Ewan recovered quickly, his expression darkening. He lunged, attempting to grab her arm, but Zoe twisted out of reach, landing a clean punch to his ribs that made him grunt. Angered, he came at her with a series of fast, powerful punches. Zoe dodged, blocking when she had to, until finally, she saw her opening. She ducked under one of his punches and drove her fist into his abdomen, knocking him back.
The crowd cheered as Zoe straightened, breathing hard but still steady. Ewan glared at her, his expression a mixture of frustration and something darker.
“Round one to Zoe,” Rurik announced, gesturing for a brief pause.
Ewan’s jaw clenched, his eyes flashing with a dangerous glint. Zoe noticed his fingers clenching and unclenching as he fought to control his temper. She took a deep breath,
