I caught her.
I wrapped a firm hand around her shoulders and, with a controlled, precise jerk, set her upright again. Her feet hit the floor hard.
She blinked, taken aback as if she did not expect me to help her.
Her knees were trembling slightly. The fire in her eyes didn't fade, but she stood where I had placed her, forced to regain control.
"Control yourself," I said quietly. There was no softness, no apology. Just cold, calm authority, which I should set off from the beginning.
I paused for a second, leaving tension hanging in there, before I completed my sentence, "Or you will hurt yourself before you hurt anyone else."
She kept staring at me as if she was trying to solve a problem, but sad. I was a problem that neither solved. From now on, it will be the same for all of them.
On the other hand, Nicole and Dave both froze, processing the sudden shift in power. The room was quiet now, thick with tension.
I didn't need to raise my voice. I didn't need theatrics.
