Zayn calls my name but I’m already through the door before he can stop me.
32
By the time I get home, I can barely think straight, let alone grab onto a single thought that’s running through my mind.
Zayn knows the whole truth. How will he ever want me again after that? Not only does he know the depravity of my marriage that I was complicit in, but he knows Brett kissed me. Does he believe it was one-sided? Or does he believe what he saw in those pictures? My heart feels like it’s being pulled from my chest with a pair of forceps.Thisis why I never should have let him get close again. Because I fucking love him, and the risk of losing him was always too high a price to pay.
I hunch over the bench as the ache in my chest grows unbearable. Will I lose him again? How do I survive this a second time around?
A loud pounding on the door pulls me from the thoughts screaming in my head.
All I can think is that it’s Zayn as I stagger to the door and pull it open.
It’s not Zayn, though.
Blood drains from my face as Daniel stares down at me from across the threshold, a triumphant grin on his face as he takes in my dishevelled appearance. My heart kick starts in to gear and I move to slam the door shut but he rams his foot out to stop me.
“I don’t think so, darling,” he sings jovially, placing his palm on the door and banging it wide open. “We have some private matters to discuss.”
Daniel steps inside and I stumble backwards until I’m in the kitchen and Daniel is inside far enough to kick the door shut behind him. My heart thumps wildly enough to leave bruises, memories of the last time we were alone together clawing up my throat and attempting to wrap themselves around it.
I can’t breathe.
“Can’t say I like what you’ve done to the place,” Daniel says as he looks around, completely at ease inside my home. My safe haven. He picks up a framed picture of Anna and me from high school that I took from my old bedroom and inspects it before placing it back down onto the console. “You’re so predictable,” he tsks.
He takes another step and I stagger back until my back’s against the bench. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to touch you. Not with that asshole’s handprints still all over you.”
His words do nothing to quell my panic. I fist my hands by my side. I spent countless hours thinking about what I would do if I found myself in this situation again. If he comes near me, I’ll bite, I’ll scratch, I’ll punch and kick relentlessly. I won’t ever go down without a fight again.
I fucking hope it doesn’t come to that, though. Daniel is still too big for me, will still overpower me with ease.
“What are you doing here?” I ask, barely holding back a whimper. I sound scared, and somewhere deep down thatpisses me off. I don’t want Daniel to know I’m scared of him.
Judging by his smirk he does anyway.
“Needed to chat to you without an audience. An impossible feat these days, apparently.”
“Then say what you need to say and leave.”
“Now, now,” Daniel tsks again. “That’s no way to speak to your husband.”
He creeps closer, brushing his fingers over my keys, my phone, a vase of flowers I received from Zayn. He lingers on those. I tense, ready to strike, but he stops just out of reach and tucks his hands into his pockets.
“I really didn’t want it to come to this, Gianna, but you just won’t see reason.” His eyes finally meet mine, and I see a determination in them that sets my hair on end. “Now that your exboyfriendhas entered the equation I need to take matters into my own hands.”
“I told you I would do the counselling,” I say in an attempt to placate him, but I can see it’s too late for that. He’s come to some understanding and I’m about to find out what that is.
“That was before I knew you were out fucking other people, Gia.” He sounds playful, as if he’s telling off a cute, misbehaving toddler. The derision in his demeanour is terrifying. “I know you’re notactuallyfucking Brett, but I admit Zayn was an unpleasant little surprise.”
He lets out an amused huff and shakes his head.
“So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to stop seeing Zayn, or I’ll bankrupt your family.”
His statement gives me whiplash and all I can do is stand there and gape, my mouth hanging open like a fish.What?
Daniel finds my confusion delightful. “Yourfamily,Gia,keep up. I lent your dad and brother over half a million dollars when the family concreting business was going under. We didn’t concern your pretty little head with the details at the time.”
He leans a hip against the bench while his words conjure up hazy memories from a few years ago. My parents were stressed. They were having money issues. I knew Daniel had offered to help them out, but I had no idea he had leant them so much money. My stomach clenches with dread as his words sink in. Will I ever be free of this fucking monster, or am I destined to be in his clutches for the rest of my life? A desperate cry tries to escape my throat.
