Page 45 of No Mercy In Red

“You’re fucking pathetic,” Joe scoffed. “You chose this fucking psychopath over me, Connor. After everything we’ve been through together. I thought we were family?”

His voice cracked on that last word, sending a pang of guilt through my chest. The guilt quickly dissipated as I watched him place his hand around Max’s throat.

I took another step forward, looking Joe dead in the eyes, “Joe, you’re angry at me, not her. Move away from her, this isn’t you. You’re not evil, you’re not a murderer. Just step away from her, please.”

Joe exhaled shakily, his hands dropping away from her as he took one, two steps towards me.

“You fucking hurt me Connor, I trusted you. You took me for a fucking idiot, letting your bullshit fucking obsessive ways get in the way of everything,” Joe shouted. “And it’s all because of you!” He screamed at Max as he swung around, backhanding her across the face, making her whimper in response as blood flew from her lip.

I winced, struggling to hold myself back. I needed to be smart, I needed to be careful. One wrong move, he could kill her. I had never ever seen Joe in a state like this. He was always such a happy, relaxed guy. I knew this case was pushing him to the edge, so I guess realising what I’d done had pushed him over. Had broken him to the point of no return.

“She’s mine now Connor, I’m going to take her down - and if you get in my way, you’re going down too.” He stared at me, eyes hard, cold, filled with so much hatred. “I’ll give you one chance,” he said, his voicenow eerily calm. “Walk away now and let me take her. I’ll leave you out of this.”

“Or?” I questioned, barely containing myself.

He turned his back to me, facing her with his hand raised again to strike. I didn’t have chance to think before I was racing towards him, anger taking over my entire body at the sight of him attempting to hurt her again. I knew before I got here, that without a shadow of doubt, if I had to choose between my best friend, and the woman that had infiltrated my life, my every waking thought—I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d burn the whole fucking world to the ground, my best friend included, before I ever gave up Maxine Pochon. He turned last minute, shock lining his features as I lunged. The next few seconds moved in slow motion, my fist connecting with his jaw, his eyes widening as the deafening sound ricocheted through the basement.

Max’s blood curdling scream rang through my ears.

Chapter 33

Max

A scream tore from my throat, raw and laced with excruciating pain.

It echoed off the walls of the basement as Joe’s gun fired. I watched in horror, my entire body going ice-cold as the bullet ripped through Connors shoulder, blood spraying across the concrete floor. My vision blurred from tears, a violent sob tearing through me. This couldn’t be happening.

“No!” I screamed, struggling futilely against the restrains holding me down.

Connor stumbled back, clutching his shoulder, blood seeping rapidly through his fingers, staining his shirt dark red. I watched, helpless and frozen, as he staggered for only a brief moment before something changed in his eyes. White-hot fury ignited behind them, burning brighter than I’d ever seen before. With a wild, feral shout, Connor lunged at Joe, barreling him into the floor. The gun flew from Joe’s hand, skittering across the concrete out of reach. I couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe, as Connor pinned him beneath him, rage radiating from every fibre of his being.

“I won’t let you take her from me!” Connor growled, fists raining down on Joe’s face. “You can’t have her. You can’t fucking have her!” He repeated, over and over.

My stomach twisted, nausea swirling violently within me at the sickening sounds of Connors fists pounding against Joe’s flesh. Each punch echoed off the walls, punctuated by Joe’s weakening struggles, the harsh crack of breaking bones filling my ears. But Connor didn’t stop. He couldn’t. The darkness within him had finally been unleashed, savage and unstoppable.

“Connor! Connor, stop!” I begged, tears streaming down my face. “You’re going to kill him, STOP!” I screamed.

He didnt hear me, or didn’t want to. Blood sprayed around him, pooling onto the concrete beneath them, Joe’s face a gruesome mask of crimson. Panic filled my veins as I watched the man I loved, destroy his apparent best friend.

“Connor, please!” I sobbed, desperation breaking my voice. “You’re not a murderer! Don’t become one for me—”

Nothing. He was lost to it, consumed by the fury burning through him. His face was a mask of cold fury as he continued, his teeth bared, his blood soaked hair falling into his eyes.

“Please.” I whispered, barely audible, my voice trembling, exhausted, broken.

My words seemed to finally reach him as he stilled, breathing raggedly as his hands trembled looking down at the mess he’d made. Joe’s body lay limp, blood pooling beneath his head, his chest unmoving.

“Fuck. No! No, no, no...” Connor choked, repeating the words over and over like it would change the last several minutes.

His eyes widened with disbelief as the horror of the scene washed over him. He stood, staggering back, shaking violently, hands coated in blood as he stared wide-eyed at his best friend’s lifeless body.

He looked at me helplessly, “What have I done?”

I couldn’t process any of this. My stalker, the man who’d been watching me, the man I’d trusted and given myself to completely, had just killed his best friend to protect me. Where was the feeling of terror? Disgust? Fear? Nothing but a sickening thrill rang through my body. Connor had risked everything for me, destroyed his best friend without a second thought, all for me. It was twisted, fucked up in a way that made my pulse quicken even as my heart ached.

Connor’s eyes finally met mine, filled with unshed tears, his expression breaking my heart in a thousand different ways. “Max, I’m sorry. I’m so fucking sorry—”

He crossed the room quickly, dropping to his knees in front of me, fingers fumbling with the restrains as he freed my wrists. The moment I was released, I collapsed into him, sobbing uncontrollably, my fists clenching into his blood-stained shirt.

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