Prologue

The silken fabric of the wedding dress whispered as it slowly slid to the floor, gently released from her body by his careful fingers. Silence reigned as he lovingly took her into his arms with wonder and delight. He prepared to demonstrate his devotion to her in every way he knew.

That was before. An ephemeral memory, barely recognizable even as his own.

His shaking hands spasmodically grip the shredded remains of a dress, a second dress, violently ripped by these same, now desperate fingers. The harsh pants of his breath violate the tense silence of the air around them. He yanks her toward him, pressing his body to hers with single-minded, primal intent.

This is now.