Chapter 3 – Just Here for Fun
330 Words
Riley cursed under her breath as she dodged the next punch. Even though regret gnawed at her, she knew from experience that only she could carve a way out. Clenching her teeth, she lunged at one of the attackers.
"Look at this little firecracker, trying to hit first!" Troy, the biggest of the four, laughed. Facing a fragile-looking girl, he didn’t even consider taking her seriously. He reached out, expecting an easy grab.
But Riley’s fist shot forward at an odd angle, sliding past his arm and hitting him square in the jaw. Troy staggered back, dizzy from the unexpected force.
"Crazy girl… you’re asking for it," he growled. Anger flared as he swung a fist the size of a dinner plate toward Riley’s head.
Riley shifted her weight, narrowly avoiding it, then kicked him in the side with precision.
From behind a nearby oak, Ethan watched, intrigued. Riley was clearly trained in some form of old-school martial arts. Not modern MMA, but a style that manipulated power through the body. She wasn’t a master—her attacks lacked the inner energy—but she was still lethal in a fight.
"Are you all trying to make a fool out of me?" Troy yelled, grabbing the moment to rally his friends. The three other men rushed in, and Riley was suddenly surrounded.
One of them, Derek, grabbed Riley by her shirt. She twisted and tore the fabric with a rip, exposing a glimpse of pale skin. The men stared, but Riley instinctively covered herself.
"Time to step in," Ethan muttered under his breath, stepping out. The four men froze, staring at the scrappy young man before them. Despite his messy appearance, there was a quiet menace in his stance.
In an instant, Troy and his friends were hurled backward into the grass. Ethan had handled them with ease.
Riley exhaled sharply. "Thank you…"
Ethan smirked, though his thoughts betrayed him: Damn… what a body. Shame about the face.
- Writer
