Hospital

MAX'S POV

"This is brutal, he's going to kill him!"

Despite the blood and the bruises decorating my face, I found the strength to push him off. I stumbled to my feet, my legs shaky, my face telling a tale of determination mixed with a healthy dose of "What the heck am I doing?" "Enough of this," I wheezed, barely able to get the words out.

But my assailant, driven by some relentless fury, came at me again. This time, though, I was slightly more prepared. I sidestepped and grabbed a chair, wielding it like the world's most pathetic knight. We circled each other, breathing hard, the onlookers too shocked to do anything but stare.

"You're crazy, man! Just back off!" I tried to reason with him, hoping to find a sliver of sanity left in there somewhere.

With a roar that would make a lion proud, he charged. But fueled by a mix of adrenaline, fear, and a desperate need not to look like a total idiot in front of Bentley, I swung the chair with everything I had. It connected, and for a moment,