"Jack," I gasped, my nails tearing into the skin on his hands. "Stop, please."

His tawny eyes were bright as he met mine. Something like regret flickered there, and his strangle-hold relaxed. He still kept me pinned, still kept his hand on my throat, but I could breathe. Besides sucking in greedy gulps of air, I kept my body perfectly still. Jack was making no move to get off of me, and I needed to think. Which was hard to do when you couldn't even pull air into your lungs.

"I am sorry," he said. His voice was low, and he stroked his thumb down the column of my throat again. "This was never the plan."

"Then what was the plan?"

"You were never a part of it. I didn't even know you were with him until last night."

My eyes closed of their own violation. I had assured Vincent that we had been careful enough the night before. We had barely interacted. No one could have possibly thought that there was anything special about how Vincent acted around me.

But Jack not only knew Vincent; he also knew me. He knew my tells better than almost anyone.

Shit.

"What gave us away?"

"Vincent had an eye on you all night. At first, I could've written it off as finding you attractive, anyone with eyes can see that. But it was you. The way you reacted to him pulling you across that bar."

Double shit.

"I know you, Jules. You'd never let anyone manhandle you like that. Not unless you knew them. Trusted them."

And damnit if he wasn't right.

When I opened my eyes again, Jack hadn't moved a muscle. My brain was on overdrive, trying to figure a way out of this. That singular 'please' was the only one he was going to get out of me.

"So, what now?" I croaked, trying to clear the rasp in my voice. "What do you stand to gain here?"

"I have to say I'm in a bit of a predicament. I never expected to care about the same person Monroe did. Alana was easy. But you . . ." he trailed off again, his brows puckering as he pulled them together. "I don't know what to do with you."

Well, at least that meant I had something to work to my advantage.

"Vincent doesn't care about me," I told him. "It's just a fling."

"Jules," Jack said, leveling me with a skeptical look. "Don't lie to me. It won't do you any favors."

My teeth ground together as I fought against the urge to try and throw him again. He'd be expecting it. He was the one who had taught me damn near everything I knew.

Gods, how was I going to get out of this?

"Fine," I muttered, rolling my eyes to the ceiling. "Just get it over with."

"I don't want to hurt you."

A laugh rasped out of my tender throat. "These bruises are going to tell a different story."

"I thought I could do it." I felt him brush another strand of hair from my face, and I resisted the desire to bite him. It might serve to surprise him, but I needed him down for long enough to get to my phone and get out of the gym.

It was funny, to think how quickly one's feelings could change. Jack had always been someone who made me feel safe. Relaxed even. But now? He'd be lucky if I didn't gut him myself.

For Vincent.

For Alana.

For me.

Jack shifted, just a hairsbreadth to the right, but I went for it. Snapping my head forward, I caught him in the nose. His bellow fell on deaf ears as I twisted onto my stomach. When he lunged for me, I slammed my elbow back as hard as I could. I scored a direct hit to his ribs, and he tumbled off me. Heaving air into my lungs, I scrambled to my feet and made a dash for my phone. Within seconds, I had it in my hands.

I had my contacts open when I heard the lock to the studio snap into place.

Whipping my head up, my gaze zeroed in on Jack. His chest was rising and falling in time with his rapid breaths, and those tawny eyes were murderous. Blood was dripping off his chin as it ran from his nose.

I hoped I had broken it.

"What now?" I asked, spreading my arms wide as I pressed Lucas's name. Please let him hear me. "You've got me trapped. What now, Jaxon?"

A malicious grin twisted his face into something almost unrecognizable. "So, you do know who I am."

"Of course, I do," I spat.

"Pity."

"You're right," I said, dropping my arms and slipping my phone into my waistband at the small of my back. "It's a pity that you turned out to be such a snake."

His laughter set a shiver loose, one that wracked my frame straight down to my bones. "Me? Jules, he killed my father."

"Because your father was responsible for his parent's deaths."

"Revenge is such a funny thing," Jack said, starting to move towards me. For every step forward he took, I tried to sidestep. I knew he was trying to force me back. Trying to get me cornered, but if I could get him to circle me, I could make a break for it. "What would have happened if you met me first? Hmm?"

"What're you talking about?"

"Vincent and I have been dancing around each other for years. But what do you think would've happened if you had heard my side of the story first? We've both done despicable things. But he's the hero in your eyes because he was avenging his family. So am I."

"Vincent didn't kill an innocent."

Jack shrugged. "Alana was collateral. That's what happens in wars."

That startled a laugh out of me. "War?" I asked, raising my brows at him as I took another step to the right. "Your quarrel is with Vincent. But you're too much of a coward to go after him directly, so you target who you think will break him the most. First with Alana, and now with me. But the difference between the two of you isn't that I heard his side first. Because the kills that you two have claimed aren't equal. Vincent would never stoop that low.

"If the situation was different," I continued, meeting his tawny eyes. "If I was someone you cared about, I would never be in any danger from Vincent. He would never lay a hand on me to get to you. And that is what makes him the hero and the better man. That is why people respect him. Follow him. Because even when he has to make horrible decisions, he still makes sure there is the least amount of fallout possible. He's in control of the gang because he is the only one worthy of leading it."

"That mouth is going to get you in trouble," Vincent's words from earlier echoed in my head.

Yeah, I sure hope so.

They hit their mark and Jack lunged. Just like I had wanted him to. Ducking low, I was able to swipe his legs out from under him. As he stumbled, I whirled so that I was behind him and kicked out the back of his knees. He went down, and I didn't pause to let my conscience catch up with me. I bolted for the door, already reaching to flip the lock as I crashed into it.

Heaving it open, I didn't bother to look behind me. I had seconds, at most, before Jack was back on his feet. My phone started to slip as I ran for the exit and I grabbed it, bringing it up to my ear.

"Lucas?" I gasped out when I saw that the call was still connected.

"I'm here," he responded, his voice tight. I could hear an engine revving in the background. "Where are you?"

"Did you hear everything?" My arm stung as I barreled into the front door. It smacked against the outer wall as it flew open, and I heard the crack as glass splintered. Turning to the right, I pushed my legs in the direction of the warehouse.

"Yes." The word was clipped. I had never heard the note of darkness I associated with Vincent in Lucas's voice, but it was plain as day. "Vincent is heading back now, but I'm coming to get you. Tell me where you are, Jules."

"Fallon and Crestview," I wheezed, careening around the corner I had just indicated. "Headed to –"

I screamed.

It was torn out of me when I was thrown off balance. My forehead cracked against the brick wall Jack pinned me to. His chest rose and fell in deep, panting breaths against my back. He wrenched my arm behind me and pressed hard on my wrist until my phone slipped through my fingers. His heel came down on it within the next heartbeat.

Fuck.

"Where do you think you're going?"

"As far away from you as I could get," I spat. Blood was running down my face, warm and sticky. Blinking rapidly, I tried to keep it from getting in my eye, but it was a useless fight. Jack shifted behind me, and I took the opportunity to rear my head back. White hot pain exploded through the back of my head, but the crunch that was almost drowned out by Jack's cursing was worth it. His hold slipped, and I wrenched my arms free before slamming my foot down on his instep.

When he stumbled back, I whirled around so we were face to face.

From the crooked way his nose sat, and the blood streaming out of it, I knew I had managed to break it this time.

Good.

"You'll pay for that," he seethed, but he made no move to grab me again.

My heart splintered a little as we stayed in our standoff. I didn't know the man that was standing before me. Those eyes that had once held such mirth – usually at my expense – were now cold, frozen over like old pond water in the dead of winter. My brain couldn't reconcile the man two feet away from me from the one who had smiled up at me from the mat not twenty minutes prior. And for what? Because I was in love with the man whose life he wanted to ruin?

But it didn't matter.

No matter who Jack was to me before today, the fact of the matter was that he was still Jaxon Graham. And for so many reasons bigger than my feelings, he needed to be eliminated.

Why didn't I keep my gun in my gym bag?

"What's the matter, Jack?" I taunted. Cocking my head to the side, I widened my stance so that I'd be ready if he lunged for me again. "Don't know what to do when someone knows you're coming?"

His sneer made my blood run cold. "We both know that if I get my hands on you again, it's over."

"Good thing you taught me how to evade someone bigger than me."

"Something I'm quickly coming to regret."

"Let's not forget I've handed your ass to you on multiple occasions."

"I will say that it'll be a shame to lose such a promising student."

"You could just not be a complete psychopath, you know? That is an option."

His eyes sparked with amusement before he shook his head. "I really am going to miss you."

"Wish I could say the same."

He was ready for me when I moved, but I knew he would be. When he jumped to cut me off, I spun back in the opposite direction. He stumbled into the wall, and I threw my fist into his kidney as hard as I could. I just had to keep him occupied long enough for Lucas to get here. One bullet, and this would all be over.

Tires squealed on the opposite end of the street. Jack's head whipped in that direction, and a snarl curled his lip. He looked to me, and I could see the conflict raging in his eyes. But I also knew I wasn't strong enough to hold him.

"Until next time, Jules."

He turned tail and ran. Vanishing back in the direction we had come. My stance relaxed, and as the adrenaline slipped from my system, I felt the tears burn in the back of my eyes. The shakes set in. The sob tickled in the back of my throat. As the first cry heaved from my chest, my knees buckled, and I had to use the wall to keep myself upright.

How hadn't I seen it?

Was I really that oblivious? That gullible?

There was a voice calling my name, but it sounded like it was filtering through water. Tears ran in hot streams down my cheeks, and I finally let myself fall. My knees stung from the impact on the concrete, but the pain barely registered. I couldn't breathe.

"C'mon, sugar. Look at me."

Warm hands cupped my cheeks, and when I was finally able to focus, I saw the worry swimming in Lucas's hazel eyes. Another sob escaped and I threw my arms around his neck. He heaved a sigh of relief before his arms tightened around me. He held me there, in the middle of the sidewalk, as my tears slowly began to subside. When I didn't have anything left but soft hiccups, I pulled back enough to meet his gaze. He searched my face, zeroing in on the cut above my eyebrow that was still leaking blood down my face. Reaching up, he brushed the worst of it off my face. His callouses scraped across my cheek, but there was reassurance in his touch.

"Where is he?" I finally got out. There was no need for elaboration.

"He's on his way," Lucas said, his voice soft as if he were speaking to a spooked animal. "And heaven help anyone who tries to stop him."

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Chapters are probably going to be a little bit more around this length going forward, hope this makes up for last week! 

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Erin