Our Love Story

But my friends are right to make me stop.

I know deep inside that I would beat this man to death, if not for them stopping me.

There is no reason he should have the chance to live when he’s done what he has to my Chloe.

But I don’t need a murder, no matter how justified, on my hands.

I look at Chloe, and she’s clearly terrified. And I hope like hell Jordan didn’t already take the one thing she’s held most dear.

When she meets my gaze, though, she looks scared of me too.

Scared of how badly I beat Jordan. Probably remembering the words, I said last night.

I don’t trust myself.

She has told me she trusts me, but maybe now all that that changed.

She will never look at me the same way again.

The guys have already untied her, helped her to stand. “Are you okay, amore?” Enzo asks, kissing her wrists where she was tied up. They are red and raw.

I need to know she’s going to make it. Emotionally. Physically.

She nods. “He didn’t do it. He was ready to. A minute later and it would have been too late.”

Relief floods the plane.

“Thank God,” Mason says, wrapping his arms around her. He kisses her forehead. “Thank God, you’re okay.”

She’s crying, and Mason helps her back into her shorts and then her hoodie; he carefully buttons her shorts, taking great care to be gentle as possible with her.

Noah calls the cops, running his hand through his hair as he gives them the details of what happened. Then he hangs up, reaches for Chloe, telling her everything is going to be okay, and that the unconscious Jordan will never hurt her again.

My hands are still shaking. Bloodied and bruised from beating Jordan so violently, without remorse. After the cops come and we give reports, Chloe explaining what happened on the beach and what Jordan was attempting to do, we are free to go.

Mason, Noah, and Enzo head to the Jeep, and I wave them off, telling them I need a moment with Chloe, alone.

“Did I scare you?” I ask her, my eyes looking at her so intently, my desire for her could sear straight to her heart.

Her mouth quivers, on the brink of tears again, and I know she has been through so much already. Maybe me being here at all is putting her through more.

“Do you want me to go? To leave you alone forever? I’ll understand if you do. I became a monster today.”

But Chloe shakes her head adamantly.

She is a woman of surprises, strong when I’d think she’d be weak, loyal when I don’t deserve it.

“Don’t you dare leave me, Ethan. Ever. Swear it to me.”

She flings her arms around me and I pull her tight in my arms.

“I need you. I need all four of you. And I can’t bear the idea of ever losing a single one of you.”

She’s crying, and fuck it—I am too.

I pick her up, carrying her in my arms to the Jeep.

Swearing to God I’ll never let her go.Chapter SeventeenChloeWhen we get back to the house, Ethan carries me inside. He’s being so gentle with me, but really, so are all the guys. They’re looking at me as if I’m a fragile breakable thing, and before they came into my life, I always thought I was.

But now?

I feel stronger knowing these men will be here for me no matter what. They will fight for me, they will protect me.

I need to thank them for taking care of me. I want to thank them for accepting me.

And I know exactly how I plan on doing that.

After I use the bathroom, I return to the living room. I’m pretty sure I am interrupting a conversation, but when I enter the room, they drop whatever it is they were discussing.

“You guys, I can never repay you for what you did today, for finding me, for fighting for me.” I shake my head wiping away more tears. Mason immediately reaches for me, assuring me it’s okay.

I nod because it’s true. It is okay.

I am okay.

I am here with them and that is enough.

That is everything.

“I have something else to tell you.”

Mason shakes his head. “No, let us go first.”

Noah clears his throat. “Chloe, today changed things for us. How we feel about you.”

“Things changed entirely,” Enzo adds. I look at Ethan and he nods, solemn as ever.

I swallow, suddenly terrified that things have changed. I was so sure they wanted me, but I am a fool for thinking I mean the same to them as they mean to me.

“Do you want me to go? Do you think something is wrong with me for dating Jordan in the first place? I know, I was an idiot for ever trusting him.”

“Shhh, bella,” Enzo says. “That is not even close to what we mean.”