Better Late, But Never His Again novel Chapter 51

As soon as he finished speaking, his hand reached out again.

Hazel's fists clenched tightly at her sides. She was waiting for the right moment, but his weight pinned her down so completely that she couldn't move an inch.

The second Sutton's hand brushed against her collar, a suffocating wave of despair washed over her. Was this really how it was going to end?

Just as she was about to lose all hope, a dark figure shot out from the shadows. The man planted a devastating kick squarely into Sutton's side, striking with terrifying force.

Sutton let out an agonized scream as he was sent flying. He slammed into the wall and crumpled to the pavement, clutching his ribs and howling. "Who the hell is that! You dare hit me? I'll make you pay for this!"

Hazel snapped her eyes open. Backlit by the streetlamp, a tall, lean silhouette stood between her and her attacker.

The harsh light outlined his sharp, unforgiving features. His complexion was still noticeably pale, his lips lacked color, but his gaze was as lethal as a razor's edge.

Zachary Ward!

Her throat tightened. In that split second, her heart began to hammer against her ribs as a renewed surge of hope flooded her veins.

"Zachary! I'm over here!"

Zachary glanced down at her. He didn't say a word, but his expression grew dangerously dark.

Hazel pushed herself up from the concrete. Her legs felt a bit weak, but the moment she found her balance, she marched straight over to Sutton and delivered a vicious kick of her own.

Sutton shrieked again.

Panting heavily, Hazel pulled out her phone and dialed 911.

...

Inside the police station, the stark glare of the fluorescent lights stung her eyes.

Hazel sat on a hard bench, listening to the officers harshly interrogating Sutton in the adjacent room. She felt completely drained, as if every ounce of energy had been siphoned from her body.

Her trembling fingers were woven tightly together, gripping hard in a desperate attempt to force herself to stay calm.

She couldn't even bring herself to imagine what would have happened tonight if Zachary hadn't shown up.

"I'm fine," Hazel forced a weak smile. "I'm really okay."

Nellie burst into tears and pulled her into a crushing hug, her voice trembling. "You scared the hell out of me! If anything had happened to you, I don't know what I would've done. We are going to make that piece of trash pay!"

Hazel could barely breathe in her friend's tight grip. She gently patted Nellie's back. "See? I'm perfectly fine. Stop crying."

It took a few minutes for Nellie to calm down. She sniffled and finally pulled back, only then noticing the man sitting quietly next to them.

She glanced at Zachary, then shot Hazel a questioning look.

Hazel opened her mouth to introduce him, but Zachary was already on his feet. "Your company is here. I'll take off."

He looked down at Hazel. "I'll swing by tomorrow. Bring my stuff down to me. It's on the nightstand in the bedroom."

With that, he turned and walked away, his tall silhouette quickly disappearing around the end of the hallway.

Hazel stared after him, feeling a genuine surge of gratitude. She owed him her life tonight, and she would definitely find a proper way to thank him tomorrow. She wasn't about to be as dismissive as he was.