Harriet held Zoey's hand as they made their way toward the parking lot, joined by Nyx, Vera, Sienna, and Riley. The small celebration for their promotions had been full of laughter, a few drinks, and lighthearted moments. Zoey chuckled, feeling Harriet's hand squeeze hers softly.
But her smile faded when she spotted someone all too familiar. She glanced up at Harriet, who had also come to a halt.
"What's wrong?" Vera asked, leaning forward to get a look at the source of the tension.
"Ah, the bastard," Harriet muttered, pulling Zoey slightly behind her in a protective gesture.
Markus approached slowly, stopping inches from Harriet. His eyes, however, were locked on Zoey. "Zoey, can we talk?" he demanded, voice clipped.
Zoey bit her lip, refusing to respond, but Markus's frustration flared. "Zoey!" he snapped.
"Don't you dare raise your voice at Zoey," Harriet responded firmly, stepping forward. Zoey's grip tightened on Harriet's sleeve.
"Harriet, please," Zoey whispered, worry flickering in her eyes. She knew that if Harriet got involved in another altercation, a suspension could be inevitable.
"Stay out of this, Harriet. This is between me and Zoey!" Markus spat, flipping out a tri-fold knife and waving it threateningly in front of her.
Harriet only sighed, chuckling as if unfazed. "Oh, really?" She glanced back. "Vera, can you watch over Zoey for me?" she asked, carefully prying Zoey's hand from her arm.
Zoey tried to protest, but Vera wrapped her arms around her shoulders. "Nope. You don't need to worry about Harrietâshe's got this," Vera assured her, a hint of a smirk on her lips.
"Butâ"
"No buts," Vera insisted, her eyes darting toward Harriet. "Trust me, Harriet can handle a guy like Markus without breaking a sweat." Nyx and Riley, meanwhile, stood at the ready, subtly positioning themselves protectively in front of Sienna and Zoey.
As Markus took a step closer, Harriet squared her shoulders, a quiet intensity settling over her, making it clear to everyone watching that this wasn't her first face-off.
Harriet tilted her head, smirking at Markus's attempt at intimidation as she took a step closer, a soft chuckle escaping her. "A knife, really?" She eyed him with amused disdain. "You actually know how to use that?"
Markus sneered, taking a bold step forward, swinging the blade recklessly. "Women with women, huh? How do you even satisfy each other? Just fingers, right?"
Harriet sidestepped smoothly, extending a foot to trip him, watching him stumble and almost lose his balance. "Funny," she said, her tone mocking, "we're probably far better with just our fingers than you are with anything else."
Fuming, Markus lunged again, but Harriet moved gracefully out of reach, dodging each swipe with ease. She tugged up her sleeves, loosening her tie slightly. "Come on, is that really all you've got? You bothered bringing a knife, so at least try to use it right."
Enraged, Markus swung again, only for Harriet to tilt her head and strike his throat with the side of her hand, leaving him coughing and gasping for air.
"Don't bore me," she sighed, picking up the knife he'd dropped, twirling it like a toy. Zoey watched, both in awe and slight disbelief, while Vera released her hold on her.
"Zoey, honey, just stay put," Vera called casually, glancing over at Harriet. "Don't want your little girlfriend here coming after me later."
Vera took a step forward, giving a light wave. "Mind if I steal the spotlight for a minute?" she asked, grinning.
"Vera?" Nyx raised an eyebrow, but Vera just shot her a playful smile. "Don't worry. I've got this." She winked.
Harriet chuckled, giving Vera a small nod. "Go ahead. I'd rather not get suspended the second I'm promoted."
With a smirk, Vera stepped right up to Harriet, tugging the tie from her collar. Nyx chuckled, shaking her head in amusement.
"Just...what exactly is happening?" Zoey murmured, slightly dazed by the whole scene. Riley leaned closer, grinning.
"Just your usual daredevil show," Riley said with a shrug.
Vera deftly tied her hair back with Harriet's tie and turned to Markus, who was now wiping his lip and regaining his stance. "Fighting with women? Seriously? Do you even consider yourself a man?"
Markus clenched his fists, trying to throw punches, but Vera dodged with ease. "Harriet's hands are essential for her job, so she won't be punching you," she remarked, her eyes glinting, "but I don't have that restriction."
With a swift uppercut, Vera landed a solid hit, grabbing his collar and throwing him down. Markus groaned, clutching his back.
"Next time, think twice before you try belittling people you don't know," she advised, snatching the knife from Harriet's hand. She leaned down, stabbing it into his pants mere inches from his groin. "These women," she gestured to Harriet and Zoey, "have earned their place at the top. And you? Maybe the only thing you'll grow is...well, you know."
With a final flourish, Vera untied her hair, handing the tie back to Harriet. Harriet chuckled, accepting it between her fingers. "As expected from a black belt," she teased, adjusting her tie.
Vera flashed a grin. "Still not on par with a seventh-degree black belt, though," she replied, nodding to Harriet.
Nyx and Riley clapped slowly, shaking their heads with amused pride. "That's our show-off pair," Nyx said, looking at her wife with a smirk.
Zoey blinked, looking at Harriet in surprise. "Wait, you're a black belt?" she asked, pointing at Harriet.
Vera laughed softly. "You didn't tell her?"
Harriet shrugged, glancing at Vera. "She didn't ask," she replied, then turned back to Zoey. "And yes, I'm a black belt. Got a problem with that?" She ruffled Zoey's hair playfully. "I told you I'd protect you," she added with a wink.
Nyx chimed in, thoughtfully tapping her chin. "Harriet's been a black belt for years now. I've lost count, but she's pretty close to mastering it completely."
Vera nudged Nyx, laughing. "Exactly. She's an expertâstill unmatched," she added with a grin.
Riley suddenly jumped onto Harriet's back, wrapping her arms around her neck. "How can you even match up with Harriet when she practically lives in the training room just to master karate?"
Harriet chuckled, adjusting to Riley's weight. "Riley, you're such a baby," she said, but still gave her a piggyback ride.
Sienna laughed, watching them. "Right? Harriet started doing karate when she was five. I wasn't even born yet, and she was already training!" Riley rested her head on Harriet's shoulder, a playful smile on her face.
"Well, I planned to use it for show-offs like this," Harriet replied, her laughter light. She glanced at Zoey, her eyes sparkling. "Guess it's worth it, right?"
"Whatever," Zoey said, rolling her eyes, but couldn't help the smile creeping onto her face. Harriet just laughed and shrugged.
Just how impressive can you be, Harriet Pierce? Zoey thought to herself, secretly glancing at Harriet with admiration.