by Amanda Ray
Sexier than I’ve ever seen him. Hair slicked back in a mess like he’s just run his fingers through it. Stubble shadowed across his jaw like he hasn’t shaved in a few days. Muscles stretching through his blue button down shirt and his tattoos visible through the rolled up sleeves. I swallow over the lump in my throat, raising slowly from my chair. His eyes, those glistening baby blue eyes, never leave mine. My voice is barely a whisper when I respond.
"Jesse?"
The End
Playlist:
Calum Scott: You Are The Reason
Selena Gomez: Look At Her Now
Prima J: Corazón
Selena Gomez: Lose You To Love Me
Rachel Platten: Fight Song
Kelly Clarkson: Stronger
The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus: Face Down
Kelly Clarkson: Because of You
Kesha: Praying
Cher Lloyd: Oath
Katy Perry: Part of Me
Wiz Khalifa: See You Again
Jason Mraz: I Won’t Give Up
Little Mix: Always be Together
Spice Girls: Wannabe
Acknowledgements
First and foremost, I need to thank my absolute best friends and support system for giving me the courage to finally let the world hear my voice. You know who you are! My rocks, my chosen family, my insanely talented besties. Thank you for reading, encouraging and boosting me up whenever I had a doubt. I love you all! To one person in particular, Miss J, I will forever be grateful to tumblr in your honor. Thank you for giving me tips, answering my crazy texts whenever I needed help or couldn’t focus on a thought. Thank you for being my number one fan and for always, always listening to me rant about crazy ideas for my books. You mean more than you know and I thank my lucky stars that I meant each and every one of you!
Thank you to all of the fans who have read Freya’s story before and their comments that kept me going. Without you I never would have had the courage or motivation to continue! I love you all! Keep an eye out for her second book and the many other books to come.
I was so nervous to start Freya’s story. I didn’t want to do injustice to not only her experience during her abuse but I wanted to show the effects it had on her afterward as well as the effects of her growing up in that environment and the emotional toll it took on her. I truly hope that it resonated with at least one person. Freya’s story was one I’ve heard a million times over. In a million different ways. Her story may be triggering to some but may also be absurd to others, but that’s just the way the world works, I guess. Society tells us, for the most part, that if a spouse puts their hands on you that you should leave, but to those who understand, you know it’s not that simple. Society also tells us that it’s not abuse if there’s no physical harm...again, to those who understand, who know and who have been through any type of abuse or domestic violence, you understand that it’s not that easy.
Freya’s story, although a love triangle, is her version of how she survived a lifetime of abuse. Witnessing domestic violence and then becoming a victim herself is a very common thing in the world of abuse. In her story, her pregnancy is what pushed her to leave but in others stories, that’s not always the case. Please know that Freya’s story is just one of many and although a love story, I hope that you can leave this book with a better understanding of what some might be going through in the world of domestic violence.
That being said, I hope you -at some point- got lost in the love between Freya and Jeremiah, as well as Freya and Jesse. Coming from an abusive past Freya finds it hard to trust her instincts, to trust love and finds it difficult to be happy. Having natural instincts to run and flee instead of embrace those strange and loving feelings. I hope that at one point you got butterflies reading an interaction between the two couples. Freya’s got more to tell of her story and I can’t wait for you all to read it. Her second book will focus mainly on the triangle between Freya, Jesse and Jeremiah as well as continuing to touch on her intimacy issues following the domestic violence.
If you are in a domestic violence relationship please note the information below or look up your local states domestic violence hotline or website to find some support. If you’re scared to speak to someone know that you are not alone and there are many people who can help and give advice or tell their stories. You are not alone. You survived the abuse, you WILL survive the recovery.
If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.
For anonymous, confidential help, 24/7, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY).