I’m gonna pay for that.
I shake my head against my thoughts. No. Austin is coming. He’s almost here. He has to be.
Damien rips the mop out of my hand, throwing it across the room. It hits the wall, then clatters to the floor. It distracts me just enough. Just fucking enough.
My head snaps back with Damien’s first hit. Blood spills from my nose over my lips, and tears burn my eyes, but I’m not going to cry. He’s not going to win. Not this fucking time.
I turn to run, to get the fuck away from him. My phone’s in my pocket. If I can get outside, I can run. I can call Austin. I know this town. I can find somewhere to hide. I turn to run, but before I can even make it a single step, there’s a blow to my back that sends me crashing into the floor.
Adrenaline fuels me, and I push to my feet, stumbling as I try to run. A smooth hand grips the back of my neck, pulling me backward and spinning me around.
“He doesn’t get to have you, love. You’re mine.”
His hands are tight. Tight, tight, tight. No air. There’s no air.
My eyesight goes dim, and spots dance and swirl in my peripheral vision.
Lift your arms, Luca. Get him off. Get him off. Gethim off. You know how to do this.
“I’ll fucking kill you, Luca. I will fuckingkillyou.”
Just hold on. Austin’s coming.
Chapter 35
Austin
Leavingearlydidn’thelp.The roads are absolutely trash, and by the time I’m pulling into the diner, I’m ten minutes late. It looks like Arlo’s already gone for the night, and if I know those two, they sent Ma home hours ago.
I should have left sooner. Actually, what Ishouldhave done was gotten Luca’s Christmas present together sooner instead of ending up in a time crunch. That would have been the smart thing to do. But I didn’t, so here I am.
I pull in beside the kitchen door and hop out, leaving the truck running so it stays warm. I’m smiling when I walk inside. Luca’s been working his ass off lately, and I’ve missed him so much. It’ll be nice to spend some quality time together for the holidays. I actuallycan’t believe how long it’s been since we’ve spent a Christmas together.
“Hey, baby,” I call out when I step into the dark kitchen. “Luc?”
There’s a low murmuring and gasping noise that has my body going on high alert.
“I’ll fucking kill you, Luca. I will fuckingkillyou.” I barely hear the words over the sound of my own blood rushing through my head, but I do hear them. And I’d know that fucking voice anywhere.
I turn the corner to absolute horror.
Damien’s hands are wrapped around the love of my life’s throat. There’s blood pouring from Luca’s nose, dripping over Damien’s hands as Luca thrashes and fights to get away from him.
I don’t think. I don’t breathe. I don’t stop.
I’m across the room before I even make a conscious decision to do it. One second, Damien is strangling Luca, and the next he’s under me on the ground.
A fist connects with my jaw. It should probably hurt. Given the way my head jerks to the side, I’m surprised it doesn’t. I feel nothing. Nothing but rage. Red-hot rage.
Someone’s laughing. Me, I think?
“You’re never going to touch him again.” The words come from me, but it doesn’t feel like I said them. My mind is disconnected from my body, my voice no more than a disembodied growl.
Damien’s ugly blue eyes widen in terror.
Good.He should be fucking afraid of me.
I slam a fist into the side of his face, connecting with his already busted nose. Given the spray of blood, it’s broken.
