Chapter 40
CHARLIE
Charlie had blacked out for a moment as his body completely took over, surrendering himself to whatever force was taking over just as his body slammed into Paul’s.
It felt like a blink, but in the next breath, when Charlie opened his eyes, he looked down to see Paul pinned beneath him.
Thrashing there as he cried out and begged for Charlie to stop.
Blood seeped across his face and coated Charlie’s knuckles.
That blood felt like a reminder. A red flag waved in front of a raging bull, and he felt his body continue where it had left off, now only aware of each fist as it raised up and connected with Paul’s face.
He was a creature possessed, taken over by some feral, primal force, driven purely by his need to protect Sam.
Sam.
He had no idea how badly she was hurt when he had collided into Paul, but his entire being was currently focused on making sure Paul couldn’t possibly get up to touch her again.
Paul tried to defend himself, his arms attempting to block some of the blows, but he failed miserably.
He cried out for someone to save him, to help him, but Charlie had other plans.
This was the man that had made Sam’s life a living nightmare recently.
He’d followed her, harassed her, terrified her, destroyed her apartment, dared to lay a hand on her, so Charlie had other plans for him.
“Grab him, Peter, before he kills him!” A voice shouted somewhere behind him. One of his brothers most likely, if the small, conscious part of his brain was still functioning correctly.
He hardly even noticed as hands grabbed, trying to pull him off Paul but with little success. Charlie easily tore free and lunged again at the man pinned beneath him.
What could Paul have done to her if he hadn’t gotten there in time? What had he done before he’d gotten there?
A few more minutes and he could have been too late.
Again.
“You grab him! He might kill us for holding him back,” Peter shouted, latching onto Charlie’s arm like a bull rider about to get bucked off. Charlie’s father quickly emerged at his side as he slid in, reaching for Paul to try and pull the two apart.
“With a tackle like that, he might. Did you see that?” Tyler laughed, grunting as he held Charlie’s other arm. “Tackled the fucker like his NFL career was on the line.”
“This isn’t the time for jokes!” Angel yelled somewhere behind them.
Security rushed in, swarming the scene until the group finally managed to pry Charlie off Paul.
Peter was on one Arm, and Tyler apparently had jumped on his back—though in the chaos, he wasn’t sure when.
Even as they slapped the cuffs on Paul and began to drag him away, Charlie still fought to reach him.
One last punch for the road.
“Jesus Christ, Sam, what are you feeding him? He’s supposed to be my little brother,” Tyler chuckled in the thick of a grunt from where he clung to Charlie’s back. “He’s as strong as a fucking ox!”
His father stepped forward and gripped Charlie’s face, giving it a firm shake. “Charlie, it’s okay. They got him. He won’t hurt Sam anymore. You did good, Son. She’s safe. Calm down.”
Sam.
His heart thundered in his chest as exhaustion threatened to overwhelm him, but the fog cleared away as a new panic overtook him.
Where was she? Was she hurt? Had he accidentally hurt her in the process?
He needed to see her.
“Note to self, never piss off Charlie,” Peter teased as he and Tyler slowly released him, their hands hovering close by for several beats, as if they needed to prepare to grab him again if needed.
“Go check on your girl, man,” Peter said quietly, pointing off to the side, as if he could sense the question lingering on Charlie’s tongue.
He turned, finding Sam and Angel sitting in the distance. They were huddled together on the ground with Angel’s arms wrapped protectively around Sam, rubbing her back as Sam leaned into her embrace.
She was safe.
He recognized the hesitation in Angel’s eyes as he approached and stopped.
There was a high chance that they both might be frightened of him right now.
He wouldn’t have blamed them. He likely would’ve been afraid, too, if he were in their shoes.
Yet his heart still ached at the flash of fear twinkling in Sam’s eyes when she turned in Angel’s arms, those soft green eyes of hers welling with unshed tears.
However, before he could say anything, Sam shot up out of Angel’s arms and rushed forward, practically throwing herself at him.
Finally safe in his arms.