Chapter Seven

Nathan

Something was off. I knew it when I hadn't heard from Sadie in hours, and it was gnawing at me like a dog on a bone. She's usually good about texting, even just a quick message to let me know she's okay, but when I knew she'd gotten off work—nothing. My gut told me something was wrong, and I've learned to trust my gut.

Thank god I did.

When I'd swung into our duplex's parking lot, I'd seen the car, I'd seen the open door, and I knew without a doubt something was wrong. That old training kicked in without me even thinking about it. I'd moved quietly, slipping inside like I was back on a mission, every step measured, every sound noted. I didn't even make it all the way through the front door when I heard her. The sobbing, the male voice screaming over hers. The living room was a mess and I knew they were upstairs.

What I didn't expect was the scene I walked into.

She was tossing clothes into a suitcase like she was trying to get the hell out of dodge. But that's not what had made the blood drain from my face and then boil over in fury. The handprint on her cheek, the split in her lip, the raw fear in her eyes.

I'm seeing red. Pure, unfiltered rage like I haven't felt in years. No one fucking touches what's mine. Sadie is mine, and whoever did this is about to learn just what a fucking mistake they've made.

"I'm going to ask again. What the fuck do you think you're doing?"

He's standing there like he owns the place. Older guy, face twisted in anger, and I know without a doubt that this bastard is the one who hurt her. He takes me in, looking unimpressed and furious.

"Get the fuck out of my—"

"You've got about three seconds to step away from her," I say, my voice low and deadly.

Surprise flashes in his eyes before it's swallowed by that same arrogant anger. He's got a hold of Sadie's arm, and she flinches when he squeezes tighter. The sight sends another wave of fury through me, and I take a step forward, fists clenched so hard it hurts.

"Who the hell are you?" he spits, but I'm done talking.

I'm on him in a flash, faster than he can react. I grab him by the collar, yanking him away from Sadie and throwing him into the wall. The sound of his back hitting the drywall echoes through the room, and I'm right there, pinning him in place. He swings at me, but he's slow, sloppy. I duck and drive my fist into his gut, knocking the wind out of him. He gasps, eyes wide with shock, but I'm not done.

Not even close.

"You like hitting women, huh?" I growl, my voice barely human. I slam him into the wall again, harder this time. "How about I show you what it feels like?"

I don't give him a chance to answer, not that he could with the way he's wheezing. I pull back and deliver a punch straight to his face. His head snaps back, and blood spurts from his nose, but I don't stop. He hurt her. He laid his hands on Sadie, and that's unforgivable.

That's an offense punishable by death.

"Nathan, stop!" Sadie's voice breaks through the red haze in my mind, but it's distant like it's coming from far away.

The guy tries to swing again, and I catch his wrist, twisting it until he cries out in pain. I hear Sadie screaming, begging me to stop, but it's like I'm on autopilot. Every hit I land is for her, every punch is retribution for the pain he's caused her. I've been in some dark places in my life, done things I'm not proud of, but this? This feels justified. This feels like the right thing to do.

I throw him to the ground, and he barely catches himself before he's back on his feet, stumbling and swaying like a drunk. His eyes are glazed over, blood dripping from his nose and mouth, but I don't care. He's still breathing, still capable of hurting her, and that's not something I can allow.

"Nathan, please!" Sadie's voice finally cuts through, sharp and desperate. I turn, and the look on her face stops me cold. She's terrified, not of him—but of me.

That realization is like a bucket of cold water dumped over my head. I'm standing over this guy, ready to end him, and Sadie's crying, trying to pull me off him because she doesn't want me to get into trouble. Because she's scared of what I'll do. The fury drains out of me, leaving behind a cold, hollow feeling in my gut. I've gone too far, scared the one person I've been trying to protect.

"You ever touch her again, and I'll fucking kill you," I hiss, meaning every word as I drop my hold on him.

The man slumps to the floor, out cold, and I back off, breathing hard. My knuckles are raw and bloodied, some mix of mine and his. I take a step back, forcing myself to turn away from the crumpled heap on the ground and focus on Sadie. She's shaking, tears streaming down her face, her eyes wide with fear and something else—relief, maybe?

"Are you okay?" I ask, my voice hoarse. Stupid question, considering the circumstances, but it's the only thing I can think to say.

She nods, but it's shaky. "I—I'm fine. I just didn't want you to hurt him too badly. You could get in trouble."

"I don't care about that," I tell her, feeling relief that she isn't actually afraid of me but rather for me. "Who is he?"

"He's… he's my father."

That last word hits me like a freight train. Father. The man who's supposed to protect her, take care of her, not do this. My mind races, trying to reconcile the fact that the piece of shit I just beat down is her father. I feel the bile rise in my throat.

"Your father?" I echo, barely able to keep the disgust out of my voice. "This is what you ran away from, isn't it?"

She nods again, and the dam breaks. Everything she's been holding back spills out, and she tells me about the years of abuse, the control, and how she had to get away because she couldn't take it anymore. Every word she says just fuels the fire in my gut, and by the time she's finished, I'm ready to go another round with the bastard lying unconscious on the floor.

"He's never gonna touch you again," I promise, my voice hard as steel. "I'll make sure of it."

Sadie's lip quivers, and she takes a step toward me like she's not sure if she should. I don't give her the chance to hesitate. I close the distance between us and pull her into my arms, holding her tight against my chest. She melts into me, her small frame shaking with silent sobs, and I feel something deep inside me snap into place. This is where she belongs, right here, safe in my arms. I'll be damned if I let anyone hurt her again.

I pull out my phone and dial a number I haven't called in a long time. The phone rings twice before it picks up.

"Sheriff's office, this is Tom."

"Tom, it's Nathan," I say, keeping my voice low and controlled. "I need you to come to my place. Now."

"Nathan?" Tom sounds surprised, and I don't blame him. We haven't talked much since I got out, and the last time we did, it wasn't exactly under friendly circumstances. "What's going on?"

"You know Sadie?"

"The new girl in town right? She's renting from you I heard." Gossip spreads like wildfire in this town.

"Yeah, that's her. Sadie's dad tracked her down. He's been beating on her, and I just put him on his ass. He's unconscious, but I need you to arrest him for breaking and entering, and assault."

There's a pause, and I can almost hear Tom processing what I've just told him. "Shit. Alright, I'll be there in ten. You stay put, and don't do anything else stupid, you hear me?"

"Yeah, I hear you," I mutter, hanging up. I don't plan on doing anything else—at least, not until Tom gets here.

Sadie's still trembling in my arms, and I hold her closer, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "It's gonna be okay," I murmur, trying to reassure her even as my own heart pounds in my chest. "I'm here. I've got you."

She looks up at me, her eyes red-rimmed and full of trust, and it damn near breaks me. She shouldn't have to go through this, shouldn't have to live in fear of her own father. I can't change what she's been through, but I can sure as hell make sure she never has to face it again.

"Tom's coming," I tell her, brushing a tear from her cheek with my thumb. "He'll take care of him, and then we're gonna get you a protection order. He's never coming near you again, Sadie."

She nods, her breath hitching as she tries to calm down. "I—I don't want to go back there. To that house."

"You won't have to," I say firmly. "You're never going to be under his thumb again. In fact, we're getting out of here. There's a little house up for sale in town. We'll move there. I'll take care of you, sunshine. Always."

"Always?"

"Always and forever."