Vienna’s POVThe three of us quickened our pace, weaving through the growing crowd as the noise swelled ahead. A mix of shouts, laughter, and gasps rippled through the onlookers.I stood on my tiptoes, trying to see past the wall of bodies. My heart skipped when I finally caught a glimpse of flailing limbs—and then the unmistakable sight of Bella. Her eyes were glassy with rage, fingers knotted tightly in another woman’s hair.“Bella?” I blurted, stunned. Her knuckles were white from the grip, her lips moving fast in furious words I couldn’t make out over the crowd’s reactions.“No ways,” Noah murmured beside me, his voice laced with disbelief. “What the hell did that chick do to set her off?”Warren reached out as I instinctively lunged forward, placing a steady hand on my shoulder.“Hold on,” he said firmly, though his tone was gentle. “Give her a second. Bella’s fierce—she can handle herself.”“But she’s clearly not okay,” I protested, trying to push past him.Warren’s hand didn’t
Vienna’s POV“I don’t know,” I said softly, my gaze fixed on the blur of streetlights outside the window. “It just feels like I have a target on my back lately. The piping bag incident, the tire… I don’t know if it’s all just coincidence anymore.”Warren glanced at me, his brow creasing as he kept one hand on the wheel. “You’ve been going through a lot lately, huh?”I let out a dry laugh. “You could say that.”He didn’t press for details. But even that small acknowledgment—his noticing, his concern—hit me harder than I expected. He had no idea what I was carrying. Without warning, he suddenly pulled the car over to the side of the road. I turned to him, confused. “What are you doing?”He didn’t answer right away. Instead, he reached into the glove compartment and pulled out a small velvet box, his expression unreadable.“I meant to give this to you a while ago,” he said quietly, thumbing the edge of the box. “But... things between us were too messy. Too tense. There never seemed to be
Warren’s POV"Nothing," Vienna said quickly—too quickly. But I’d caught the look in her eyes just moments ago, right as I shut the trunk. There was heat in it—undeniable—and it twisted something deep in my chest. Pride, excitement, a flicker of hope. Maybe me fixing that tire had done more than get us back on the road. Maybe it had chipped away at the walls between us.She took a few measured steps toward me, her expression shifting into something more serious—cool, but not cold. "Warren," she began, stopping just in front of me. "You know that the way you shoved Fred back there wasn’t okay."I exhaled sharply, the pride in my chest dimming slightly. "I was pissed," I said. "I thought—""You thought what?" she cut in, arms crossing. "How many times do I have to tell you that my relationship with Fred—my boss—is strictly professional?"I opened my mouth, but she wasn’t finished."Fred is a good guy," she continued firmly. "A solid leader, respectful, professional—he didn’t deserve th
Vienna’s POVAfter tightening the final lug nut with a satisfying click, Warren rose to his feet in one fluid motion. “There,” he said, brushing his palms off on his jeans with an air of finality. He gave the newly secured tire a sharp kick with the heel of his boot, testing its hold. The car barely budged. Satisfied, he stepped back and took a moment to admire his own handiwork. His arms were crossed, chest slightly puffed like a man who’d just won an unspoken contest.Then he turned to Fred, one brow lifted high in smug triumph. “Take a good look,” he said, his voice smooth, laced with condescension. “This is how you change a tire.”Fred scratched the back of his neck, his smile tight. “Yeah, well… I never claimed to be Mr. Auto Shop,” he muttered with an awkward chuckle. “I’m more of a pen-and-paper kinda guy.”Warren gave a short huff that was somewhere between amusement and disdain. But instead of twisting the knife further, his tone shifted—disarmingly casual, almost teasing. L
Vienna’s POVWarren’s jaw tightened as he stepped between us, eyes locked on Fred. “She’s my wife,” he said coldly, voice low and sharp. “Of course I care about her safety.”Fred raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. “Funny way of showing it. A little on the aggressive side, in my opinion.”“I saw what I saw,” Warren snapped. “You were practically on top of her.”“I was helping her,” Fred said, his tone biting. “That’s all. You really think I’d make a move on a married woman?”“I think you enjoy playing the knight in shining armor a little too much,” Warren shot back. “You’ve been hovering around her for weeks.”“Because she’s the best damn pastry chef in my kitchen. She deserves to be treated with respect,” Fred said, his voice rising. “And not yanked around like some possession you get to claim in front of everyone.”Warren took a step closer, his shoulders squared, fists clenched. “Watch your mouth.”Fred didn’t budge. “Or what? You’ll push me again? Go ahead. Prove to her how mature you
Vienna’s POVI spun around at the familiar voice—and there he was.“Warren?” I said, startled.Before I could say anything more, Warren stormed forward. His jaw was tight, eyes blazing with a fury I hadn’t seen in a long time.“Warren, wait—” I started, holding up a hand instinctively.But it was too late.Without hesitation, Warren shoved Fred back with one strong arm, forcing him to stumble a step away. “Back off,” he snapped. His voice was low but thunderous, like a warning before a storm.“Hey—!” Fred began, his tone rising in protest.Warren didn’t even look at him. He grabbed my wrist and pulled me into his chest. He held me with a grip that was far too tight to be tender.His closeness overwhelmed me. I stiffened in his arms, the scent of his cologne washing over me—but beneath it, unmistakably, was tobacco. Sharp. Bitter.I flinched. The nausea hit almost instantly.He promised he’d quit. He said he’d change.My stomach twisted as my brain tried to catch up to what was happenin