Ethan had felt it in his gut all day. The unease gnawed at him, a deep, restless ache he couldn't ignore. He'd watched Sophie laugh at Liam's jokes over the past few weeks, brush off his warnings, and defend her so-called "friend." And now, as he parked a block away from Liam's apartment, his chest burned with a mix of frustration and something he didn't want to name: jealousy.
He'd told himself he was being ridiculous. Sophie could handle herself. She wasn't a child, and he wasn't her keeper. But the thought of her being alone with Liam made his blood boil.
As he crept closer to the apartment building, he tried to convince himself he was overreacting. He'd peek inside, make sure she was safe, and leave. That was it.
But then he heard her voice.
"Let me go!"
The words sent a jolt of adrenaline through him. Without thinking, Ethan slammed through the front door and followed the sound of Sophie's panicked voice.
---
When he burst into the apartment, the sight before him made the world go red. Liam's hands were on Sophie, his body pressing hers against the couch. Her face was twisted in fear, her hands pushing futilely against his chest.
Ethan didn't think. He moved.
"Get your hands off her!" His voice was a roar, but it didn't feel like his own.
Liam barely had time to turn before Ethan's fist connected with his jaw. The impact reverberated through Ethan's arm, but he didn't care. All he could see was Liam's hands on Sophie, Liam's smug grin that had haunted him for weeks.
"You bastard!" Ethan growled, grabbing Liam by the collar and slamming him against the wall.
"She wanted it!" Liam spat, blood dripping from his lip.
The audacity of those words ignited something primal in Ethan. "She. Said. No!" Each word was punctuated by another blow, his knuckles raw and throbbing.
---
In the chaos, Ethan's gaze flicked to Sophie. She was huddled on the floor, her arms wrapped around herself, tears streaming down her face. The sight shattered something inside him, fueling his rage.
Liam tried to fight back, but Ethan was relentless. The need to protect Sophie, to erase the terror he'd seen in her eyes, overpowered everything else.
"Ethan, stop!" Sophie's voice broke through the haze, but it took all his strength to listen. He shoved Liam to the ground one last time, standing over him like a predator about to deliver the final blow.
"If I ever see you near her again," Ethan snarled, his voice low and deadly, "I'll make sure you regret it."
---
Outside, the cool night air hit Ethan's skin, but it did nothing to calm him. Sophie clung to his arm, her body trembling. He wanted to pull her close, to hold her until the fear melted away, but anger still burned beneath his skin.
"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice softer now, though his fists were still clenched.
She nodded, her voice barely a whisper. "Thank you."
But the gratitude didn't soothe him. Instead, it ignited a new wave of frustration. He stepped back, his eyes locking onto hers.
"What the hell were you thinking, Sophie?" The words came out harsher than he intended, but he couldn't stop them.
Her eyes widened, hurt flashing across her face. "Ethan, I—"
"You didn't listen to me!" he snapped, his voice rising. "I told you he couldn't be trusted, but you just had to prove me wrong, didn't you?"
Sophie flinched, her shoulders sagging under the weight of his anger. "I didn't know this would happen," she said, her voice trembling.
"That's the problem, Sophie," Ethan said, his voice breaking with emotion. "You never know. You trust people too easily. You could've been seriously hurt—or worse!"
Her tears spilled over, and Ethan hated himself for making her cry, but he couldn't stop. The image of Liam's hands on her replayed in his mind, each time sharper than the last.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, her voice so small it almost broke him.
Ethan laughed bitterly, running a hand through his hair. "Sorry doesn't cut it. Do you even realize what could've happened if I hadn't followed you?"
Her head snapped up, her eyes narrowing. "You followed me?"
"Yes, I followed you," Ethan admitted, his voice sharp. "Because I knew you wouldn't listen to me. And thank God I did, or who knows what that bastard would've done to you!"
Sophie's tears fell harder now, her lip quivering as she looked away. "I didn't ask you to play hero," she said quietly.
Ethan froze, the words like a punch to the gut. "You didn't have to," he said, his voice softer now but no less intense. "You're my best friend, Sophie. I couldn't just sit back and do nothing."
She met his gaze then, her tear-streaked face breaking something inside him. "I'll be more careful," she promised, her voice shaking with sincerity.
"You'd better," Ethan said, his tone heavy with unspoken emotion. "Because I can't keep saving you like this, Sophie. It's tearing me apart."
He reached out, his hand brushing against her cheek, wiping away a stray tear. For a moment, the world stilled, the air between them charged with something unspoken.
"Ethan…" she began, but he shook his head.
"Let's get you home," he said, his voice hoarse.
As they walked to his car, Ethan's mind swirled with a storm of emotions: anger, fear, relief—and something he couldn't quite name. All he knew was that he'd never let anything happen to Sophie again, even if it meant protecting her from herself.