He's close when she hits him in the throat and the punch is hard enough to make him lose his breath instantly. It takes him by surprise, so his concentration is gone in the split second it takes her knee to land in his groin. It's reflex to double over, and he does so with a quiet grunt of pain, trying to get his breath back as he does so.

It's enough to knock the wind out of his sails and he crouches to the floor, hand tensing into a fist and then releasing, in a quiet internal struggle to manage the pain. And when he's got it under control, he looks up at her with stormy blue eyes and an expression that could kill...but he doesn't shout, instead his voice is quiet and laden with menace.

'Get out. And never come near me again, you understand?'