Hired a Gigolo Got a Billionaire (Zoey and Christian) novel Chapter 98

Chapter 98

Christian’s voice sliced through the air like a blade. He stood at the entrance to the small hedge maze, and I had never seen such an expression on his face. It wasn’t just anger. It was primitive fury, a promise of violence held back by nothing more than a thread of self-control.

“Christian.” Anthony quickly recovered his composure, straightening his jacket. “Just a friendly chat with your … wife.”

“Step away from her. Now.” Christian advanced a few steps, every muscle visibly taut.

“She didn’t seem to object until a few seconds ago.” Anthony’s eyes flicked toward me, malicious glinting in them.

“He tried to grab me,” I said, my voice trembling slightly from the adrenaline. “He knows about—”

“About that interesting arrangement you two have?” Anthony cut in, a cruel smile curling his lips. “Fascinating setup, I must say. Very practical.”

It was like watching a car crash in slow motion. I saw the exact moment Christian’s control snapped. It was subtle-a twitch in his jaw, the narrowing of his eyes. Then, with the speed and precision of someone who had clearly been in fights before, he closed the distance and grabbed Anthony by the lapels.

“You don’t talk to her.” Christian’s voice was dangerously low. “You don’t look at her. You don’t breathe near her. Understood?”

Anthony didn’t look intimidated. On the contrary, his smile widened.

“Struck a nerve, cousin?” He looked over Christian’s shoulder at me. “What is it you’re hiding so desperately?”

The first blow came so fast I barely registered it. Christian’s fist connected with Anthony’s jaw, sending him stumbling back.

“Christian!” I cried, shocked at the explosion of violence.

Anthony regained his footing, swiping at the blood on his mouth. For a moment, he looked genuinely surprised. Then, with a snarl, he lunged at Christian.

The two men crashed together, knocking over a decorative vase that shattered across the stones. I watched in horror as Christian was shoved back against one of the statues, but he recovered instantly, dodging Anthony’s next swing and countering with a punch to the gut that doubled his cousin over.

“Stop it!” I tried to move closer, but the look Christian shot me froze me in place.

“Stay back, Zoey!”

The fight escalated, decades of rivalry and resentment exploding into raw violence. Anthony’s expensive suit was ripped at the shoulder, while Christian’s white shirt was smeared with blood-his or his cousin’s, I couldn’t tell.

A brutal punch from Christian landed squarely on Anthony’s nose with a sickening crack of cartilage. Blood gushed instantly, but Anthony still managed to land a hit to Christian’s temple, sending him staggering.

“You’re going to kill each other!” I screamed, desperate, looking around for help. But we were isolated in this corner of the garden, far from the main house.

For a moment they broke apart, circling each other like predators, panting and bloodied.

“Always the protector, aren’t you, Christian?” Anthony spat blood onto the gravel. “So noble. So honorable. And yet here you are, with a sham marriage.”

Christian surged forward again, but this time Anthony was ready. He dodged and drove a punch into Christian’s ribs, dragging a grunt of pain from him.

The fight raged on, brutal and graceless-two polished men reduced to primal violence. More vases shattered, stone ornaments toppled as they slammed into the garden’s decorations.

Then, in a swift move, Christian pinned Anthony against the stone wall, his forearm crushing into his cousin’s throat.

“Never again…” Christian panted, his face inches from Anthony’s. “…touch her. Never again speak to her. If you come near Zoey again, I swear to God you’ll wish all I did was break your nose.”

To my shock, even pinned, with blood streaming from his nose and lip, Anthony began to laugh. A ragged, strangled laugh under the pressure on his windpipe, but unmistakably a laugh.

“You’re… bluffing…” he rasped. “Too much… to lose…”

Christian tightened his grip, his eyes cold as ice. “Try me.”

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