“Shit,” I say as he speeds back past my place, taking the quickest route towards his. “Of course, I’m fucking with you.”
We get two streets away from my place when a big, black SUV appears in the opposite direction. “Fuck,” Noah roars before careening into the center of the road and blocking all traffic.
The black SUV screeches to a halt and I gape as I recognize Anton behind the wheel. Noah was right, the fucker was coming to my place. Fear grips me. If Noah hadn’t been there and I was alone with Ari at home…
I’m more on board than ever. This has become so much more than getting Noah out of a tricky situation and putting the fucker down, it’s become a matter of protecting what’s mine and I’ll stop at nothing to make that happen.
Noah’s out of the Camaro and racing towards the SUV within a matter of seconds. Hell, he didn’t even cut the engine.
I chase after him as Anton pushes his door wide, but Noah is already there, grabbing the guy in an incredible show of strength and slamming him into the side of the SUV. Noah doesn’t give him a chance before he rears back and clocks him right in the face. “How dare you touch my sister,” Noah spits, pulling back and getting him with an uppercut right under his ribs.
Anton gasps for breath before grabbing Noah and ripping him off him. “You watch who the fuck you’re talking to, boy,” Anton warns, stepping forward with his greasy, black hair, too tight suit, and gold rings and chains which were probably bought with dirty money.
“I’m not your ‘boy’,” Noah growls, stepping back into him, not afraid to go for round two.
Anton reaches for Noah’s top and within the blink of an eye, he spins them around and tosses Noah into the side of the SUV, instantly reversing their roles. Anton gets up in Noah’s face and it’s clear he’s trying to be somewhat intimidating, but I’m not sure that shit can work on Noah. It might have when he was an eleven year old boy, but not anymore.
“You’re what I say you are until I’m done with you,” Anton says slowly. “I fucking own you.”
Noah grins and it’s clear that his ‘don’t give a shit’ attitude is putting Anton off. He’s not used to his errand boy being non-compliant and he clearly doesn’t like it. Noah leans even closer. “You see, that’s where you’re wrong,” Noah murmurs in a tone that sends chills down my spine. “I don’t work for you anymore. You owned me because you paid for my sister’s treatment, but that’s not true, is it?” he slams his hands into Anton’s chest, sending him back a step. “You took advantage of a scared little kid and now that kid is all grown up and is going to put you down for the shit you put him through.” Noah hits him again. “You destroyed me. You took away my innocence and made me do unspeakable things with the belief that you’d given my sister a longer life, but not anymore, Anton. You better watch your fucking back.”
Anton reaches behind his back and my eyes bulge as I see the gun poking out of the waistband of his suit pants.
I run as fast as my feet can take me. “GUN!” I scream, bolting towards him.
It all happens in slow motion. Anton’s fingers curl around the gun as he pulls it from the confines of his pants. His head whips in my direction just as Noah’s does, eyes going wide as he comprehends what I said.
Terror grips me and despite the gun in the man’s hand, I don’t dare stop. Not where Noah is concerned.
Anton’s takes me in and a strange recognition flashes there, but it’s gone before I can work it out. Right now, that’s the last thing on my mind.
Noah’s head swings back to Anton, his eyes panicked as he takes in the gun.
My feet continue slapping against the road, desperately forcing myself forward until I’m finally there. I throw myself at Anton’s back, knocking him off balance as I scramble for his gun, making it impossible for him to get a clean shot at Noah and hopefully buying us just a little time.
Noah snaps into action, probably hating on me right now but not daring to waste this only chance. His hand balls into a tight fist and he rears back with everything he has before throwing a devastating punch towards Anton’s temple, narrowly missing my face.
I hear a sickening crack before Anton crumbles to the ground like a sack of shit, squishing me beneath him with the sound of the gun clattering down on the ground beside him.
Lights out.
Time catches up with me as the weight of Anton’s body becomes all too much. Noah kicks the gun towards his Camaro before grabbing Anton and tossing him aside. “Henley, baby. Are you ok?” he hurries out, diving for me and scooping me up off the ground before his eyes start sailing over my body, checking for injuries.