"Fuck," I hear my dad grunt, making it click who's grabbed me.
"Dad." I shift my elbows so he'll let me go, but he doesn't.
"No," he barks next to my ear. "You'll get hurt."
"He won't hurt me." I struggle to break my dad's hold as I watch Z and now two of the men that work here who are trying to get him off Sal. War has his hand around Z's wrist, trying to pull his hand off Sal's throat.
"Do something!" Tullio shouts to my father. Z is in a blind rage, unlike anything I have ever seen in my life. The man is watching the life drain out of his son.
I don't know why, but I do the only thing I can think of. I scream as loud as I can. To my shock, Z's head snaps toward me, making the scream die in my throat. He releases his hold on Sal, who crumbles to the floor, coughing.
"Let her go," he orders my dad.
Holy shit. He's lost his mind.
"Z," my dad warns.
"Let her go," he tells him again.
"I'm okay." I lift my hands, palms out. My dad actually drops his hold on me.
“Come here.” Now it’s me he’s bossing around. At least that’s partially normal. I, for once, do as I’m told, going to him. “Did he hurt you?”
“No.” He wasn’t close to hurting me, which is why Z’s reaction is on another level. It’s frightening. Not for me but for others. “I’m okay.”
“What did he do to her?” my father demands to know. I don’t know what the hell to say, so I say nothing. Again, not normal for me.
Z is ignoring everyone; his sole focus is on me. I might have lost it too because why am I finding this situation hot? It’s those kinds of thoughts that make me remember how much of a Marino I really am.
“This is insane. I come into your home, and this is how you treat us? I thought—” Tullio says, his face is almost as red a tomato.
“Hold your tongue,” War says, his tone chilling. “Or I’ll cut it out.”
“Well, that all escalated quickly.” I let out a laugh. “Men sometimes.” I roll my eyes dramatically. “Z, I love that picture.” Ilean down and pick up the busted frame. “Mom and I are clearly the only photogenic people in this family.”
Tova lets out a giggle, quickly covering her mouth with her hand. I feel some of the tension start to drain.
“Cosima,” Z whispers my name gently.
“Take your son, Tullio,” War tells him.
“If he ever touches her again, he’ll be a dead man walking,” Z warns.
“We will get this all straightened out,” my dad adds, talking to Tullio, guiding him past us like Z didn’t just threaten to kill Sal. Smart—we don’t need Sal coming toward Z; they all should go in the other direction.
“I’ll see about smoothing a few things,” Mom adds, walking past too but pausing next to Z. “Breathe, honey, no one is going to hurt Cosima.” Z gives one small nod to Mom because she keeps walking, everyone else leaving the hallway too, but War, Tova, Z, and me.
"What happened?" War speaks once he's sure we're alone.
"He tried to corner her."
"Are you okay?" War asks me.
"Yeah, I'm good." Not sure I was cornered, but I’m not arguing that with Z. If that is how he sees it, then okay.
"Z, it's not smart to?—"
"I don't give a fuck." Z cuts my brother off.
