Chapter 48
Lizetta whipped her head around and saw two rows of security in black swiftly part the rubberneckers.
A tall and imposing man strode over briskly, his sharp gaze piercing through. Lizetta, who was standing off to the side, like an arrow.
Before Lizetta could even gather her wits, Remington’s towering figure had breezed past her like a whirlwind, heading straight for the counter.
“Joseph!”
His voice was deep and icy cold. Joseph, who was startled by his arrival, dropped the hammer he was holding and was about to dive under the chair.
Remington took two quick steps forward, grabbed the boy by the back of his collar, and hoisted the now tall and skinny kid up.
“Remi! I’m sorry! Ugh, I can’t breathe! Liz, save me!”
Joseph was flailing, his tiptoes nowhere near the ground, crying out for mercy. When Lizetta saw Joseph getting the short end of the stick, she rushed over, wrapped her arms around Joseph, and confronted Remington.
“Remi, Joseph’s still sick! Let go of him! He’s already said he’s sorry!”
While she spoke, she tried to pry Remington’s hand off Joseph’s collar with one hand, but the man’s grip was surprisingly strong, his palm and fingers. like iron bars, and Lizetta couldn’t budge it.
Joseph’s neck and face were turning red, his eyes brimming with tears, looking pitifully at Lizetta for help.
I mean, even if the kid wasn’t sticking up for her, Lizetta wouldn’t stand for anyone messing with her little brother, not even Remington.
In a panic, Lizetta grabbed Remington’s hand and bit down hard on the man’s wrist. She was really putting her back into it because she was steamed..
Just because Evelina got a little roughed up, Remington got all fired up and protective? He didn’t even think twice about laying a hand on sick Joseph!
1/3
She was fuming and heartbroken, wishing she could take a chunk out of Remington, tasting the metallic tang of blood almost instantly.
Finally, Remington let go, and Lizetta, stumbling, managed to steady Joseph. When she looked up again, Evelina was already in Remington’s arms, crying her eyes out.
She clung to him, her pale face showing off a huge bruise on her arm.
*Joseph, it hurts so bad. I’m scared. Boo–hoo. I think my hand’s broken. What if I can’t ever play the violin again? It really hurts so much.”
She was on the verge of collapse, and Remington, with a slight furrow in his brows and a chill in his deep eyes, wrapped an arm around Evelina’s shoulder, his icy gaze fixed on Lizetta and Joseph leaning on her.
“What a fine mess you two have made!”
Watching this unfold, Lizetta felt like her blood had turned to ice. She was his wife, but there he went, naturally siding with his mistress.
The two of them, her and Joseph, didn’t even weigh as much as one Evelina in his eyes. Lizetta felt humiliated, tugged at her lip, but before she could say anything, Joseph, leaning on her, slid to the ground, eyes shut.
“Joseph!”
Lizetta shrieked, collapsing to the ground with him in her arms. She frantically caressed Joseph’s face, “Joseph? What’s wrong with you?”
Joseph’s face was red and sweaty, and Lizetta, thinking of his illness, was filled with worry and panic.
Seeing that calling his name was useless, she instinctively looked to Remington for help. But Remington just stood there emotionless, picking up the sobbing Evelina.
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Shattered Illusions: Love, Lies, and Redemption ( Lizetta )