Point Of View 2 [*Do not read until you've read the same chapter of ATW]

Chapter 76 & 77 Hard Season/ We All Fall Down

"You sonofabitch!" I lunge at him, but Joe punches me right in the gut, making me drop to my knees in pain.

"HEY!" Nate's British voice bounces off the sanctuary walls catching Joe off guard seeing another person in here. "I'm pretty sure I just witnessed you assault a man." He holds up his phone on speaker to dial 911. No. God no, he can't!

"No! Nate!! Don't!!" I cry out and Nate hangs up before the call goes through. "He'll just find my sisters and take it out on them."

Nate boldly walks up towards us and I'm internally begging him not to. Joe will rip him to pieces and by the smell of it, has a gallon of whiskey in his blood.

"Well, if it isn't America's heartthrob himself. Look at you. Your millions won't save him from this one, Nate Hollan."

Evan quickly storms in, but Nate puts a hand out to stop him for a second.

"I swear to God, you arrogant piece of shit, wife-beating, child-abusing prick. I have more money than you will EVER see in three of your sorry fucking lifetimes. I have excellent lawyers and the whole fucking world adores me. You lay one of your filthy hands on ANY one of your Gallo children or Carol, I will dig your fucking grave myself and bury you alive. And I don't like to get dirty. I pay people to do that shit. But for you? I want to do it myself. And when you fucking climb out of your sorry hole of a grave, I will put your half dead body in jail and let all your inmates have their way with you. Ever been to prison, Joe ? I hear they love the child abusers."

Nate pulls me to my feet as Evan stands between us and Joe so Nate can walk me out of the sanctuary.

It's not until we are all in the SUV and driving do I realize I went into shock. My father punched me. His grown adult son. He slugged me right in the stomach. If I go to jail, he will take over my mom and sisters. Everyone I have worked so damn hard to protect all these years. Everything I've done to make sure I'm strong enough to physically take on my father, yet it makes it known he is still in complete control of us.

"You should have let me call 911, James." Nate says softly but I shake my head and stare ahead the whole way home.

"C'mon, Gallo. Let's have Jonah check you out." Nate walks out of the elevator and Maggie b-lines it off the couch to me barking up a storm and grabbing Jonah's attention. When he sees me a little hunched over, he quickly shuts his laptop and comes into the living room.

"Where are the girls?" Nate looks around the spacious apartment.

"They just went to get a Target pick- up. I figured they wouldn't need a bodyguard for that if they are staying in the car, right? Casey drove. Of course. You know Trish still isn't driv-"

"Now is not the time, take a look at James for me."

He sits me down on the couch and Maggie calms down for me.

"James, what happened?" Jonah questions but I can only shake my head.

"Sir, he hasn't spoken since the incident." Evan looks over at me.

"He's in shock. His father......" Nate begins. "I now know why James, even as big and muscular as he is, fears his own father. The guy is insane. He punched James right in the stomach. In the middle of a church!"

"What, WHAT?!" Jonah earns a bark from Maggie. "He assaulted his son?! A grown man? A disabled man? And you didn't call the cops?!

"I was going to but James told me no. Joe has this weird hold on the family. He threatened James. He told James all sorts of shit but also said he would take care of his mom and sisters. And I don't mean take care of in a good way. The guy is certifiable, Jonah. You could see it in his eyes. James was praying when his father showed up. It was awful."