Pulse

THREE - PIPER

He scoffed, a cruel smirk twisting his lips. But before he could take another step, I swung the bat with all my might, aiming low. The crack of aluminum against bone was sickeningly clear as his kneecaps snapped, and the man crumpled to the ground in a heap, his screams slicing through the night. Adrenaline pumped through my veins, sharp and hot, as I readied the bat again, daring anyone else to come at me.

"Jesus, Piper!" one of them yelped, their bravado splintering like the glass from the bottle. They scrambled, helping their fallen leader up, casting wary glances my way as though I was the unpredictable one.

"Yeah, you better run, you p*****s!" I shouted, emboldened by their retreat, my heart hammering in triumph as they half-dragged, half-carried him away.

But as their shadows melted into the darkness, the hollow echo of clapping reached my ears. I whipped around, pulse racing, to see five men standing behind me, the dim light glinting off their unreadable faces.

And there, in the center, stood Kai—my personal tormentor, my bully. The viper, they called him on the ring, but to me, he was just

Kai. His piercing blue eyes were fixed on me, an unfathomable expression etched across his face.

"That was quite the show," one of his cronies remarked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

I didn't hesitate. I pointed my bat towards them, arms shaking slightly from the adrenaline still coursing through me. "I'll hurt you if you come any closer," I warned, my voice steady despite the rapid drumming of my heart.

Kai's gaze never wavered, a slow, dangerous smile spreading across his lips. "Wouldn't dream of it, Pip," he said, his tone mocking yet oddly respectful. "You're full of surprises."

The tension hung between us, thick and palpable. But beneath it all, something shifted—a flicker of understanding, perhaps, or the acknowledgment of bravery from an unlikely source. It was hard to tell with Kai, whose motives were often as shadowy as the night itself.

The woman's voice quivered. "Kai," she whispered, and then she was a flurry of movement, darting past me to throw herself into his open arms.

"Riley," he murmured, catching her with ease. His broad frame enveloped her petite one as she clung to him, shaking. He peeled off his jacket with a swift gesture, draping it over her trembling shoulders.

"What happened?,” he said softly, yet the command in his voice was unmistakable.

She gulped, eyes darting to mine for just a moment. "It—it was horrible. I thought I was meeting Brandon," she stammered, words tumbling out like pebbles in an avalanche. "But when I got there, it was them—three of them." Her hand rose shakily to point at me.

"I don't know what they would've done if she hadn't—"

Her voice broke off, but Kai's eyes had already snapped to mine. A silent beat passed. His brow lifted in a mixture of surprise and something else—something unreadable.

Our gazes locked, and for a moment, the world around us faded into a blur. The echo of my thudding heartbeat seemed to fill the space, mingling with the distant hum of night. There was no mockery in his eyes now, no hint of disdain. Just a glimmer of... respect?

"Thank you," he said finally, voice low but sincere. And though those words should have been directed at me, it felt like he was speaking to someone he didn't quite recognize. Someone who wasn't supposed to be brave. Someone who wasn't supposed to fight back.

Me. Piper Green, who found solace in books, not brawls.