I explode, "I haven't touched her. I've never laid a finger on her and never crossed a line. I've done everything I can to convince her to end this crush she has on me, which now is a full-blown obsession."
Adrian scoffs. "You expect me to believe that? When she looks at you with stars in her eyes?"
It's a punch straight to my spine. I declare, "That's not my fault."
"Isn't it?"
"No. It's not," I insist.
He growls, "You'd better get your wife in line. If she touches my daughter ever again?—"
"Don't you dare threaten my wife! You keep your crazy daughter away from what's mine, and that includes my wife!" I shout.
"Her survival rate only goes up if she doesn't touch my family again!" he counters.
"That scratch was self-inflicted. Valentina didn't do that," I insist, but the back of my mind wonders if she left it out.
No. Blue is delusional and did it to herself.
Adrian circles me like he's ready to strike. "You're blind where she's concerned. And blindness creates catastrophe. If I must intervene to rectify this?—"
I grab him by the shirt and push him against the wall. "Threaten my wife again, and you'll have a catastrophe on your hands."
He wraps his hand around my neck, squeezes, and pushes me backward.
I move my hands to his neck and do the same.
Skylar storms in, hair tied up, cheeks flushed, eyes blazing. "What is going on in here?"
Adrian and I don't take our glares off each other, both of us choking.
Skylar pushes her tiny body between us. "Enough!"
Blue shrieks, "Oh my God! Dad, let Brax go!" She shifts in front of Skylar and pushes her body against mine.
I release Adrian and pry his hands off my neck, then jump backward. I catch my breath and point at Blue. "Don't you dare touch me!"
"Adrian! What is going on?" Skylar demands again.
Adrian points at me. "His Abruzzo wife sliced Blue's arm!"
"What?" Skylar's eyes widen. She grabs Blue's arm, and the color drains from her face.
I insist, "Valentina did no such thing. Blue broke into her house and has been stalking us. She's broken into mine several times over the last few months."
Skylar gapes at me.
"It's true," I add.
She slowly looks at Blue.
"His wife is making things up. You know how Abruzzos are. Look at my arm." Her eyes fill with tears.
"Cut the act," I mutter.
"Don't you speak to my daughter," Adrian warns.
"Your daughter needs help," I repeat.
