Page 26 of Can You Take It?

Chapter 10

RICHARD

I can’t believe it. I’m fuming, and I don’t care who sees it. I storm into the house, and there’s Lucas Brown, looking like he’s just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. The two cops stationed outside share the same expression of shame, and I don’t hold back.

“What the fuck, Lucas? You couldn’t contain an untrained civilian when you’ve got law enforcement training? Are you kidding me?”

Lucas mumbles something about things going south, but it’s not good enough. I can’t afford to have a liability like this. I don’t give a damn about his excuses. The Ghostface Striker is still out there, and if Izel is genuinely a victim, I can’t shake the thought of what he might do if he gets to her. The image claws at the back of my mind, and I can’t finish the thought.

I move past him. I can’t report this, can’t alert anyone. She’ll spend the rest of her days in prison, and for some reason, I don’t want that. Maybe it’s the way she looked at me, or maybe it’s something deeper, but I can’t let her down.

I’m out on the streets, scanning every corner for any sign of her. The city’s still buzzing, and it’s like finding a needle in a haystack. But I’m not giving up. I push forward keeping my senses on high alert. And then, I spot her. She’s a few yards away, and it’s a good thing she doesn’t see me.

I can’t let her see me, can’t let her know that I’m close. I’ve got to figure out what’s going on in her head, what led her to this point.

She enters a club, and I follow her inside. My gut tells me she’s headed for trouble, and I need to be there, whether as an ally or just someone to watch her back.

She’s at the bar, ordering drinks like there’s no tomorrow. I want to grab her, drag her out of this place, and bring her home. But I know I need more information. Is she here to meet someone?

I scan the room, searching for any familiar faces or suspicious characters. Every stranger she interacts with feels like a potential threat. I watch her closely, noting every detail: the way she leans on the bar, the anxious glances she throws over her shoulder.

A guy sidles up to her at the bar. But I don’t make a move; instead, I keep watching her. Why is this fool affecting me so much? It’s as if I’m jealous of him. I scoff inwardly, brushing the thought aside. It’s borderline stupid to even entertain such a notion.

She’s on the dance floor, and for the first time, I see her smile, a genuine, carefree smile that lights up her face. She’s beautiful when she smiles.

But that tool she met at the bar isn’t content with just dancing. He leans in for a kiss, and their lips meet. That’s it. I storm through the crowd, and in a split second, I reach out and grab her by the hair, yanking her away from the kiss. She gasps in pain, and her eyes go wide as she’s forced to look at me.

The guy, the tool who was kissing her, looks pissed. “Hey, man, what’s your problem?”

I don’t even bother with words. I release Izel and throw a punch that lands square on his jaw. He staggers back, his hands flying to his face.

“You better step the fuck away from her,” I growl.

Izel’s date for the night, who is now nursing a rapidly swelling jaw, finally gets the message. He stumbles back, looking equal parts scared and confused. But the confusion doesn’t last long. I move my jacket aside just enough to reveal the gun holstered at my hip. His eyes widen and without another word, he scurries away like a rat fleeing a sinking ship.

I turn back to Izel, and the sight of her nearly undoes me. Her hair is in disarray and her lips are swollen, red from what I can only assume was his doing, and I feel like beating the shit out of that asshole all over again.

She opens her mouth, but I don’t give her a chance to speak. “We’re leaving, right now.” I grab her hand and start leading her away from the club.

Izel jerks against me, fighting to shake off my grip. “Let go of me!”

I can feel her nails digging into my skin as she tries to pull away, but I don’t let go. Not now. Not after seeing her with that idiot.

“You’re not making this easy,” I growl.

“Let go of me, Richard. You have no right to corner me like this.”

I’ve reached my breaking point. I don’t care about the consequences. I corner her against the wall in the club. The music’s pounding, people are probably watching, but I don’t give a fuck.

“Izel,” I snap, “I’m here to help you. I’m not here to hurt you, but you’re making it damn near impossible.”

“I didn’t ask for your help. I can handle myself.”

“You’re not handling anything. You’re spiraling out of control, and I won’t stand by and watch it happen.”

She’s so close I can feel her breath on my face. “Let me go, Richard, or I swear I’ll scream.”

I know this is wrong. If anyone in the club recognizes me, I’ll be in deep shit. But I don’t care. I’m pissed, frustrated, and I can’t let her continue down this destructive path.

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