Page 76 of King of Rage

She barely had time to react before Lucius pulled her aside and pinned her against the wall beside the entrance. The wall concealed her from the rest of the restaurant, even though the dining area was only a few feet away on the other side.

Stella gasped, her eyes flying wide as her heart began to pound.

For one terrifying second, panic took over.

Then her vision adjusted to the dim light, and she recognized the man standing in front of her.

Lucius.

The tension in her body eased slightly, though confusion quickly replaced her fear.

Lucius finally lowered his hand from her mouth, but he didn’t let her go.

“What are you doing here?” Stella demanded, her brows drawing together as she stared at him in confusion.

She tried to push him back, but he didn’t even budge. Instead, his hold on her tightened as he lowered his head and fixed his intense gaze on hers.

A dangerous fire burned in his eyes, the same fire that had been eating away at him for far too long.

“Did I interrupt your perfect little evening with him?” he asked, his mouth twisting bitterly. “You looked like you were having the time of your life before you saw me.”

“Lucius—”

Before she could finish, several loud bangs suddenly echoed through the restaurant.

Stella jerked toward the sound.

Lucius reacted instantly. His arm wrapped around her, pulling her behind him as his entire body shifted between her and the restaurant.

“What the hell was that?” she hissed, her voice tight with alarm.

Lucius’s eyes narrowed as he listened, his attention fixed on the direction of the shots.

“Gunshots.”

The next second, Stella shoved his arm aside and dashed back into the restaurant.

“What the fuck? Stella?!” Lucius snapped.

But she was already gone.

He cursed under his breath and immediately ran after her.

Stella hurried toward Shane, who had ducked beneath the table. She reached him with her breathing coming in sharp, uneven bursts and dropped down beside him, anxiously looking him over.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Shane glanced at her, his expression tense. “Why did you run out here? It’s dangerous.”

Before Stella could answer, Lucius reached them.

He seized Stella by the arm and pulled her to the side, his patience completely gone.

“Go back there,” he ordered.

“But Shane—”

“I’m bringing Shane. For fuck’s sake, Stella, get the fuck out of here before I lose my mind.”