Betrayed, Then Back For Blood

In the chaotic, mixed crowd of the first floor of Blue Bar where pretty faces, spoiled heirs, and jaded bystanders were a nightly occurrence i

No one was ever truly surprised by anything, no matter how absurd it got.

So when Briar found herself surrounded by two brats making obvious moves on her, not a single person stepped in.

Stuff like this happened here all the time. Everyone knew that as long as the girl didn’t agree to leave with them, those two couldn’t actually force anything–not with Blue Bar’s owner backing strict house rules.

But tonight, things didn’t go the usual way. Because the hand that had reached out to grope Briar was suddenly caught and twisted back.

Right then, the music in the club came to an abrupt stop. Then a sharp scream tore through the first–floor lounge.

No one caught exactly how Briar moved, but in the blink of an eye, the rich punk who had reached for her was lifted and slammed hard onto the floor with a flawless over–the–shoulder throw.

He lay there groaning, unable to get up.

A collective gasp spread through the onlookers. That move–clean, efficient, and brutal–screamed professional training.

The other guy’s face twisted when he saw his buddy go down so fast.

They were from rich families at worst–usually, they were the ones pushing people around here, never the ones getting flattened.

“Bitch, you seriously don’t know what’s good for you,” the guy snapped, seething with anger. “You’re not leaving this place tonight.”

Briar didn’t even flinch. Even when the guy pulled out his phone and called in seven or eight big, muscle–bound bodyguards, she just leaned lazily against the bar with an almost boring expression.

“This is it?” Briar curled a finger at them, her voice cool and taunting. “Come on, all of you. It’s been a while since I had a real fight. Might be a little rusty, so don’t blame me if someone gets hurt.”

The guards grit their teeth. ‘She’s tiny and slim–how much trouble can she be?‘

They exchanged glances, then rushed her all at once, determined to teach her a lesson.

Two fists came flying at her face. Briar caught both midair, twisted down, and jerked.

A sickening pair of cracks echoed, followed by two howls of pain. She had just broken both their wrists.

Before the rest of the guards could even react, Briar’s figure blurred–and one by one, each man was kicked away like a rag doll.

six of them–twice her size–were knocked off their feet like

“Damn!”

“Shit!”

dead silence that fills a room when everyone forgets

guards on the

as she turned toward the

instinctively sensed danger. He stumbled backward, his

1/3

Chapter 29

Briar locked eyes with him, he felt like the air

let him escape. She stepped forward, slowly, deliberately, while the guy’s

couldn’t even tell how she moved just that suddenly, her hand was around his neck and

woman, and the guy was a full–grown man–but somehow, she was holding him up with one hand

out of his lungs. His vision blurred. His feet kicked helplessly in the air, but her grip never

his face. Just as he thought he was going to die, his world spun–and he was slammed onto the ground so hard his back probably hit someone behind

matter. He didn’t care. All he wanted was to get away from

backward on the

thought, ‘What the hell were we thinking? Who the hell said she looked sweet and easy to handle? This girl’s

looked casual, like it had no weight behind it—but to him, it felt like a mountain dropped on

pretend to

slowly, locking eyes with him. “Still want to

his head like crazy. “No… no

thinking about that

“No!

for a

guy: “No more

get in bed with

it was all our fault. Please, I’m sorr one, he was

question hit him like a hammer, breaking whatever

pale, sweat–drenched face. “Try acting

“Got

get lost.” Briar finally

it, dragging his friend with him. Without