Prologue

I stared at myself in the bathroom mirror after quickly getting dressed. My lip was bloody and my cheekbone was turning an ugly mustard colour. The rest of the bruises were hidden from sight.

"Clary, baby I'm sorry." Sebastian entered the bathroom and wrapped his arms around me. He kissed my shoulder, and I shuddered in disgust. I didn't want to be with Sebastian anymore. He was abusive, and I wanted out.

Our relationship had been off and on, and every time he would lure me back in with the promise that it would be better this time, and "that he would never hurt me." As my eyes wandered around my body, and the bruises and cuts were evident on my pale skin, all I could think was: Bullshit. I was completely done with Sebastian.

If only he'd let me go…

"It's okay," I lied, prying out of his muscled arms. "But Sebastian…" I hesitated, wondering how he would take this. We had been on again for a couple months again, and that was as much as I could take. "I think we should see other people." I backed away slowly towards the front door. As soon as I neared it, I grabbed the knob and stood there.

"See… other people?" he repeated, not fully comprehending my break-up. You would think he would know what one sounded like after being broken up with multiple times.

"It's been fun, Seb," I lied again. Nothing about our relationship was fun. We didn't go on dates. All we did was watch movies at his apartment, and we didn't make it to the credits about 100% of the time. All I was was a punching bag and a sex toy. That's all I was to Sebastian, even though he used to be so much more to me. But that died a long time ago. "I'm leaving, and I hope you never see me again." And vice versa, I add silently. I pause when I open the door, then look back to him. "Goodbye Sebastian."

I hurry to the front of his apartment building, flying down the staircases. I can hear heavy footsteps above me. I can tell that they're also going much faster.

"Taxi! Taxi!" I fight to keep from screaming for it. One that I think is going to stop for me whizzes right by. Shit shit shit…. I chant in my head.

"Clary!"

Fuck.

"Taxi!" I stick my hand out past the sidewalk, trying to hail a cab.

Sebastian grabs my wrist, forcing me to turn back to him. I refuse to look him in the eye. I don't care how hard he's breaking, he's broken me a thousand times harder.

And just my luck, a taxi pulls up right in front of me. Thank the Angel! I cry out mentally. I rip my wrist from Sebastian's grasp and bound towards the cab before it changes its mind and drives away. Sebastian stands there on the sidewalk as I throw open the door and climb in. He runs to the window and starts banging on it. I take a deep breath and look at his charcoal eyes. But in them, is nothing. No emotion. But his face is contorted with rage and he's baring his teeth. I scoot farther away from him.

"Go!" I tell the driver. "Go!"

"Where to, miss?" he asks, looking at me questioningly in the rearview mirror. I don't know if because he wants my address or because of Sebastian banging on the window.

Nevertheless, I tell him, leaving Sebastian alone on the curb, staring after me.

Good riddance.