Chapter 41

CHAPTER 41

SPENCER

I took the corner practically on two wheels. If a cop wanted to chase me down, so be it. He was going to have to chase me up to her apartment because I wasn't stopping until I got there. The sound of her asking me to hurry echoed around the interior of the car. It sent a shiver down my spine. I didn't know what I would do if he hurt her. I would probably kill him. Literally. I would go to prison for her.

I could hear Rhett trying to reason with the man. When he asked Dakota to take his hands off her, I hit the gas and ran a red light.

My heart pounded in my chest as I sped through the city. I knew I had to get there before it was too late. As I turned the corner and saw her building, I pressed harder on the gas, desperation driving me forward. I had to protect her, to make sure she was safe.

I skidded to a stop in front of her building, thanking the universe for the open spot. I leapt out of the car, clutching my phone tightly to my ear. "I'm here," I whispered. "I'm coming."

After sprinting inside, I slapped my hand on the button for the elevator. "Come on, come on," I begged.

I could take the stairs, but I had a feeling the elevator would be faster even with the slight delay. The second it started to open, I stuck my hand in and pushed the doors open. I quickly hit the button for her floor and then slammed my palm against the button to close the door.

As the elevator dinged and the doors slid open, I darted out, phone clutched in my hand. I couldn't stop thinking about the horrifying situation unfolding in her apartment. I knew I had to get there before it was too late.

Racing down the hallway, I practically smashed the door to her apartment open, ready to confront whoever dared hurt her. But as I stepped inside, the tension in the room seemed to have deflated. Dakota had stepped back. Rhett was trying to maintain peace. I put my phone in my pocket.

"Spencer," Marlow breathed, relief washing over her face.

My temper ignited and my fists balled at my sides. Seeing Dakota standing there, happy as a pig in shit, sent my anger into overdrive. But it wasn't just him. I was furious with Rhett, too, for being inconsiderate enough to bring that asshole into his sister's home. I would deal with him later and he would be lucky if I didn't break his other bones.

"Seriously?" Dakota asked. "That's who you called?"

"I was on the phone with him," Marlow said.

"You need to leave," I said.

"Fuck you. She's my wife."

"I am not your wife," Marlow spat. "I'd rather jump out the window than get back with you."

"Just go," Rhett chimed in.

I stepped forward, prepared to beat Dakota's ass. The air crackled with tension as I faced him down, my jaw clenched and my fists ready for a fight. "She made it clear she doesn't want you here," I said through gritted teeth. "You need to respect that and leave."

Dakota's eyes narrowed as he studied me, no doubt weighing his options. Before I could guess what he was going to do, he reached for a plate on the counter and threw it at me. I moved out of the way at the last second. Marlow retreated, genuine fear flashing in her eyes. Rhett, realizing how out of control things were getting, started to panic too.

Dakota reached for another plate, his eyes wild. I ducked to the side, the plate shattering behind me. A chunk hit the back of my leg, but I didn't dare take my eyes off him. He grabbed another plate and threw it. The dude had lost his damn mind.

"Marlow!" he shouted, ignoring me completely. "Don't let them turn you against me! Can't you see how much I love you?"

I knew if I pushed Dakota any further, the guy might do something even crazier. I didn't dare get too close. The man was not right. Marlow might get hurt if I went for him.

"Knock it off," Rhett shouted at his friend. "You're trashing her fucking place!"

Dakota didn't even look his way. His anger was directed at me. That was fine. I would happily take it if it kept him from paying attention to Marlow. If it looked like he was going to throw a plate her way, I would tackle him.

I eyed Dakota, sizing him up. He was getting desperate, and that made him dangerous. "You need to leave, Dakota," I warned him, my voice low and steady.

He snarled, his eyes dark with malice. "Don't you dare tell me what to do in my own home."

"This isn't your home, and Marlow doesn't want you here," I retorted.

"Rhett invited me," Dakota shot back.

"And he disinvited you too," I said.

For the moment, Dakota was out of plates. Marlow was slowing making her way around the table. Rhett was still standing there, useless as tits on a bull. I had heard him over the phone and knew he was the one that invited Dakota over, like an absolute idiot.

"You made this mess," I spat, pointing a finger at Rhett. "You fix it. She told you he was no good, and you should have listened. This is on you. Brother of the fucking year."

Rhett's face fell, but he didn't argue. He knew he'd screwed up. I then turned to Marlow, my anger dissolving at the sight of her fear. She walked toward me, stepping on a piece of one of the plates, crunching it under her foot. I reached out and wrapped an arm around her.

"Don't touch her!" Dakota shouted.

I ignored him. "Are you okay?" I asked, locking eyes with her.

"Yes," she murmured. "Well, no, but yes."

I could feel her shaking. She might be okay physically, but I could feel her fear. I could stick around and beat the shit out of Dakota and make this situation a hundred times worse, or we could get the hell away from him. I didn't want to wreck the place any more, although this wasn't over between Dakota and me. He would get what was coming to him. I would make sure of it.

"Can I get you out of here?" I asked softly.

She nodded, her fingers clutching the front of my shirt. She was trembling. "Please."

I backed up slowly, keeping my eyes on Dakota.

Rhett looked like he was going to follow us out.

"No way," I said, freezing him in place with a menacing stare. "This is your mess, you deal with it. Get him out of here and don't you dare let him back in, or you and I are going to have a problem. Understood?"

Rhett nodded.

I stepped on one of the shattered plates. "And clean this shit up."

I led Marlow to the elevator, keeping my ears open to make sure Dakota didn't try to follow us. I had to believe Rhett would stop him, but so far, he hadn't proven himself to be very helpful.

I pushed the button, keeping one arm around her. The doors opened and I guided her inside, moving to stand at the back of the elevator to make sure I would see someone coming. As soon as the doors closed, she started to sob. I did the only thing I knew to do. I gathered her up in my arms and held her like I was the only thing keeping her together. Hell, maybe I was.

She was the only reason I hadn't lost my shit on Dakota. Making her feel safe again was more important than breaking Dakota's jaw.

We made it to the lobby and headed to my car. When we were situated, we quickly pulled away from the curb.

The car was silent except for her soft sniffles. I said nothing, letting her process everything. I had done everything I could for the moment.

She eventually stopped crying. Not knowing what to say but knowing she still needed support, I reached over and took her hand in mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She relaxed a bit and closed her eyes. It made me happy to know she felt safe with me, even though I'd been a grumpy prick.

We drove in silence for a while, the city lights flashing past. I kept glancing over at Marlow, seeing her puffy eyes and hearing her sniffle. A protective urge surged through me.

"Where do you want to go?" I finally asked, my voice soft.

"I don't know," she whispered, her voice shaky. "Anywhere but there. Ugh, I'm going to have to move."

"Alright," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "Let's go to my place."

She nodded. "Okay."

I drove us to my apartment. Once there, I helped her out of the car and up to my place. As soon as we were inside, I locked the door behind us and led her to the couch.

"Do you want something to drink? Tea? Water? Whiskey?" I asked, trying to distract her.

"Water would be nice," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "And maybe a new brother."

"Water, I can help you with." I quickly fetched a glass of water and handed it to her.

She took it with a grateful smile and sipped slowly. Sitting down beside her, I put my arm around her shoulders. She leaned into me, her head resting on my chest.

"I can't believe he was there," she said after a while, her voice trembling. "How could Rhett do that to me?"

"He's never grasped how threatening Dakota has been," I replied, my anger flaring again. "All he knows is his friend who's all jokes and smiles. I think tonight he finally saw how unhinged your ex is. And if he's still not convinced, I'll make sure he understands."

She sighed, her body relaxing a bit more against mine. "Thank you, Spencer. For everything."

"You don't have to thank me, Marlow," I said, tightening my arm around her. "I'm just glad you're safe. That guy has gone off the deep end."

"Dakota has never been violent," she said quietly. "He's yelled and we've argued but never like that. He was so angry."

"And he thinks it's love," I said, shaking my head.

"When I opened the door and saw him standing there, I froze. I was so shocked that everything inside me just locked up at first."

"He shouldn't have been there," I agreed. "Neither one of us expected Rhett to do something so thoughtless."

She took another sip of her water. "Do you have anything a little stronger?" she asked. "Now that my cotton mouth is gone, I feel like I could use a proper drink."

I chuckled. "Do I have anything stronger? Oh my sweet summer child, you don't have to ask if my bar is fully stocked. What's your pleasure?"

She gave me a weak smile. "Whiskey, please. Neat."

"A woman after my own tastes," I said.

"It's not my usual drink, but after that bullshit, I need something strong to take the edge off."

"I've got you covered," I assured her. "Aged for fifty years, single barrel, made by a family who's been running the distillery for centuries. You're going to love it."

"Will it get me drunk?" she asked.

"Absolutely."

"Then I'm going to love it," she said, smiling a little.

The sight of it filled me with joy. She had been through the wringer tonight but she was already bouncing back. The woman was so much stronger than I had realized.

I went to the bar in the den to make her a drink. It was dimly lit, with cozy armchairs and a small table. It was one of the only rooms in the apartment that wasn't flooded with natural light. It was where I could brood and pout and drink whiskey like an old poet. Against the back wall stood a large wooden bar, adorned with the best liquor money could buy. A few stools were in front of it, inviting guests to take a seat and enjoy a drink. It was my version of my man cave, not that I had a ton of friends over anymore.

I poured her a measure of whiskey and then some for me. I heard a noise and looked up to see her standing in the doorway.

"Come in," I said. "Welcome to one of my favorite places in the world."

I gave her the glass and watched as she took a sip, closing her eyes in satisfaction. She looked up at me, her expression soft. "Thank you, Spencer."

"You're welcome," I replied.

"This is exactly what I thought you would have in your penthouse," she said with a soft smile.

"I figure if I'm having a drink at home, I might as well do it in style." I chuckled. "Although I'm liking it a lot more because you're here with me."