56| The Clash

"Well, don't just stand there! Get him!" the leader groaned, clutching his bleeding nose.

*******

Ethan's body hummed with adrenaline, his focus razor-sharp.

The first man lunged—sloppy, desperate.

Ethan sidestepped effortlessly, grabbing the man's arm and twisting it behind his back with a swift, practiced movement. A pained grunt escaped his opponent's lips before Ethan shoved him away.

Another thug rushed forward—faster, but still predictable.

Ethan used his attacker's momentum against him, pivoting at the last second and slamming a powerful knee into his gut. The man doubled over, gasping for air.

Sophie stood frozen, her heart racing, her stomach twisting in guilt and fear.

This was all her fault.

If she had told Ethan the truth earlier, maybe none of this would be happening.

Every punch Ethan threw, every hit he took—it all made her stomach tighten painfully. She wanted to help, but what could she do?

Two men attacked simultaneously, thinking they could overpower him with numbers.

Ethan's eyes darted between them, quickly assessing their movements.

The first man swung—Ethan ducked.

The second man charged—Ethan drove his elbow into his ribs, sending him stumbling back.

With a swift, calculated kick, Ethan swept the legs out from under the first thug, sending him crashing to the floor.

Then—

The leader staggered to his feet, his lip split and bleeding, his eyes burning with fury.

"You're gonna pay for that, pretty boy!" he snarled—

Then charged with a knife.

Sophie's breath hitched in her throat.

No.

Ethan braced himself.

The leader thrust the blade forward—

Ethan dodged, grabbing his wrist with a crushing grip. With one sharp twist, the knife clattered to the ground.

A brutal punch to the jaw.

The leader collapsed. Unconscious.

The last two thugs, seeing their boss down, hesitated—then lunged.

Ethan dodged the first punch but took the second one hard to his side. He grunted, but it only fueled his rage.

He retaliated with a powerful blow to one man's jaw, sending him reeling backward.

But the other thug recovered fast and tackled Ethan, slamming him against the counter. Ethan let out a pained grunt, but his arms came up—blocking, countering, striking back.

Sophie's eyes darted around the shop—her hands desperate, shaking.

Her phone.

Where was it?!

She spotted it near the counter where it had fallen. Scrambling to grab it, she switched it on.

Who to call?

The police? No. That would bring too much trouble for Ethan.

Mia.

Her fingers flew across the screen, typing frantically—

Please call for help at the shop. Please... You were right. I messed up.

She hit send.

Now all she could do was pray Mia saw it in time.

Ethan gritted his teeth as another fist connected with his ribs, the impact knocking the air from his lungs.

Goddamn it.

His body ached, his fists throbbed, but he wasn't backing down.

Not when Sophie was in danger.

Sophie couldn't watch anymore.

She wanted to scream at them to stop, to throw herself between them, but she couldn't move.

Her hands gripped the counter tightly, her nails digging into the wood as she fought the urge to break down.

Ethan took another hit—a hard one.

Sophie flinched, her breath catching—

Then—

The distant sound of sirens.

Growing louder.

The men froze.

Ethan, panting hard, glanced toward the window just as the flashing red and blue lights appeared down the street.

Sophie exhaled sharply.

Thank God.

The loan sharks, hearing the approaching sirens, began to panic.

"We need to get out of here!" one of them shouted.

So they were afraid of the police.

And yet, Sophie didn't even think to report them.

Will she ever survive this?

The leader, clutching his injured jaw, glared at Ethan one last time.

"This isn't over. We'll be back," he spat.

Ethan, still breathing heavily, met his gaze with a chilling finality.

"No, you won't."

And he meant it.

The rest of the men scrambled to their feet, shoving past each other as they hurried out of the shop.

The door swung open and slammed shut, the bell jingling eerily in the sudden silence.

Ethan stood in the middle of the wrecked shop, his chest rising and falling with exertion.

His knuckles were raw, his jaw clenched, but he barely registered the pain.

All he cared about was Sophie.

She rushed to his side, her eyes wide, her body trembling, as if unsure whether to approach him.

"Ethan, are you okay?" she asked, her voice fragile, unsteady.

He nodded, wincing slightly.

"I'm fine, Sophie. Just a few bruises."

Then—

The police arrived.

Officers poured into the shop, assessing the damaged displays, the shattered vases, and the chaos left behind.

Ethan kept his arm around Sophie's shoulders, holding her close as he explained everything.

His voice was calm, steady, despite the rage still simmering beneath the surface.

The officer nodded, taking notes, assuring them that an investigation would be launched.

Sophie clung to Ethan, her heart still racing.

And then— it broke.

The weight of everything collapsed onto her at once.

Her secrets. Her fear.

What she had almost lost tonight.

Her voice was barely a whisper when she spoke.

"Ethan, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

Ethan's head snapped down toward her, his eyes darkening, filled with an emotion she couldn't quite place.

"Don't."

His voice was low, firm—unshakable.

"Don't say that. I won't let you say that."

Sophie's lips quivered.

"I was so scared," she admitted, her voice breaking.

Ethan exhaled sharply, his hand cupping her face, his thumb gently brushing away the tear that had slipped down her cheek.

"I'm sorry you went through that."

His touch was warm, grounding her like an anchor, pulling her back from the edge of her spiraling thoughts.

Sophie nodded, trying to find solace in his words, but the guilt and fear lingered.

One of the officers approached them again, offering a reassuring nod.

"We'll make sure those men are caught. In the meantime, you should both get some rest."

Ethan thanked the officer, but his focus never left Sophie.

He wrapped his arm even tighter around her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Let's get out of here."

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