Year Five The Perfect Goodbye Plan novel Chapter 121

Downtown. Neon Alchemy.

Silvia and her brother stepped inside.

It was the kind of bar for drinking, pure and simple—no live music, just speakers pumping out a relentless, pounding beat that made your heart race and your nerves fray.

They weaved their way toward a shadowy corner, scanning for Yvette.

Even though it wasn’t that late, the place was already packed.

Silvia put a little distance between herself and Finn. Suddenly, someone clamped down on her wrist. She turned, and found herself face-to-face with a bleach-blond guy, reeking of booze.

Her stomach churned, but she kept her voice steady, raising it a notch, “Finn!”

“Call me big brother, not Finn,” the blond slurred, his smile sleazy, eyes crawling over her. He leaned in, lips puckered, muttering, “Didn’t expect you’d be this bold. Calling me ‘brother’ already? Nice.”

The stench of alcohol hit her full force. Silvia’s stomach twisted.

The riot of music and voices drowned everything out; Finn couldn’t hear her call for help.

The blond’s hand squeezed her waist, pinning her in place. His face was inches from hers when—suddenly—a fist crashed into his eye.

The punch was brutal—enough to knock him flat on his back.

He howled, clutching his face.

Before Silvia could even process what had happened, someone pulled her away, steadying her against a solid chest. A familiar scent—crisp cologne—filled her senses.

It was him.

Her heart skipped. She tried to pull away from Shipley, but he just held her tighter, pressing her head to his chest.

“What the hell? I’m trying to get lucky here—who the hell are you?” the blond shouted, staggering to his feet. One hand still covered his eye, the other balled into a fist, fury burning in his gaze.

Shipley towered over the man. He looked down, a half-smile playing at his lips, but his eyes were cold as winter.

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