Her Story: Rise Of Tiffany Novel by Rex Ring

Richard’s face clouded and his domineering vibe cranked up a notch. He was like a stone-cold wall, making everyone feel on edge and struggle to catch their breath.

Quick as lightning, Kenneth pulled his hand away.

Kenneth was about to pipe up, but Richard shot him a death glare and barked, “Beat it!”

Without a fuss, Kenneth took off, tail between his legs.

Sandra, hot on Kenneth’s heels, was rattled to the core by the intense scene. She was sweating bullets, scared stiff that Richard’s fury would come her way next. If it did, she’d be toast before she knew what hit her.

Kenneth and Sandra were just about to make a break for it when Richard’s voice rang ou “Hang on a sec.”

Kenneth and Sandra hit the brakes, giving Richard a look that was half puzzled, half frightened.

Richard, cool as a cucumber, just tossed out, “Your taste in women’s really gone downhill, huh?”

Richard’s comment hung in the air, leaving Kenneth and Sandra puzzled. What exactly was he getting at?

It seemed Richard was taking a jab at Sandra, suggesting that Kenneth had really messed up this time.

Richard didn’t wait for their response. He simply turned on his heel and waltzed into Velvet & Vine with Tiffany in tow. The place was closed for business and off-limits to anyone else. The whole joint was reserved just for them.

Tiffany was over the moon, grinning from ear to ear. She couldn’t take her eyes off Richard, totally star-struck.

‘D**n, Richard’s the real deal, Tiffany thought, completely pumped. ‘One power move and that two-faced Kenneth folded like a cheap suit. Even that snake Sandra didn’t dare put on an act. So freaking awesome!”

Tiffany’s face lit up as she chirped, “So Richard, what are you in the mood for? My treat, so knock yourself out.”

Tiffany nudged the menu Richard’s way, buttering him up with a playful tw**le in her eye.

Richard let out a little chuckle. This girl was in the dark about him owning this place. He decided to keep her in the loop, so he just rattled off a few dishes and handed the menu back.

Tiffany, pretty easy to please, tacked on a couple more dishes that caught her eye.

In no more than ten minutes, the food was out. Tiffany took a bite and couldn’t help but gush. “Wow, this is great! Totally worth the hype.

No wonder this place was always packed to the rafters, even with a tight guest list of just 99 lucky ducks a day.

After they wrapped up dinner, the server brought out some fruit plates and desserts. Tiffany was in the middle of digging in when Richard piped up, “Ever tried archery?”

“Yeah.” Tiffany nodded. “My dad and I were all about it when I was a kid. I was a total tomboy back then, crazy about horses and archery. I’ve been at it for years, and I’ve come a long way.”

Tiffany didn’t see any reason to keep it under wraps. Richard had probably seen her go toe- to-toe with Ged at Nocturne Arena.

Richard nodded, then said, “Alright then, I’ll give you a bow.”

Right on cue, a waiter breezed in, lugging a box. He plopped it on the table and took off, pulling the door shut behind him.

Tiffany drew a blank, not quite following Richard’s drift. But she noticed him motioning with his head for her to check out what was in the box.

After a quick hand cleanup, Tiffany opened the box. She saw a knockout bow and arrow set, decked out in silver with a soft glow. It seemed to be made of a special material – crazy light but hard as rock, even outclassing iron.

With a hint of a grin, Richard chimed in, “They call this one the Galaxy. It’s got it all – power, feather-light, but it means business. I’ve got no use for it, so I figured you should have it.”

Galaxy. What a beautiful name. Tiffany knew she should probably turn it down, but once she got her hands on the bow, it just felt right. Like it was made for her a perfect fit and too good to pass up.

“Thanks a million, Richard!” Tiffany said, accepting the gift with a mix of gratitude and awkwardness.

They were practically strangers, but he’d already stuck his neck out for her a few times, and now he was gifting her this top-notch bow. She promised herself she’d find a way to pay it forward when the opportunity came up.

“Try it,” Richard suggested, pointing to a small ornament on the wall. “See if you can hit that.”

Easy as pie. Tiffany set up the shot, stepped back, and fired away without sk**ng a beat. Just like that, the ornament was down for the count.

Tiffany had dialed it back a notch, otherwise, that arrow would’ve gone right through the wall like a hot knife through butter.

Richard gave Tiffany a nod, clearly impressed. “Nice.”

“Your turn, Tiffany said, her eyes sparkling as she handed over the bow and arrow to Richard. She beamed with excitement.

People said Richard could do it all, so this archery trick would probably be a piece of cake for him.

At that moment, Tiffany had let her guard down completely around Richard. She was starting to see that the top dog wasn’t such a tough nut to c**k after all.

Richard took the bow and arrow, then took a shot at the same target Tiffany had picked. Just like that, he threaded the needle, hitting the figure’s eye in the wall painting. It was a piece of cake for him, and his accuracy blew Tiffany’s out of the water.

Tiffany was blown away, ready to sing Richard’s praises, when he suddenly turned around. The grin was wiped clean off his face, replaced by a look that could freeze hell over. It was like staring down the devil himself.

In the blink of an eye, that deadly arrow was pointed right at her forehead, ready to do some serious damage.

Tiffany’s blood ran cold, and her stomach did a flip. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was just messing with her.

Freaking out, Tiffany couldn’t help but think back to that creepy dream she’d had recently

In it, Richard had found out she was gunning for the Harpers and totally lost it. He’d seized her by the throat, all cold-blooded and stone-faced. The look in his eyes then was a dead ringer for the one he was giving her now.

-Up until now, life had been a cakewalk for Tiffany. But this was her wake-up call that death wasn’t just knocking – it was practically through the door. The reality of it sent shivers down her spine, and she felt like she was walking on thin ice.

just yelp and to spare, Tiffany’s gut took over. She couldn’t think straight or do a thing in a panic, “Richard!”

But Richard didn’t say a word. He just let go of the bowstring, and before she knew it, that arrow was heading right for her forehead.