Chapter 76: Go to hell!.

My vision begins to blur around the edges.

No.

No, no, no.

Not like this, I can’t die like this.

My lungs burn as every instinct in my body screams at me to fight.

So I do.

I twist violently, trying to use the wall behind me for leverage.

His forearm presses harder against my throat causing pain to shoot through my neck.

My hands tremble as my nails scrape across his wrist.

Still nothing.

He’s too big, too strong and I’m hanging there like I’m nothing.

This isn’t a warning, he isn’t trying to scare me.

He’s trying to kill me.

My stomach turns.

My vision darkens.

I gasp, but barely any air reaches my lungs.

I think of Lysander.

Then I hate myself for it because I don’t want my last thought to be him.

I want to live and I refuse to die in some forgotten corridor of a house I barely know.

I dig my fingers into his wrist again.

Harder.

My lungs scream for oxygen.feet swing uselessly beneath me and then, through the panic, one thought cuts through the fog.

If I can’t overpower him... I’ll have to outsmart him.

I snap out of whatever haze or struggling it is when he takes one hand off of my neck and stars undoing his belt buckle.

He snarls.

"You don’t deserve to be here. Your people killed my mother and raped her right in front of me. The don might think this union necessary but I don’t. I want to put a bullet through every Luciano I see."

His words burn with hatred, so much hatred that I’m taken aback for a moment.

He gives me a sinister smile when the belt buckles and his trousers drop.

"You’re beautiful. And I’m sure that pussy of yours will be too."

He pulls his briefs down and takes out his dick.

" Let’s put it to test now shall we."

He starts to tear at my shorts but I drop my weight like a rag.

It happens so suddenly that he has no choice but to react. His hands shift beneath me, trying to catch me before I hit the floor.

His grip loosens just enough.

And that’s all I need.

I strike hard right between his legs.

I feel disgusted when my feet touches his bare junk but that had to be done.

His entire body jerks as a horrible groan tears out of him.

His fingers release me immediately and I drop. My knees hit the floor first, followed by my hands, pain shoots through my palms, but I don’t even stop to feel it.

I suck in a desperate breath.

Air.

Sweet, glorious air.

My throat burns as I cough, but I’m already pushing myself upright.

The man is doubled over in front of me, both hands clutched between his legs.

He’s groaning in pain.

Good.

I don’t wait for him to recover. I swing my leg and kick him hard in the shin.

He jerks sideways.

"Fuck!"

I turn and run. I run like my life depends on it because it quite literally does.

My sneakers slap against the polished floor as I tear down the narrow passage we’d just walked through.

My lungs are still struggling to catch up, every breath scrapes against my throat.

My neck feels like it’s on fire but adrenaline has taken over.

I don’t feel the pain anymore, I only feel the need to get away.

"I’m gonna get you, bitch! estúpida perra de mierda!!."

*Stupid fucking bitch!*

His voice explodes behind me and my heart drops.

He’s coming.

I push myself harder. My legs stretch forward faster, carrying me down the corridor.

I don’t dare look back. If I turn around, I might lose even one second and one second is enough for him to catch me.

So I keep my eyes ahead.

I remember this hallway, I remember this corner.

We came through here.

I take the turn, then another.

My shoulder almost clips the wall, I twist away at the last second and keep running.

Behind me, his footsteps thunder.

Heavy, fast and furious.

They echo through the corridor and seem to come from everywhere at once.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

My heart pounds in time with them.

I can hear him breathing now, he’s getting closer.

Too close.

I glance over my shoulder. He’s running after me, his face is twisted with rage. His scar seems even more terrifying now.

He points at me.

"Stop!"

I turn forward again.

"Go to hell!"

My voice comes out breathless.

I sprint faster, my lungs burn and my legs burn.

Everything hurts but I refuse to stop.

I take another corner and for one terrifying second, I don’t recognize where I am.

Panic flashes through me.

No. No, no.

I can’t be lost again.

Then I see it....fhe open space. Relief hits me so hard my knees almost buckle.

I’m close, so close.

I hear him behind me.

Closer.

I can almost feel his fingers reaching for me.

I run harder.

My sneakers slide slightly against the polished floor but I catch myself and keep going.

The opening is right there.

I burst out of the narrow corridor into open space but I don’t stop.

I sprint across the floor.

I don’t care if anyone sees me, I don’t care if I look insane.

I just need my room.

The stairs are ahead and I race toward them.

My hand catches the railing, i take the steps two at a time.

My legs are trembling beneath me and i nearly miss a step. I grab the railing harder and pull myself upward.

Behind me, I hear him again.

"Bitch!"

I don’t look back I just climb faster.

The top of the stairs comes into view.

I reach it and immediately turn toward my hallway.

My room.

I run. I can barely feel my feet anymore.

My chest is heaving and my heart is pounding so hard it hurts.

I reach the door, my fingers close around the handle, i yank it open and throw myself inside.

I spin around and slam the door shut, the sound cracking through the room.

My hand immediately reaches for the lock.

Click.

Then I press my back against the door.

I don’t move.

I can’t.

My lungs are dragging in breath after breath as my chest rises violently.

I close my eyes.

For a few seconds, all I can hear is my own breathing.

I don’t know if he made it to the stairs, I don’t know if he’s still coming, I don’t know if he’s standing outside my door.

I don’t know anything, so I stay exactly where I am with my back pressed against the locked door and my fingers wrapped tightly around the handle.