Chapter 5

LIA

"You." He spit, shoving back with an unexpected force and the back of my leg hit the edge of the coffee table. Pain course through me, but it was swallowed up by the sudden burst of anger from Karl.

"How dare you?" He roars, "You went around telling people that I cheated on you."

The pain in my body throbs as my heart beats frantically. I raise my head to meet his darkened glare. "Isn't that the truth? You cheated."

He scoffs, "This is your revenge, isn't it? To ruin me? My father is threatening to cut me off because of you. Don't you understand what this means for the Jones family? For me?" The venom in his voice sends shivers down my spine but this time I don't back out like a coward.

A flicker of satisfaction sparks in him. I should have done this sooner. Though what he did to me didn't come close to simply telling the truth, I feel a tad better knowing he may potentially lose the company he so no cherishes.

"Good. Maybe it's the karma for what you did to me." My voice was laced with ice.

A look of disbelief flashes on his face. "You claim to love me, yet you're trying to destroy me. Do you have no shame?"

A bitter laugh devoid of remorse escapes my lips easily. "Love? My love for you died the moment I realized what you truly are." I meet his gaze head-on. "And no, I don't have shame. You should be the one drowning in it, not me. You are the one who did something shameful, not the other way around."

His jaw clenches, and he leans in as he says menacingly "I'll give you one chance to redeem yourself. Retract your statement."

I stared him down with an unwavering voice. "No."

"Fine," Karl says, his voice dripping with menace. "If this is how you want it." He stalks towards me, each step calculated, predatory. I mirror his retraction with mine until the back of my legs presses against the edge of the bed and I'm trapped.

. His hand shoots out like a wind, grabbing my shirt and yanking me forward.

I land hard on the bed, air swooshing out my lungs.

Just as he approaches me with a predatory gleam, a blur of motion materializes behind him and a powerful kick sends him sprawling.

He scrambles to his feet with a yell only to be met by rapid repeating kicks from the man clad in a black t-shirt that hugs his wide, muscular chest and cargo pants also black.

Blows and groans of pain echo in the room with each blow the handsome stranger delivers to him.

When I can't bear the violence anymore, I climb out of bed with shaking legs and I step between the stranger and Karl. "Please, stop. You are going to kill him."

"He laid his hands on you." The handsome stranger says simply in a low rumble and gravelly voice.

"He hasn't laid his hand on me yet." I sigh, exhaustion weighing heavy on my tired shoulder.

"Don't cover for him." The stranger's gaze flickers to me and I swear to God I almost shrink by how intense it was.

"No." I wrap my arms around myself so my body doesn't give in. "I don't want things to get messier, I just want him out."

He hesitates but grumbles in acknowledgment before grabbing Karl by the collar and hoisting up to his feet with one hand. "Touch her or any woman again and that is the last mistake you will ever make."

Karl only reply with a weak nod before scurrying out of the room. I haven't seen Karl cower like a coward like this before so it feels satisfying to see him crumble in front of me.

After Karl disappears, the stranger turns to me. "Are you okay?" His voice holds no warmth, it sounds purely functional.

"Yes, thank you." I nod my head.

Good," he replies curtly. "I'm here to take you home. Your father has been in a car accident." He doesn't miss a beat as he delivers this shocking news to me.

My breath catches in my throat and my head spirals, "what?"