“I am home.” I refuse to respond in Italian.
Her expression darkens further, malice creeping in. “You’re coming home with me, even if I have to drag you back.”
“Why now Gia? It’s been a year.”
“Se non posso averti io, non potrà averti nessun altro.3”She moves towards me, but Graham growls. She glares at him. “Especially not someman.”
I shake my head. “You can’t just claim me as yours.” The irony isn’tlost on me.Still not the time.
Graham howls at Gia, and she snaps; the knife slashes towards him. I don’t even think before I’m running. The umbrella in my arms is raised, ready to strike. A sharp pain in my side erupts as the metal connects. She doesn’t stab me, but blood drips as the serrated edge grazes, cutting through the robe, nicking my skin.
“I didn’t want to do that,” Gia states as I scoop Graham into my arms and back-up towards the cabinets.
“Gia, you need to leave. I won’t press charges. Just get out.” I try to reason with her.
Her face just fills with rage.
Then she’s charging at me. Atus.
I throw Graham in the direction of the door as she reaches me, desperate to save him. The knife stabs into my thigh. I cry out.
Gia comes at me again, but I kick out, ignoring the excruciating pain. She falls back, and I limp away as quickly as I can. Graham stands in the kitchen doorway where he fell.
Grabbing him back into my arms I attempt to get to the front door, but Gia comes barrelling at me and the staircase is closer. I scramble up the steps, tripping and slipping as my wound throbs and my heart pounds painfully.
It takes effort, but I throw Graham into our bedroom and lock the door, keeping him safe, then I drag myself to the spare. I turn around to lock it. Fuck. There isn’t one.
And this room is empty. No furniture to block the entrance.
My fingers shake as I pull my phone from my pocket, my thumb hitting the speaker button, as my back slips down the wall on the furthest side of the room
“Angel!?” Eli shouts, his voice muffled slightly.
“I’m here.”
“Are you hurt?”
“I—”
“I’ll fucking kill her.”
“Eli,” I whimper, seeking comfort in his voice, even if it is through the phone.
“I’m almost home, Em. Hold on until I’m there. I’ll make this right.”
“I’m trying.” Hot tears slide down my cheeks, my mouth fillingwith salt. “She was going to hurt Graham.”
There’s a deep, angry rumble. “Please—”
The door crashes open, swinging so forcefully it clatters against the wall.
Gia screams, rushing at me.
My legs are too slow to get me back on my feet. Her hand gasps my hair, tugging me up, before throwing me back to the floor, my body rolling across the wood.
“ANGEL!” Eli’s voice screams from my phone, which I dropped in the struggle.
Gia picks it up. “Non puoi averla, stronzo4,” she sneers into the microphone before throwing the device at the wall. It smashes, glass fragments littering the floor.