Free The Veiled Cage (Lady Lawyer Series Romantic Suspense Novels Book 1) by Rita Johansen

dentist. What about my feelings ?” He threw her against the wall.
    She landed on her left hand with a crack. Cradling her wrist against her chest, she sat shaking, tears streaming down her face .“I’ ll do better, Jerry. Not be so forgetful. Whatever you want me to do, I’ ll do it . ”
    “ Yo u’ re going to find a new dentist. A woman. I ca n’ t even trust you to get your teeth cleaned. You do n’ t deserve a present for your birthday. It was n’ t even important enough to remember. Yo u’ re so damn old i t’ s ridiculous to celebrate at your age . ”
    Twenty-nine , she thought. Mind scattered by the pain shooting from her wrist, it drifted to the evening of her twenty-fifth birthday. Silk brushed her legs. She was desirable, his princess, and he was her prince. Her sister threw the surprise party for Susan; its high attendance shocked no one. She was different then. She had dreams. Dreams Jerry called adorable like the stuffed animals sh e’ d kept into womanhood. Sh e’ d figured out they were silly. Jerry had told her so enough times that sh e’ d packed them away and given them up.
    Jerry yanked her up by her left wrist and back from the past. Agony shot up her arm as she cried out.
    “ Are you listening to me? Or are you too busy fantasizing about your damn dentist ? ”
    “ Yes, I mean no. No, Jerry, I do n’ t want anything from you . ”
    He squeezed her wrist. Voice as hard as his eyes, he said ,“ So yo u’ re saying I do nothing for you .” He felt her tremble, and tightened his grip .“ I do everything for you! Ther e’ s food on this table because of me. Ther e’ s a roof over your head because I put it there. I’ m king of this fucking castle and you expect to be treated like a queen. Yo u’ re just a slu t— whoring yourself like you women do .” He punctuated his words with violent jerks to her arm, wrenching her shoulder from its socket.
    She choked back sobs, knowing the y’ d only fan the flames of his fury.
    With a sweep of his hand, he upturned the kitchen table.
    The last connection to her grandmother crashed to the floor.
    As she looked at the shards, something inside her snapped. She wondered which was more broken, and if either could ever be fixed.
    “ Look at what yo u’ ve done. Clean it up. I’ ve had enough of you. Do n’ t you dare ask me when I’ ll be home .” He slammed the garage door behind him.
    She glanced at the disarray. Her gaze fell on the oven cloc k— 5:44 p.m.
    After locating her phone in the mess, she photographed what happened when she dared to dream. Tears blurred her vision as she saw on the small screen the reality of her life.
    ✧
    “ Another successful intervention at Miller Law Office ,” Ruby said, and locked her office suite.
    “ Ruby, there was weeping ,” Jasmine said.
    “ Weeping is appropriate and beneficial ,” Amy said .“ It showed Veronica how important her commitment to sobriety is. Would n’ t you agree, Ruby ? ”
    “ Yes, the healing power of tears. I caught some shine in your eyes, Jazz . ”
    “ Wel l —”
    “ Good. Keep caring, Jazz. Yo u’ ll be a better lawyer for it . ”
    Amy nodded in agreement, and said ,“ That went as well as we could have hoped. Vera committed to long-term treatment as a resident . ”
    “ Aurora was a wonderful choice ,” Ruby said .“ She completed and submitted her application, and we have her set to enter treatment tomorrow . ”
    “ I hope she succeeds. Her whole family showed up for her today. That matters, right ?” Jasmine asked.
    “ Right. And they showed up for her at her arraignment. Jazz pointed that out to the judge. She took first chair, and handled herself admirably .” .
    “ Tha t’ s high praise from a top-notch lawyer. You should be proud. Allow me to buy you dinner . ”
    “ After lunch at Chestnut, I’ m not too hungry. Do you think sh e’ ll succeed, Amy ? ”
    “ Alcoholism thrives on shame, on secrecy and denial. Today we shone light on it.