Page 64 of Hope and Country

He gave me a slow once-over, glaring at me, bringing his beer bottle to his lips as if he had all the time in the world.

The self-defense lessons I took gave me a sense of power I’d never felt with Robbie before.

In the pocket of my hoodie, I fidgeted with the keychain Taylor gifted me and held it tight.

“Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in. Sister dear. You got me worried for a moment. But I knew you wouldn’t be able to stay away for long.” He shook his head with a satanic laugh. “Guess I should walk you out of here and put you to bed before you do anything stupid, right?” His gaze darted between his friends. “But you know how much I hate when you interrupt my night with the guys. It always puts me in a sour mood. And I’m not tanked enough to deal with your shit. This little disappearance act you put on me quite surprised me. I’ve been looking all over town for ya. Thought you ditched me.”

Anthony brought another round of beer and placed the bottles on the table, making sure to stay behind Robbie. His eyes found mine for half a second, and he nodded, as if to say this time, he had my back. That he knew the kind of man my stepbrother was.

I swallowed the ball of fire scorching my throat lining.

“Hey Robbie.” My voice sounded steadier than I imagined it would. “I’m here because I need to tell you something.” He began to stand, but I lifted a hand. “Don’t. Your friends can hear what I have to say.”

He blinked.

“I just wanted you to see that you didn’t break me. No. In fact, every time you’ve beaten me up, including the last one when you left me for dead, you made me stronger. Tougher. And I needed you to see with your own eyes that I’m still here. Standing tall. Not afraid of you. Or what you might do to me. Your woman-beating days are over. You’ll never hurt me or anyone else ever again.”

Robbie jumped to his feet, clenching his fists at his sides, fury smoldering from his eyes. If a stare could kill, my stepbrother would have annihilated me right here in the middle of the bar.

“You shut your stupid mouth, sis. If you say another fucking word, I’ll—”

“You’ll what, Robbie?”

My voice sounded even. And powerful. As I faced the man who made it his mission to destroy me so many times before.

“You think your smart mouth is cute? I can tell you right now it will get you into trouble. And what the fuck are you wearing? Whose sweater is this? You look stupid.” In two strides, he joined me. His fingers wrapped around my wrist, but using the trick I’d learned in self-defense, I used my body weight to knock him down before yanking my arm away from his grip, holding him still on the floor with the sole of my boot for a second before leaping back.

Robbie gawked at me. And blinked, unable to hide his dumbfounded look.

Had no one stood up to him before?

He schooled his features, and a mask of anger painted his face.

In a quick motion, he rose to his feet and dashed in my direction, his hands aiming for my throat. With a skip to the right, I sidestepped, and he strangled the air instead. And tumbled. A few curses left his mouth. His intoxicated brain could probably be to blame for his bad reflexes.

I relished the feel of being fearless in front of Robbie. To witness the loss of his stranglehold on me.

“What the fuck, sis.” He lowered his voice, smoothing his tone. He switched his approach, using a soft voice to bait me. But I knew better. “I was worried. I called you. Went to your place. I thought something happened to you. Called every hospital.”

With my hands in front of me and the keychain secured in my fist, ready to block him if he tried to grab me again, I stared into his eyes, two black abysses sending chills down my spine. I held his gaze. Robbie would never scare me again. And he had to see it himself. I wouldn’t back down. I was done being his anger target.

My frantic heart rate calmed.

I stretched my neck to relieve some tension, never breaking my stance.

“Don’t waste your words, Robbie. You are done hurting people. This is me, here, telling you it’s over.”

As if on cue, Anthony, Riley, and Taylor came to stand behind me.

“It’s time, Devon,” my man said, leaning closer.

“What are you, sis? A whore?” His eyes took in the three men. “Oh, I see your boy toy is still in the picture. Remember the promise I made to you the last time I had to extirpate you out of here? Don’t say I never warned ya.”

Riley tugged at my elbow to pull me back.

Four men dressed in navy clothes with badges hanging around their necks neared the table.

“Robbie Miller?”