KEILAH

As I lay on the ground, dazed and hurting, Ralph's presence loomed over me like a dark cloud. I could feel his anger radiating off him in waves, his every breath heavy with fury.

"Why did you do that?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

I struggled to form words, the pain and shock overwhelming my senses. But before I could respond, his grip tightened around my neck once again, his fingers digging into my skin like claws.

"You belong to me," he spat, his words cutting through the silence like a knife. "And you will learn to obey without question."

With a final, brutal shove, he released...