Page 40 of He Saved Me

Tia tightens my pinky with hers.

“I SAID GET OUT! GET OUT! GET OUT!” Jo picks up a chair and launches it over our heads.

“Go! Tia, get out!” I yell.

Her eyes widen when I glance over my shoulders. I only care about one thing and that is keeping her safe. I push her as hard as I can into the hallway.

Jo continues to yell and scream.

“Just stop it! Stop it, Jo. Let me help you.Please,” I plead, knowing it won’t do a damn thing.

And Jo loses it.

He shoves me hard enough I fall on my ass. I quickly roll to the side and get back up.

I make a mistake when I place my hands against his chest and try to hold him back even though I know there is no way in hell I am going to win against his 200 some pounds of muscle.

Jo roughly grabs my wrist in both hands and I wince. He pulls me close to his face. “You think you’re tough? You think you can take me, little sis?” He grabs me by the throat. “I should’ve killed you too.” He sneers.

My heart cracks.

Tears blur my vision.

Without warning, his fist hits my stomach, not once but twice. I fall back like I had the wind knocked out of me.

I feel a kick to my back, and I cry out in pain.

Another kick.

Abuela screams and starts to say something to Jo in Spanish, but I can’t make out her words because of the ringing in my ears. Suddenly Jo is no longer towering over me.

I hear more voices.

Heavy footprints hitting against thefloor.

Seb and the guys.

Red and blue flashing lights are the last thing I sense before I go under.

* * *

I must’ve not been out that long because when I came to, Tia sat beside me.

“What’s going on?” I attempt to sit up, but everything hurts.

“Hey, take it easy,” Tia says softly.

I glance around the room and see Seb talking to the police officers and Max holding a sleepy Sophie.

“Where’s Abuela?” I ask for the room.

“She’s outside…with Jo,” Gio replies, coming out of nowhere.

Shit, Jo.

Ignoring the pain surging, I move off the couch toward the front door.

And that’s when I hear it.

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