Shattered Then Healed By His Love (by Haley Blanton) novel Chapter 177

Chapter 177 An Unexpected Rival

He spotted them the moment his car pulled up to the food street.

From his vantage point, she looked breathtaking, standing by the entrance and chatting with Noah, a box of pastries in her hands and a bright, easy smile on her face.

Just then, Marcus saw a figure moving through the shadows, steadily closing in on Natalie. The man wore a black hat and a mask. Tucked into the phone he was holding, the tip of a military- grade knife was just visible.

The man’s eyes were fixed on Natalie’s abdomen. But she, lost in conversation with Noah, was completely oblivious.

James seemed to notice at the same time, but when he turned to look at the back seat, the door was already open. Marcus was gone, sprinting toward her.

Natalie, still unaware of the danger, sensed a figure rushing toward her. Before she could react, a hand grabbed her wrist, and she was pulled into a familiar embrace. It felt like Marcus. The scent of him–cool and clean–filled her senses.

In the next instant, the man in the black hat was sent sprawling to the ground by a vicious kick from James. A knife clattered to the pavement with a harsh, piercing sound.

Natalie stared at the scene in disbelief, then turned to look at the man holding her. One of Marcus’s hands was still clasped around her wrist; the other was wrapped tightly around her waist, as if he were afraid she would slip away. He just looked down at her, his expression grim, saying nothing.

“Marcus,” she finally managed to say, her voice laced with shock. “What are you doing here?”

Before he could answer, Noah stepped forward. “Are you alright?”

Marcus’s eyes, which had been fixed on Natalie, turned to ice as he watched Noah reach out and take her other wrist. A second later, Noah pulled her from his arms and to his side, his gaze wary as he looked at Marcus.

A sharp, visceral sense of loss shot through Marcus as his arms came up empty. The hostility in his eyes deepened.

“Thank you for your help, sir,” Noah said, his tone polite but unmistakably cold.

Verify captcha to read the contentVerify