My eyes fly open just in time to see Greg go stumbling across the wide alley before crashing into the opposite wall. He catches himself with his hands, barely getting his arms up in time to keep from cracking his head against the brick, but before he can even turn around, Marcus is there, grabbing him by the front of his jacket and slamming his back against the wall with the force of a wrecking ball.
“You don’t touch her,” he growls, his voice as low and dangerous as an animal’s. “Don’t fucking touch her.”
Greg blinks groggily, his eyes flying wide as his bleary gaze slides from Marcus to me and then back. “What the hell? Man, fuck you.”
“Wrong answer.”
The two words fall like a hammer, and a second later, Marcus’s fist collides with Greg’s face.
“No! Marcus, don’t!”
I’m shocked out of my stupor by the heavy crunch of bone hitting bone, and I dart forward—but before I can make it two steps, rough hands pull me back, shoving me back against the wall. Ryland steps in front of me, holding me in place with his body, a broad forearm pressed against my chest.
Marcus hits Greg again, sending his head whipping to the side, and I shove against Ryland. “What the fuck—”
“Don’t, Rose.”
Theo’s voice draws my attention, and I glance to my left. Fuck, I didn’t even realize he was here too. They all are. I knew it was possible, but I didn’t think—I didn’t expect—
I didn’t expect this.
Ignoring his quiet warning, I shove against Ryland’s restraint again as Marcus rains blow after blow down on Greg. The man with the coppery red hair tries to fight back, and he gets in one good swing that cracks against Marcus’s cheek, but it’s not an even fight by a long shot.
“Marcus!” I scream. “Fucking stop it! Stop!”
He finally does. But I know it’s not because I told him to.
Greg’s face is a bloody mess, his lip split and one eye already swelling shut when Marcus shoves him against the wall again, grabbing his chin roughly in one hand. He tilts Greg’s head, pointing his face in my general direction.
“Do you see that woman? Look at her.” His voice is low and eerily calm considering the violence that just exploded from him. “Go ahead. Look.” He drops his head closer to Greg’s, his lips pulling back from his teeth in something like a snarl. “I want you to remember that face. Because if you ever see it again, you will walk the other way. If she’s on one side of the street, you’ll be on the other. Or better yet, on another fucking street entirely. You will not come back to this bar. Ever. You will not speak to her. Ever. And if you touch her again, I’ll fucking kill you.”
He shoves Greg roughly away from him, making him stumble several steps toward the mouth of the alley. The man gets his feet under him, and for a second, he looks like he might try to do something, to stand up to Marcus.
Then he must decide he wants to live, because his body seems to deflate a little as he turns and practically runs out of the alley.
Silence falls for a long moment, broken only by the dim sound of music from the bar through the thick brick wall and the distant noises of the city.
Marcus is standing near the opposite wall of the alley, his back to me and his head slightly bowed as he breathes deeply. Ryland is still holding me in place with a muscular forearm pressed to my chest, but I’ve stopped struggling against him.
My body feels numb, and it’s not from the cold. Hell, I can’t even tell if it is cold anymore.
I thought I could end this. I thought I could show Marcus that he doesn’t own me, break his fascination with me by fucking someone else.
But I guess that makes me the biggest goddamn idiot of them all.
There is no end. This thing, whatever it is—it doesn’t have one.
Except maybe death.
If you touch her again, I’ll fucking kill you.
Marcus’s words careen around in my head, making me dizzy. He meant it. I could hear it in his voice.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” My voice is a harsh rasp, as if my vocal chords have completely dried up.
The broad-shouldered man’s head whips up. He spins around, striding toward me so fast I feel like I’m about to get hit by a car.
Ryland releases his hold and steps back just as his friend reaches me, and Marcus’s hands slam against the rough brick on either side of my head.