“I became accustomed to the cruelty and the raging storms

The silent glare followed by the teasing eyes

The sweet nothings and the callous words

Bruising the soul and battering the mind -

Carefully evaluating how far I could go.

I recoiled in the hard grip of his hands

delicately tying my stomach into knots

like a tailor making me a dress that would beautifully hug my thighs

and squeeze my throat at the same time.”