Chapter 42

Dominick

Twisting Ethan's arm behind his back, I dig my fingers into the tendons by his elbow, and the knife he's holding clatters to the ground.

Swinging around with my other fist, I clock him right in the jaw, and Ethan stumbles back. I let him fall, focusing on Chloe.

"Are you okay?" I scan her, seeing blood on her lip and arm, and my blood runs cold.

Shit, there's some on her ribs.

Chloe's eyes are wide with confusion and shock. She blinks hard and then rushes forward into my arms.

"Oh my God, you're here." Her voice is muffled as she pushes her face into my chest, and I wrap my arms around her, breathing her in.

"I'm here." I don't let even an inch separate us, lowering my face into the crook of her neck. "I'm here."

Leaning back slightly, I pull Chloe's face up by the chin, examining her wounds as gnawing rage burns hotter in my veins.

"What did he do to you?"

She shakes her head. "I'm so, so sorry. I didn't mean to?—"

"Don't." I hold her face with both hands. "You didn't do shit. This is on Ethan."

Her eyes flare wider. "And Kyle! He'd come into the club. He told Ethan everything!"

She's not making much sense, and I can feel the panic radiating off her.

"Hey, try to calm down. I've got you. We're going to?—"

But then pain zings through my calf, and I shove Chloe behind me as I swing around to face the threat.

Ethan has scrambled across the ground to get the knife. I'll admit, I'm surprised the guy is even conscious after the punch I delivered.

He slashes out again, pulling himself up onto his feet and waving in a wide arch. I only just dodge the blade, and I hear Chloe fall behind me.

"Get to the door!" I point at the opening to my left, where my brothers and I snuck in.

"I'm not leaving you!"

I chance a glance over my shoulder, staring down Chloe as she shakes her head, worry and anger warring in her expression.

"Go!"

She hesitates but then looks to the left just as Luke comes rushing forward, blood splattered over his shirt and face.

"Chloe!" Luke holds out a hand. "Come on!"

She looks back at me once more as I divide looks between her and the madman circling me with a knife.

Then she takes off for Luke.

I'm only able to look at him for a moment, but Luke offers a silent promise to get Chloe to safety before he comes back to help me.

I just nod.

"You son of a bitch! I'll kill you and your dumb whore!"

Ethan jumps forward, and I sidestep, missing his attack by inches.

I've got years of training on the guy, but there's something to be said for pure determination and crazed focus.

Straightening my stance to face him, Ethan spins around, jabbing to his right to grab a small box near his foot.

Just as I realize his plan, he throws it, and I just have to hold up my arms to take the brunt of the hit.

The wood smashes against me, and immediately, the pain is enough to make me grunt. I'm over it quickly enough, and when I lower my arms to peek at my opponent, he's coming at me with that damn knife again.

I hold Ethan back from me, but I've changed my footing since he threw that box, and he has me up against the stack of crates with a shove backward.

"You think you can have her?" Ethan drones on through gritted teeth as we shove against each other. "Oh no. No one gets that bitch."

I'm not dignifying that with a response, and the distraction of keeping the deadly point of that blade away from my gut is a bit more important.

The pop of a few gunshots rings out near the door, and panic grips my heart.

Chloe.

I refocus on Ethan, really taking in just how crazed he seems, and I try to use it to my advantage.

"That's just the thing, though, isn't it. I did get her. She's mine." I grin, disgusted at this piece of shit. "And you're just a fucking chump."

His frenzied scream rips through the air, and he shoves the blade forward.

But Ethan's lost focus on pinning me to the crates.

I turn at the last second, letting Ethan punch into the stack of wood. Pulling his hand back and dropping the knife, he howls in pain.

A punch to the temple ought to take care of that.

I land a hard blow to Ethan's head, and he falls to the floor. I can't give him the chance to recover, however.

Hoping over the top of him, I start throwing punches repeatedly to his head. Go to fucking sleep, you bastard.

He does, and when I'm sure he isn't a threat anymore, I get up, heading for the knife on the floor.

I snag it, walking back to Ethan.

"You tried to kill her. You still want to."

I'm standing right over him, and it would be so easy to make sure he could never hurt Chloe again.

"Dom!"

I look up, and there she is, running toward me. Chloe stops a few feet away, her eyes widening as she sees me standing over Ethan with his own blade.

"Is he dead?"

I sigh, squeezing the handle in my grip. "Not yet."

Chloe's mouth falls open as she breathes hard. She takes a few steps toward me, her brows furrowed.

"Don't." She shakes her head. "Don't kill him."

Anger is still roaring through my blood, and I shake my head right back at her.

"He was going to murder you, Chloe. Why should we spare him?"

She closes in on me, putting her tiny hand over mine as I hold the knife.

"Please. I don't want you to be dragged into the darkness with him. I want you here." She puts her other hand on my heart. "With me."

It takes me a few moments before I'm able to drop the blade. With a heavy sigh, I wrap my arms around her, needing to feel her against me.

"Your brothers, they need us."

With that, we hurry over to the back of the warehouse, leaving Ethan on the floor—and, unfortunately, still breathing.