Page 18 of Where He Ended

I can't slow down to even wonder.

Ignoring my parents’ shouts, I storm through the halls at top speed. My world is a blur; sleep deprivation mixing with my immense rage and my building fear. They've given Laiken over to Franklin. I'm sure of it. I saw how he stared at her during our luncheon. It made me want to wring his fat neck.

Seal the fucking deal,I think with disgusted rage.

Franklin wanted Laiken. My parents handed her over. But if they think I'll believe she agreed to that, they're insane. The gratefulness in her face when I swooped in to keep him from harassing her removed any question. It kills me to imagine her being with him now, without me there to protect her.

Go, go, go, go, go.I mentally chant as I slam the gas pedal, ripping through the gates so fast that they clip my side mirror. It's a miracle it doesn't break off.

I know where Franklin lives. I've read everything about him and his partners and their company, all in a single day. I researched them to impress my father. I'm glad I did it because it's useful for a reason I never considered.

Laiken isn't far, which keeps my hope alive.

His house is ten minutes away at normal miles per hour. I reach it in half that. My tires screech as I spin down the curved driveway, headlights flashing on the black surface of another parked car. Theo throws an arm up, stunned by my appearance. I pound the breaks worried I'm going to smash into him and the car.

The nose of my vehicle halts with a hand's width between it and the bumper. I don't waste time celebrating. I jump out and run for the steps. “Dominic!” Theo shouts. “Don't go in there! I was told not to let anyone go inside!”

I don't give him the dignity of a response. Yanking on the handle, I find it locked. Through the walls I catch the tail end of a scream. The desperation in it makes every hair on my body stand straight up.

Get in there, save her! She needs you!Grunting with the effort, I slam into the door over and over. On the fourth try it gives slightly; I almost pop my arm out of the socket on the final hit that throws it open.

My eyes shoot around the room, taking everything in at once. I'm ready for a brawl. I can already taste Franklin's blood, I'm breathing heavily as I picture it staining my fists. His sickening smile stuffed with broken teeth.

“You little—fuck!” Franklin yells.

I wrench my head back, scanning the staircase. Franklin is half-sprawled on the top of it. His nose is dripping blood. It’s all over the front of his white shirt. One hand is gripping Laiken's leg as she pulls away from him, trying to climb higher. He's shaking his other hand in the air like it hurts. Two fingers on it are bent all wrong—are they broken?

As I watch, he yanks her down the steps. She screams again, nails digging into the carpet. There's sweat all over his forehead and jowls; he pushes himself back to his feet, not releasing her, even as she drives her free heel into his stomach. “I'm going to make thishurt,”he promises her.

“Laiken!” I roar, sprinting up the steps. “Let go of her!”

I nearly collapse from how happy she is to seeme. “Dominic!” she cries.

Franklin stares, too, but he's not happy. He turns old-cheese yellow, mouth flopping open. “What the hell are you doing here?” While he's distracted, Laiken rears her leg back, bunching herself before uncoiling and shooting her foot into his hip. He cries out in shock as he topples down the stairs to land at my feet.

Reaching down, I wrap my fists in his shirt. Buttons pop as I lift him in the air. All of my muscles strain to hold his massive weight off the ground. But I can't even tell how hard I'm working; my righteous fury makes him light as a bag of feathers. “You piece of fucking shit,” I seethe. “How dare you touch her? How dare you eventhinkabout it?”

He grabs my forearms, gasping, trying to get free. “Stop,” he wheezes. “Put me down! Your parents—”

“My parents don't get to make her fuck you,” I growl. Turning, I slam him against the wall. It jostles so violently that a painting spins free, breaking on the floor. “You're disgusting. I should tear your wrinkled cock from your body so you can never, ever do this again toanyone!”

Franklin sucks in breath after wild breath. He can't break away from my stare. I've got him locked in place. A single drop of sweat glides down his temple. “Okay. I get it. Just let me down.”

Movement to my right; Laiken has come to stand on the stairs beside us. Her hair is a mess, her dress ripped around the hem, and her shoes are both gone. In spite of all that, her expression is steady. She studies Franklin like he's a fascinating, but despicable, insect. “I broke your nose,” she says softly. “And two of your fingers. Why do I feel like that's not enough?”

Franklin starts to tremble. I glance at Laiken, trying to gauge if she's putting on a brave act and is about to have a mental breakdown. “Go outside. Wait for me.”

“I'm fine. I want to watch you destroy him,” she says.

“No. You don't. Get out of here and wait for me in my car.”

She challenges me with a long glare. I concentrate, trying to get her to see that I want her to leave not for her own good, but for mine. She already thinks terrible things about me. Watching me beat a man bloody won't do either of us any favors.

She starts to descend the stairs. At the last second she spits phlegm at Franklin. It sticks to his cheek, and he flinches. I keep watching her until she slips through the open front door. It shuts gently in her wake. That's nice—she's giving me privacy.

Franklin holds up his hands, appealing to me with his bestI'm no threatimpression. His pointer and middle finger on his right hand are purple and swollen. “Listen,” he hushes, licking his lips nervously. “Think this through. Your father will be furious when he hears what happened here, right?”

My sneer inches slowly over my face. “Good point. Even if I stop now, he'll be angry regardless.”

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