The sun was sinking low, spilling gold and amber across the cracked pavement. Johnny Kavanagh leaned against the hood of his car, one arm slung casually around his girlfriend’s shoulders. Their friends—Shannon Lynch, Lizzie Young, Claire Biggs, Aoife Molloy, Katie Wilmot, Joey Lynch, Gerard “Gibsie” Gibson, Tadhg Lynch, Hughie Biggs, and Patrick Feely—were scattered around the lot, wrapping up conversations and laughing in the glow of the evening.

Then Bella showed up.

She strutted toward them with the sharp confidence of someone who knew she could cut with just a few words. Her smirk was razor-thin as she stopped in front of Johnny.

“Scumbag,” she sneered.

Johnny’s body tensed beside his girlfriend, his jaw tightening like a vice. She felt it instantly—the way his arm stiffened around her, the silent bite of anger he never let slip in front of her. Before he could respond, she stepped forward.

“What did you just say?” Her voice was cold. Dangerous.

Bella rolled her eyes. “You heard me. He’s a scumbag. Trash, just like his friends.”

The world seemed to go still. Their entire group froze, conversation evaporating like smoke. Shannon’s mouth fell open, but no one moved. No one breathed.

Johnny’s girlfriend didn’t think. She didn’t need to.

In a blur of motion, her fist connected with Bella’s face.

The crack of the punch echoed through the parking lot, startling everyone into silence. Bella stumbled back, clutching her cheek, her wide eyes stunned.

“Who the hell are you?” Bella spat, though the edge in her voice wavered.

Johnny’s girlfriend took a step closer, fire burning in her gaze. “Oh, I’m your worst nightmare, bitch.”

And then, with a swift and deliberate movement, she grabbed Bella by the shoulders, slammed her down onto the pavement, and straddled her, pinning her with a strength that shocked even herself.

The entire group stared. No one spoke. It was as if time had stopped, the whole scene frozen in the orange glow of dusk.

“You like terrorizing little girls?” she said, her voice low and lethal. “Try someone your own size.”

Bella wriggled beneath her, but she couldn’t move. Johnny’s girlfriend’s fist hovered above her like a warning.

“Think you can call my boyfriend a scumbag?” she growled.

Then her fist came down again, another solid punch landing squarely against Bella’s jaw.

A collective gasp rose from the group, but still, no one stepped in. Gibsie muttered under his breath, “Holy shite…” but even he didn’t move.

Johnny stood frozen where he was, heart pounding so hard it hurt. He couldn’t look away, couldn’t even find words. He was caught somewhere between shock and awe—and maybe, just maybe, falling even harder for her than he’d thought possible.