Page 90 of The Question of Us
Nick bucked and fought Freddie’s hold, but the giant of a man was too strong. Then he said something to Freddie that I couldn’t catch and Freddie looked toward Marty.
Atta boy, Nick. You clever, clever man.
With Freddie distracted, Nick’s knee shot up into Freddie’s balls and the man buckled. But he didn’t let go. And before Nick could try a second time, sirens suddenly pulsed outside and red and blue lights lit up the barn.
Everything changed in an instant.
Doors slammed and shouts rang out.
The lights snapped off and the room became a wash of shadowy strobe-like movement lit by moonlight, police lightbars, and jerky flashlight beams.
“No!” Gazza’s desperate tone drew my attention and I could just make him out—lunging toward Marty as the older man reached for something on the floor.
But Gazza was too slow and Marty got to his feet, the outline of a shotgun in his hands. He lifted the weapon and made a slow turn toward Lee.
“Drop the gun and put your hands in the air,” a woman shouted. “Now, Mister Klein!”
A shot rang out with another fast on its heels, but I couldn’t get the order in my head. My panicked gaze swept the confusion. Then someone hit the lights and the barn’s interior lit up like a Christmas tree.
Nick. Where the fuck was Nick?
And then I saw them, Freddie with his hands still around Nick’s throat. I watched helplessly as Freddie fell back into the pool, pulling Nick with him, a wall of water erupting around them as Freddie dragged Nick under.
“Like hell!” I ignored the shouts of Gazza and Lee and what sounded like a dozen other voices I couldn’t identify and didn’t give a fuck about. With eyes only for Nick, who was still writhing under the water in Freddie’s grip, I kicked off my trainers and dived into the pool.
Cool water broke over my body as I dived into the deep circular pool at the end of the ramp. In seconds that felt like hours, I reached them, churning water and flailing limbs a solid confirmation. I broke the surface and caught Nick’s gaze just seconds before a huge body rose between us and forced him back under.
That familiar rage returned and I gulped a lungful of air.
Not on my watch, arsehole.
You took his husband. You are not taking Nick.
I wrapped my arm around Freddie’s bulky neck, hoping for a chokehold that would force him to release Nick. I had zero idea if I was doing it right, and as it turned out, I wasn’t. Freddie shook me off like an annoying pest and pushed Nick back under.
The shouting grew louder behind me, like people were gathered around the edge of the pool, but I wasn’t about to give up.
I tried again with Freddie, this time using the pool wall at my back for leverage so I could pull him against me. I must’ve done something right because he immediately began to struggle, letting go of Nick to try to wrench my arm from his throat.
Nick kicked free and relief flooded my heart. But the moment’s distraction was all it took for Freddie to free himself and spin me around, reversing our positions. He forced my arm up behind my back and tilted my body forward, pressing my face under the water.
The bitter taste of chlorine burned my throat as water surged up my nose. I fought and bucked to get free, but Freddie was too strong. Then my feet brushed the concrete wall in frontand managed to get some purchase. I bent my knees and put everything I had into thrusting up and back, slamming my head into Freddie’s face.
He cried out but didn’t let go, forcing my head back down into the red-stained water. I wondered if this was it. If I wasn’t going to make it out, after all. Nick’s face filled my head, and more than anything in the world, I wished I’d told him that I loved him. Wished I’d ignored my stupid fear and said the bloody words.
And then just like that, Freddie was gone and I could breathe again, coughing and spluttering as my arms flailed to find the edge of the pool.
“Madigan, here.” Hands reached down to help me out.
“Nick, let him go,” an unfamiliar voice demanded from above.
I looked up to find a police officer ready to jump into the pool. Before she could, Lee beat her to it, hitting the lip at a run. I spun to follow his progress only to see Nick holding Freddie’s barely struggling body against the central wall of the pool. Blood poured from Freddie’s nose, the water around them a bright crimson. His face was a messy pulp, and although I could claim the broken nose, I figured the rest was down to Nick.
Nick, who seemed lost to his rage, glared at Freddie with pure, unadulterated hatred. It was a rage I could relate to, even if it scared the shit out of me.
“Nick, baby,” I tried hopelessly amidst all the shouting. Not that Nick would’ve heard me, consumed as he was by two years of grief and anger brought to his doorstep by the man he held in front of him. A husband and a future lost for no reason; this was a chance to exact some much-deserved payback.
“This is for Davis, you motherfucking arsehole.” Nick’s fist smashed into Freddie’s face and the man went limp. “And thisone’s for Madigan.” Nick drew back a second time just as Lee put a hand on his shoulder.
