Page 44 of Resisting Temptation (Men of Honor 3)
My darkness unleashes and it’s more powerful than I remembered. It blinds me of all reality and fuels a strength I didn’t know I possessed. Wrapping my chains around the bastard’s neck, I choke him until the baton falls from his hand into mine. Rather than finish him off by breaking his neck, I gut the motherfucker from the inside out. His blood spilling as I had pictured it would, when they were taunting me about fucking my woman. Instead of making me feel better, it increases my rage.
Faith’s terrified scream breaks through my dark world seconds later, and draws my attention to the only guy left who’s trying to drag her away. I’m on him before her scream is even final. I do to him what I did to the last guy, my arms never tiring as I drain his body of everything he has inside with lightning speed. Just as I finish with him, I see the kid’s father lying dead on the floor with the dagger sticking out of the center of his forehead. After everything he did to Faith, and knowing he’s the one who killed the kid, I know he didn’t suffer enough. Having no sense of reality, I move to him and make sure to gut him of every fucking organ he possesses, the walls and floor around us becoming nothing short of a bloodbath.
I hear my name being screamed, but nothing breaks through the violence that I let consume me. When I feel someone grab my arm, I turn, and am about to strike until I clash with a pair of terrified green eyes.
Faith holds her hands up protectively. “Stop! It’s me. It’s just me. They’re dead,” she says carefully, as if trying to rein in a wild animal. Only I know better; it’s nothing like a wild animal, it’s a monster.
Dropping the weapon, I grab her the same time she throws herself against me. As I sweep her off her feet and into my arms, she begins trailing kisses across my face. Her tears mixing with the blood I’m bathed in, not only from me but also the ones I killed.
Jaxson finishes unlocking Sawyer and they quickly turn to take out whomever they need to, but freeze at the scene before them, seeing the mess I just made in only a few seconds.
I try to understand the words Faith cries into my ear, but can’t. Because all I can focus on is the pure shock on Jaxson’s and Sawyer’s faces at what I just did, at what I’m really capable of. The look is gone quickly, but it’s an image I will forever have ingrained into memory, and a reminder of why I can never have this woman I hold in my arms.
CHAPTER 13
Faith
The closer I get to the gym, the more my heart starts to race with anticipation and anxiety at seeing Cade again.
Please let him be there.
When Christopher told me he was going to find a job, after he was done with his community service because he needed the money, I immediately thought of the gym. I’m hoping there may be something he could do to help out and make some cash. It would be good for him to be around men like Cade, Sawyer and Jaxson. Men who haven’t always had it easy, but have learned to cope with the bad parts of life. I’m hoping they can help Christopher deal with whatever is troubling him and getting him into so many fights.
It’s been two days since I’ve last seen Cade and I haven’t been able to stop thinking about him. Ever since my talk with Sawyer, my heart has been aching to be near him. I know this feeling is dangerous. There is a reason he’s stayed away from me for two years, and I need to remember that, but it doesn’t seem to matter anymore. I’ve even been venturing out more, in hopes of running into him again, but no such luck.
Once I arrive at the gym, I pause and take a deep breath before walking through the door. I immediately catch sight of Sawyer by the ring, talking to a fighter.
His eyes briefly flash with surprise before he gives me a genuine smile and makes his way over to me. “Hey, Country. Good to see you.”
I smile back easily, his friendly greeting easing some of my anxiety. “Hi, Sawyer. Um, I’m wondering if Cade is around? There is something I want to ask him.”
“Yeah. He’s in the office getting prepped to spar with one of our guys.”
“Oh, well if he’s busy I can come back,” I reply, feeling guilty, not wanting to interrupt work.
He waves away my guilt. “No, it’s fine. Go on down, it’s the last door on the left.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Go.”
I giggle when he gives me a little push in the right direction. “Okay, thanks.”
As I make my way to where Sawyer pointed, I notice Jaxson at the weights, spotting someone. He gives me a small wave and I return his gesture with a smile.
Once I reach the office, I see the door slightly ajar. Taking another deep breath, I lightly knock then slowly push open the door. And the sight that I’m met with has a painful gasp leaving my throat and robbing me of breath. Cade stands shirtless with his back to me and the sight of the horrendous scars he bares from two years ago has a sharp pain slicing through me. It’s instant and heart stopping. He turns at the sound of my agony, and my panic attack hits me strong and fast.
“Fuck!” Rushing toward me, he catches me just as my knees give out, and sits me on the couch that’s closest to the door. I watch him through blurred vision as he shouts at me, his concerned eyes boring into mine as I try to desperately gasp for breath. I feel myself slip out of reality and into the past. Images of that awful day, slam into me like a freight train and make my head feel like it’s going to explode.
