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She unlocked her door, slipped inside, and closed it all but a crack.
“Come on, Georgie, can’t we just talk?”
She looked at him through the opening, keeping a firm grip on the handle in case she wanted to shut and lock it quickly.
“I have to be back at work in an hour, so I don’t have time.”
“Then have lunch with me.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to, Josh. I don’t want to talk to or be around you right now. I just want you to give me some space to figure out if there’s even a reason for us to move forward together.”
“What the fuck does that mean?” His face flushed as anger flashed across it.
“I mean, we’re no longer engaged.” Georgie took off the ring and handed it to him. “Here.”
“I don’t want it. I bought it for you.”
“Then sell it,” she said, still holding her hand out to him.
“You’ll regret this.”
“Maybe,” she’d grant him that because there was always that possibility, however remote.
“That’s all you have to say?” He asked after a long moment of silence.
“No.”
“Then say it.”
She almost opened up to him about his sudden horrible behavior but decided the best course of action was not to engage. So instead, she said, “Goodbye, Josh.”
Georgie moved to close the door at the same time Josh kicked it. The blow made her stumble back, and by the time she righted herself, he was barreling through the door.
“Get out.” She pointed to the door.
“Fuck you,” he wound up and slapped her with so much force that her body followed the momentum when her head whipped around, and she stumbled into the small table in the foyer.
“Get out,” she repeated as she found her footing and backed away from him. “I mean it, Josh. Get out.”
“Or what?” he advanced on her with hands balled into fists at his sides.
“I’ll call the police.”
“Do it.”
Did he think she wouldn’t? She opened her purse, and just as her hand closed around her phone, his fist caught her in the right side of her face and sent her sailing.
Georgie smacked into the wall, rebounded, and just as she turned, still stumbling, he hit her again. This time, she lurched to one side and rammed into the newel post at the end of the staircase handrail. The way she hit it caught her in the ribs, and the pain had her almost blacking out.
That moment of weakness cost her. Before she could prepare to fight back, Josh had hold of her. The next few minutes passed in a blur of fear, fury, pain and brutality, and when it was done, he left her lying on the floor.
Georgie looked up at him as he stood over her, adjusting his clothes, wondering what else he would do. She didn’t know how much more fight she had left in her.
“You’re pathetic,” he said and spit on her. “But you’re a decent fuck. I think next time I’ll give it to you up the ass.”