“That’s okay,” he says quickly. Too quick. “I can just leave it with you.”
“No,” I say. “You can come back later.”
I hear the edge in my own voice and I hate it, because it gives away that I’m scared. Fear is blood in the water.
His smile stays, but his eyes change. “It’ll take two seconds.”
“I said no.” My voice firms. “Goodbye.”
I start to close the inner latch.
He moves faster.
The chain jerks as he shoves the door, hard. His foot wedges into the gap before it can shut fully. The door slams against the chain and rattles the frame.
My stomach drops.
“Hey,” he snaps, the friendly act gone. “Don’t do that.”
My instincts take over. I don’t argue. I don’t reason. I turn.
“Lily!” I shout, already moving toward the couch.
I get two steps.
His hand grabs my hair from behind. Fist tight, scalp yanked back so hard my eyes water instantly. Pain shoots down my neck.
I gasp and claw at his wrist. “Let go!”
He drags me backward, away from Lily, away from everything that matters, and the panic turns white-hot.
Lily starts crying, confused and scared. “Mama!”
“Baby, stay!” I cry, voice breaking. “Stay!”
The man yanks again, pulling me toward the door like he wants to get me out of the apartment. Like the hallway is safer for him.
I twist, throwing my elbow back, but I can’t get leverage. My hair is his handle.
He sneers down at me. “You should’ve just opened the door.”
I see Lily out of the corner of my eye, scrambling off the couch, tiny and helpless, tears pouring down her face.
Something in me snaps into something colder.
I stop fighting his hand for half a second. I plant my feet.
Then I drive my knee up as hard as I can.
His face changes instantly. The sound that comes out of him isn’t a word. It’s pure shock and pain. His grip loosens, his body folding like someone cut his strings.
I tear free as he crumples, dropping to the floor with a groan, both hands clutching himself. I don’t wait to see if he’ll recover.
I sprint to Lily, scoop her up, and spin toward the door.
The chain is still half-on, the door still partly open, his foot still wedged near the threshold.
I slam the door into his leg with everything I have.
