25. Chapter Twenty-Five #2
Trevor shouted unintelligibly, but Nik tuned him out. He continued to unleash his anger, beating and striking any way he could. His muscles ached, but he tuned that out too, concentrating on the sound of his fists and legs connecting with Trevor’s body instead.
It was a beautiful sound.
Trevor finally managed to break free from Nik’s furious onslaught, but Nik darted forward and tackled him to the ground. He was vaguely aware of Eli on the sidelines, watching but not interrupting. He probably knew how useless it would be.
If Trevor fought back, Nik didn’t notice. He felt nothing except the wrath of a madman. He would’ve happily beaten Trevor into a bloody pile of flesh, but two pairs of hands gripped his arms and pulled him to his feet.
Trevor leapt to his feet, but Eli stepped in front of him before he could retaliate, protecting Nik.
Nik growled and turned to spit, blood and saliva landing on the ground. He tried to yank his arms free, but more hands held him back. Finally pulling his eyes away from Trevor, he realized several members of the setup crew had seen his attack and intervened.
He breathed heavily but stopped resisting. If it had been one or two, he could’ve taken them, but he’d drawn a crowd of five extra bodies and couldn’t take them on his own.
“You can let go now,” he grumbled.
The two men on either side of him exchanged a look and hesitated, clearly afraid he’d lunge at Trevor again if they released him. Nik tried his best to relax his muscles and prove he wouldn’t cause any more harm.
Meanwhile, Eli was arguing with Trevor, yelling at him to calm down while Trevor shouted useless threats. Nik’s nostrils flared, which unfortunately made the two men tighten their grip on his arms. He rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath, “Damn it.”
He was forced to watch as Eli tried to reason with Trevor, a hopeless task. “Think about what you’re doing. Nik is Grace’s guard.”
“Grace isn’t here,” Trevor spat.
“You’re right. She isn’t. But if she finds out you harmed him, there will be consequences. Perhaps she’ll see fit for you to be disqualified from the Rite.”
Trevor’s gaze whipped from Nik to Eli. “She can’t do that.”
“Is that a risk you’re willing to take?” Eli asked.
Trevor snarled and pushed his shoulders back. He glared at Nik but stopped trying to get around Eli. “You just wait. When Grace is my wife, I’ll have you whipped and thrown to the wolves.”
Nik couldn’t see Eli’s face, but his posture said it all.
He was holding back his own rage toward Trevor.
Calling Grace his wife sent chills down both of their spines.
Grace might’ve been annoyingly positive, but she was a good person and didn’t deserve to be shackled to a man like Trevor.
And despite everything they’d been through, somehow Nik found himself rooting for Eli’s happiness.
Eli took a few steps back until he was in line with Nik and turned to the two men restraining him. “You can let go now.”
They exchanged hesitant glances again but ultimately loosened their grips. Nik shook out his arms and rubbed the irritated skin where their hands had been, red from where he’d resisted.
“Let’s go,” Eli said, turning his back to Trevor and the two crew members.
He had more faith in them than Nik. As Nik walked backwards, he kept his eyes locked on Trevor.
And when Trevor winked at him, Nik nearly lost his temper again.
Beside him, Eli kept a cool head and urged Nik forward.
“He’ll pay for it, Nik. Not now…but soon. ”
When Nik returned home, he expected Ali to be awake, maybe reading or working on one of her sewing projects. Anything to prove that she wasn’t spiraling into the depths of despair.
Instead, he found her curled up under a blanket in bed, sleeping on her side with something twisted in her hands. As he stepped closer, he reached for the tiny green fabric she held, gently pulling it out to find a onesie with a pattern of little yellow stars.
He wasn’t prepared for the impact, and his shoulders shook as he gasped for breath.
Tears welled in his eyes, clouding his vision.
He couldn’t remember the last time he cried, but he also couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this level of pain.
The inconsolable kind that couldn’t be shoved aside.
He pinched the bridge of his nose and took deep breaths. Then a hand grazed his thigh and Ali’s voice reached his ears. “Nik?”
“I’m okay,” he said, half speaking to her and half convincing himself. “I’m okay.”
“You’re not. I’m not either. But we will be.”
Nik dropped his hand and met Ali’s gaze, the love and affection in her eyes mending some of the scars on his heart. Maybe on his own he wouldn’t be able to get through this, but with her, he could.
“Come to bed,” she said, pulling him closer.
He did as she requested, removing his dirty and sweaty clothes and sliding under the covers with her.
He moved in close until their faces were only an inch apart, and she smiled half-heartedly, tangling her legs with his.
She brought her hand up to rest on his chest and he covered it with his own, squeezing her fingers.
Her eyes were misty, but she found the strength to reassure him anyway. “We’re going to be okay.”