Chapter 41
41
Guthrie was there, fighting. Fighting for her.
And there was another man in the room with him.
In the dim light, Aubrey could make out enough of him to recognize Dr. Laird. Relief mingled with the chaos roaring in her ears.
Guthrie was there.
Dr. Howard knocked into her. His hand tangled in her hair. And he yanked her closer. Her good hand shot out, aiming for the most vulnerable part of a face. His eyes.
Her nails raked across his skin, digging deep. He howled.
He shook her off. Aubrey flew into the heating ducts running along the back of the room. Her head smacked against the frame. The metal edge bit into her shoulder as she fell to the floor.
It was enough to stun her, just for a moment.
But only a moment.
She scrambled to her feet. As he slung the wrench in his hand at Guthrie. It landed—on Guthrie’s shoulder.
He yelled out. In pain. In rage.
That was all it took. Howard wasn’t going to hurt him.
Aubrey struck out with her left foot. She kicked—against his knee. As hard as she could.
Guthrie swung out, harder than he had ever punched someone in his life. Howard almost staggered forward. He grabbed a pipe or something and swung it in a wide arc.
Right at Guthrie. Guthrie dodged, stepping between Howard and Aubrey, who still hadn’t backed down.
The woman he loved was kicking at Howard like a demon.
Enough of that bullshit. Guthrie’s woman was hurt, and this asshole kept trying to get to her. Guthrie was going to end this. “Aubrey, get over behind Laird, now!”
“He broke her arm!” Michaels yelled, trying to sit up and holding a hand to his bloodied forehead. “He hurt her!”
Guthrie barreled right into the bastard. Howard went sprawling. Too damned close to Aubrey for Guthrie’s comfort.
“I have her, Hiller. Howard’s yours.” Laird was there in an instant, pulling her out of the way and behind him. Where she would be safe. No one was getting through the tank that was McCoy Laird. He made Guthrie look like a puny scarecrow.
That was all Guthrie was waiting for. Her to be safe, out of the way. It was time to bring this bastard down for daring to touch her.
Howard yelled. He charged. Toward Aubrey. He was hyperfocused on her. Well, Guthrie wasn’t having any of that.
He tackled the guy. He’d grown up with four brothers. He’d played every sport imaginable for the Value school system. And he was big and strong and a hell of a lot younger.
And he was fighting for her. Guthrie brought the guy down. Hard. “Stay there.”
“I’ve got him now, Hiller. Tend to your girl. I think she needs you. He did a number on her. We need to get her upstairs.”
Laird grabbed Howard and almost threw him across the floor. Howard didn’t get back up.
Guthrie heard voices, men yelling out. Then the Carringtons and Alvaro and others were there.
But his eyes were only on her. Aubrey.