Chapter 27
Of Monsters and Good Men
Alex
Raw, icy fear slams into me as several figures move to stand at either end of the narrow street, penning us in.
This is my worst nightmare. Not only is my life in danger, but so is the woman I’m falling for and there’s not a bloody thing I can do.
“You two have been very busy,” a familiar voice taunts that has some of my fear turn in to fiery rage.
I knew we should have killed that bastard.
“Ethan?” I can hear the horror in Ollie’s voice as she stares at her ex. “What the fuck are you doing?”
The man in question steps forward, a sadistic smirk on his lips as he stares at her with a pistol pointed at her. “It was great seeing you the other day at the Lodge, but we didn’t spend enough time together, so I’m here to fix that.”
I try not to growl like a bear at the lecherous expression on his face but I must fail because his eyes flick to me and he sneers, “I’m surprised you’re still alive and not missing any limbs considering the fucking mess the Scourge left at that house.”
“It was you? You’re how they knew where we were?” Ollie asks, shocked.
Ethan waves her off. “Well, it wasn’t just me, but I figured they’d want a heads up on you guys. Got some nice weapons and other fun things out of it.”
Ollie’s hand tightens on her bow, and I can tell she wants to aim and fire an arrow at Ethan’s arrogant face.
I don’t blame her. My hands are twitching to either grab my gun and shoot him or pummel my fists into him until he looks like fucking mince meat.
But I can’t do either because we’re surrounded and at least two people have guns pointed at us; Ethan and another guy behind us.
I flick my gaze over to the guy. He’s less certain of the gun in his hand. His grip is too tight and unsteady compared to the calmness Ethan has with his firearm. I’m not sure if that’s better or worse; probably worse since he’ll be more likely to fire accidentally.
Fuck. If only Rhys or Theo were here. They’d know what to do.
I silently curse Rhys for babying me before this trip. Even though he’s done some training with me, I don’t have the experience needed for this. And because of that, I’m going to get Ollie hurt, or worse, killed.
The idea of Ollie getting harmed is enough to drag me from my thoughts. I shake off the doubts and force myself to focus on the situation in front of me, just like Rhys taught me.
We’re surrounded by at least four men, two in front and two behind.
At least two of those men have firearms, but only one seems to be competent with it.
I can’t see what the other men have as weapons, but I’m hoping they’re not firearms. If I can disable the two guns, Ollie and I have a fighting chance.
But how the hell am I going to get those guns away from them?
“So, what’s the plan, Ethan? Going to kill us since the Scourge couldn’t do it?” Ollie asks, her eyes flicking nervously from Ethan to the man standing next to him. Judging from the slight tremor in her hands, her harsh breathing and the stiffness of her back, she’s on the cusp of panicking.
Ethan scoffs and rolls his eyes. “You always were so fucking dramatic, Olivia. No, killing you would be a waste when I can just keep you around to fuck and sell the big guy to the Scourge.” He grins over at me. It’s not a nice smile. “I’m sure they’ll have plenty of uses for you.”
This is good. Well, not good, but that he wants us alive makes our chances of surviving this shit higher. They’ll be less likely to be trigger-happy.
“You’re not coming near me with that thing you call a dick,” Ollie spits as she bares her teeth at them in a silent snarl. Beside her, Harlow growls, the sound so menacing it has the hair on the back of my neck standing on end.
“Good thing I wasn’t asking for permission, babe,” Ethan replies with that nasty grin still on his lips. Rage boils in my chest at his words and it takes everything in me not to launch myself at the bastard. “Now drop your silly little bow and get that hot piece of ass over here.”
Her eyes narrow. “Fuck you.”
The grin drops from his face and it’s almost eerie how emotionless his expression is. “Mind your manners,” he says as he aims the gun, not at Ollie, but at a snarling Harlow. “Or I’ll shoot your fucking dog.”
Ollie sucks in a sharp, horrified breath as the colour drains from her face. My hands clench into fists as my body trembles from my pent up rage. I need to be patient and wait for the right moment to act, otherwise I’ll doom us both.
“Now do as you’re told and drop the fucking bow.”
With eyes brimming with hatred, Ollie lowers herself to the ground and places her bow on the concrete as she slides her arrow back into the quiver at her hip.
“Good. Put that knife there, too,” Ethan says, motioning to the military knife attached to her belt. Ollie does as he asks, still glaring daggers at the bastard. “Good. Now walk slowly toward me.”
Interestingly, he doesn’t seem bothered by the quiver filled with arrows. From the flick of Ollie’s eyes toward them as she stands, she picked up on it too. Good. She can use them as weapons once I’ve got rid of those bloody guns.
Everyone tenses as Ollie takes her first step toward Ethan.
It takes everything in me not to just grab her and haul her back to me.
Tension thickens in the air, almost stifling as the woman I’m catching feelings for makes her way over to a man who’s eager to harm her.
I can’t wait to rip his arms from his body and beat him to death with them.
Maybe castrate him with a knife and feed him his balls, just like I promised.
Bloody, violent thoughts fill my mind as Ethan grabs Ollie’s arm and wrenches her against his body.
She tenses and her eyes flash with rage, but she doesn’t make a sound or fight back.
Instead, she angles herself, so her body hides the hip carrying her quiver and glances at me.
Her eyes meet mine and while they’re wide with fear, there’s steely determination in her gaze.
And then she nods her head.
I have no idea what she’s trying to communicate to me, but I’m distracted by Ethan’s taunting smirk as he reaches up to grope at her breast. I growl, which only makes the fucker smile wider.
“I’ve missed these babies,” he says, squeezing hard. “Not the biggest or the best, but after months of no pussy or tits, they’re fucking amazing. And I bet your cunt is as tight as ever.”
Ollie flinches, and her jaw clenches, but she remains still and keeps her eyes on me. There’s pain and rage in her gaze and it’s making it almost impossible for me to just stand here, but I know she’s trying to tell me something. I just wish I knew what.
And then I see her other arm move. The angle of her body obscures the action, but I know what she’s doing.
She’s grabbing an arrow and I bet she’s trying to tell me she’s about to stab the fucker with it while he’s distracted.
I give her a small nod, acknowledging her plan even as I bare my teeth in a silent snarl at Ethan.
As soon as we have the guns out of their hands, I’m cutting his hands off for touching Ollie. And then I’m going to make him suffer.
Ethan continues to grope her. “Maybe I’ll fuck her right here and now, make sure this pussy is as good as I remember,” he says with a leering grin before his gaze flicks to me.
“You’re welcome to watch since I’m sure your friend never let you have a go.
” He pauses and cocks his head. “Then again, maybe he did.”
He flicks the safety on his pistol and tucks it into the waistband of his dirty, ripped jeans.
Before anyone can react, he grabs the top of Ollie’s shirt and tears it down the middle, exposing her breasts clad in a sports bra.
The ripping sound echoes around the alleyway, but before Ethan can paw at her, Ollie chooses that moment to strike.
She slams the barbed tip of the arrow into the side of Ethan’s neck. The bastard screams as blood spurts from the wound in a wide arc, telling me that Ollie hit an artery. Everyone else freezes in shock and horror as Ethan gurgles and collapses to the ground in a widening pool of blood.
I take advantage of everyone’s shock to whip out my pistol and aim toward the man holding the last gun. The sound of my shot echoes off the walls as the bullet embeds itself into the guy’s skull. He collapses to the ground, dropping the gun.
The gunshot is enough to rouse the two remaining guys from their shocked stupors, and they charge me.
I shoot at one, but my aim goes wide as the guy dodges to the side, so the bullet only grazes his arm.
It still causes him to stagger and cry out, which gives me the perfect chance to shoot him again.
This time, I don’t miss. He drops like a sack of shit with a bullet lodged in his brain. Unfortunately, those few seconds are all it takes for the last man to be on me.
He tackles me to the ground like a bloody rugby pro and my gun slips from my hand. The weapon clatters onto the concrete somewhere out of reach. I grunt as my back and head slam into the ground, stunning me and giving my attacker the chance to pummel his fists into the side of my head.
The coppery tang of blood fills my mouth and pain explodes across my face and neck, feeding into the agonising inferno blazing across my back. I shake off my daze just in time to block another wild punch to my head before delivering one of my own to the fucker’s side.
He groans and his body collapses to the side as he tries to protect it, making it stupid easy to buck him off and reverse our positions. Once I have him pinned, I go to town with my fists. I wail on him with every ounce of pent-up frustration that’s been brewing inside me for the past week.