"Hours. Maybe less." My hands were shaking so badly I could barely hold the phone. "The stress, it triggered..."
"Don't worry about that right now. We'll handle it. I'm five minutes away."
I looked up at my mother's house one more time. Saw a shadow pass by the window. Her, probably. Standing in her perfect house with her perfect family, relieved that the problem daughter was finally gone.
For good this time.
"I slapped her," I said quietly.
"Good."
"Luca."
"I mean it. She deserved it. She deserved a hell of a lot more than that." His voice softened. "You stood up for yourself. That takes guts."
"I'm disowned."
"You're free."
The words hit me harder than they should have.
Free.
Was I?
Or had I just traded one cage for another?
"I'm scared," I whispered.
"I know. But you're not alone. You're never going to be alone again."
Headlights turned onto the street. Luca's car.
"I see you," I said.
"I see you too."
He pulled up beside my car, got out before he'd even fully stopped. Came to my door, tried the handle.
Locked.
I hit the unlock button with trembling fingers.
He pulled the door open and immediately dropped to a crouch beside me, his hands finding my face. "Hey. Look at me."
I looked.
His ice-blue eyes were intense, worried, angry, but not at me. Never at me.
"You're okay," he said. "You're going to be okay."
"I don't feel okay."
"I know." His thumbs wiped away my tears, gentle despite the fury I could see simmering beneath his surface. "What did she say to you?"
I shook my head. "I can't..."
"Reina."
