Surviving Broken(21)

She caught the phone in her wet sudsy hands. Without looking, she knew who it would be. “Hey Benny. What’s going on?” Shivers ran down her spine, feeling the scorch of Luca’s breath on her neck as he stood behind her.

“Hey squirt. I was calling to see if you wanted to hitch a flight with us to Greece. We’re leaving tomorrow afternoon. Lisa’s planning a spa day with your Mom and thought you might want to spend the day with them.”

JC heartbeat thrashed in her chest, pounding violently. The dinner she just finished threatened to creep back up her throat.

“Umm. Thanks, but I can’t,” she stammered, unable to think up an excuse.

“What’s going on? Are you okay? You’re not still mad at me over the Milan photo, are you?” Concern riddled Benny’s voice.

JC tried to keep calm as Luca gripped her shoulders with his fingers. She huffed out a fake laugh, “No. Of course not Benny. I...I…I have a dinner event with Luca tomorrow night. But I’ll see you at the house. Thanks for the offer.”

“Alright. Let me know if you change your mind. See you in a few days.”

“Bye, Benny,” she whispered closing her phone. JC slipped her hand over her shoulder, a false attempt at caressing his fingers clutching her skin tightly.

Luca hissed nastily in her ear, “You’ve been keeping secrets from me. How long have you known your boyfriend was going to be there?”

Scared to death, but standing her ground, she turned to face him. “He’s not my boyfriend. He’s my uncle. Considering they are my parent’s best friends, I assumed Benny, Lisa and their two kids will be there.”

Luca’s eyes blackened. “You’re not going. You are not leaving.” His fingers slid from her shoulders to her neck, squeezing with pressure as his thumb circled the hollow at the base of her throat.

A burst of perspiration broke over her flesh like she’d been branded with a hot iron.

JC rambled on, desperately reassuring him that it was only for a few days and that he was more than welcome to come with her. Color heightened on his cheeks. The more she talked the tighter his grip became around her neck. His lips twitched, snarling vulgar words in Italian, squeezing harder, constricting her breath. The man she knew as Luca was disappearing right in front of her very eyes. She pried at his fingers, fearing he was losing all control.

Panic stricken, she croaked through ragged breaths, “I won’t go. You’re right. I should stay home with you.”

“What did you say?” His face shadowed with suspicion.

“You’re right. I’ll go to the party with you.” Sweat trickled down her temple.

He loosened the hold around her throat.

“You’re more important.” She warily wrapped her arms around him, holding back the bile churning in her stomach. “You mean everything to me.”

Silently she waited, praying he bought the lies flowing from her lips.

Luca blinked repeatedly, staring at her with mistrust, until she kissed him passionately asking him to take her to bed. He obliged, taking out his fury that lingered in his blood. Utterly defeated and scared to death, she laid on her back staring at the ceiling until daybreak streamed through the window. She rolled onto her side five minutes before Luca’s alarm went off, pretending to be asleep. He swatted at the beeping machine and reached for his phone.

Luca called in sick.

He acted as if nothing was wrong, as if he hadn’t tried to choke her. He hammed it up, as if he was the best boyfriend ever, even bringing her breakfast in bed. If she wasn’t so terrified, she’d laugh at his ridiculous performance. His sham of a relationship. His con.

As she sat in bed attempting to swallow down the eggs that burned her sore throat, JC thought to herself, Screw you Luca. I can act too. By the end of the day, somebody should give me a damn Oscar! Playing the role of the caring, considerate, loving, obedient girlfriend, she talked about how excited she was for the preview, how great he was, how talented he was, stroking his ego as if it were a lapdog. She even picked out a dress to wear to the preview, modeled it for him, asking if he liked it or should she try on another.

Luca stayed home from work to babysit her, so she couldn’t leave. So, JC did whatever it took to get him out of the apartment the next day. And it worked. He woke up early, excited for his big day, kissed her on the lips as she smiled up at him, and walked out the door.

The minute she heard the click of the door shutting, she leaped out of bed and watched out the window, making sure he left. Her emotions ran the gamut between fear, nervousness and bliss. She showered, scrubbing off every last scent, every last touch, and every last kiss of Luca.