I thought I’d braced myself for the worst. But I hadn’t. That devil had Nova’s clothes ripped, and the puffiness around her face told me he’d hit her and doing so in the presence of his heavily sedated wife, my mother. I lost all control.

“Let go of her!” I said through clenched teeth.

Dante’s face contorted into a grimace. He used Nova as a barrier between us. I saw her try and dig her fingers into the arm that was squeezing her around the waist. She looked at me with eyes wild with fear. All I could do was take one step after another, closing the gap between us little by little. But Dante was inching his way toward the door.

“You want her? Take her!” He practically lifted Nova off her feet and threw her at me. I tried to break her fall but she collided with the dresser, hitting her head. Blood began to run from the gash.

“Nova.” I held her face.

“Get him.” She put her hand to her head. “Get him or we’ll never be rid of him.” She kissed me and promised to lock the door behind me and stay with my mother.

As I ran out of the room and to the top of the staircase, a bullet whizzed past my head. Donald was at the bottom of the stairs like some cowboy making a last stand on his land. He had the gun in his right hand and stared up waiting for me to poke my head out.

The longer I waited upstairs, the further Dante was getting from receiving justice.

“Donald, I don’t know what Dante has promised you but you aren’t going to get it!” I shouted and peeked around the wall. Another bullet flew by, causing me to wince as the pieces of plaster flew around me. Donald didn’t reply.

“You know you are protecting a rapist, an embezzler, and now he’s got you attempting murder. Where do you think you can go?” I hoped that maybe a few bits of common sense might prompt Donald to run away. But I was wrong.

“He hasn’t promised me anything, Alex! I’ve already got it all. And once I’ve killed you, I’ll be calmly driving to the airport for a long vacation,” Donald said, and I heard the bottom stair creak. He was going to come up the stairs? Was he crazy?

I looked around and saw a small Ming vase my mother had sitting on a pedestal. It had occupied that corner of the hallways since I was a kid. It was just out of the way enough that a boy running to and from his room would miss it.

Without thinking I grabbed the vase and waited. I knew the creaks of the steps. He was in the middle of the staircase and slowly working his way up.

“Donald, if you help me, I’ll make sure the authorities know. I’ll make sure they don’t sentence you to a lifetime of hard labor for drugging an old woman in order to abuse her financially.”

“It wasn’t just financially,” Donald chuckled. I’d never un-hear those words. There would never be anything that would pierce my heart as badly as what he’d just said. I stepped out from the corner of the hallway to see the smile immediately fall from his lips. Before he had a chance to raise his gun, I hurled the vase at him. He tried to shoot at it but missed, the vase smashing against his chest, ceramic chunks flying everywhere. Donald shook his head, confused, and before he had a chance to recover, I dove for him.

We tumbled down the stairs and I landed on top of him. His gun went off into the air one more time hitting the crystal chandelier overhead and causing the crystals to clink together.

I grabbed hold of his wrist and pounded his hand into the marble floor until he let the gun fall. Once he was unarmed I pummeled him. Over and over I crashed my fist into his face. I straddled him and let the fury of several years come out with each blow until he was nothing more than a panting, pleading bloody mess with no nose to speak of and a couple teeth missing. He’d never grin again.

I grabbed the gun. It had two bullets left. Leaving Donald, who was helpless and maybe even dying, I took off in search of Dante. But he was nowhere on the premises. His car was still in the driveway. If he’d hoofed off on foot, he’d still have his wallet and cell phone.

Just then I heard sirens. They were getting closer and closer. It was obvious they were coming to my house. Dante must’ve called the police and reported me as an intruder. My record would have me back in cuffs and behind bars before I could blink. I had to see Nova before they took me away.

“Nova?” I knocked on the door. She opened and quickly threw her arms around my neck, sobbing. “Nova, the police are coming and…”

“I know. I called them. I told them what was happening and they’re bringing an ambulance for your mother,” she cried in my ear.

“They are going to blame me,” I said, and held her tight. The memory of making love to her flashed in front of my eyes and I felt the sting of tears.

“No, they won’t. I’ll make sure of it.” She sounded so confident. That all the facts would fall into place, that justice would be served, and love would prevail. But it didn’t happen like that. Never.

“It’s not that easy. Remember, I’m the one with the police record.”

She pulled back from me and took the gun from my hand. “Where are those papers you said would exonerate you?”

“They are in my mother’s office in the lining of her wedding picture hanging on the wall,” I stated matter-of-factly.

“Do you think Dante is headed there to try and get them?” she asked.

“Maybe?” I thought. “More than likely.”

“Then I don’t have a lot of time. Give me your keys. You’ll have to do what the police tell you. Your mom will go to the hospital. I’ll get to you as soon as I am able.” She kissed me again. “Stay with your mom. She can see you.”

I looked at the woman in the chair and it felt like I was a boy again. As Nova left to greet the police, I rushed to Mother’s side and took both her hands in mine. On my knees, I cried.

“I’m sorry.” It was all I could say. “I’m so sorry.” Tears fell onto the blanket over her lap as I repeated myself. She wasn’t an old lady. I kissed her hands and promised to make sure she got better. Although deep inside my heart I was terrified she’d never be the same again.

Before I could say anything else, the police and EMTs rushed into the room. I stepped back, told them the drugs were in the bathroom and that I didn’t know what doctor was prescribing them.

“Mr. Ramsey, I’m afraid you are going to have to come with us,” a uniformed police officer said after I’d given him my version of the events.

“I understand.” I looked at the uniformed officer and felt the hot humiliation of tears filling my eyes. “Do you have to use the cuffs? The last time she saw me I was in handcuffs. If this is really the last time she’s going to see me, can you let me walk out like a man?”

“Come with me, Mr. Ramsey.” He extended his arm toward the door. I saw him nod to the other officer that it was okay. I looked at my mother who seemed to have slumped over even more in her chair. Then I walked out.

I wondered if Nova was able to get to the office. If Donald had an escape plan like he’d said, Dante was already likely aboard the private jet heading out of the country.

Once again, justice would slip away. I had to hope Nova would have better luck.