Page 43 of Fighting With Light

17

Liam

“It’s Ben,” Aelia gritsout. Her tears are replaced with anger and she turns away from me, throwing the door open.

I hurry out of my side and flip the switch on my blade, approaching Ben with considerable caution.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Why didn’t you justcallme!” Aelia screams and pushes on his chest. I take another step, unsure if he will hit back. He lifts his hands as her small body pushes against him. I thought I was going to die tonight to give Aelia the chance to live. I’m a little angry, too.

“What did you want me to do, Aelia? You know what would happen if I called your dad. I didn’t know who you were with!” he yells at her. While he’s distracted by Aelia, I get closer. I might be able to pull his gun from his holster. I’m sure their gun connection here got him one pretty easily. That or I’ll just have to aim straight for his head or his neck with the knife. I’m pretty good with knives.

“If I wanted you here I would have called you, asshole! I don’tneedyou shadowing me!” she yells.

“I don’t care, Aelia. We’re leaving,” Ben says and grabs Aelia, squeezing her arm. She glares, trying to rip herself away from him and winces from the bruise he likely left her.

I growl and take a step forward. “Let her go,Ben,”I say and lift the knife.

He chuckles and yanks on Aelia. She reaches for the knife strapped to her thigh and Ben catches the movement, grabbing her wrist and pushing it back. If he squeezes or pushes it anymore, he will break it and that’s simply unacceptable.

“Let her go or this blade will end up in your eye.”

He glances between me and her. There’s no realization of who I am, even in the dark with only the headlights for light. He must think I’m just another one of Aelia’s men.

“Who the hell did you get yourself involved with this time, Aelia?” Ben grunts out to her.

She glances at me and I shake my head. Aelia pins her lips together, trying to keep her cry in.

“I won’t repeat myself. Let. Her. Go,” I command.

He laughs and starts to turn away with Aelia in his grip. I throw the knife aiming for his shoulder and it strikes true. I caught him by surprise enough that Aelia got free and slid his gun from his holster.

That’s my girl.

He turns slowly facing her, and I run over to her, taking the gun and putting her behind me. She huffs, but she can deal.

I lift the gun to his head and he raises his hands. “On your knees, that’s the last time you underestimate her,” I growl at him.

“What do you want from me, man? I’m doing my job. Do you know who she is? Do you know who her father is? If you kill me, he will come looking for you and he won’t let you live like I was going to.”

“You’re notlettingme do anything. However, I willletAelia make the choice here. I don’t care who you are. I’m happy to put a bullet in your head and leave you in the ditch. You touched what didn’t belong to you.” I glance at Aelia. There isn’t a trace of fear in her expression because she’s fuming. “Show me your arm,” I command.

She turns to the side and I can see the bruising already forming.

“I shouldn’t even let her have the choice now, but you hurt her, therefore, you should die.”

His jaw ticks and his hands are still up while his knees rest on the pavement.

“Aelia, this is up to you,” I tell her.

She tips her head back and lets out an irritated sigh. “You know, Ben, all you had to do was text me or call me, and I would have told you I’m finebecause Iam.Instead, you ruined what I had hoped would be a very good evening.” She looks at me with desire in her eyes and it already confirms what I was feeling in the car.

Yeah, it would have been a good night.

“I’m not going to have him shoot you in the head even though you are super irritating andneverlisten to me. So now you have no choice.” I glance at her. I was hoping for the bullet-to-head situation.

She leans in and stands up on her tiptoes while my eyes remain on Ben. “I don’t like him, but I don’t want him dead. Can we bring him with us?” she asks.

I grit my teeth because the obvious answer is a resounding no, but it’s pretty much impossible for me to tell her no. “I don’t like this, princess,” I grit out.