Page 69 of Only Ever His

It connected with a sickening crack, and the gun clattered to the floor.

“Bitch!” he shouted, clutching his wrist.

I didn’t wait for him to recover.

I turned and ran, throwing open the backroom door just as Cole burst into the shop, his face a mask of fury.

“Tori!”

“Marcus—he’s armed!” I shouted, pointing behind me.

Cole didn’t hesitate. He moved like a force of nature, barreling past me with a speed and ferocity that left no room for doubt.

He slammed into Marcus with the full weight of his body, sending him crashing into the wall.

The impact rattled the shelves, scattering boxes and supplies onto the floor.

Marcus let out a guttural shout as he twisted, shoving Cole back.

The revolver lay just a few feet away, gleaming under the dim light, and Marcus’s gaze darted toward it with frantic desperation.

“Oh no, you don’t,” Cole growled, lunging to block him.

Marcus swung wildly, his fist connecting with Cole’s ribs.

The sound of the hit was a dull thud, and Cole staggered back a step, but he didn’t fall.

Instead, he retaliated with a brutal right hook that snapped Marcus’s head to the side.

“You think you can waltz in here and threaten her?” Cole snarled, his voice low and dangerous.

Marcus stumbled but recovered quickly, lunging forward with surprising speed.

He tackled Cole around the waist, and they both went crashing to the floor.

I let out a strangled cry, torn between fear and the instinct to help, but I knew I couldn’t get between them.

Not with Marcus so unhinged.

They rolled across the floor, grappling for control.

Marcus managed to get on top, his hands scrambling for Cole’s throat, but Cole twisted beneath him, using his legs to flip them over.

He pinned Marcus beneath him, his fists raining down with unrelenting precision.

Each punch landed with a sickening crack, but Marcus wasn’t done yet.

He brought his knee up hard, catching Cole in the stomach and knocking the wind out of him.

Cole grunted in pain, and Marcus used the momentary advantage to shove him off.

Marcus scrambled toward the gun, his hand outstretched.

“Cole!” I screamed, my voice breaking.

But Cole was already moving. He dove, tackling Marcus from behind just as his fingers brushed the weapon’s handle.

The gun skidded across the floor, spinning out of reach.

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