Chapter 6 No.6

Iris didn't think. She didn't hesitate.

Her hand shot out to the small service table next to them. There was a half-empty bottle of Grey Goose vodka sitting there, abandoned by a waiter.

She grabbed it by the neck.

In one fluid motion, she swung it.

Smash.

The heavy glass bottle connected with Leo's forehead. The sound was sickening-a wet thud followed by the shatter of glass.

Vodka sprayed everywhere, drenching Leo, Iris, and Hunter's suit.

Leo didn't even scream at first. He just dropped. He crumbled to the floor like a puppet with cut strings, clutching his head. Blood began to seep through his fingers, mixing with the alcohol on the carpet.

"My eye! My eye!" Leo started to wail, rolling on the ground.

Silence rippled outward from them. The music seemed to fade away. A circle formed instantly.

Hunter jumped back, brushing glass shards off his lapel. He stared at Leo, then at Iris, his eyes bulging.

"Iris!" he screamed. "What did you do? That's Leo Leone! His father is..."

"I don't care who his father is," Iris said. Her voice was calm. Her pulse hadn't even quickened.

She was still holding the jagged neck of the bottle.

A massive security guard-not Tiny, but someone new-pushed through the crowd. "What the hell is going on here?"

He saw Iris with the weapon. He reached for his radio.

Dorothea was screaming now, a high-pitched sound that grated on Iris's nerves. "She's crazy! She tried to kill him! Get her away from us!"

Hunter looked at Iris. He looked at the security guard. Iris saw the calculation in his eyes. He was wondering if he should step in, use the Rutledge name to protect her.

Then he looked at the blood. He looked at the crowd filming with their phones. He stepped back. He chose distance. He chose to save himself.

Iris dropped the bottle neck. It clattered on the floor.

She reached into her clutch. She pulled out the stack of cash she had taken from the black duffel bag earlier. It was about five thousand dollars, wrapped in a rubber band.

She snapped the rubber band off.

She walked over to where Leo was writhing on the floor. She stood over him.

"You touched me," she said. "I told you not to."

She let the bills fall from her hand. They fluttered down, covering his bloody face, sticking to the wet carpet.

"That's for the stitches," she said loud enough for the crowd to hear. "Keep the change for a therapy session."

Leo sputtered, spitting blood and money.

Hunter grabbed Iris's arm. His grip was hard, painful.

"Have you lost your mind?" he hissed. "You just assaulted him. The police are going to come. You're going back to jail, Iris. And I can't help you this time."

Iris looked at his hand on her arm. Then she looked at his face.

"Get your hand off me," she said.

"I'm trying to talk sense into you!"

"Sir, step away from the woman," the security guard barked, stepping closer.

Hunter let go, looking offended. "I'm her husband! Well, almost ex-husband."

"I don't care who you are," the guard said. He looked at Iris. "Ma'am, you need to come with me."

Iris squared her shoulders. She was ready to walk out. She was ready to fight if she had to.

"She's not going anywhere with you," a voice cut through the tension.

Sienna pushed through the crowd. She looked furious.