“Easy,” I said, gently slapping his cheek a few times. “I’m fine.”

He quit struggling, watching his friends congratulate me. “You sure?” he asked. Regret weighed down his expression.

“Of course,” I said while I brushed off my shirt. I grinned. “That was fun.”

“Yeah, it was!” Reese said, her eyes bright.

Zeke wasn’t amused. Instead, seeming more concerned over my jaw. “We should get you an ice pack. And a beer.”

“And a championship belt!” Reese said with a smile.

“After you,” I said to them, gesturing to the door.

Zeke nodded, then I followed him inside. We sat at the bar, sore but victorious, and Jerry eyed us all.

“What the hell happened out there?” Jerry asked, unhappy.

“Ice,” Zeke said simply.

“And beers,” I said.

Jerry wasn’t happy about getting the boys and Reese another round, but he nodded and turned, packing dish rags with ice and handing them out like goodie bags. The hotshots filled the stools around me, hyper and happy, chattering to Jerry and each other about the scene outside.

I held the ice pack against the side of my mouth, the dishrag getting stained with my blood. It had been a long time since I’d seen it. Morbid or not, I’d missed it. I’d bled for my training, for my friends, for my country, and now I’d bled for Zeke.

He wasn’t as happy about the brawl as the others, scowling at me.

“What?” I asked, defensive.

“Who are you?”

“Naomi.”

“No,” Zeke said, his head shaking. “Who are you? How did you learn to do that? That’s more than just your run-of-the-mill self-defense.”

I sipped my beer.

“Okay then,” he said, facing forward.

He turned to listen to his friends reenact the fight again, watching them for ten or so minutes. I was surprised that he didn’t try to speak to me again. Zeke sipped on his beer, his back to me as if I wasn’t there. He didn’t seem angry, just that he wasn’t going to force it. I sort of appreciated that about him, even if he was a wanna-be knight.

I finished my beer, set it down on the bar, then stood, fishing in my pocket for cash.

Zeke held up his hand. “I got it, Jerry.”

Jerry nodded to me. “Take care of that jaw.”

I nodded back, using my phone to call an Uber as I made my way to the sidewalk. I leaned against the brick, the throbbing in my face forcing a smile. It had been a good night after all.

chapter three

nine to five

Naomi

I