Page 62 of The Silent Night Stalker
I reach for my phone, which is charging, and send him a quick text.
Me: Please be careful.
My heart leaps when he responds right away.
Enny: I’m already on my way home.
Relief fills me. Okay, it must have gone well then. I set my phone down, stand, and pad over to the bathroom. But as soon as I open the bedroom door, someone bursts in and knocks me onto my back.
I’m dazed as pain radiates up my spine.
“It’s time to clean up this little mess,” he growls. He’s not a tall man, but he’s stocky and looks stronger than me. His tanned face is marred by chickenpox scars, and he seems at least ten years older than me.
The man reaches for me, grabs my hair, and drags me out of the bedroom. I cling to his hands so he doesn’t yank out all my hair as we head to the kitchen. My feet are trying to find purchase as I try to fight him.
“Let me go!”
“Oh, you’re about to die. Where the fuck is Enzo?”
“None of your business!”
The man lets me go and kicks me in the stomach. My gut is still bruised from last night. I heave and gasp for air. I’m so tired of being beaten up. So dang tired!
Despite being unable to breathe and my stomach feeling like it wants to hurl, I quickly grab his foot when he tries to kick me again. The position puts him off balance, and he falls onto his back. Now he’s the one dazed. I quickly jump on him and punch the heck out of his face. I’m no Enzo, but I have rage on my side. I see red and violence.Not once have I lashed out on impulse except on that night I killed my parents, but everyone wants to hurt me, to kick me down, to keep me small! Not anymore! Never again!
He tries to fight me off, but I keep punching him over and over. My hand hurts, but that doesn’t stop me. Blood starts spilling out of his nose and mouth. It’s not enough! I need more. I need death! He needs to die!
“F-fuck you!” I yell.
My hands land on his throat, and I squeeze and squeeze. His already ruddy face turns redder. The man finally manages to pry me off and shove me away. I land on my back again, but I quickly roll over and crawl away. He grabs my foot and drags me back to him. I cling to the kitchen table, but my fingers can’t hold on.
When I get closer to him and he bends down to grab me again, I roll onto my back and kick him in the face. He freezes for a second before falling on his ass. I scramble onto him again, needing more blood.
Blood, blood, blood!
Die, die, die!
I punch him in the nuts with my bleeding knuckles. He cries out and tries to curl into himself, but I don’t let him. I punch him in the face again, and his nose finally breaks, then I choke him again.
Suddenly, someone yanks me off the man and sets me gently onto my feet. I’m ready to hurt my second attacker until I see that it’s Enzo, who stomps on the man’s face over and over until he’s not moving. Then he stomps on him again.
“Dare to hurt my bird? Fuck you! Die! Fucking asshole!”
Then Enzo grabs his gun and puts a round of bullets into the man’s head. Now that he’s dead, Enzo drops his gun arm and standsthere, hovering. His gun hand is visibly shaking at his side, but other than that and his heavy breathing, he’s unmoving.
“Fucking piece of shit!” he snaps and spits at the dead man.
When Enzo calms down, he puts the safety on the gun and sets it down on the kitchen table before turning to me. “Are you okay?”
The dam bursts. All my emotions explode out of me, and I start sobbing. Still, I nod even though I’m not okay at all. Enzo erases the distance between us and gathers me into his arms, holding me tight as I let out decades of pain.
He doesn’t say anything and doesn’t let me go until I finally calm down. When I do, he gently grabs my upper arms and eases me off him. “Con… please tell me you’re okay.”
“I’m so tired of people trying to hurt me.”
His eyes water, too, and he pulls me back into him. “I know. Never again. No one will ever hurt you again. Once we’re free from here, I’m going to train you to fight back. Understood?”
“Okay.” Even though my entire body hurts right down to my soul, I cling to him, feeling safe. I trust my angel with my very being.
