“But he’ll come charging like a bull and you will have your chance to publicly, and with just cause, take him the fuck out.”
I know they’re allowing me to decide. I appreciate the trust they’re giving me. And if I hadn’t been so focused on winning New York, I might have noticed that they’ve trusted me this entire time, following my lead. Letting me make the choices.
I’ve wanted to be the winner of a game I’d already won.
I pull out my phone, about to tap on Vigo’s name, when the video shows that Gigi is getting a call.
“Who’s calling?” I ask Gris.
But before I can answer, she picks up the phone. I can see her on the monitor. “Who is this?”
Gris is furiously tapping buttons as he tries to bring up the captions of the call on his phone.
I hear Gigi’s cry as she crumples to her knees. “Stay away from us!”
I can’t wait another second. Grabbing the bat I keep tucked in a cabinet, I sprint for the elevator…
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
Gigi
The voice comingthrough the phone wipes away every other problem as my body starts to shut down.
I’ve lived under near constant fear for three years. Vigo was volatile and abusive, and I never relaxed. Hearing his voice sends me into flight mode. “Vigo.”
“You fucking little whore!” he screams into the phone. “Did you think I wouldn’t find you? Did you think I wouldn’t make you come back?” Then he gives a harsh laugh. “Did you think he would protect you?”
A small cry falls from my lips. Rush isn’t going to protect me. How did my world fall apart so fast?
One minute I’m in Rush’s arms and the next…
“Are you fucking him? You had better not be or you have not begun to know pain, you little bitch. You are fucking mine, Giulia. Mine!” He’s screaming now. “If that British prick has had his cock inside you, I am going to make you wish you were never born.”
Sobbing, I pull the phone from my ear as I try to push myself up. I have to go. I have to get Emma and we have to run.
“You come back right now, and I’ll make it easy for you. But if you don’t—” I can hear his teeth gnashing together, even with the phone away from my ear. “I’m going to take your little girl, and you will never, ever see her again.”
And then he hangs up.
I can barely catch my breath, my eyes completely blurred with tears. I’m crawling toward my bedroom.
I need to get some things, get Emma…
And go where?
I can’t just run onto the street with a three-year-old.
Lifting my phone again, I pull up the call list, my eyes blurring with tears as I go to press Erika’s name. I have no idea what to do, but I know she’ll have answers.
The line clicks. I know she’s in the office. “Erika,” I gasp, speaking so she doesn’t have to. Even as I’m trying to hold back the tears, I push out the words, “I don’t know how, but he found me. He found me. He says if I don’t come back, he’s going to take Emma, and I’ll never see her again.” Another sob rips from my throat. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Don’t move.” But it’s not Erika’s voice that echoes in my ear. It’s Rush’s.
“Rush,” I half choke on his name before I hang up the phone.
My chest is heaving as I melt to the floor, pressing my face against the cold tile. How did I just make this worse?
I stare at the phone still in my hand when the door bangs open. Did I not lock it?
