p on Chloe's wrist and reached for the collar of her silk blouse

inished th

e didn't aim for his head. She was more precise than that. She broug

ickening crunch o

ny. He snatched his hand back, cradling it to his chest. It

dka from the table, and with a sharp, fluid motion, smashed its base against the solid oak edg

oat. Her eyes, which moments ago held fear, n

chatter turning into shrieks of alarm. People scramble

clearing, Sienna trailing close behind

t a theatrical shriek. "Oh my god, Dougie! What did she do to y

in pain, and Chloe, his fiancée, standing wild-eyed, holding a

sted into a mask of cold fury. He didn't ask

voice cutting through the noise

e man she had loved for seven years. In his eyes, she saw no concern for her,

. "She was defending herself, Bra

y out of this, Stella." He turned his glare back to Chloe. "Yo

ully. "I just came over to say hello, Brad. She ju

ob. "Brad, you have to do something! H

He looked at Chloe, his voice dropping to a low, commanding t

log

ber of hope in her heart was extinguished. She looked at him, truly looked at him, and saw a

escaped her lips. It

n bottle fell to the thick car

ng duo he was protecting, she grabbed her coat

ay from me," Brad snarled

peed. Her eyes met his, and the look in them was one of su

spat, the words

e. He could only watch, paralyzed, as she and Stella pushed th

Stella was holding her, her voice a worried buzz in her ear

nts wooden. "Just... go home, St

s in Chloe's eyes that silenced her. Reluctantly, she

nstead, she walked into a dive bar on the next corner, a place with

ool and threw a hundred-doll

led bartender. "The strongest yo

down her throat, a welcome fire trying to incinerate the image of Brad's face f

e lights blurred into streaks.

the high stool, a clumsy, b

dy arm wrapped around her waist, catching he