Chapter 87 GO AWAY!
With a swift movement, Elliot kicked Vincent's wrist, sending the glass shard flying from his grip.
Without giving Vincent a chance to get up, Elliot landed another punch to the man's face, followed by a hard kick to his ribs. The thud of Vincent's body hitting the floor echoed through the room.
Vincent grimaced in pain, clutching his possibly fractured ribs. "Stop! You'll regret it if—"
"SHUT UP!!" Elliot yelled, his voice dripping with hatred.
He knelt before Vincent, grabbed his collar again, and pulled him close. "If you dare say another word, I'll rip your filthy mouth apart!"
Elliot raised his fist once more, this time landing it squarely on Vincent's nose. The sound of breaking bone was heard, followed by blood gushing from the man's nose.
Vincent reeled, his eyes half-closed, but Elliot wasn't finished. Even though the wound on his arm began to sting, his knuckles were red and slightly bloody, Elliot didn't care.
Only one thought occupied his mind. To punish Vincent as severely as possible for daring to lay a hand on Audrey!
"FUCK!" Elliot yelled again, his fist striking Vincent's face once more. This time, Vincent fell fully to the floor, unable to get up.
Elliot stood with ragged breaths, his body still engulfed by the anger burning every fiber of his being.
Slowly, he drew the gun from behind his back, gripping it with a hand that trembled not from fear, but from the peak intensity of his emotions.
Vincent, sprawled on the floor, stared wide-eyed as the gun's muzzle pointed directly at his face.
"Wait! Wait! You don't want to do this, do you?!" His voice trembled, the tone once full of arrogance now replaced by pure fear.
Elliot stared at him coldly, his eyes dark and merciless. He pressed his finger against the trigger but didn't fully pull it. "You dared to touch her, to hurt her. You have no idea who you're dealing with."
"Listen, I... I can explain!" Vincent tried to lift his hands, but even that small movement only made Elliot tighten his grip on the gun. He was now trembling, his face pale.
"Explain?" Elliot's voice was like a sharp whisper. "What explanation could make up for what you've done?!"
Vincent tried to crawl back, but his back hit the wall. There was no way out. He was truly cornered. "I... I can pay you! Whatever you want!"
"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Elliot barked, his voice booming through the room. His breathing grew faster, and his fingers clenched tighter around the gun.
Just as he was about to pull the trigger, a voice stopped him. "Mr. Harrington, stop!"
Marcus was standing in the doorway, his breath also ragged after running to the room.
Elliot turned slowly, his face still full of emotion. "Stay out of this!"
"Sir, I know you're angry, and I know he deserves punishment," Marcus said while carefully stepping in, his hands raised to show he meant no threat. "But this isn't the way."
"He tried to destroy Audrey!" Elliot pointed the gun at Vincent, his voice almost breaking with rage. "He deserves this!"
"I agree, he deserves punishment," Marcus replied calmly. "But not like this, Sir. If you kill him now, you won't just ruin his life, but your own as well."
Marcus's words slowly seeped into Elliot's mind, though his emotions still dominated. He looked at Vincent again, who now looked like a small, helpless man, his face covered in blood and fear.
"Audrey needs you more than anything right now," Marcus continued, his tone softer. "Don't let anger control you. Focus on saving her, not destroying yourself."
Elliot fell silent, his chest still heaving rapidly. His hand holding the gun slowly began to weaken. He finally lowered the weapon, though the hatred in his eyes remained fixed on Vincent.
Marcus approached carefully, taking the gun from Elliot's hand. "Let us handle him, Sir. We'll make sure he never touches anyone again."
Elliot only gave a slow nod, then took a few steps back before scanning the entire room for Audrey.
He stood frozen for several seconds when he found Audrey curled up in the corner of the room. Her body trembled, her face hidden by disheveled hair, and the sound of her sobs was heart-wrenching.
The sight of the woman made Elliot's heart feel as if pierced by a thousand knives. His chest immediately tightened, and his throat ached from holding back his own tears. A deep sense of guilt spontaneously assaulted his mind.
The woman he had silently protected was now in such a shattered state. Her gaze was vacant, full of fear, as if she saw something terrifying all around her, including him.
Elliot slowly approached, his steps cautious, but even that small movement made Audrey shrink further into herself. She looked up, tear-filled eyes meeting Elliot's.
"GO AWAY!" Audrey screamed with a hoarse voice, her body tensing.