My voice was a low whisper, barely audible above the hushed m

forgiveness. For being such a pathetic, desperate little thing." She crossed her a

A lesson in humility," I echoed, my voice gaining strength, tinged with a dangerous edge. "From

olled fury. Her perfect composure shattered, revealing the ugly temper beneath. "You

ing rings, shot out, aiming for my face. It was a wild, uncoordina

d. Years of self-defense classes, a quiet hobby I pursued in my limited free time, kic

h to disrupt her balance completely. A sharp, focused pressure on a nerve point, and Isa' s eyes widened i

e landed hard on her knees, the impact jarring through the flimsy fabric of her expensiv

ve intake of breath that fil

one whispered. "Sh

r muttered, her voice laced with fear. "The Steeles wil

now clutching her knee, tears streaming down her

zen, wide-eyed and trembling. "Are you going to complete

He scrambled to the register, his fingers fumbling with the keys. The platinum card wa

victory, but a victory nonetheless. "Thank you," I said, my tone polite but firm. I tu

spite her pain, her face streaked with tears and fury. "You' re not going anywhere!" she

to her face. My eyes, I knew, were cold. "Let

speration. "Not until Chadwick gets here! He' ll m

us. A fresh wave of fear, raw and visceral, flickered in her eyes. It was a primal instinct, a recog

aving the chaos in my wake. As I stepped out into the bright mall corridor, a sleek, black limousine with tinted windows pulled u

f course. Just when