You Found Me (Warrior)

17. What You Left Behind

8 AM

I was about to turn around when I felt a sweaty palm clasp over my mouth. I froze. The other hand was thrown around me, holding onto tightly to my chest.

I opened my mouth to scream, but my mouth was forced shut.

"Don't make a sound," He whispered into my ear.

***

I'd be lying if I said I hadn't expected this. I knew one day he would show up again, but not now. Not so soon. Not while I was going through my issues with Tommy.

Why didn't I figure it out before? The silence on the end of the phone was my ex boyfriend, Luca Moretti.

I was trying to forget, but this was me. This was what I left behind. I was ashamed of it because it was something I told myself I would never do - something I told Tommy I would never do. I was with a guy who was no good - someone who I knew was no good. Someone who hurt me.

Tommy softly kissed the top of my head. "I just don't want you to end up like..."

"Your mom?" I asked him. He didn't say anything.

I just couldn't bare to see the look on Tommy's face if he ever found out, so I buried it. I tried to at least. I tried so hard to get away from it all and now it was grabbing me by the throat.

"Daniella - my sweet, sweet Daniella." Luca whispered into my ear as he still held onto me. He was the only one who called me that. I admit, I used to always love when he did, but only because it made my name sound more feminine than it was. It had been a long time since I had been called that, but definitely didn't want him calling me that now.

"I've missed you." He finally let go of my mouth and began to caress my cheek. It was always like this. He could flip from rough to sweet in a second.

"Where you expecting someone else?" He finally released me and shoved me forward as he did. I stumbled, before regaining my balance.

"What the hell are you doing here, Luca?" I said, turning around while trying to sound assertive, but I couldn't lie. I was scared to death and Tommy was long gone by now.

Luca looked the same as I last remembered him. He still had the same haircut, although his dark brown hair was a little bit shaggier. He had that same perfectly trimmed European looking moustache and beard combo. He was dressed in a white collared shirt, slim flat front beige cotton pants and brown buck oxfords. I didn't know how much I could hate a pair of shoes till now. It seemed a little for formal, but this was casual for him. Perfect for breaking into your ex girlfriend's house and sneaking up behind her.

Luca ignored my question. "Do you know how long it took me to find you?" He asked, while starting to examine the front hall. As he walked, I stood there watching him.

"It's been 5 years..." I said, folding my arms into my chest.

"So, what?!" Luca spat toward me like an angry pit-bull, his hazel eyes flaming. Out of fear, I looked away. Then quickly back at him to show him that he didn't scare me anymore. We were just having a conversation. He doesn't have that power over you anymore, Dani.

"When did you get here?" I asked.

"When did you get my first phone call?...around then," He replied, pretty laid-back about the whole thing.

"How... How did you find me?" After Tacoma, I had moved to New York and now here in Philly. If anything, he should have expected me to be back in Pittsburgh where my mom recently moved back to.