Chapter 104

Fiona

“Fiona!” Ethan roars from somewhere behind me. His voice is almost immediately drowned out by the music, so I ignore it even though it hurts.

“Come back, Fiona! This isn’t over!”

Couldn’t we just agree not to see each other anymore? Why is he making this so difficult? I wish he would just leave me alone so I could move on. I don’t know why he came here, but if he can’t choose me, he needs to stay away.

Seeing him tonight only makes things worse. The pain has doubled since the beginning of the night, even as I feel him growing further and further away as I slip between people in the crowd. Ethan is much larger and gets caught between a group of dancing women.

I push myself to move faster since it’s probably the only chance I’ll have to really get away. Then, my palms are on the back door, and I’m pushing through it and into the alley.

However, I instantly regret my actions as a group of men look up at me. Each looks seedier than the next with their greasy hair and cigarettes.

I skid to a stop, my heart skipping a beat when their leering eyes rake up and down my body.

“Damn, lady. You come out here to join the party?” The man on the left asks, making me step back.

“Baby, you’re just in time,” another man says then whistles. “Would you look at those legs. Sexy as fuck.”

Spinning, I grab for the door handle and pull. It jerks with a thunk but doesn’t open. I pull again, but it still doesn’t open. Crap.

Why me?

Haven’t I been through enough already without having to add more trouble to the mix?

There must be something in this universe out to get me because no normal person gets hurt this much without something working against them. I briefly wonder if I can get away, glancing to the side and down the alley toward my only escape.

“Nowhere to go, lady. Might as well let us get a taste of the goods,” one of the men says behind me. My stomach drops, and I shriek when a hand grabs my shoulder. Ducking, I spin and dart to the left, but there’s another man blocking the way.

He grabs me by the hair before I can dodge his hand, making me shriek.

“That’s right, baby. As soon as I get that dress of your tight little body, I’ll have you screaming my name,” the man growls, yanking me back into his chest. The hand in my hair tightens, pulling my head back as a hand slides up my thigh, dragging my already short dress higher.

“Stop!” I cry, kicking at them. “Get off me!”

One of the other men lets out a bark of excitement, and I thrash against his hold. Another man moves in front of me, his hands on my hips as he leans in and runs his nose up my neck.

Bile, thick and hot threatens to choke me as it climbs up my throat. No, I can’t let them do this. I lift my leg and plant my foot in the man’s chest, shoving him back even as his friends surround me.

“Help!” I scream, hoping someone will come.

Just then, the door I came through bursts open, and Ethan is there. He tears the men off me, throwing them to the ground with a snarl before turning to me and the man with his hand buried in my hair.

Something cold bites into my neck, making me and Ethan freeze. However, where I stay still, Ethan doesn’t. He growls in anger and annoyance, his hands curling into fists as he watches the man holding me.

“Get your hands off my woman.”

“Let us go, or I’ll cut the bitch,” my captor threatens, bringing the old blade even closer to my neck. I can’t stop the whimper of fear that falls from my lips, and I can’t keep my eyes from finding Ethan’s gaze.

“If you release her, unharmed, I’ll let you leave, but hear me when I tell you this,” Ethan rumbles. “If you injure her, I’ll rip you limb from limb. You’ll wish you’d never stepped foot in this alley.”

The threat sends a shiver down my spine, but not one of fear. The feeling that it produces is hot, heavy, and needy, something that I definitely shouldn’t be feeling right now. I reach for him but then drop my hand when I feel the press of the knife at my neck.

“F-fine, man but back up first,” my captor demands.

Ethan looks at me, the hard glare softening a bit before he takes three steps back. Not too far away in case something goes wrong, but also not close enough to scare the man into hurting me. Once he realizes Ethan is holding back, the man shoves me forward, and I stumble as he runs.

I catch myself before I fall, watching as Ethan turns to watch the men disappear out into the street.

Then, his arms are around me, pulling me close.

“I’ve got you.”

With those words, the tears I’d been holding back burst forth, spilling down my cheeks. Sobs shake my body and hiccups make me jerk in Ethan’s hold, but he doesn’t let me go. Instead, he holds tighter, letting both of us sink to the ground.

Every broken and hurt emotion from the last two weeks swells up and overflows, sending me into a torrential storm of tears and snot.

“I’ve got you, Fiona. It’s alright,” Ethan murmurs, brushing a hand down my hair. I lean into the touch, needing the comfort he provides. Twice tonight he’s saved me, and it only causes more confusion.

“I-I can’t do this, Ethan,” I sniffle. “I can’t be with you and hide on the side while you marry her. I won’t be a mistress, so I-I need you to let me go.”

A soft rumble vibrates from his chest, seeping into me.

“I told you, Fiona. I’m not going to marry Angela,” Ethan says, cupping my chin and lifting it. “I don’t want anyone but you.”

“You keep saying that, but the wedding is still scheduled,” I mutter, wiping the tears from my cheeks.

“What can I say to convince you? I’m trying to find a way to call off this marriage without hurting anyone,” he says, staring right into my eyes.

“I know that, Ethan, which is why you should stay away. I know you have to do what’s best for your pack,” I whisper, squeezing my eyes closed. I have to force the next words out of my mouth, ignoring the bitter taste that comes with them. “I don’t want anything bad to happen to you or your people, so you need to… you should marry her so there aren’t any problems.”

Ethan growls, his eyes sparking with golden light. It’s beautiful and painful at the same time.

“I will never marry her,” Ethan growls, pulling me closer. A sob builds in my chest, and I do my best to bite it back, but it pushes forward and claws its way out. “Don’t fight me on this, Fiona.” His voice is barely a whisper as he tilts my chin up again.

“Come home.”

My heart breaks at the words because that’s exactly what I thought he would be. My home. Everything has changed, though.

I whimper, tears blurring my vision. I want to. I want to go with him more than I’ve ever wanted anything in my life, but I can’t. He’s not thinking about the consequences, but it’s all I can think about.

What if he rejects this marriage and people get hurt?

I could never live with the guilt.

“Ethan, I can’t.”