"It's getting chilly," Danny said with a shiver, wrapping his arms around his shoulders and rubbing them for warmth.
The cousins huddled together while their mothers explained their side of the story about the missing gold bar to their neighbors and friends. Alwin and Mandy were bringing the cars around while Dan went to get the keys to the Poloaris Ranger.
The parking lot was chaotic, cars honking and inching forward as drivers tried to escape the gridlock. People milled about, craning their necks and squinting, attempting to locate where the valets had parked their vehicles. Adding to the confusion, police cars blocked half the school entrance, further tightening the already cramped space.
"It's not that cold," Ace replied dismissively, giving Danny a brief glance before turning his attention to the crowd. His gaze scanned the throng of people, searching for Layla. As he wandered a little closer to the school's entrance, peering over heads and dodging impatient pedestrians, he suddenly felt a sharp kick to his left shin. Stumbling forward, he nearly lost his balance but managed to stay upright.
"What the fu—" he began, spinning around, his face twisted in fury. "Ava? Are you out of your mind?"
Ava stood before him, a mischievous grin lighting up her face. Her oversized hoodie bunched slightly under her red flannel shirt as she shifted her weight from one foot to the other, her hands snugly tucked into the hoodie's front pocket. She pouted dramatically, her eyebrows knitting in mock indignation.
"Why are you shouting? It was just a little kick," she said with a teasing lilt. Then, with an exaggerated sigh, she added, "If you want, you can kick me back."
"Don't think I won't," Ace shot back, stepping forward as if preparing to return the favor.
Before he could make a move, a high-pitched voice pierced the air behind him. "Daddy! Why isn't that thief in custody? Why is he roaming around, kicking girls?"
The voice stopped Ace cold. His jaw tightened as recognition dawned. He didn't need to turn around to know who it belonged to. That grating, smug tone had haunted his family, dragging their name through the mud.
Just as Ace began to pivot toward her, Ava's expression shifted from playful to seething. Her eyes narrowed dangerously, and in an instant, she closed the distance between herself and Brooke. With a sharp motion, Ava raised her hand and slapped Brooke across the face, the sound of the impact cutting through the surrounding noise. Brooke staggered backward, her feet fumbling for footing before she crumpled to the pavement, her head hitting the ground with a dull thud.
The crowd froze, their murmurs silenced. Phones were hurriedly pulled out, cameras focused on Ava, who stood over the unconscious Brooke. Her voice, cold and unrelenting, cut through the tension like a blade, "Who the hell are you calling a thief? Answer me!"
"Brooke!" Mr. Rockworth and his family rushed forward, their faces pale with panic. Dropping to their knees beside her, they frantically checked her condition, calling her name and searching for signs of consciousness.
Meanwhile, Ace caught sight of Ava raising her leg, aiming to deliver a kick to Brooke's unprotected stomach. His eyes widened in alarm. Without hesitating, he lunged toward her and wrapped his arms tightly around her, pinning her limbs against her body. Her struggles were fierce, but Ace held her firm, making sure she couldn't strike either the unconscious Brooke or her distraught family.
Ace's mind raced. Sure, he had his own scores to settle with Brooke—scores that burned like an old wound—but if Ava's kick landed, it would likely break several of Brooke's ribs, or worse. Ava's fists packed over 1,000 Ibf of force, equivalent to that of a trained male boxer. Her kicks? Just as devastating, if not more so, especially with the hard soles of her Ugg boots. This wasn't just a fight—it could escalate into something life-threatening.
Brock, half-kneeling beside his twin sister, turned his furious gaze on Ava, now restrained in Ace's embrace. His face twisted with rage as he rose to his feet, his hands curling into fists. Without a word, he charged at Ava, intent on retaliating.
Before Ace could warn him, Ava tilted her head back to look at Ace and, with startling confidence, planted a quick kiss on his lips.
For a moment, time seemed to stop. Ace froze, his brain scrambling to process what had just happened. This was his first kiss with a real and breathing girl with a heartbeat. Stunned, his grip on Ava loosened, and he stumbled backward, releasing her.
Just as Brock's fist was about to connect with her, Ava ducked with practiced precision. Moving fluidly, she struck Brock in the throat with the edge of her hand. Before he could react, she pivoted on her heel and delivered a spin kick to his chest. The force of the blow sent him flying backward, landing hard on the pavement. Brock lay there, motionless, unconscious from the sheer impact.
"Brock!" his mother shrieked, scrambling to her son's side. Her voice cracked as she screamed to the crowd, "Someone help! They're killing my babies! David, what are you standing there for? Go teach that bitch a lesson!"
Mr. Rockworth rose slowly, his towering frame drawing attention from the murmuring crowd. David was a large man, not in a soft, heavy way, but with the solid, imposing build of a lumberjack. His knuckles cracked ominously as he flexed his hands, his expression dark with intent.
Ava, however, didn't flinch. Her eyes gleamed with confidence as she raised her chin and gestured for him to come at her. The crowd, already murmuring among themselves, whispered louder now, their phones capturing every moment of the standoff.
Just then, a slender figure dressed in a tight, dark suit stepped into the fray, slipping between Ava and David Rockworth. Her dark, wavy bob swayed slightly as she held up her hands in a calming gesture while shielding Ava behind her.