A realisation hit me that made my voice come out panicked as I called his name.

Stone could murder someone with a flick of his wrist.

The giant relaxed when he heard my voice. The taut tendons and the bulging veins in his arms faded away under my touch.

What Chase said was horrible and wrong, but I did not want him to get seriously hurt.

He was still the Chase that was the person most there for me when my mother died. He was still the Chase who let me sleep over in his guest room when I felt too lonely or too scared to go home. He was still the Chase who helped during a dark time.

The quarterback fell to the floor with a thud as Stone let go of his neck and turned to me.

The hardness in his rough face and dark eyes disappeared as he looked down at me. His expression went soft and loving like he was not just strangling someone a second ago.

Before Chase could run away, Stone barked in his direction "If you ever touch her or talk to her again then I will fucking gut you."

The blonde jock nodded.

Once he and his buddies walked a few metres away, Chase started laughing mockingly like he was wanting a rise from him.

I felt the tension in Stone's arm muscles and watched as the veins bulged. That is why I grabbed hold of his hand to stop him.

"Do not do anything." I begged, "Just let him go."

Stone gazed down at me and gritted out "Why?"

"It has been dealt with. I did not just stand there and not defend myself." I told him before trying to guilt-trip him into calming down "Do you not think I can handle myself?"

"He hurt you." He gritted out like it was causing him pain to see my reddened arm.

"I do not need you to swoop in and save me." I gave him a pointed look "I love that you care that much but I can take care of myself. Plus, I don’t want you in trouble."

His harsh facial features relaxed a little as he removed the tension from his fists. He uncurled his hands and rested them on my waist.

"I know you can stick up for yourself, Medusa." He stated before explaining "But you should not have to. He fucking hurt you and that is never going to sit well with me."

I tilted my head at him.

"I want to hurt him." He replied gruffly.

I placed my hands on his chest as I stepped closer "Please calm down."

My marked arm was now visible and that did the very opposite of what I was encouraging. As he saw it and let out a deep rough noise.

His jaw clenched once again, and he closed his eyes "I am going to need a better reason not to hunt him down."