The Devil's Contractual Bride-Chapter 19: Again

Lucian’s POV

The line went dead.

Ethan’s last words hung in the air like smoke after a gunshot,"That baby is mine."

I stared at the phone in Aria’s hand,the screen was still glowing with his name.

I felt it rising—the same black, boiling thing that had taken over in the hotel room when I saw Ethan’s hands on her. Only this time it was worse. This time he wasn’t just touching her.

He was threatening our child.

My vision narrowed. I was so furious that I led my hand into the wall causing Aria to flinch in shock.

"Lucian," Aria said softly. "Breathe."

I couldn’t.

I threw the phone which hit the wall with a crack and shattered. Its pieces skittered across the marble.

Aria flinched again.

I turned to her. "He’s not touching our child."

"I know," she whispered. "We’ll fight him legally. We have proof—"

"Proof?" I laughed. "Proof didn’t stop him from leaking the pregnancy. It didn’t stop him from calling you tonight and neither does proof mean anything when he’s already in the public’s head. They will believe him like they always do."

She stepped closer. "Then we make them believe us."

I shook my head. "No. I’m done waiting for lawyers. I’m done letting him breathe the same air as you and our baby."

"Lucian—" Her voice cracked. "Don’t do this. You just got out of jail. You can’t—"

I was already moving.

I grabbed my coat from the rack and yanked the door open.

"Lucian, stop!"

I didn’t.

The elevator doors were closing when she reached them. She slammed her hand against the button, but I was already gone.

Downstairs the garage was quiet. My driver jumped when I appeared.

"Keys," I said.

"Sir, you’re not supposed to—"

"Keys."

He handed them over.

I slid into the driver’s seat of the black Range Rover. The engine roared and tires squealed as I shot out of the garage and into the night in search of the monster threatening my family.

I knew where he’d be.

Ethan always went to the same rooftop bar after a win,the one overlooking the Thames. It was more like his gloating spot. If he thought he’d won tonight, that’s where he’d be.

I found his car first.

A Black Mercedes parked crooked in the valet lane. His engine was still running.

I pulled up behind it and blocked him in.

As I got out,the rain hit my face like needles.

Ethan stepped out of the bar entrance, laughing at something his bodyguard said. He had bandages on his face which was home to a smug grin visible even from across the street.

When he saw me the grin died.

I crossed the road in three strides.

He backed up. "Voss"

I grabbed him by the shoulder,spun him around and slammed him against the side of his car.

"You threatened my child and my wife," I said. "You think I’ll let you take them from me?"

Ethan’s eyes widened. "Get your hands off—"

I leaned,the rain dripping from my hair onto his face.

"Say one more word about my family," I whispered, "and I will end you right here and now. And I promise you, I won’t stop until there’s nothing left to bury."

His bodyguard lunged.

I didn’t even look as my elbow caught him in the throat. He dropped, choking.

Ethan tried to twist away unsuccessfully ,I slammed him back against the car again.

"You don’t touch what’s mine," I said. "Ever again."

Sirens wailed in the distance but I didn’t care

Police cars screeched to a stop and officers jumped out with their guns drawn.

"Hands up! Step away from the vehicle!"

I didn’t move.

Ethan smirked through the blood on his lip. "You just made my case for me, Voss."

Hands grabbed me from behind. The cold metal handcuffs snapped around my wrists.

I let them pull me back.

But I never took my eyes off Ethan.

"Enjoy your freedom while it lasts," I said. "Because when I’m done, you’ll wish you’d stayed in that hospital bed."

They shoved me into the back of the squad car while the office at the edge slammed the door shut.

I leaned my head back against the seat and closed my eyes.I’d broken my promise to her again. I just hope that I won’t lose her to my uncontrollable rage.

The station was the same cold and fluorescent hell as before. They processed me quickly—assault, battery, threatening behavior. My lawyer was already waiting.

After a lot of back and forth between my lawyer and the officers in addition to a confirmation from Ethan that he won’t be pressing charges,they let me out two hours later with a warning.

The rain had stopped but the street was wet and shining under the streetlights.

My driver opened the car door , I slid into the backseat and we made our way home

Aria stood in the living room when I got in. Her arms were crossed,her eyes red and swollen .It was obvious that she’d been crying for a while non-stop

She didn’t speak at first. She just looked at my bruised knuckles, wet coat and the exhaustion carved into every line of my face.

"You went after him," she said quietly.

I nodded.

"You promised no more violence."

"I know."

She stepped closer. "You got arrested again. Because of this—" She touched her stomach. "Because of us."

I looked down. "I couldn’t let him threaten our child."

"Our child," she echoed. The words still sounded foreign on her tongue.

She walked to me, stopping only a few inches away.

"Why do you always destroy things with your temper?" she asked. Her voice broke on the last word.

I met her eyes. "Because I don’t know how to protect without breaking something."

She searched my face.

"I can’t lose you," I said. "I can’t lose this baby. I can’t lose the only thing that ever made me want to be better."

Tears slipped down her cheeks.

I reached up and brushed them away with my thumb.

In that instant a confession I’d hidden away, unable to accept nor profess slipped out of my mouth. "I love you, Aria".