“No. I won’t go with you.”
He shoved her hard against the wall, and then struck her again. She shoved at him and felt the cut to her forearm. She screamed and he reached out, gripping her hair and pulling her hard toward him.
Her lip was bleeding and her cheek sore. His evil face was right up against hers. They were nose to nose and she shook with such fear, she thought she might have a heart attack. He stuck his tongue out and licked the blood from her lips.
“Even your blood tastes good.”
“Stop! Police!”
She heard the voice and Mano looked back over her shoulder, then wrapped an arm around her waist and turned her so that the police could see he had her and the knife.
In a matter of seconds, the wide hallway was filled with police and her men.
She cried as she saw their faces. Her men were as scared as she felt.
“Put down the knife, and let the woman go. It’s over,” one man, wearing a suit and holding a gun, stated.
Mano shook his head.
“She’s coming with me. I’ll kill her right here if I have to.”
“No. Don’t kill her. Just put down the knife,” Murphy yelled.
“Fuck you! You can’t have her. She’ll never be yours again!” Mano yelled then began backing up. She could tell that the police and her men were panicking. If Mano got her into a hotel room, with the door closed and locked, he could kill her. He could hold her hostage and have his way with her. She wouldn’t let him rape her. She would rather die than let this man ever touch her again.
“Mano, please put down the knife. I’ll go with you. I promise.”
He gripped her harder, making her gasp for air. The knife was by her neck as he used his face to turn her face toward him. He looked down into her eyes. She saw that there was no rational thinking going on in a face and eyes likes his. The evil was overwhelming to see, and her gut clenched, knowing the worse could come of this.
“You’ll leave them? You’ll come willingly back to me and New York?”
“Yes. Yes, I’ll go with you.”
He eased the knife down and she turned out of his hold.
“No, Amelia!” Ricky yelled. She froze in place.
Mano reached for her throat. He gripped it hard and she swung at his body, his face. Her nails scratched his face. She could hear yelling and the sound of many footsteps coming toward them.
“If I can’t have you, they can’t have you.”
Mano pulled her toward him and she screamed as the sharp pain hit her ribs and side.
She was shocked.
He stabbed me.
Chaos erupted around her as she fell to the ground, holding her stomach and side. In what felt like slow motion, she looked up and saw Waylon punching Mano and tackling him to the ground. She saw Murphy’s wide eyes, the fear, and then Brody’s face.
“Lie still, Amelia. Lie still, help is on the way,” he said.
She fell back onto the carpeting. Ricky caressed her hair and locked gazes with her.
“He stabbed me,” she thought she said aloud but wasn’t sure. There was so much yelling. Too many voices, as everything began to move around. Dizziness overtook her.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“No, Amelia. You fight Goddamn it. You fight for us. You don’t let that asshole win!” Murphy yelled, and she closed her eyes, his face, the last thing she saw before darkness.