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I take a shaky breath and a few tears trickle down my face.
“You don’t have to do that,” I say with a soft soothing voice I used to use when we fought.
Lux cackles at my words and shakes his. “Again, you’re wrong.” He sneers, taking a step toward me, causing me to shake. “You ruined my fucking life. I have nothing thanks to you. You took away my money, my job, and all the joy I had in life. And here you are, living a happy little life with your soccer boyfriend. You don’t deserve to be happy. You don’t deserve to live. You knew what would happen if you left me. It might have taken me seven years to find you, but I’m here now, and I’m going to make good on that promise I made when we were together.”
He moves his finger to the trigger, and I close my eyes, thinking about Rio and everything that Lux could take away from me right now if he so chose to.
“Looks like somethings never change,” Lux says as tears stream down my face. “Here, I thought that you might have actually gained a backbone over the years. I was expecting a fight, but I should have known you’d still be the spineless pussy you always were.”
You can’t give up. A voice in my head tells me. You aren’t alone anymore. You have so much to live for. This isn’t how you go. You need to fight. You never fought back before because you believed you deserved what he was doing to you. He was also bigger and stronger than you, but he isn’t anymore. And you know your worth. You have people who love you. Fight for them. DON’T GIVE UP!
I open my eyes and glare at Lux. I took everything he did to me and never once stood up for myself. If I’m going to die today, then I’m not going down without a fight.
“Oh, there is some fire in you,” he says with a sinister grin.
“The reason your life is pathetic is because of you,” I spit the words out at him. My voice is loud and a lot steadier than I thought it would be. “You got what you deserved, and so did I. The life I have now is one I should have always had. You preyed on a young, troubled boy. You exploited my weaknesses and broke me even more than I already was. You turned me into your little puppet. But I’m not a little boy anymore, and I will not let you win this time.”
I bare my teeth at him, and I’m pretty sure I surprise both of us when I charge toward him. Even though I was tired from my dance lesson with Carter, the adrenaline that shoots through my veins gives me a speed I didn’t even know I had. With a grunt, I slam into his torso, throwing him to the ground and smiling as he loses his grip on the gun. I’ve never been a fighter, but it’s like natural instincts take over, and I start landing blow after blow to his face.
A car screeches to a stop on the street beside us, but I barely pay it any attention, refusing to stop. Because if I do, that will give Lux the chance to grab his gun again, and then I really might lose this fight.
“Sasha!” Rio shouts, sounding beyond panicked, but I still don’t stop.
My fists sting as I drive them into Lux’s face over and over again, and I don’t even think I realize that he’s not moving until Rio is shaking my shoulder.
“Stop,” he tells me in a firm but soft voice.
I shake my head with tears streaming down my face. “He has a gun. If I stop, he’ll kill me.”
“He’s out cold, baby. He won’t hurt you,” he tells me, and I finally stop my punches but don’t move off Lux just yet.
Rio moves toward the gun and kicks it out into the street so that even if Lux woke up, he wouldn’t be able to reach it. When he returns to my side, he wraps his arms around me and slowly lifts me up. I immediately turn in his hold and bury my face into his chest, sobbing uncontrollably.
A siren blares in the night air, and I jump at the sound.
“You called the cops?” I ask him, but he shakes his head.
“Hands in the air,” the cop yells, and Rio lets me go so we can obey the orders.
“That boy there is the victim,” an older lady says, running out of her home in a house coat and curlers. “I’m the one who called you. I was about to shut my curtains when I saw that man.” She points towards Lux’s lifeless body. “Pull a gun on this sweet boy. I witnessed the entire thing.”
An ambulance pulls up at that moment and the paramedics rush to Lux’s aid.
“Okay, I’m going to need all of your statements,” the police officer tells us, and I nod.
“I can go first,” the woman offers. “Give that poor boy a moment to collect his thoughts.”
I mouth thank you at her, and when Rio once again wraps his arms around me, I melt into his embrace.
“Let’s sit,” he suggests, guiding me to the curb.
“I thought I was going to die,” I tell him, watching the paramedics load Lux into the ambulance and drive off. My body is shaking violently as the adrenaline starts to wear off, and my stomach rolls, threatening to empty its contents.
“But you didn’t,” Rio reminds me. “You fought, and you won. I’m so fucking proud of you, baby.”
“I never fought back before,” I tell him. “He used to be so much stronger than me, but he wasn’t this time. I was ready to give up, but there was this voice in my head that begged me not to. It reminded me that I’m no longer the weak boy I once was.” I pause and stare at the night sky for a moment. “I think it was my mom.”
“I’ve heard stories of people swearing their loved ones talked to them from beyond the grave in times of need, so I believe you.”
