Page 138 of His Fury

Another beat of silence. The short-haired guy held my gaze for a long second—weighing me. Testing.

Then he leaned back and tapped the table once. The three of them stood.

The one who’d spoken to me leaned close as he passed, his breath warm against my temple. “You’ve got teeth, sweetheart. Hope you bite the right throat.”

I didn’t flinch. Didn’t look back. Mikhail had three guys walk them out but stayed by my side. I waited until they disappeared into the crowd before I let out a slow, silent breath.

I turned to look up at him. “Go find out who let them in. Relieve him of his post.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

I walked back to the bar, stepped behind it, and took the bottle of water James handed me wordlessly as I met the gaze of one of the cops while taking a drink. He didn’t react; he just watched. I maintained eye contact, observing until he and his buddies got up and left the club. Letting out a sigh, I felt I was back in control, back in my skin.

Zayn’s name had gotten me halfway. The rest? That had been all me. I didn’t shake until I was alone.

In the staff bathrooms behind the bar, one of the light bulbs flickered overhead like it was as unsettled as I felt. I braced my palms on the cool tile of the wall, counting my breaths in and out.

One. Two. Three. Four.

They’d left. I’d made them leave. But that wasn’t what stuck with me. It was what he’d said.

Hope you bite the right throat.

I hated that it rattled me. Hated the way his voice clung to my skin like smoke. But even more, I hated the part of me that understood what he meant.

This wasn’t a game.

This wasn’t a world where threats came with warning labels or polite invitations. I wasn’t on the edge anymore, lookingin. I was alreadyin.

And if I wanted to stay by Zayn’s side, I needed to carry my weight—not just emotionally, not just in bed, not just at the club—everywhere.

No illusions. No safety nets. I closed my eyes and straightened up. My hands were steady as I checked my makeup even if my heart hadn’t caught up yet. I made my way back to the VIP booths. It was quieter here, muting the pulse of the club beyond, with each booth soundproofed, and I thanked God that they were.

I leaned against the wall, pulled out my phone, and stared at the screen. He hadn’t texted. I didn’t expect him to. Rye hadn’t either, however, I knew they were dealing with more than just a few routine cops and some guys with more swagger than substance. Nonetheless, I needed to tell Zayn what happened—not to alarm him but to inform him.

Because that’s what partners did. I typed quickly.

Four unknowns came in tonight. They were in suits, clean and watching me more than the club. Mikhail informed me that they were cops. Three guys came after them. They were NOT cops. I handled it. Security has instructions not to let them back in. Just keeping you updated.

I stared at it for a moment, then hit send before I could second-guess myself.

Not “I’m scared.” Not “Come fix it.” Just information. If he wanted me in this world, I’d learn how to stand in it. And if he didn’t… Then I’d walk away with my spine straight and my eyes open. The phone buzzed a few minutes later.

Noted. You did good.

I stared at the screen. That was all. There was no demand to go home, no fear, no reprimand, just…trust. My shoulders relaxed slightly, the tension loosening. Good, this was what I wanted.

We’ll talk about your phone being off later

I stood straighter, a smile on my lips. There he was. Mr. Bossy. I left the restrooms and saw that Mikhail was back.

“Come on, big guy,” I said to Mikhail. “Let’s do the rounds.”

I stepped back into the flow of the club. There were still drinks to serve, guests to placate, music to manage, and a princess who would need to be carried home soon if she drank much more. I wasn’t done yet. But I’d just proved something to myself tonight, and it mattered more than Zayn’s approval.

I could survive here. On my own. Because I wasn’t alone anymore.

I knew it. I’d proven it to myself, and I was proud of myself. But…I also knew I didn’t want todothis night after night.

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