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I had asked him what he whispered in the nurse’s ear but when her cheeks turned pink, I could only imagine. Looked like the kid and I had more in common than I thought.

When I reached the door to the room that held the man who tried to end my girl’s life, I clenched my hands into fists before taking a step forward.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

I looked to the right, finding a big fucker, leaning against the wall. He was typing away on his phone, but I could only assume he was talking to me.

Ignoring him anyway, I placed my hand on the doorknob.

“You deaf? Or is it just selective hearing? I’m betting on the latter.”

“Listen.” I spun on him. “I don’t know who you are, but this is none of your business.”

“Yeah, see, that’s where you’re wrong.” The stranger shoved his phone into a pocket on the inside of his leather jacket. He turned toward me, giving me his full attention.

I frowned, something about him vaguely familiar. I noticed then how tattoos lined both sides of his thick neck. They ran beneath the collar of his white shirt. He was older, with graying short hair and silver in his beard. Intricate designs even covered the sides of his head where the hair was shaved.

A memory suddenly hit me. It brought me back to when Ainsley ran into that deli looking frantic and terrified. He had been sitting at one of the booths watching her. It dawned on me that this guy was the same man I saw at the library I took Ainsley to on one of our dates.

“I don’t have time for this shit,” I mumbled, not letting it be known that I recognized him.

“I wouldn’t want to have to tell Ainsley that her boyfriend wouldn’t listen and went off to find the bastards who tried to end her life.”

“One of the fuckers who tried, is in this room,” I bit out through clenched teeth. “And how the fuck do you know her name?”

The man chuckled, running two fingers along his mouth. A gold piercing in his lip twinkled in the lighting of the hall.

“Who are you?”

“I’m here to help.” He came toward me.

“I’ve seen you before. You were at the deli and then again at the library. You want something from my girlfriend?” It took everything in me not to punch him out but there was something about him that I didn’t like. I couldn’t explain it, but he had an air about him that would make even Sammy seem like a kitten.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” The stranger closed the distance between us, glancing at the closed door.

I took a step back as he opened the door and walked into the room. I looked both ways down the hall. When I was satisfied that no one was none the wiser, I followed him into the room and shut the door behind me.

The bastard who had attacked Ainsley, laid in the bed. He had a bandage on his left eye. He was unmoving but alive. The fucker deserved more than what he got.

“I don’t like people who hurt animals, children, or anyone for that matter. Not when it’s not warranted. But it’s never warranted when it comes to animals or children.” The man walked up to the head of the bed, staring down at the guy who almost took my first and only love from me.

“I don’t get why you would do this shit or why anyone does. It’s something I’ve never been able to wrap my head around,” he said to the still form. “You were treated well.”

I frowned. “Do you know him?”

“Not really,” the stranger answered. “My team and I have been following him for a while. Your girl caused some damage. But it’s not enough. He doesn’t deserve to live for what he did. None of them do.”

“How do you know what he did?” I took a step forward. “How do you even know who my girl is?” I didn’t like not having answers. I didn’t like this confusion coursing through me over the fact that this man was looking down at the guy like he was reminiscing.

“He grew up in an organized household,” he said, like I was supposed to know what that meant. Before I could ask any more questions, the stranger bent over the still form and leaned down to his ear. He muttered words I couldn’t hear but could still feel throughout my soul. The guy who I had assumed was sleeping, slowly opened his good eye. It landed on me.

“Fuck you,” he muttered.

The stranger chuckled. In a quick move, he covered the guy’s mouth and nose with one hand and silenced the beeping machines by pulling the plugs with the other. “You will never hurt a single soul ever again, cousin.”

My eyes widened.

The guy struggled in the bed, trying to push the stranger’s hand away but it was too late.