Desperate Plea

"Talk?" This was the second time she had asked him today.

Vance truly did not want to talk. Talking meant an ending. He would rather kneel in the study, take another beating—anything but follow her upstairs for this "talk".

He stayed silent, his head bowed, face shadowed.

Beside him, Wallace grabbed a fork from the table and flung it at his back.

Vance let out a low, pained grunt, stumbling fo