times do I have to say it? I’m. Not. Cheating. My plane got delayed because of an issue they found during checks.”
    “Then why didn’t you text me?”
    “I did. I can’t help it if you didn’t receive the message.”
    She reached for her mobile. I didn’t have time to process what she was doing. Elora drew her arm back and hurled it at me with all the force she could summon. “You didn’t! Stop fucking lying to me,” she screeched.
    Even with my racing speed reactions I wasn’t quick enough to intercept the phone. It hit my collarbone, dangerously close to my throat.
     
    * * *
     
    “Why.” Punch. “Don’t you.” Hit. “Love.” Smack, punch. “Me?”
    Elora pounded on my chest around her sobs. No matter how many times I restrained her, she always managed to weasel out of my hold since I didn’t want to risk breaking her wrists. Despite all of the marks and bruises she’d left on me, I never wanted to be responsible for a single hair on her head falling out, let alone anything