Page 183 of Arturo's Temptation

She’s strong Ty… She’s going to hurt my baby.

Breaths seesawed in and out of my chest as Maria growled, making me glance up. To my horror, she had pulled a kitchen knife from her back pocket. Before I could move, she brought her arm down in a wide arc, slicing the blade across my stomachwithout a second thought. The searing pain hit me like a train. The heat of it made me want to vomit as I clutched the wound, shuddering as blood seeped through my white t-shirt.

Don’t you dare give into her, Bells!

Fight the pain. Fight everything until Arturo gets here.

Please…

Tyler’s words were vivid and so loud it was though he was there beside me. But the cut had been deep and I was struggling to staunch the blood. Tears tumbled down my cheeks as my limbs became sluggish and I felt myself weakening with each passing second. My head was spinning but I knew I had to do something. I had to get away from her and get to Arturo.

From somewhere deep down inside, I found the strength I needed to pull myself up. With the little energy I had left, I gripped the arm that held her knife in a tight grip and twisted. She howled in pain, dropping the blade to the ground with a clatter. I shoved the heel of my hand into her chest sending her flying backwards. But as I did, my foot slipped out from beneath me, sending me tumbling down the stairs.

Just before my world went black, Maria’s sinister eyes caught mine as she smiled.

60

The secondit came to a halt, I leapt from the car, Lorenzo at my heels, sprinting through the connecting door to the house. A gut wrenching scream pierced the air, causing my heart to come to a stand still.

Bella!

Fear flowed through my veins as I crashed through the kitchen, leaving a path of destruction in my wake. The distance from the kitchen to the foyer was short but it felt like it took years to reach her. As the door crashed against the wall, I watched in horror as Bella’s bloodied and broken form tumbled to the bottom of the stairs. Dread filled me as I spotted the blood between her legs and the slash across her stomach.

“Red, Gino, grab her!” Lorenzo ordered, I hadn’t even noticed them appear as they sprinted up the stairs grabbing my mum tightly. “Arturo, hospital. NOW!”

Lorenzo’s voice sounded warbled as my body froze and I caught my mother’s gaze. There was no remorse, no guilt, nothing… just a calm peacefulness that almost looked like joy. I was looking at a damn stranger.

“You two go, we’ll deal with her. You good with that, A?” Emmet asked, appearing before us. The moment he put his hand to my shoulder my body jolted like I had been hit with a thousand vaults.

“Get her out my fuckin’ sight.” I demanded, pulling myself out of my shock and sprinting over to scoop Bella into my arms. Blood soaked into my clothes as her head fell against my chest, unresponsive. My body began to shake. “Open them eyes for me, my love.” I whispered, clutching her close. “Lorenzo,” I screamed, tears of fear and anger piercing my vision “she ain’t openin’ her eyes.”

“She will,” he said, gripping my shoulder and turning me around. “I know it and deep down, so do you.”

As Lorenzo guided me toward the garage, I glanced towards my mother once more. “You aredeadto me!” I snapped.

“You were dead to me a long time ago,” she laughed. I shuddered as though she had struck me. The lilting voice, once smoothed with love that had brought me so much comfort as a child was now shrouded in cold English preciseness. “I hope you suffer.”

In her hateful tone, I heard a voice I had not heard for many years.

Frank.

She had sided with the devil… There would be no return from here.

Locking the feelings about to overwhelm me in a fucking box, I belted towards the car and slid into the back without jostling Bella around too much. Before I even had time to blink, Lorenzo was speeding up the driveway. With shaking hands, I balled my jacket that I had thrown into the back this morning up and pressed it against her stomach, praying to anyone that would listen that it would be enough until we reached the hospital.

“How’s she doing, Arturo?” Lorenzo asked, glancing in the mirror.

“Lorenzo… there’s so much blood,” I said, my body shaking.

“We’re almost there,” He breathed, weaving through traffic. “Get out the fucking way!” He screamed, slamming his palm on the horn.

A dial tone rebounding throughout the car told me he was calling Ana. Glancing down I saw that Bella’s breathing had begun to slow, and no matter how much I spoke to her, begged her even… she didn’t respond.

“Please, my love.”Nothin’.

Shouldn’t have accepted your mum back into your life, should you?

Fuck off!

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