Chapter 1
A creep had been harassing girls on our streets after dark—and he picked the wrong night to find me.
I grew up on a military base outside Fort Hood, Texas.
My father taught me to throw a punch before I turned ten.
By sixteen, I could take down a grown man twice my size.
I never looked for trouble, but trouble always seemed to find me.
The town had been talking about him for weeks.
A man in a dark hoodie, lurking in shadows, grabbing girls' arms.
Everyone was terrified.
Parents locked their doors at sunset.
Girls walked in pairs only.
I didn't walk in pairs.
I was walking home from the library around ten that night.
He stepped out from behind a convenience store.
Grabbed my wrist hard and pulled me toward the alley.
"Come with me, pretty thing," he hissed.
I didn't scream.
I didn't panic.
I stepped in, twisted his wrist behind his back, and swept his legs.
He hit the pavement so hard his teeth rattled.
Before he could move, I had my knee pressed into his spine.
He screamed and thrashed but couldn't budge an inch.
"Stay still," I said calmly. "Police are coming."
He struggled harder.
"Do you know who I am?" he spat. "It will be your life if you don't let me go!"
"I don't care who you are," I told him. "You pick on girls smaller than you. That makes you a coward."
When the police arrived five minutes later, they stared in disbelief.
The officer shook his head.
"He's been terrorizing this town for months," he said. "And you took him down in twenty seconds?"
I shrugged.
"Just lucky, I guess."
They led him away in cuffs.
The next morning, the whole town was talking.
Rumors spread fast.
"She's some kind of secret agent!"
"She knows martial arts!"
"Don't ever make her mad!"
It was funny how fast people changed toward me.
That afternoon, Mrs. Henderson from down the street ran over crying.
"Men are trying to repossess my house!" she sobbed. "They're outside yelling at me right now!"
I walked with her to her porch.
Two large men stood there, pounding on her door.
"Sign the papers or get out!" one shouted.
I stepped between them.
"Leave her alone," I said.
They both laughed.
"Or what, little girl?"
The bigger one reached out to shove me aside.
I caught his wrist.
He froze.
His eyes went wide.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you," I said quietly.
He pulled back fast like he'd touched fire.
His partner paled.
"Wait... aren't you the girl who caught that creep last night?"
They exchanged a terrified look.
"Uh... we'll be back another time," the big one stammered.
They practically ran to their truck and sped away.
Mrs. Henderson stared at me in awe.
"You're a miracle, child," she whispered.
I just smiled.
Little did I know, word travels fast in a small town.
By sunset, my phone was ringing nonstop.
My neighbor's son had gotten into a fight at school.
A lady at the grocery store was being bullied by her boss.
Even the mayor called—nervously asking if I could "talk to" his troublesome nephew.
I sighed and grabbed my keys.
May you like
It looked like I was going to be the town's unofficial protector now.
And honestly? I couldn't wait to see what happened next.
