His presence changedthe atmosphere, charging it with violence and fury.
The calm, composed, dominant man she knew had vanished, unveiling a terrifying version of himself.
In one brutal move, he grabbed Niall by the armpits and ripped him off her like he weighed nothing. The crash of Niall’s back slamming into the wall shook the furniture.
Jamie pinned him there, arm across his throat, eyes wild.
The crack that followed smashed Niall’s nose. Bone gave way with a wet, sickening crunch.
“I’ve finally got the motherfucker who hurt my woman,” Jamie snarled. “Twenty-three fucking bruises on her perfect body. You remember that?”
He threw another punch, harder this time, ramming knuckles into cartilage.
“Well, guess what, asshole… I’m breaking twenty-three of your fucking bones. One down. Twenty-two to go.”
Blood gushed from Niall’s nose, dripping down his chin and onto his shirt. He coughed, spit red on the floor—and smiled.
A cracked, twisted smile.
“Wait,” he growled, breath heaving. “You think I’m scared of you? I’ve screwed with worse men than you. You’re just another rich fuck in a fancy suit.”
Jamie didn’t flinch. His body barely moved, but the tension in his jaw was seismic.
“I’ll give her the horse…” Niall continued, pushing against Jamie’s arm with what little strength he had. “You want her so bad? Fine. Give me a million and I’ll let you take the fucking nag before you fuck off.”
“You think you can bargain your way out after what you did to her?” Jamie’s voice dropped lower, quieter, but grittier. “You think throwing scraps makes you the bigger dog? I’ll buy Shannon everything she could ever want. Pay a million for whatever she needs, no fucking problem. But I’ll never give you a penny.”
Niall let out a low laugh, breath rattling.
“Shannon was mine first, you know,” he hissed. “You’re just the guy fucking my sloppy seconds.”
Jamie’s fist shot out, slamming into Niall’s gut, hard enough to knock the breath from his lungs.
He gasped, folded, and Jamie yanked him upright again like he was nothing but a rag doll.
“Don’t say her name. Don’t even look in her direction,” Jamie seethed, voice trembling with the restraint it took not to break him entirely. “I don’t give a fuck about what you thought you had with her. She belongs tomenow. Her safety, her life, her horse, her body—mine.”
Niall groaned, sagging against the wall as Jamie’s grip tightened.
“You’re not in control here, Ross,” Jamie continued, eyes blazing. “You lost that the second you laid afinger on her.”
He slammed Niall back into the wall one more time. A picture frame crashed to the floor beside them.
“I’ll give you one chance. Walk the fuck away from this yard. Leave it to Shannon like Harry wanted.”
“And if I don’t?” Niall wheezed.
Jamie leaned in, his mouth near Niall’s ear. “Then I’ll make sure you spend the next few months in a body cast.”
That’s when Niall broke. The bravado cracked, his eyes wide with genuine fear now.
“Jamie…” Shannon’s voice cracked as she forced herself onto her knees, swaying as she pushed forward, reaching for him. “Please—please.Let him go. He’s not worth the trouble.”
Jamie’s chest heaved. His jaw clenched. He didn’t turn to her at first, just stared down Niall like he wanted to drive him through the wall. “I wanna hear how sorry this fucker is for hurting you.”
“She deserved it…” Niall laughed.
Before Niall’s smug laugh had even died, Jamie moved.
