Ethan sees him at the same moment I do. His arm shoots out, creating a barrier between me and the approaching figure.
"Declan, get her out," he commands, his voice sharp.
Before I can process what's happening, the man lunges forward, something metallic flashing in his hand. Ethan moves with stunning speed, intercepting him before he can get anywhere near me. They collide with brutal force, the man's momentum carrying them both into a decorative table that crashes to the floor.
"Jade!" Declan's voice cuts through my frozen shock. His massive hand wraps around my upper arm, pulling me toward the exit. "We need to go. Now."
I resist, my eyes fixed on Ethan grappling with my attacker. "We can't just leave him..."
"He knows what he's doing," Declan growls, his grip tightening. "Our priority is getting you to safety."
Hotel security is converging on the scene, guests scattering with alarmed cries. Ethan has the man pinned face-down, his knee in the center of the attacker's back, but others are shouting, pointing, the chaos escalating with each second.
"Ethan!" I call out, still struggling against Declan's iron hold.
He looks up, meets my gaze across the lobby. "Go!" he shouts. "I've got this. Go with Declan!"
Declan is already hauling me toward the doors, his bulk creating a path through the gathering onlookers. Outside, the valet has our car waiting, engine running. He practically lifts me into the passenger seat, slamming the door behind me, before rushing to the driver's side.
I twist in my seat, looking back at the hotel's entrance, but we're already turning the corner, the scene disappearing from view. My heart pounds against my ribs, adrenaline making my hands shake.
"We have to go back," I insist, turning to Declan. "We can't just leave him there."
His face is grim, dark eyes harder than I've ever seen them. "Ethan can handle himself."
"That's not the point!" My voice rises with panic and frustration. "What if he's hurt? What if..."
"Jade." Declan's deep voice cuts through my spiraling fear. His hand lands heavy and grounding on my thigh. "Ethan is fine. He's trained for this. The best thing we can do is get you to safety, which is exactly what he told us to do."
I stare at him, at the absolute certainty in his dark eyes. Slowly, the panic recedes, replaced by a cold fear that settles in my stomach.
"Who was that man?" I ask, my voice steadier now. "What did he want?"
Declan's jaw tightens. "I don't know. But we're going to find out."
His hand still rests on my thigh, warm and rough and grounding. I don't pull away, grateful for the contact that anchors me to the present moment.
The car speeds through the evening traffic, putting distance between us and the hotel. Between us and Ethan. My mind replays the scene in flashes: the man's sudden movement, the metal flash of a knife, Ethan's body colliding with his.
I close my eyes, trying to steady my breathing the way Mateo taught me at the waterfall.
In through the nose. Four counts. Hold. Four counts. Out through the mouth. Four counts.
It doesn't work. All I can see is Ethan, left behind, surrounded by chaos of my making.
Because that's the truth, isn't it? The man was after me. And Ethan put himself between us without hesitation.
"He'll be okay," Declan says quietly, reading my expression.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. But as the city blurs past the windows, one thought circles relentlessly in my mind.
He might be okay this time. But what happens next time? Or the time after that?
22
ETHAN
I hear Jade's voice before I even get to the door. Raised, frantic, laced with an emotion I've rarely heard from her. Anger. No, not just anger. Fear.
