“You will pay for every last bit of suffering you caused her,” Zayn says, his voice forced between his clenched teeth. “That’s my promise to you.”
Daniel’s face starts to turn as blue as his wide, panic-stricken eyes. They dart manically around Zayn’s face, but Zayn just continues to stare down at him with nothing but undiluted hatred.
“Zayn!” I rush forward and place a hand on his firm shoulder, trying to pull him back, but it’s like trying to move a brick wall. “You need to let go of him. You’ll kill him!”
My words have the opposite effect. Zayn only squeezes harder.
“I didn’t wait ten fucking years for you to come back just to lose you again!” I scream, trying harder to pull him off. When Zayn still doesn’t move, I panic, dread overtaking my senses.
“Zayn, please,” I whimper as Daniel’s lips turn blue. His actions slow, his eyes bulging from his head as the lack of oxygen reaches dangerous levels. “Please.”
My pleas must worm their way through Zayn’s hate-filled haze because he suddenly releases Daniel, standing abruptly to face me. His hands, the same ones that were just choking my husband to death, gently caress my face and his eyes soften on mine as he draws me in to his chest. He wraps his fingers into my hair as Daniel gasps desperately for air on the couch behind him.
Then out of nowhere a sob rips from my throat as my legs give out beneath me. I can’t help it. I start to hyperventilate, gripping onto Zayn’s suit jacket like my life depends on it.
“Zayn,” I choke out, buying my face in his chest. “Scared…” I whimper. “So, so scared. He came. Tried to.. to… take me.” I can barely see through my tears now as the seriousness of the situation crashes over me like cold bucket of water. Daniel nearlykidnappedme.
Zayn’s shoulders tense and he wraps his arms around me. I draw big gulps of vanilla and sandalwood into my lungs and, like a calming draught, it slows my heart rate, releasing the pressure behind my eyes until I’m able to relax into his chest, the warmth of his comfort surrounding me like a blanket.
“Gianna,” Daniel moans from the couch. The sound of his voice makes me freeze. “Come-”
Before I can even register what’s happening, Zayn is out of my grasp and leaning over Daniel, who’s eyes widen in fear as he grips his own throat to prevent Zayn from latching back onto him. He needn’t bothered. Zayn’s intentions become clear when he draws back his arm, snarls “this is for her,” then slams his fist down into Daniel’s face so hard it knocks him completely unconscious. Daniel’s body crumples onto the couch.
“Zayn!”
“What?” he asks calmly, shaking his fist and turning to face me like he didn’t just knock someone out in my living room. I send him a pointed look, which he blatantly ignores as he stops a few feet away from me. Now that I’m not clinging to him, his eyes drop, raking over me as he conducts a full assessment of my body for any injuries. I can tell when he determines I’m not in any immediate danger by the way a small exhale leaves his lips.
“Are you okay?”
I think of the ordeal Daniel just put me through and my reprimand leaves me. Daniel deserves everything he got.
“I’m fine,” I say instead, my voice shaky as the rest of the adrenaline starts to wear off. Nausea hits me out of nowhere like a blunt force trauma, and I go to sag back against the table, but Zayn, watching me like a hawk, reaches out before I can and draws me back against his chest. He slips his phone from his pocket.
“I should probably call an ambulance,” I say against Zayn’s chest. Daniel’s breathing is coming in ragged bursts.
“I’m doing it now.”
“Good. I don’t think he can breathe properly.”
“I’m calling it foryou.”
I snap my head back to look up at Zayn, who’s already staring down at me. Concern shadows his brows.
“Me? I’m not hurt.”
“I’ll believe that when a paramedic has looked over you.” He runs a hand through his hair and it’s only now I see the fear and worry hovering behind his dark eyes. “I can’t believe he got his fucking hands on you again.”
The anger in his voice startles me. It’s directly purely back on himself, and I can’t believe he’s trying to take the blame for what happened here tonight.
“Zayn, I’m fine.” I grab his hand and place it firmly over my chest. “See? Completely unharmed.”
“Yes, tell that to your bedroom door that’s hanging off the god-damn hinges.”
He jerks back toward Daniel, who’s still unconscious on the couch, with a fresh wave of anger. I’m quicker to pull him back this time.
“Hey, look at me. I’m okay.”
“I’m going to make sure he never sees daylight again,” he says, bringing the phone to his ear. “And when I’m done here, you’re going to tell me every single thing that happened since that meeting in my office.”
