His steps grow closer, and I revel in the fear that inches into Craig’s eyes with every single thud of the heavy boots against the floor.
I turn just in time to see him round the corner at the end of the hall.
He pauses, tipping his head to the side. “Odie? What are you doing here? I thought Izzy was staying at your place. Are you ...”
His words die as he sees his sister curled around me.
“What happened?” he barks as he races toward us.
I don’t try to stop him. I don’twantto stop him. I want him to see this. And I want him to get his revenge on Craig.
I let Izzy fall into his arms as he stops before us, and if this were any other moment, I would smile over how gently he takes her into his arms and whispers into her ear that everything is going to be okay.
But this isn’t any other moment.
“What happened?” he asks me.
I can’t find the words to say it out loud. All I can do is lift my hand and point.
Noah’s eyes follow my finger, landing right on Craig.
Then Tara.
And right back to Craig.
I see the second it clicks.
Then suddenly Izzy is no longer in his arms. She’s back in mine as Noah stomps across the room and snatches Craig up by his throat.
I briefly think back to the time when he had that exact hand wrapped around my throat in the bar as he speared me with his cock.
This is nothing like that, yet I still find it exhilarating, especially watching Craig get what he deserves.
“What the fuck did you do to my sister?!”
“Nothing, man. Nothing. I—”
His protests die there. Not because he’s out of them, but because he can’t talk anymore. Noah’s made sure of that as his grip tightens on his throat.
“Want to try that again?” Noah growls, and it’s nothing like the growls he uses with me. It’s menacing. Spit flinging off his lips.
He loosens his hold, just enough for Craig to say, “I’m sorry. I fucked up. I—”
It constricts again, Craig wheezing as the air is choked out of him.
“I’ll kill you,” Noah says, and it’s eerie how calm his words come out.
Then he draws his fist back and punches him.
Then again. And again. And again.
The room descends back into chaos. Izzy is crying harder, and I’m yelling “stop, stop, stop” over and over. Tara is screaming because ... well, I don’t even know why.
“Noah!” I scream his name this time, and it works.
His fist stops midair, and when he looks at me, it’s like I’m looking at an entirely different person.
I’ve never seen him like this before, and that includes all the fights I’ve seen him get in during his years playing hockey.
