Part 13 (1/2)

I don't let myself get too excited yet, not until I hear her say it. For now, I have to agree with her. ”You got it. As soon as I sort out what's going on, I'll go to the hospital.” I extend my hand for her to shake and she takes it. ”You're coming?”

”Lucy!” comes a male voice from the doorway.

”Oh, Todd. I'm...”

I scowl. Of course Todd would interrupt the one conversation I'm being vulnerable.

”Who's this?” The dude is like a walking Abercrombie ad. Nothing like me. I take a step toward him and offer my hand.

”Landon.”

He dismisses my offered palm and throws Lucy a glare so powerful, I'm half-tempted to kick his a.s.s for looking at her like that.

”Thought he was leaving.”

”W-He... He is.”

”Why don't you just say goodbye and come back inside then?” Todd says, his temper flaring which I desperately don't want it to do. We don't need to make this messier than it is.

”Are you drunk right now?”

”Drunk? Pfft. I had a few shots. Some girls bought a round for me. Just providing my excellent customer service.”

Lucy shakes her head and looks at me for comfort. ”Todd. Please keep calm right now.”

”Ugh, shut up and come inside.”

”I think maybe you should back off the lady,” I reply, stepping between them.

”Dude, I'm her f.u.c.king boyfriend. Go f.u.c.k yourself,” Todd says. I flare my nostrils and flex an inch taller, now standing toe-to-toe with the p.r.i.c.k.

”She told me she doesn't have a boyfriend.” I shouldn't've said it. There's no need to stir this s.h.i.+t-pot but I had to say something to bring this a.s.shole down a few pegs.

”Stop it, both of you. Todd, stop it. we're not together. I...Just...I'm f.u.c.king confused, okay? I need you to back off from me a little bit. Go back inside. I'll be two more minutes.”

”No, you won't,” Todd replies dismissively. He's watching me with eyes full of fury, barely paying attention to the woman he's disrespecting. ”Get the f.u.c.k inside. Men are talking.”

My leather jacket creeks as I fold my arms but decide to stay quiet. I don't need more trouble.

”See, thing is Todd, you talk to me like this every time you get angry,” she says, fearlessly, ”and you wonder why I'm not with you.”

”You push me to this, Lucy. Every d.a.m.n time.”

”Man the f.u.c.k up. You're the one that's got your panties in a bunch,” I say, drawing his attention off Lucy. I can't take the way he's talking to her but I decide not to fight her battles.

”f.u.c.k you, bro,” he jaunts.

”I'm not your bro, bro.”

After some silent steps toward each other, our noses are almost touching. I swear there's almost smoke blowing from my nose. Lucy tugs at Todd's arm to put some s.p.a.ce between us. He shakes her off then turns his attention back to me.

I stand up taller.

”You wanna go?” Todd says.

”Please. This is so stupid. Calm down and I'll explain everything soon.”

”Get out of our town.”

”Oh, trust me. I am.”

”Todd, get inside. We don't need trouble.”

”Don't tell me what to do, b.i.t.c.h!” Todd snaps. ”Why the f.u.c.k are you standing up for this piece o' s.h.i.+t?” His fist hits a wooden pole beside us and he paces around a bit, raging and shaking his hand out from the pain.

”You're a piece o' s.h.i.+t,” I murmur.

”Yeah, I'm the piece o' s.h.i.+t? I am? f.u.c.king white trash over here,” Todd says. ”What the f.u.c.k are you doing, Lucy?”

”I'm saying goodbye,” I say. He doesn't hear her, instead he lunges at her, his hand seemingly ready to take her throat. I step between him and Lucy pulls me away.

”He's a f.u.c.king criminal! A complete G.o.dd.a.m.n stranger! Don't you have a brain in there?”

”You don't know him,” she says. He was gonna hurt her just now. That mother f.u.c.ker was going to put his hands on her.

”I know him just f.u.c.king fine. A patched MC member? I know your kind. You're not welcome in this town.”

I wanna kick this f.u.c.ker's a.s.s, show him he ain't the big man he thinks he is, but I hold myself back. Fighting this a.s.shole isn't going to help me get home, and the last thing I want to do is get Lucy or myself into anymore trouble.

But then he paces towards me. I shove him hard so he stumbles backward. He grabs for me but I'm able to take his arm and twist it up behind his back. I'm not in the mood for this bulls.h.i.+t. Todd flays a bit until his knee hits my b.a.l.l.s. I cry out.

”Yeah, who's the piece o' s.h.i.+t now, huh?” he says.

A left hook meets my ear. Actually, maybe I can find it in me to kick his a.s.s. I feel some blood trickle out, tickling down my neck. I s.h.i.+ft and tackle this p.u.s.s.y a.s.s b.i.t.c.h to the floor, pummeling a hard punch across his cheek. Kid can't be too experienced in hand-to-hand combat. He'll give up soon.

”Stop it! Landon!” Lucy's arm tugging me backward pulls me too. The f.u.c.k am I doing? I step backward as Todd s.h.i.+mmies back in the dirt, holding a hand to his face.

”She doesn't deserve this s.h.i.+t from you and in no alternate Universe do you deserve her,” I spit.

”Stop it! Stop it!”

”You're d.a.m.n lucky she's here to protect your a.s.s,” I continue.

”Get the f.u.c.k out of here before the police arrive.”

”Who called the police?!” Lucy booms.