Page 38 of Quarterback Keeper

Enough people filled the space that we had to weave through them. I moved faster, dislodging his large hand from my back. I couldn’t stand to have him touch me or be too close. The last thing I wanted was to break down. I was stronger than that. I had survived so much that his nearness shouldn’t bother me—but it did. I was barely holding it together, which didn’t make sense. He shouldn’t mean that much to me. It was a business deal. I had to remember that.

I tucked some hair behind my ear and let him help me onto the boat. A shiver traveled down my spine from how close he was behind me. I punched in the code and frowned when it appeared as if it was already unlocked. Maybe it was just me. I didn’t trust my perception with how blindsided I felt by Kylian bowing to his father’s demands—even if the reason was justifiable.

I hurried down the stairs then stood for a moment. That was it, the last time I would be on his boat. It had felt like a home, someplace I could rely on, and it had become that even more when he’d stayed with me.

Movement pulled my focus, and I turned toward Kylian, who sat on the edge of the banquette. “You don’t have to stay. I know you need to get to the stadium.”

“I don’t feel right about leaving things this way, Gia.”

I shivered, not just from his deep voice but because something felt off. My eye shifted to the counter.Didn’t I leave the chips out?“Did you put the chips away?”

“Huh? No.”

I scanned the galley. Everything was where it should be, but it seemed different—touched somehow. I wrapped my arms around my waist, an unwanted memory rising to the surface from the first time Dayton had cracked me across the face. He’d left the milk out, and I’d bitched at him about it. It was my first mistake. He was so furious that I’d spoken to him that way. According to him, it was my job to keep things tidy. I cradled the side of my face as if still feeling how hard he’d hit me. My lip had bled, and a bruise had formed soon after.

Cleaning up after him had been my job, and I’d had to be damn perfect about it. I absently rubbed the phantom pain in my wrist—the same one Dayton had broken for me not going to the client lunch with him like he wanted.

“Who the fuck are you?”

Kylian’s snarl had me whirling to face him, my heart in my throat. His fierce gaze was caught on something over my shoulder. That hated minty smell wafted over me. My body locked down hard, fear crawling like angry fire ants over my skin. I felthimbehind me, close enough that his breath disturbed my hair. My eyes closed, and my mouth opened slightly on an uneven exhalation.

How did Dayton find me?

“You should ask who Aurora is. I’m dying to hear the story she tells people.”

Pain exploded across the back of my scalp from the brutal grip on my hair. Dayton shoved me, and I fell into the seat opposite Kylian. The pain meant nothing. There would be more. I scrambled to see Dayton. I knew it was better to keep him in my sights. But when I did, my blood ran cold. He had a gun pointed at us.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

KYLIAN

“Dayton, please.” Gia held out her palm, pleading. “You don’t have to do this.”

I remained seated—for the time being—and kept my gaze trained on Dayton, calculating everything about his posture, looking for an opening to rush him. He was big and muscular but probably not an athlete—more of a tool who kept himself in shape. From the corner of my eye, Gia—no, Aurora—trembled visibly. I would process who she really was and her connection to the abuser later. One thing was for sure—I wouldn’t let the fucker hurt her.

“I don’t care who you are. You need to get the fuck off my boat before I call the cops.” It was a ballsy thing to say with a gun pointed at us. At least it would get his focus off her and onto me.

My jaw clenched harder at Dayton’s laugh, and he swung the gun in my direction. I just needed an opening to attack. I’d been tackled by bigger and better than him on the field. He didn’t compare to the giant linemen I faced down every Saturday. The only issue was his weapon.

“Come on, Dayton. Stop this. Let him go. He doesn’t matter.” Gia scooted forward, one hand gripping the table, and she shookso hard, I felt the vibration in my arm where it rested on the solid surface. “He means nothing to me—I swear—just a meal ticket. I’ll go with you. I promise.”

I sprang into action when Dayton’s focus shifted, launching myself into him. Shoulder planted into his midsection, I drove him back. My hand curled around his wrist. As he stumbled from the force behind my tackle, I rammed his hand onto the edge of the sink. Once, twice, then the gun clattered to the floor.

“Get out, Gia!” I yelled over Dayton’s roar as we wrestled for control.

He slammed a cabinet door into my face then pulled open a drawer between us. Even with my attention divided between him and her, nothing would stop me from winning that fight.

He buried his fist in my stomach, and the corner of the counter bit into my hip. My attempt to get Gia out had been enough of a distraction for Dayton to take advantage. We traded punches. The guy was strong but didn’t have finesse. He missed more than he connected. The satisfying crunch beneath my fist resonated through me as his nose cracked.

Cabinet doors hung askew, drawer contents littering the floor. Dayton used what he could as a distraction. I pinned him against the counter, twisted, then locked my arm around his neck. He fumbled through the drawers, rooting for whatever weapon he could find while I shouted at Gia. She wasn’t moving fast enough.

“Go!”

She stumbled past us, and my attention wavered as pain pierced my side. My grip loosened at the flash of metal as he pulled a knife from me. He fucking stabbed me. My hand closed around his wrist, and I squeezed. The knife fell. In the back of my mind, I wondered what the hell Gia had been through at the hands of that monster.

I didn’t move for a beat, and he took advantage of the puncture wound. I should have planted my feet better. I hadn’t, and he got the upper hand, twisting my right arm hard behind me then slamming an elbow down on my shoulder. Blinding pain shot through my joint, traveling down my extremities and locking me in place. Blood poured from the wound at my side. I couldn’t process the damage he’d done with that second attack. Not yet. I had too much at stake.

He released my arm, and I stumbled back when he lunged for her. I kicked his ankle, and he went down. So did she. Her head cracked against the doorjamb. It happened so fast. I moved to help her, but Dayton got in my face, the gun in his hand once more. I jolted in front of Gia to block her, keeping a visual of him from the corner of my eye. He swung. I felt the blow to the back of my head, then everything went dark.

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