Page 77 of King of Rage

The fury on Lucius’s face stopped her cold.

She had never seen that look in his eyes before. He was absolutely furious, and there was something so dark in his expression that she didn’t dare argue.

Stella immediately hurried away from them.

Another burst of gunfire echoed through the restaurant.

This time, the shots sounded much closer to Lucius and Shane.

Lucius ducked instinctively and turned toward Shane. Their eyes met beneath the table.

“These are a gift for you, pretty boy?” Lucius gritted out, his voice thick with anger.

Shane narrowed his eyes.

“I don’t need your help, Mr. Frost. Leave.”

“Do you think I give a fuck about you?” Lucius shot back. “But that woman is already making my life hell, and if something happens to you, she’ll make it even worse.”

He grabbed Shane by the arm and hauled him out from beneath the table.

“Come with me. Stay behind me.”

Lucius immediately moved him along, keeping his own body between Shane and the direction of the gunfire.

Another few rounds rang out across the restaurant, but Lucius kept moving until he finally pulled Shane behind the wall where Stella was waiting.

The restaurant had already fallen silent.

The few guests still inside the restaurant had rushed out the moment the gunshots began. Judging by the direction of the bullets, it was clear that the attack had been aimed specifically at Shane’s table.

Lucius pressed his back against the wall, his breathing controlled despite the fury burning through him. His gaze moved toward Stella, briefly taking in her shaken expression before shifting to Shane.

Stella turned to Shane and began checking him over. Her hands moved anxiously across his arms and shoulders as she searched his face, desperate to find any sign of injury.

“Are you hurt anywhere? Did the bullet touch you?”

Shane shook his head. “I had bent down to pick up my phone when it fell on the ground. That’s when they fired the shot. I got lucky.”

A shaky breath escaped Stella as some of the tension left her shoulders. Only then did she look toward Lucius, who had been standing a short distance away, watching her concern for Shane with a hard, wounded expression.

For a moment, she hesitated, before finally murmuring, “Are you all right?”

Lucius’s jaw tightened. The question came too late, and the reluctant concern in her voice did nothing to ease the bitterness twisting inside him.

“Thank you for remembering that I still exist.”

He reached for his phone, already preparing to call the police, but before he could make the call, Shane caught him by the hand.

“Help is already here. The shooter is a sniper. The police won’t help.”

Lucius tore his hand free, his eyes flashing dangerously.

“You can die for all I care. But I won’t let Stella die for you.” He pulled out his phone, his jaw clenched as he unlocked the screen. “I’m calling the goddamn police force—and anyone else I need to—to make sure neither Stella nor I end up dead because of your fucking mess.”

The words had barely left his mouth when sudden movement across the restaurant caught their attention. Several men dressed in black appeared out of nowhere, rushing toward the attackers and forcing them to the ground. Their movements were swift and precise, as though they had been waiting for the right moment to intervene.

Within moments, one of the men approached Shane.