Tension rolls off his body in waves as his harsh breaths fill the space, snatching mine, suffocating them, forcing me to breathe intoxicated air.
“I didn’t make you do anything. It wasyouwho pulled the trigger. It wasyouwho chose your family. If we were to go back in time, you would choose your family again, wouldn’t you?”
I would choose to shoot myself.
But I don’t say that. Because I need to end this fucked-up charade and make him let me go.
This situation isn’t about him or me anymore. It goes way beyond the two of us, and too many people we care about are involved.
Like his father and mine, who’ll definitely clash if either of us is hurt.
“You’re right. I already shot that bullet and killed us with it. We can’t go back in time, but we can remove ourselves from each other’s lives.”
His hold tightens on my throat until I think he’ll choke me to death. “That won’t be happening.”
I see it then, the determination, the decision he’s already made about this.
He’s keeping me.
Nothing I do or say will change anything. He meant it earlier when he told me that I’m his both literally and figuratively.
No.
No, this isn’t how it’s supposed to go.
I’m already suffering the fallout of my actions and going crazy in my attempts to move on. I’ll simply not allow him to ruin everything by self-destructing.
Because that’s what’s happening right now. He might think it’s payback, but he’s shattering himself in the process.
I don’t think about it as I lift my knee and hit him in the balls.
The moment of stunned silence is all I need. When his hold loosens around my throat, I push him away, dart around him, and run outside.
I have no clue where I’m going, but if I find the main road, a car, or a person, I’ll be able to leave.
The sound of waves reaches me first and then as I run, I notice a shore, a rocky path, and a driveway but there’s no sign of any cars.
The house is near the beach.
Surely, there are other houses around.
I don’t stop running, ignoring the pebbles scratching the soles of my feet.
If I don’t leave, my family will be dragged into this, and I can’t… I just can’t be forced to choose again.
It’ll kill me this time.
Hard footsteps sound behind me, sure and composed, before his rough voice reaches me. “It’s useless.”
“I’m going home!” I scream without looking at him. If I do, things can only make a turn for the worse.
His steps get closer and I yelp when his closed voice sounds near my ear. “Then you better run. If I catch you, it’s over.”
I jerk but I don’t stop.
I don’t look back.
And I certainly don’t think.