Ryan’s eyes narrowed.
Before he could respond, two large men emerged from the trees behind the woman.
Both were built like bouncers—thick necks, overdeveloped shoulders, arms covered in amateur tattoos.
One was bald with a face like a bulldog.
The other had a scar running from his eyebrow to his jawline.
The bald one spat on the ground near Ryan’s feet.
“Kid, mind your own fucking business,” he growled.
“The girl came out to party with us.
She just had too much to drink and got confused.
So why don’t you walk away before you get hurt?” The scarred one reached for the woman’s arm with a lewd grin.
“Come on, sweetheart.
Don’t run away.
The good stuff is just starting to kick in.
We’re gonna have a real good time.” Ryan ignored their posturing and looked at the woman’s face.
Under the streetlight, he could see her features clearly now.
She was stunning—the kind of beauty that would stop traffic.
Even disheveled and drugged, even with makeup smeared and dirt on her dress, she was objectively gorgeous.
Ryan recognized her.
Evelyn Hart.
She lived in Estate A08—about a quarter-mile from Ryan’s property.
The acknowledged queen of the neighborhood.
Daughter of some hedge fund billionaire, independently wealthy from a tech startup she’d sold in her early twenties, known for being brilliant, beautiful, and completely untouchable.
In his previous timeline, Ryan had seen her maybe three times, always from a distance.
She’d been like the moon—distant, cold, impossibly far above everyone else.
Until year three of the apocalypse.
Ryan had been out scavenging for supplies when a gang ambushed him.
He’d fought back but gotten stabbed multiple times.
They’d taken everything and left him bleeding out in the ruins, assuming he’d die.
Evelyn had found him.
She’d been in rough shape herself—ragged clothes, malnourished, exhausted—but she’d used her last clean bandages to patch his wounds.
She’d even given him half a stale cracker, probably the only food she had.
That kindness had saved his life.
Ryan had later learned what happened to her.
Her beauty—her greatest asset in the old world—became her worst curse in the new one.
A gang had captured her.
Brutalized her.
And when they were done…
Ryan’s jaw clenched.
The memory of finding what was left of Evelyn—or rather, what wasn’t left—still haunted him.
Now, in this timeline, she was standing in front of him.
Alive.
Vulnerable.
About to be hurt by these two pieces of shit.
Not this time.
“Kid, you deaf?” The bald one stepped closer, puffing up his chest.
“I said get lost before—” “No,” Ryan said quietly.
The bald man blinked, like he’d misheard.
“What?” “I said no.
You’re the ones who need to leave.” The scarred one laughed—a nasty, cruel sound.
“Oh, you got balls, I’ll give you that.
But you have no idea who you’re fucking with.
You know whose girl this is?” “Don’t care,” Ryan said flatly.
“You should!” The bald man jabbed a finger at Ryan’s chest.
“This belongs to Derek!
You know who Derek is?
His father is Marcus—owns half the construction contracts in this city, got connections with every city official that matters!” Ryan’s entire body went cold.
Not from fear.
From rage.
Marcus.
That name ignited something deep and primal in Ryan’s chest.
In his previous life, Marcus had been the leader of the Denver Safe Zone—the “gathering place” where Ryan had ended up after months of wandering.
Marcus had run it like a feudal kingdom.
He controlled the food, the water, the medicine.
And he had a taste for human flesh—claimed it gave him “strength.” When Ryan had gotten sick and become useless, Jessica had approached Marcus with a proposal: she’d heard the boss liked exotic meat…
Ryan would never forget the smile on Marcus’s face as his men held Ryan down.
Would never forget Jessica curled up in Marcus’s lap, giggling, while they started cutting.
The monstrous hatred Ryan had carried across timelines exploded in his chest.
He’d thought he’d have to wait until after the apocalypse to find Marcus and get his revenge.
But apparently, Marcus had a son.
A son whose goons were currently trying to hurt the woman who’d saved Ryan’s life.
Perfect.
“Oh, you went quiet,” the scarred man smirked.
“Finally figured out you’re in over your—” “WHAT THE HELL IS TAKING SO LONG?!” A new voice cut through the night—young, drunk, arrogant.
A kid, maybe nineteen or twenty, stumbled out from the trees.
He wore an expensive white designer suit that was rumpled and stained with alcohol.
His hair was dyed platinum blonde.
Diamond studs glittered in both ears.
An unlit cigar dangled from his mouth.
He looked like every entitled rich brat Ryan had ever seen, but worse.
Derek Wang.
Marcus’s precious son.
The two enforcers immediately straightened up like dogs greeting their master.
“Sorry, this guy was interfering—” Derek waved dismissively, then his eyes landed on Evelyn leaning against the wall.
His gaze went predatory, and he actually licked his lips.
“Doesn’t matter,” Derek slurred.
“Just handle it.
Beat his ass.
Kill him if you want—my dad will cover it.
Nobody interrupts my fun.” He didn’t even acknowledge Ryan as a person.
Just an obstacle to be removed.
“Yes sir!” The bald enforcer grinned viciously.
Both men started forward, flanking Ryan on either side.
Ryan didn’t move.
His right hand flickered—a movement so fast it was almost imperceptible.
Retrieve.
A military-grade crossbow materialized in his grip—compact, tactical, deadly.
Already loaded with a bolt.
Both enforcers froze mid-step, eyes going wide.
“What the—where did that come from?!” the bald one stammered.
He’d been watching Ryan’s hands.
The crossbow had appeared out of thin air, like a magic trick.
The scarred enforcer recovered faster.
“Protect Derek!” he shouted, abandoning his attack on Ryan and spinning toward Derek.
Too slow.
Ryan had already raised the crossbow.
Aimed.
Thwip.
If you are interested can check it out.