His posture was stiff, as if he wasn’t sure whether to step closer or stay where he was. His eyes dragged over me, searching, like he was trying to confirm I was really here.
I forced a tight smile and gave a small nod.
Lark’s entire body shifted. Her shoulders squared, her expression darkening as she turned around in her seat. The brightness in her eyes vanished, replaced with something sharp and dangerous as she pushed herself to her feet.
“Oh,” she said, her voice cutting clean through the space. “Look who it is.”
She stepped toward him before I could react, her heels clicking hard against the floor. John straightened automatically, puffing up in a childish attempt to match her energy.
Bad move.
She tilted her head, looking him up and down with open disdain.
“I thought I told you not to come around here again, dick head,” she said, her tone dropping. “You grow some balls or something?”
I pushed off my stool, already moving to step in, but it was too late. Her leg snapped back, then forward, in one smooth motion, kicking him right in the crotch.
John’s face twisted, eyes going wide as his hands shot down, clutching himself as he dropped to the floor with a strangled sound.
A few people nearby jumped back, chairs scraping as they cleared space. Someone let out a low whistle. Others had turned around now, their attention locked on the scene.
Lark stepped forward, leaning over him, finger jabbing in his direction.
“Who thefucktold you to grow those, huh?!” she snapped.
For a second, I just stared, then a laugh bubbled up before I could stop it, slipping past my lips as I shook my head. Something warm swirled in my belly, pushing out all the tension I’d been carrying, and I smiled at my best friend, so glad that she always had my back.
She pulled her leg back again, ready to go for round two in her six-inch heels, but I lunged forward, catching her arm mid-motion.
“Hey—”
Glaring down at him like the piece of trash he was, she refused to budge, but we didn't have to lower ourselves to his level.
“Lark.”
That got her attention. Her head snapped toward me, eyes still blazing. I bit back another laugh, shaking my head.
“I got this.”
She held my gaze for a second longer, silently assuring me that she had no problem finishing what she started, but when I gave her thelook, she huffed and dropped her foot back to the ground. Her hands smoothed down her lace shirt in sharp, irritated movements before she turned toward the crowd that had gathered.
“Nothing to see here,” she barked, her voice loud enough to cut through the noise. “Move.”
People quickly backed off and turned away, their conversations picking back up as if they hadn’t been watching us mere seconds ago.
Lark shot John one last look, pure disdain, then glanced at me and winked before heading back to the bar. She slid onto her stool, crossing her long legs like nothing had happened as she waved down the bartender for another drink.
Still on the floor, John groaned and rolled onto his side as he tried to push himself up. Every movement came slowly, carefully, his breath hitching with each attempt.
I stepped in before he could collapse again, grabbing his arm and roughly hauling him upright. He stumbled, catching himself against the bar as I shoved him back into place.
“Fucking bitch,” he called out under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear as he glared at Lark.
My hand shot up, gripping the front of his shirt as I stepped into his space.
“Don’t you dare,” I said, my voice low and steady. I had no problem taking on somebody I was evenly matched with. Even though he was a male who appeared to be taller and stronger, he was still just a human. His blood ran red and fast just like mine. I liked those odds.
He leaned back instinctively, the fight draining out of him as his gaze flicked past me toward Lark, who hadn’t even bothered to look back.
