I whined breathlessly as my body instinctively curled inwards to protect itself. With a kick to the back of my legs, I was on the floor between the coffee table and couch. Javier dropped to straddle my waist, his weight pinning my legs as both his hands circled my throat.
Fuck!
I couldn’t breathe.
My heart raced, my pulse a persistent drum in my ears as I struggled to try and buck him off of me. I didn’t have enough space to gain any leverage, and I all I could think about was how much I needed to fucking breathe.
Calm. Javier’s eyes were calm as he watched me struggle. As if he wasn’t exerting any effort to choke me. I was nothing more than a ragdoll as he waited and waited for me to prove myself.
Dots filled my vision and my heart pounded so fast in my chest I thought it was going to explode.
With regret and the last ounce of control I had, I slapped Javi’s shoulder three times.
“Ya basta,” I rasped.
Javier tilted his head, studying my reaction.
“It’s a miracle you’ve survived this long,” he muttered.
His hands suddenly released me and my head spun.
Air. Air. Air. Air.
I couldn’t get it in fast enough, choking and coughing. I squeezed my eyes shut against the disappointment I knew was coming.
I had failed. Fuck, I had failed.Again.
“Don’t,” he said, twisting the collar of my shirt in his fist as he raised my chest to meet his own. “Follow. Me.”
I stared at him with confusion, my heart still racing. I felt like I was floating. Or drowning. My head struggling to process why the fuck he was still putting on this charade.
“Where…” I paused to cough. “Where are you going?”
He released me without warning and my head slammed into the floor. I groaned, massaging the back of my head.
“Goodbye, Shiloh.”
I blinked, sitting up too quickly.
The room was spinning, but I could see him clearly as he walked towards the door.
“Javi, stop! This isn’t funny.”
I braced against the couch as I pulled myself to stand and stumbled after him. I managed to grab hold of his arm.
Javier sighed and turned his head to look at me.
“You’re dead,” he said matter-of-factly.
“What?” I shook my head.
“You’re dead,” he repeated, his voice devoid of emotion.
“Javi, what the fuck are you talking about?” I tugged his arm, staring into his lifeless eyes.What did I do for him to hate me so much? Why is he looking at me like I don’t matter?
“I tried my best, but…there was only so much I could do. You told me you were strong, yet how many times did I have to break your fingers, Shiloh?”
I swallowed, ready to defend myself, but he continued.
