BECKETT
I’d heard people describe their vision as going red when angry, but I’d never experienced it before. Until now. I’d seen the scene unfold from across the street as I’d gone to pick up a coffee. I’d thought I’d get something for Addie, too. A little pick-me-up for a long day.
I hadn’t even made it to The Bean. My gaze had automatically begun searching Addie out the second The Gallery came into view. I’d seen her through the window, talking to a man with his back to me. It had taken a block for me to see the fear etched into her expression.
I’d picked up my pace. Then the man had lunged, grabbing her by the hair. I’d started running. Images flashed in my mind, a mixture of old and new, with a dose of horrendous what-ifs. My ribs seemed to tighten around my lungs, making it hard to breathe.
/> The door slammed as I tore it open. Some part of my brain recognized that she’d fought the man off. The knowledge that she’d had to only made my rage burn hotter. It didn’t matter that Addie was free of him now or that she’d defended herself. I wanted to end him.
All that Addie had been through circled in my brain. She was supposed to be safe now. And he was trying to ruin it.
My fist met the man’s jaw with a force that sent him sprawling to the floor. But I didn’t want to stop. I hauled him to his feet and landed an uppercut to his ribs.
“Beckett!”
Some part of me recognized Addie’s voice, but I didn’t want to give in to it. All I could think about was how this guy had hurt her.
The man threw a punch that I mostly dodged, and it landed somewhere on my shoulder. I sent a right hook into his kidney and followed up with another to his jaw, sending him back to the floor.
“Beckett, please.”
Her voice was soft this time, pleading. Something about that broke through, and I stumbled back. The guy lay crumpled on the floor. He rolled to his back and then turned his head to spit out some blood.
The bell over the door jingled as my brother charged in, Deputy Young on his heels. He went straight for the man, rolling him onto his stomach and cuffing him. I couldn’t look away as he got him to his feet. His face was already starting to swell.
Arms came around my waist, the hold surprisingly strong for someone with such a delicate frame. “Beckett.”
I would’ve killed him. I wouldn’t have stopped. Not if Addie hadn’t intervened. I was capable of that. Knew it without a shadow of a doubt. I tried to move out of her hold—I didn’t deserve those arms around me. “I’m a monster.”
She only held on tighter. “You are not.”
“I would’ve killed him.” I’d wanted to. Part of me still did.
“You should be arresting him!” the man spat. “He attacked me completely unprovoked.”
Addie released me, whirling on the cuffed man. “He’s lying. Walter came in here, threatened me, hit me—”
I couldn’t hear the rest of her words because the red haze was back, the buzzing in my ears, the desire to end the man in front of me. This was the asshole who thought he owned Addie. Who’d terrified her. Tried to hurt her when he couldn’t have what he wanted.
Deputy Young stepped into my line of vision. “Take a breath. She’s safe. You need to keep it together.”
I struggled to breathe, my lungs not wanting to cooperate. Then Addie was in front of me again, her hands going to my face. Her warmth bled into me.
My arms went around her, pulling her against me and holding her tight. “Tell me you’re okay.”
“I’m okay. I promise.”
The breaths started to come at those words, but they were a struggle.
Addie’s hands fisted in my shirt. “I’m sorry.”
I reared back. “You have nothing to be sorry for.”
Her hands took my right one as she studied my knuckles. They were already turning colors. “For this. That you had to hurt him.”
“He earned it.” The guilt I’d felt earlier was nowhere to be found. He’d laid hands on Addie. Wanted to cause her pain. I squeezed my eyes closed, trying to block it all out. What if I hadn’t been here? What could’ve happened in the minutes it took for Hayes to arrive?
Anything.