Page 86 of The Quiet Witness

The three men diverted their attention to Kate, the tall one bearing a look of… surprise. The others couldn’t hide the hunger in their gaze.

She should be afraid. Her legs should give out beneath her, with tremors coursing through. Kate felt none of it, nothing but this white-hot burn in her stomach, erasing any thoughts of fear.

“Not to mention the fact that you don’t freeze, you act. That might seem normal to you, but most people would shut down where you pushed through, Kate.”

She steeled her nerves, for all the compliments he’d given her that morning.

It was time to back it up.

“Could you take a step back from my friend here?”

They glanced her up and down, apparently not impressed. The tall one blurted out, voice hoarse. “What’s it to you, woman? I’m not here for you, and you don’t want me to be.” He curled two of his fingers in a walking motion. “Walk away.”

“Excuse me, sir? I just finished teaching my self-defense class, only to come here and see you harass one of my ladies!” She put her hands on her sides. “Maybe you should leave the premises before I call the cops on your ass for touching my friend. I bet they’ll eat that shit right up.”

Bluff, all bluff. But what else could she do? She could only hope Georgia or Heather had the clarity to call the police.

She laid an arm around Isabel’s shoulders. “Why don’t you go inside, dear? I’ll be right up.”

Isabel nodded, face blotched and red from crying, already stepping away for her escape.

“She’s not going anywhere. She’s mine.” The man bent over toward Isabel, triumph lighting up when she hunched over. His voice like the sound of a hinge gone without oil for too long. “Just you wait till I’m done with you this time wifey.”

Her husband, what a lovely, poor excuse of a man.

Kate bit out. “Hey! Eyes on me, okay.”

Isabel glanced her way nervously. Breaking under the weight of her tears. “It’s alright, Kate, I’ll be fine.”

No, she wouldn’t be. These things never turned out fine. It ended with a woman covered in bruises, or worse.

“Leave now, or don’t, it’s up to you. But when this shelter’s leader arrives here.” Kate made a show of glancing at her phone. “Which shouldn’t be long.” If only that were true, there was no way of knowing whether Lucien was on his way. “You will regret not having left when you still had the ability to do so.”

The only thing she didn’t need bluff for. Lucien would do more than break their bones.

The husband stepped closer, his friends moving in with him, entering her personal space they circled around her.

Kate nearly gagged from the alcohol-stained breath inching its way up her nose.

“Leave us be before I start with you.” He jerked with his chin to the knife strapped around his waist.

Fuck, he’s intoxicated. A knee in the ‘crown’ jewels might not work.

She stepped back with her right foot, finding her fighting stance with ease. Kate knew the dangers, tasted it in the air. Knew damn well that a fight meant she would get hurt. At the very least. But there were no good options. Her pulse shot up, adrenaline filling her veins.

Lucien’s voice echoed in her mind.. “If you’re outnumbered, with no way out. Use the element of surprise. That and… hit down hard on the leader of the group”

At least she had that. She leaned closer, ignoring the sting of the smell of their alcohol in her eyes. Kate offered her chin, exposing it while she drew up her hands. “And. What. If. I. Don’t?”

She saw him draw back his arm and there it was, a sloppy, looping right cross.

Kate sidestepped it effortlessly, letting the force of his punch send him careening toward the floor. His feet straightened toward her, but before he could fully recover, she was already on him. Her own jab, cross flying toward his face, followed up by a knee to his groin.

Judging by the breath leaving his lungs in a pitiful mewl, he could still feel it, alright. Good.

Vaguely, she heard Isabel’s shriek behind her, a warning. Out of the corner of her eye, a shadow moved. The air left her body, and she doubled over, hands over her stomach. Another kick caught her in the ribs.

She braced a hand on the floor, desperately trying to get air streaming through her lungs.