Lucas didn’t think.

He reacted.

Alaina slumped on the floor, the wood beneath her head streaked with blood.

Hair a tangled mess, limbs slack.

His gaze shot to the man next to her, the man on his knees who held a clump of long blonde hair between his fingers, whose face was a mask of rage.

Lucas threw his keys down and sprinted across the living room, launching himself at Rob. He landed on top of him, and he heard the whoosh of air escape from Rob’s lungs as his back cracked into the floor.

Lucas didn’t think.

His fist connected with Rob’s face, his hard knuckles smashing against his nose, against his jaw. Blood spurted from his nostrils, running down his face, coating his teeth, and still Lucas didn’t stop, his fist connecting again and again.

His own rage fueled him. Rage at seeing Alaina sprawled out on the floor, unconscious or worse…dead. Rage at this man who had attacked her, who had strands of her hair wrapped between his fingers. He didn’t want to think about what else this man had done to her. He couldn’t.

“Stop,” Rob gasped, his breath punching out of him in jerky sobs. He tried to shield his face with his hands. “Stop.”

“You hurt her,” Lucas growled. His fist was poised in midair, ready to strike again. Rob’s left eye was swollen shut, his cheeks a mess of angry purple bruises.

“I didn’t,” Rob whined. “She attacked me.” He touched his cheek. “That bitch bit me.”

Lucas could see the teeth marks on Rob’s bloodied skin. He glanced at Alaina, just a quick look, but that was all Rob needed. He shoved Lucas off him, sending him backward, and pushed himself off the floor.

His boot crashed into Lucas’s side and his body caved, doubling over. Rob kicked him again, his boot hitting the same spot, and Lucas cried out. He clutched his side, trying to protect it, but Rob moved on, this time smashing his boot into Lucas’s knee. He howled and Rob laughed.

“That’s your bad one, right?” His smile was bloody. “Your little accident on the field? The one that cost you your job?” He kicked him again and the pain was so excruciating, Lucas was sure his kneecap had shattered again.

“You’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, man,” Rob said, his foot raised, almost as if he were ready to strike again. “I was ready to take care of this bitch by myself, but you? You’ve gone and complicated everything, haven’t you? Showing up here, thinking you’re gonna swoop in and save the day? Newsflash, loser: you won’t. And now I’m gonna have to take care of your sorry ass, too.” His boot smashed into Lucas’s leg again, but Lucas managed to shift enough so the force came down on his calf.

Lucas sucked in a lungful of air, trying to breathe his way through the pain pulsing through his knee and his side.

He had to stand up.

He had to fight.

Dammit, he wished he had a gun.

He set his hands on the floor to steady himself and he felt something cold beneath his palm. He maneuvered it into his hand and closed his fist around it.

He closed his eyes, willing himself to fight through the pain, to get to his feet and take this asshole down.

He opened his eyes. To his surprise, Rob wasn’t looking at him, wasn’t ready to strike. His attention was on Alaina, who was still motionless on the floor.

Lucas made his move. He staggered to his feet, his eyes widening as Rob seemed to come at him in slow motion. His arm pulled back, almost like a bow, and Lucas lunged for him, crying out as he bore down on his bad leg but still followed through. It was the keys he’d found and slid between his fingers, the ring of keys fisted in his hand, his house key and car key both aimed outward like daggers. Rob saw them, his eyes widening as Lucas stabbed them into his groin.

Rob fell to his knees and Lucas steadied himself, trying not to follow suit. The giant rolled around on the floor, clutching his groin and moaning.

Lucas didn’t give a shit.

His first thought—his only thought—was Alaina.

He stumbled toward her, every move agony, when he heard a voice bark from the opened front door.

“Get your hands up.”

Lucas stilled and then, as he turned toward the door, a slow smile spread across his face.

Blaine and Ollie crowded the entranceway, their guns drawn.

Lucas dropped next to Alaina. But not before he managed to whisper, “About fucking time.”