Hanging by a Moment (From this Moment Book 1) (27 page)

Chapter Thirty One

I blink a few times, shocked to see Ethan here... in Luke’s club. Does he even know Luke owns this place? And what is he doing back here. This area is reserved for staff only. My shock is quickly replaced by irritation.

“What do you want?” I ask him, not bothering to hide how annoyed I am.

He looks nervously over his shoulder. “To talk to you without that playboy around.” He scoffs.

I laugh. “So you decided to show up at the club the playboy owns.” I mock back.

He doesn’t look the least bit surprised. And my earlier question about whether he knows Luke owns this place is answered. He has some nerve or a death wish showing up here.

“Can we talk?” He ignores my comment.

When is he going to get it through his head that I’m not interested? He is my past - one that I would like to forget. I’m with Luke and that is all I need. “Fuck you!” I step to the side, to get away as fast as I can. I wish he could leave like my parents. Maybe they can take him along with them.

He yanks my arm and I shout in pain. “Not so fast.”

“Ethan!” Brit screams over the loud pounding music. “Let her go!”

He releases my arm and I rub it, knowing there will be a bruise there in a few hours that will make Luke flip.

He gives Brit an icy glare. “This has nothing to do with you.”

She ignores shim. She places her hands on her hips and stares into his brown eyes, shooting fireballs at him. “She wants nothing to do with you. Can’t you see that? Why don’t you just go back to that rock you crawled out from?” Her voice drips with anger.
Ethan shakes his head. He rubs his hands over his face. “Please Brit, this is between Emma and me. Okay?” He pleads.

I don’t know if anyone saw him make his way into this restricted area. If they did, Luke will be here any second. I still have no idea what it is about Ethan that Luke and Mason have a problem with. Luke refuses to tell me and I have asked him a few times. Maybe Ethan can shed some light. Ethan and I have known each other for two years and we never kept secrets from each other. I know he will tell me what I need to know. And this might be the only chance I get. But I will have to work fast before someone notifies Luke of Ethan’s presence or he comes looking for me.

I look at Brit and mentally plead with her. I need her to give me some time with Ethan so I can figure out what the hell is going on. “Brit, it is okay.” I assure her. This is also the safest place for me to talk to Ethan - I mean he can’t possibly try anything here. What would Luke owning this place, he is sure to have eyes and ears everywhere. And he is only a few feet away.

She cocks her perfectly groomed eyebrow at me. “Are you sure?”

I nod.

“Okay. But you have two minutes.” She fixes her glare at Ethan. “Don’t try anything stupid to get yourself killed.” She warns him.

We watch as she disappears down the corridor, through the door and back into the lounge area. She will try and stall for me but I know Luke will come barging down the corridor in a few minutes.

Ethan slowly turns around to face me. I can see the dark shadows under his brown eyes and the faint stubble on his chin. He exhales loudly and then he speaks... his words coming out fast. He expects Luke to be here any second so he knows is working with limited time. “Listen I know I have done things all wrong but I was desperate to get you back. You have no idea what I have been through the last couple of months... without you.”

I raise my palm, I have heard this all before. “Ethan it is over.” My voice is stern and doesn’t sound like me.

“I love you.” His voice breaks and I feel genuinely sorry for him. But there is nothing I can do. I wish there was some switch you could press to turn off emotions. Life would be so much easier.

“Did you not just hear me?” I scream in frustration, I am sure his two minutes are up. Luke will be here any second. I need to work fast. “Why do Luke and Mason hate you?” I blurt out.

Ethan glares at me but does not get a chance to answer.

“Lockwood! Get away from her.” A loud voice threatens over the music.

I blink as I glance behind Ethan at the familiar face that is oozing with rage.

Ethan slowly turns around. “Forrestor, this has nothing to do with you!” He warns Mason.

Of fuck! Luke is sure to have a coronary when he sees the both of them - Ethan and Mason - here... with me. I promised to stay away from them and now here I am standing sandwiched between them.

“The fuck it doesn’t.” Mason spits out as he gets closer, coming to stop right in front of us.

Ethan steps away from me and moves to stand in front of Mason as if shielding me. He places his hands on his hips. “Why do you even care? You hate Greyson.”

Mason rakes a hand through his dark blonde hair and I see his jaw twitch. “We go back a long way. This is what friends do for each other and the ones they love.”

There is no doubt in my mind that he means it. Mason is here to protect me from whatever threat Ethan possesses. Not that Ethan will hurt me. I know him well enough to be a hundred percent certain.

“Yeah well, so do Emma and me. Now get lost.” He shoots an irritated glance at Mason.

“She is Luke’s girl and I’m not going to let you poison her. The way you poisoned my sister, asshole.”

I blink in shock and feel my legs turn to Jell-O. What the hell? What did Ethan do to Mason’s sister? I can feel the panic rising in my chest and I scream at them. “What the fuck is going on?” But they do not hear me.

Ethan moves at lightning speed as he shoves Mason into the wall. “Shut the fuck up.”

Mason pushes him off and his fist connects with Ethan’s jaw, sending him stumbling backward. “Does Emma know what you fucking did? Huh?”

I may be in shock but Mason’s words ring loud and clear in my head. I am numb. I cannot move and I feel like my heart has stopped. They yell at each other - mentioning my name - as if I am not even here. I feel like I am stuck in some kind of nightmare where it is impossible to wake up.

Ethan’s face is dark and his eyes look black and there is blood dripping from one side of his mouth. He swings back at Mason, landing a shot in his ribs. Mason buckles over for a second before he recovers. “You filthy asshole.” And strikes him in the chest.

All of a sudden I hear raised voices and Ethan and Mason are pulled apart by Oliver and Travis. Travis holds on to Ethan, gripping his arms behind his back and Oliver holds on to Mason, pinning him against the wall.

The door separating the corridor and the club bursts open and I see Luke rushing inside, ahead of Brit. “What the hell?” He screams as he runs over to me. His arms circle around me protectively. “Emma, are you okay?” His eyes are dark and dangerous and his face is a scary shade of red. I can feel his body shaking with anger. I’ve never seen him like this before... never so infuriated.

“Yes.” I breathe out shakily. His closeness makes me feel sheltered and I just want him to take me away from here... away from this. This feels like a dream... a bad dream but I know I will be okay now that Luke is with me. But he is stiff next to me and by the look on his face he is fuming. I’m scared for him. I know if he stays he is going to hurt Ethan. Maybe even kill him. He kisses me lightly on my forehead and then releases me.

Luke turns his cold deadly eyes to Ethan as he steps closer to him. He raises his forefinger, shoving it towards Ethan’s face. “I warned you, mother fucker. I fucking told you to stay away from her.” His voice is as cold as ice and my body breaks out in goose bumps.

This is not going to end well. I need to get him out of here. Where we can be alone and he can tell me what the hell is going on. What is it that Ethan did? And how does Mason’s sister fit into all of this?

I can hear my heavy breathing like thunder beating in my ears as I watch Luke, he looks like he is some kind of trance. He grabs Ethan by his throat.

“Luke! Man, he’s not worth it!” Oliver yells at him, trying to get him out of the trance that he is in.

“Luke!” I scream to get his attention. He does not hear me and I reach out to grab his arm to get his attention. He does not even glance at me, his eyes pinned on Ethan. “Don’t.” I plead with him. “Let’s just get out of here.”

I wish I could rewind time. Just a few minutes ago we were dancing and kissing each other. We were planning on going to his office and wrapping ourselves up in each other. And now...

He yanks free of my grip. Letting go of Ethan’s throat, his arm rears back and he swings it to connect with Ethan’s jaw.  “I warned you what would happen if you tried this shit again!” He moves to take another shot at Ethan and lays a loud thunderous punch across his already swollen cheek. “You don’t fucking get it!” He lands a heavy blow in Ethan’s side. Ethan doubles over.

Oliver lets go of Mason and moves with lightening speed, gripping Luke’s arms behind him. Luke struggles to break free. Oliver is a few inches taller than him and a bit more muscular, holding tightly onto Luke who struggles to break free of the death like grip his brother has on him.

Oliver jerks Luke back, away from Ethan. “Fuck it, Luke! Let it go! It’s in the past.”

“How the fuck can I forget what he did to her.”

It’s in the past.
I gasp as icy dread slithers down my spine and my world blanks out as I register Oliver’s words. Luke is defending Mason’s sister. All the time this was about Mason’s sister... not me. The fact that I used to date Ethan never had anything to do with his deep rooted anger. My eyes sting with the build up of tears. The stupid fool that I am! Luke was not trying to protect me. He was harbouring vengeance on Ethan for something Ethan did to Mason’s sister.
The past.
I feel like I have just been slapped... hard. Does Luke even love me? Or does he have feelings for Mason’s sister? My lips tremble and I feel tears stinging my eyes, blurring my vision.

I need to get the hell out of here. But I can’t leave - Luke, Ethan, Oliver and Travis are between me and the door I need to get to. They are blocking my exit.

Brit comes to stand beside me and rests her small hands on my shoulders, trying to comfort me. With my mind fixed on what was going on, I did not even see her move from where she was to come and stand next to me. I look at her with tears rolling down my cheeks.

I see tears sliding down her cheeks. She is thinking the same thing as me. Luke has some unresolved feelings for Mason’s sister which would explain why he is going to such lengths to defend her honour.

Mason’s loud voice breaks through my reverie. “Let me finish him off.” He shouts as he moves towards Ethan and is about to throw another punch at him before the club’s two large bouncers intervene. One of them takes hold of Ethan, gripping him firmly, his arms behind his back.

Luke is in a furious rage and breaks free of Oliver’s hold. His face is wrinkled with pain and he takes another shot at Ethan, this time getting him in the gut. His hatred for Ethan spews out of him erupting like a volcano. “You lying son of a bitch! You should not have come back here. I warned you to stay the fuck away from her. Did you not do enough damage? You hurt Emma! You fucking hurt her so bad! You fucking asshole!” And he lays punch after punch into him.

The second bouncer moves at lightning speed and grabs Luke around his neck in a vice grip.

And just like that, my entire world as I know it collapses. Everything I have ever known dissolves and I know I will never recover. My mouth hangs opens and I stare at Luke who is still exploding venom at Ethan.

“You hurt my girl... my girl! She was too fucking good for you! You lying asshole!”

It is like someone has poured glue underneath my shoes and I’m stuck on the floor... unable to move. His words have punched all the air from my lungs. And I feel like a hot air balloon that is deflating. My head spins and everything crumbles around me. I am staring wide eyed at Luke as he tries to break free of the grip the bouncer has on him.

“Luke!” Mason shouts at him to get his attention. Luke doesn’t seem to hear him. Mason steps in front of Luke and grips the sides of his head getting his attention. Luke looks at Mason confused. Mason nods his head in my direction.

Luke jerks his head in my direction and his blue eyes go wide with fear when he sees me. As if he has only just realised now that I am standing there. “Fuck!” He struggles for the bouncer to let him go.

“You okay, man?” The big mountain of a man asks Luke.

“Yeah. I need to speak to my girl.” The bouncer releases his firm hold on Luke, setting him free.

Luke stalks towards me, his eyes never leaving mine. Coming to stand a few inches in front of me he reaches out and places his hands on my shoulders. “I’m so sorry, princess,” he whispers to me, his voice cracking ever so slightly. “I’m so fucking sorry. I never wanted for you to find out. It-”

Luke is cut off before he can complete his sentence. “Not you business, Greyson.” I hear the fear in Ethan’s voice.

My eyes fly up to look at Ethan. The second bouncer is still holding onto him but he has stopped struggling. And when I see his face... all I see is fear and shame. Whatever it is that he has done and never wanted me to find out, I now realise it is not something light. I cannot begin to imagine what this secret is because Ethan has always been so wonderful to me. The only time I felt like he let me down was when he decided to relocate with his parents to Switzerland. He did not even try to fight for us, giving up so easily and ending up breaking my heart in the process. Other than that one time, he was a role model boyfriend not that he could ever compare to Luke. But Luke knows. He knows Ethan’s secret... whatever it is. And Ethan does not want him to tell me.