The blood rhythm of her pounding heart hummed in her ears as she packed her things. The chirping vibration of her phone made her jump and screech out loud. Blowing air out her tightly pressed lips, she closed her eyes to calm the racing of her heart rate as she reached for the phone, preparing for her second act.
Opening her eyes, she sighed falling back onto the bed, snorting out a shaky chuckle at her own ridiculous anxiety. The caller ID read Tracy. JC’s fingers trembled opening the phone. “Hi sis.”
“Hi JC. How’s it going? I can’t wait to see you.”
Tracy’s happy voice sounded like heaven.
JC’s quaking fingers came to her lips, masking the hysteria rising in her voice. “Me too.” She nodded through the slick of tears blurring her vision.
“Benny called offering us a flight and he said you’re leaving today. What time is your flight? We’re leaving tomorrow morning. I was thinking about calling Mom, but I’m afraid I’ll spill the beans on accident, so I’m not talking to her until tomorrow.”
“You are terrible at keeping secrets. I’m leaving in two hours. God, I can’t wait to see you.” JC closed her eyes and drew a cleansing breath through her nose to keep from crying. “Hey Trac, I’ve got to finish packing okay. I’ll see you tomorrow. Love you.”
“Okay. Love you too. Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, I just—“ she considered confessing. “—miss everyone. See you tomorrow.”
JC frantically fumbled through her things. Over the last year, she’d acquired more than her suitcases would hold, but she was not returning. Ever! She plopped two large suitcases on the bed, tossing in her favorites.
To her own amazement, a deluge of hot tears streamed down her face. Tears of relief, tears of pain, tears of sorrow, and too many tears attempting to analyze herself. What the hell is wrong with me? Why couldn’t I see him for what he truly was? She knew the answer to the latter question. She’d been afraid. His Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde performance was enough to scare the hell out of any woman.
Wiping the wetness from her cheek with back of her hand, she zipped up the contents of her life and blew out a breath of air. She tugged her suitcase over the edge of the bed and dropped it to the floor.
And then, her plan went horribly wrong.
The faint thud of footsteps jogging up the stairs captured her attention. She froze listening to the jingle of keys outside the front door. “Shit.” Her heart rammed into overdrive. She shoved her suitcases into the closet and shut the door. Pathetically enough, she peeked out the window, estimating if she could make the jump. Fuck! Too far down.
Swallowing hard, she gulped down her fear and trotted down the hall toward the living room. JC did not want Luca in the bedroom. She halted mid trot as the door flung open, slamming against the inside wall leaving a doorknob impression in the drywall. Standing casually in the middle of the room, her chest heaved in and out with her erratic breathing. A thin layer of sweat covered her body.
Without taking his infuriated glare off her, he kicked the door shut and locked it. Luca reached her in two strides, grabbing her wrist and bending it downward, making her buckle over in pain.
“You think that you can leave me? Do you think I’m fucking stupid? Do you think I’m going to let you go see your boyfriends, hmmm, your stepdaddy and Benny?” Luca spewed spitefully through clenched teeth.
“What are you talking about?” JC winced yanking her wrist free.
“Mrs. Giovanni called me an hour ago inviting me to dinner.” Suspicion, hatred, anger and doubt hung around him like a cloak. His shadowed black stare never left her face, tracking her reaction as he paced back and forth like a caged animal. “According to your sister, you’ll be in Greece!”
“You’re crazy! I told you, I’m not leaving.” Swathed in a nervous sweat, she elusively eyed the door handle, waiting for the precise moment. Praying he’d take one more step down the hall.
Luca hesitantly advanced toward the bedroom.
Ceasing the opportunity, JC bolted toward the front door, yanking it open and crossing the threshold. Only to be grabbed by the back of her hair and thrown inside, landing on her back in the middle of the living room floor. Scrambling to her feet, Luca shoved her back down, throwing himself on top of her. Kneeling over her, Luca slapped and punched at her face repeatedly.
Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she fought back, swinging and bucking violently to get out from under him, fighting to get free. Luca toppled over, catching the corner of the coffee table in his side. JC clambered to her hands and knees, grappling to get to her feet. He scrambled after her, crawling and pawing, until he grabbed her by the leg. They wrestled, each swinging wildly at the other, struggling ferociously for power.