For the Love of Tennis | ✅

Chapter 31

"What the fuck does Gabe want?"

Mum is in no good mood. I can't blame her. To have all that past suddenly resurrected must make her sick to the stomach. And realising that people around her have been thinking and doing terrible things to do with her all these years mustn't help either.

"I don't know," Amias mumbles. "But he's angry. And when he's angry he does unspeakable things."

"Well, I'm angry too," snaps Mum. "And I might actually stab this knife in him if he comes too close." She picks up the knife she was using to cut vegetables only moments ago.

"Why didn't you stab it in me?" Amias asks her. I can't tell if he's trying to make it light-hearted. Knowing him, he probably is. "I mean, we do have history."

"Try me, lover-boy." She cracks a smile at him. It's strange, considering she's only been cussing at him for the past two minutes.

And then the door pounds.

A terrible thumping sounds, and it's obvious the person is throwing their full weight against the door.

"Let him in," Mum says with this crazed look in her eyes.

"Mum," I warn weakly.

She ignores me. "Let me show him what it feels like to have an elbow cracked so badly it creaks."

"No!" I call as she rises from her chair. "This is going to end badly! You're going to get killed."

The knocks are persisting. I can hear faint swearing, my name a few times, more swearing. Mum only laughs at my outburst.

She's heading for the door to the hall. Amias chases after her, almost kicking the seat backwards. He pushes to the front, shielding my mother, and then I can't see them anymore. I remain in the chair. I can't move.

"Open the door!" Mum yells. "Let me rip his face off!"

CRACK!

The door, I assume, has given in to Gabe's force.

Mum screams, Amias shouts, and then Gabe is in the kitchen.

My muscles are frozen solid. He bursts into the kitchen, his face an angry red like a tomato that should have been picked ages ago. Then he's behind my chair, arms locked around my neck. I gasp for air as he pulls, forcing me up to my feet, and he knocks the chair away so I can feel the zip of his jacket digging into my side, his legs straddling mine.

The crease of his elbow is locked tight my throat. I wheeze for air but none enters my blocked windpipe. His other hand grabs my wrists, locking them together in a vice-like grip.
Then I begin the struggle. But as I shake my body from side to side, his grip only tightens.

"Useless cunt," he whispers, hot breath clouding down my neck and making my skin prickle. I squirm more but he holds me firm. "You're the one who told Kylie to end us so I'm going to end you."

"No," I try to say. But only an animalistic sound arises from the back of my throat.

My vision is clouding. Dark spots appear in the corner of my vision and I can feel cold sweat prickling my skin.

"Let her go, Gabe," I hear. I swing my head at Amias' voice but I can't see anything.

Mum calls something. My face feels too hot, my skin clammy, and I think that perhaps this is the end of it all. Strangled to death.

Then suddenly I'm released.

I try to fall forwards but I still feel restraint. Then it dawns on me that Gabe is still behind me, forcing me into him, but he's removed his arm.