My body moves before my brain finishes the thought.
The bell over the diner door jingles behind me. Cold air bites my face. The world narrows to one thing.
His hand on her.
Bootsteps crunch on packed snow. Slow. Heavy.
I stop close enough that he can hear me breathe.
“Step away from my woman,” I say, voice flat.
His head turns.
He’s got that smug, cheap kind of confidence, the kind that’s only brave when he thinks he has control.
Then he sees my face.
His grip falters.
I take one more step, and the air changes. Quiet. Sharp.
“Now. If you want to live,” I add.
He swallows, then forces a laugh like he can talk his way out of this.
“Your woman?” he says, eyes flicking over Nova like she’s property. “Buddy, she was my woman a few days ago.”
Nova goes still. I feel it in my bones.
He smiles wider, getting meaner because that’s what weak men do when they’re cornered.
“She ran off with my money,” he says. “Now she’s playing mountain princess with a guy way out of her league.”
His gaze slides over her. “Guess she thought she could upgrade.”
Nova flinches.
That’s the last mistake he makes.
I don’t think.
My fist connects with his mouth with a crack that echoes off brick.
He stumbles back into the snow, hands flying to his face. Blood spots the white.
Nova gasps my name.
I don’t take my eyes off him.
He looks up, shocked, then furious, then afraid when he realizes I’m not finished if he keeps talking.
“You’re crazy,” he spits, voice thick. “You’re gonna regret that.”
“Leave,” I say. “Never come back.”
He scrambles to his feet, wiping blood off his lip. His eyes flick to Nova again.
“You think he’s gonna keep you?” he sneers at her. “He doesn’t even know what you are.”
