My Dad's Bestfriend
Chapter 67 Heartbeats And Bruises

Evelyn

For a moment, my entire world ground to a halt. There was an odd sense of relief that coursed through my nerves as the guy's hand finally released its grip on me. Yet, the shock of seeing Jacob Adriano, right there before my eyes, was overwhelming. I just couldn't get over it.

Is he really here?

My eyes stretched wide with surprise, my mind struggling to process the sight. And then, for a fleeting second, my vision went blank, only to be filled with the crimson stain on Jacob's knuckles and the fresh trickle of blood streaming down the assailant's nose. Even in my inebriated state, it wasn't hard to piece together that Jacob had just thrown a punch, a moment I'd missed while I had zoned out. He is here....

Everything was just happening too fast or it was just me and the intoxication of the alcohol. But I doubted, it was just the alcohol.

With a single glance in my direction, his piercing green eyes carrying a storm of anger beneath them, Jacob seized the man by his collar and delivered another resounding blow to his face. Why was he here?

"She said no, you fucking bastard!" The final punch sent the man sprawling to the ground, his body skidding a few metres away.

I watched the scene unfold in hysteria, my body still trembling from the realization of how close I had come to a possible horrific occasion just seconds ago—I almost got raped today. Almost.

Jacob didn't halt at just two punches, leaving the guy barely conscious on the ground. As the assaulter struggled to regain his senses, perhaps contemplating a desperate escape just as I had moments ago when he chased me down like a hunter, Jacob seized him again and, with ruthless outrage, slammed him against a nearby pillar. Blow after brutal blow rained down upon the man-his face, his gut, his neck- no part of his body went untouched.

My heart sank, a deep sense of dread settling in. At this rate, Jacob would end up killing the guy.

Summoning the last reserves of strength I had, I rushed forward, desperation in my voice. "Jacob, please, stop..."

There was no response, only the image of a man unhinged, a frenzied beast driven by blind rage. He continued to pummel the assailant as if his sole purpose was to snuff out his life, and nothing in the world could deter him.

No No No! I couldn't let this happen.

"Go and sit in the car, Evelyn," he finally muttered, still not making eye contact. His breathing was laboured, his chest rising and falling with the force of his fury. Beneath the curtain of chestnut hair that framed his face, I could glimpse the simmering anger in his eyes- it was scary. Really scary.

God, he wouldn't stop this way. I had to do something.

"Jacob, please," I pleaded, gripping his arm in a futile attempt to pull him away. But he remained unyielding.

"Just get in the damn car, Evelyn!" he barked, pausing briefly to speak, his grip still vice-like on the battered man's collar. The victim now appeared barely conscious, his face a grotesque canvas of blood and bruises. Well, he was exactly not a victim but that didn't mean killing him was the solution.

Without warning, Jacob struck the man's face again, blood splattering across the pillar, the nearby wall, and even his own face.

As it began spiralling out of control, and I felt tears welling up in my eyes. If Jacob ended up killing this man, he could land in jail. Panic coursed through my mind like a speeding train, and I teetered on the precipice of uncertainty, unable to grasp what I the fuck was supposed to do next.

I had to stop him. I just had to no matter what.

Like a desperate plea, a sob escaped my trembling lips, and I clung to him from behind with all the strength I could muster, wrapping my arms tightly around him, grasping onto the t-shirt beneath his leather jacket and burying my face against his back, "Please, just stop...he'll die like this."

His body went rigid, as did his hands.

"Please, I beg you," I sobbed, each word quivering and laden with vulnerability that I didn't really want to show yet couldn't help it, "I don't want you to kill someone."

Several agonising seconds passed. I

could sense his hesitation, his

internal struggle, but I also felt the

frantic rhythm of his heart gradually slowing down. His labored breaths eased ever so slightly. To me, who was utterly attuned to every nuance of this man, nothing went unnoticed-not even a single heartbeat. My apprehension peaked, my fear of whether he would heed my plea and abandon this violence shook me to my core. I didn't want him to get hurt or face dire consequences for his actions.

Suddenly, a deafening thud reverberated through the air, and I watched as the assailant crumpled to the ground, nearly motionless. He blinked and gasped for breath, sprawled on the floor like an injured animal. His once-aggressive demeanour reduced to nothing but fearful little movements he tried to make to escape the scene.

Before I could focus on anything else, Jacob slowly turned to face me.

My breath caught in my throat as I met his gaze. Our eyes locked, and it made me feel even more vulnerable than before. It wasn't surprising that I reacted this way-I had always known that Jacob could make my body and soul do the most unpredictable things.

"Are you hurt?" he asked, sighing as he cupped my face and wiped away my tears.

Yes, I was hurt. Deeply hurt by the fact that I had come here to escape my pain, only to end up in the arms of the very person who had caused it. But not a single cell, hair strand, or heartbeat resisted his touch. None of them sought to distance myself from him or obey the rational part of my mind.

"No..." I replied involuntarily, unable to tear my gaze away from him. His strange allure had me ensnared all over again. Damn him.

"You should've been more careful, Evelyn. Do you understand the danger you put yourself in? If I was even a second late then-" He didn't finish what he had to say, the thought seemed to bother him equally as much as it did me. Or maybe it was just my mind playing tricks on me?

He didn't care about me-It had already taken a long time for me to believe it. I couldn't entertain any stupid ideas and dig a bigger grave for myself.

"I just..." My voice quivered, the

words getting caught in my throat. He didn't care about me, right? He'd made that abundantly clear-he'd used me as a temporary distraction from his ex, and now that he didn't need @substitute anymore, he'd discarded me. So why were his eyes, as they gazed at me now, soft and filled with a manipulative charm, telling me something entirely different? And why was I on the brink of falling for it hook, line, and sinker?

I had never felt so vulnerable before.

I'd always faced reality head-on, whether it was accepting that my parents' love had withered away, acknowledging my own selfish. tendencies, or admitting that I had willingly gotten close to Jacob despite knowing he was wrong for me- I was good with

acceptance. But this time...why was it so agonisingly difficult?

"I just wanted to forget you," I whispered, tears welling up in my eyes once more. My lips quivered as I continued, "I just wanted to be with someone else so I wouldn't spend the whole night crying. I wanted to feel...alive."

He froze, the softness in his expression fading, replaced by uncertainty and hesitation. I watched as he swallowed hard, then cleared his throat. His grip on me loosened, and he stepped away, putting miles of distance between us with a single stride.

Of course, I could be drunk and not in the right senses but he was. And his right mind probably told him to take a step back because his destination was now different.

"The car's parked over there," he said, suddenly devoid of emotion, "Come on, I'll take you home."