In Pieces

20 | Broken |

Dad's arms dropped to his sides as he slowly backed toward the door. "Wha—Where did he come from?"

He finally tore his gaze from Gio and gasped when he stomped on Lucy's hand.

"Yeah, that happens a lot," Gio apologized, pointing at the unconscious body sprawled across the floor. "Smelling something fresh usually helps."

He waved a hand in the air, but nothing happened. "Huh...." He wiggled his fingers and then snapped them—still nothing.

As if Gio's useless clicks had dropped a bomb, everyone started screaming at the same time.

"No!" Mom sank onto the bed.

"Lucy!" Dad crouched by her.

"Gio, Mom has the scroll!"

Gio stopped smacking his fingers and looked into my eyes. "What did you say?"

It was impossible to hear anything in this warzone.

"My djinn! Mine!"

"My magic is not working..."

"Who is this guy?"

"No! No! No!"

"Lucy? Lucy! Wake up!"

"Do I still have pointy ears?"

Dad stood up, carrying Lucy in his arms. "Alaia, let's go. We are leaving—for good this time."

"What are you waiting for, David?" Mom growled, swinging her fists in the air. "Go! Get the fuck out of my castle! Alaia is not going anywhere!"

"Alaia!" Dad demanded.

My face was on fire. I couldn't leave—not without the contract. I lowered my eyes and shook my head.

Mom started laughing as Dad froze in the doorway, staring at me in disbelief. But as his gaze traveled between Gio and me, something in his eyes softened. "Can I trust you? Will you keep her safe?"

Gio nodded, sliding his hand into mine.

Dad hesitated for a moment. "Alaia, tell me to stay, and I'll—"

"It's fine, go. We'll be right there," I assured him and watched him storm out of the bedroom.

"I'm not divorcing you!" Mom cried. "You won't get a dime out of me! Do you hear me?"

"Mom..." My shadow fell on top of her. "They're gone. It's over."

Her smoldering gaze locked on Gio's hand twined into mine.

"You!" she roared at Gio, jumping up to her feet. "It's all your fault! You tricked my daughter into signing this!" With a flip, she rolled the scroll open.

I leaped up to snatch it, but Mom raised her hand and crunched the paper.

Gio's face turned as white as a ghost in a heartbeat. His hand turned ice-cold and glided away from my touch. "Alaia?"

"I'm s-sorry, Gio." My voice hitched. Tears stung my eyes. "She snapped it before I summoned you here. I'm so sorry." I swung my arms around Mom to reach the contract but she was incredibly fast, and my wet, blurry vision didn't help at all.

"You tricked her! Just like you tricked me all these years." Mom pushed me away like a piece of furniture and walked up to Gio, blasting spits everywhere.

I jumped behind her to snatch the paper, but how could I touch a wild beast? Mom was pushing, scratching, clacking her teeth, doing everything in her power to keep the contract away.

"You made me waste my wishes—convinced me to choose useless shit! Who gives a damn about collecting gems from other worlds when they could burn this place down? Tell me! Who keeps their cheating husband when they could send him down to hell along with that redhead!"

Her fingers clenched tighter around the squeaking contract. "You tricked me, saying Alaia needed a dad... that she needed love. And I kept him! Why? So he could run away with a maid and leave me with this—ungrateful rat, who went behind my back and freed my djinn! MY DJINN!"

"He is not your genie!" I cried and pulled her arm.

Mom snarled as she raised her hand to strike me again.

I shut my eyes, tightened my fists, and held my head high...

But the blow never came.

I slowly glared down at Mom. She was frozen—one hand shaking in the air and the other squeezing the contract in her palm.

Who knew I was taller than her?

My eyes slid to Gio standing in front of the mirror, holding his neck, choking.

"Stop..." I gasped.

"You don't love me anymore." Mom studied me with wide-open eyes as she slowly lowered her hand. Her lips trembled when she turned over her shoulder. "Gio, why doesn't she love me?"

"I don't know." He breathlessly shook his head.

"Fix it," she demanded. "She is the only one who ever—"

"I can't."

"What do you mean?" Mom's eyes lingered on Gio's human ears. Suddenly, her brows shot up in disbelief and then creased into a sharp frown.

"No," she hissed, her face redder than ever, and grabbed Gio's arms. "Our contract isn't over! It's not midnight yet. I still have one more wish!"

Gio gulped and leaned against the makeup table to find his balance, shivering.

"Gio, don't." My heart thumped in my ears.

"I—I can't make her love you, Miranda."

Mom glared at me, her desperate voice cracking with every word. "Something changed. She loved me this morning. I know she did."

I had to do something. I had to take control.

"Mom, I will love you if you give me that contract." I opened my hand and stepped forward.

Her wet gaze followed mine to the scroll. A smirk curled in the corners of her quivering lips.

With a swift move, she took her silver lighter out of her pocket and flicked it open.

Gio and I froze.

"Tell me you love me." Her dark pupils reflected the flame. A tear dropped and dried on her cheek.

"I—I..." I licked my dry lips. Those three words that effortlessly spilled for Gio minutes ago, now refused to come out for my mother. "I... Give me the contract, and I'll tell you."

She narrowed her eyes and glanced over her shoulder. "Gio? I have my final wish."

I held my breath as he raised his head.

"Make her forget." She hungrily licked her crooked smile. "Make her forget she's ever met you."

"No..." I gasped. The world started trembling under my feet. All I wanted was to take Gio's hand and make a run for the mirror before the darkness consumed us all.

"Let's go." I reached for Gio...

But he lowered his head. "Don't make me do this."

I grabbed his arm and started pushing him toward the frame. "Come on, let's go!"

"MAKE! HER! FORGET!"

"Gio!"

Why wasn't he moving?

His silver eyes filled with tears. The universe stopped glowing and died in his irises as he gazed into my soul.

"Gio, no..." I begged, falling onto my knees. My heart throbbed, my ears started buzzing.

The mirror was only a few steps away...

Darkness cracked my head and started streaming into my memories.

And with a flick of his head—