He lets out a calm chuckle. “What did you say?” Liam shifts to move closer, but Mom holds out a hand.
Pulling out my phone, I text Ana.
I need you and William to come to the house. Bring the police, please.
Pressing the record button, I hold it discreetly, still staying hidden in the shadows. Liam looks at her, confused, but her stare doesn’t waver from Josh as he breathes heavily.
“I am done.” She laughs bitterly. “I’ve put up with a lot of things because of you. Smiled and nodded because after so long of being alone, I thought this is what I deserve.” She shakes her head. “Growing apart from my daughter.” She looks down, and my face crumples when I see the pinkish hue on her cheeks. “Losing whoIam ... to satisfyyou. I thought that was what I was allowed to have.”
She looks down at her hand and Josh speaks up. “Kate, I’m sorry, honey. We can talk about this. We can fix it.” He reaches out, but she steps back, tears running down her face. Liam is at her side—at the ready—should anything happen. Though Josh has the most heartbroken expression on his face, I finally realize how manipulative he’s been.
How he continues to be.
She slides off her ring and looks up at him. “You have five minutes to get out of my house, or I’ll have you arrested on domestic violence charges.”
At that, his face contorts, and it’s a look I’ve seen when he’s in the courtroom. His features are sharp, his words unyielding, and the look he possesses sheds instantly as if it were a mask.
“Your house?” He chuckles. “Kate, you havenothing.Youare nothing. Everything in this house, everything including you, belongsto me.”
I faintly hear sirens as Josh starts screaming, a vein throbbing in his forehead. Breathing harsher, I stumble in sight, and his darkened eyes connect with mine.
“You did this.” He seethes as he comes closer, leaving Mom’s side as she sobs softly.
“Don’t touch her, Josh,” Liam threatens.
He ignores Liam, still looking at me. “Youruined our engagement.You’realways what we fight about!” I shudder as his voice grows louder and louder. Mom stays frozen, tears streaming down her face as she trembles. “And you ...” He lets out a sinister laugh as he points at Liam. “You think that because you’re all tattooed that you’re some big man.” Josh rolls his eyes. “You’repathetic, a little boy that should’ve stayed away frommyfamily.” He scoffs, a demeaning look coming over his face as he wipes under his nose. He tries to get close to me, but Liam stops him. Angered, Josh whirls around, punching Liam, stunning him momentarily. Quickly bouncing back, Liam pushes away, but Josh doesn’t let up, his posture ready to strike. There’s a ringing in my ears, and it feels as if this isn’t happening. Muffled voices make their presence known and Liam lands a shot on Josh, knocking him down. Blood drips from Josh’s nose as he staggers up. My vision starts to blur.
I texted Ana forever ago, didn’t I?
Why aren’t she and William here?
What if they didn’t see the message?
With more questions bubbling up, I begin to feel afloat in my own body, my breathing becoming more erratic by the second. Everyone starts to resemble blurry blobs, and I try to calm myself down, but nothing’s working. I brace myself against the wall, the phone clattering to the floor as my other hand cradles my chest. My name is being called as Liam makes his way over to me. I keep breathing harshly as he shifts in and out of focus. Then, the door opens wide as deputies rush in, and I finally move right when Liam’s ripped away from me. More tears run down my face as one of the officers separates the men.
“Wait, my girlfriend’s in a state of shock. She can’t handle seeing blood, please let me—” Liam says as they click cuffs on him.
“This is a huge mistake—I’m an attorney!” Josh’s screams fade away, only leaving me to glance at Liam as I catch tears start to prickle his beautiful green eyes. They hold worry and concern and I try to run toward him, but a cop keeps me back.
“Miss, we can’t allow you—”
“Please, he didn’t do anything wrong. JoshhitMom, and wanted to hit me. Liam was trying to defend me,” I plead with the man, but he isn’t having it. I look over to find two women officers going over to my mother, a red mark starting to show on her cheek. Though, I stand there helplessly as I watch the officers drag both Josh and Liam outside.
As they pass by me, I reach out to grab Liam’s arm at the last second. At my touch, he turns back, shaking his head. He looks more concerned for me than himself as he pleads with his eyes for me to stay back. My head moves between going toward Mom or my boyfriend, who’s currently detained. I go under the arm of the officer keeping me in place, trying to find out where they’re taking him.
They sit him on the sidewalk, taking Josh to the back of a police car. Liam glances at me, trying to put on a brave face.
“I love you,” he mouths, and I give him the saddest smile.
He nods for me to go and I run to Mom. I knock into her as she wraps her arms around me. She’s shaking and shivering, and I cry alongside her. Neighbors start to leave their homes to see what the ruckus is about, and I close my eyes in embarrassment.
A familiar-colored Jeep speeds in front of the house, and I sigh in relief when I see Ana and William. Ana stands on her tiptoes, and when she locks eyes with us, she covers her mouth in shock. She dodges through people and comes over, hugging us both.
“Cupcake, I got your text. Are you two okay?” She gasps when Mom raises her face, and the red and blue lights accentuate the mark on her cheek. Tears well in her eyes. “Oh, Kate,” she whispers as she wraps her arms around Mom, both of them breaking down in each other’s arms. More tears fall down my face, and I look over to see William talking to the deputy near Liam. My eyes stay glued to the scene and I inhale shakily as they take off his cuffs. William hugs him as Liam stands there, seemingly numb, up until he looks around desperately.
I yell his name, hoping he can hear me, even though it’s doubtful with the loud murmuring of nosy neighbors. I keep pushing and pushing, getting shoved back in the chaos of moving bodies. Liam’s face is the picture of distress as he tries to catch a glimpse of me somewhere. I finally make it out to the open and yell his name once more. He turns around and I crash into him as he wraps his arms around me, my whole body shaking.
“I’m here. I’m here,’’ he mumbles in my ear, rubbing my back as my tears soak his shirt. His hands trace my face as he lifts it. “Hey, hey, breathe with me, baby. It’s gonna be okay.” But despite his sweet words, the tears keep coming as I look at the cut he has on his eyebrow. He catches on and places a finger over it, the sight of red coming back on his index finger. His eyes widen as large as saucers and he holds his hand to it, preventing me from seeing the blood. “Look at me, not up there. I’m here, Freckles.” I crash back into him right when the cruiser that’s holding Josh begins its departure. Josh’s eyes lock with mine, and they look murderous. A shiver courses through me when we finally lose sight of each other, and I take a deep breath as Liam starts to tremble. “I’m here,” he whispers again. Everything fades out as I let myself fall fully into his embrace.
