The broad one had enough. He grabbed Gabe’s wrist, squeezing until he yelped. Meanwhile, the lean one lifted me from the ground and guided me toward the bike.
Through his mask, the broad one growled at Gabriel. “A man who touches a woman like that doesn’t deserve hands.”
“Get your fucking hands off of me! Do you have any idea who I am?”
Just as the words came out of his mouth, the muscular biker punched my boyfriend — or ex-boyfriend — with a loudcrackresounded across the cement sidewalk.
Stumbling back, Gabe gripped his own jaw as he tried to fathom what had just happened to him.
Maybe he needed a good smack. Spoiled brat of a man.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Gabe roared out, his voice squeaking on the last word. “I’m going to sue the fuck out of you.”
The lean one set me on the bike before joining his friend. “That assumes you can find us.”
Eyes wild and bloodshot, Gabriel lifted his fist in a pathetic attempt to punch back. But the lean one caught his balled hand before it could make contact with his friend’s helmet.
I wasn’t sure what Gabe thought would happen when he punched a motorcycle helmet. That it would shatter under his knuckles? If I could’ve laughed, I would’ve. But the tightening knot in my chest and the sting in my palms left no room for that.
With Gabe’s fist still in his grasp, the lean biker laughed before twisting Gabe’s arm and throwing a second punch into his nose.
“You must have a deathwish, you fucking morons.” Gabriel’s voice grew nasally as he tried to keep his bloody nose from dripping on his expensive suit.
“Should we give him some matching bruises?” The lean one turned to look at his friend.
All it took was one nod for the two of them to jump on him. A punch to the gut keeled Gabriel over and a swift kick to the nuts was enough to get him on his knees.
He cried out in pain as he clutched his balls.
Hopefully it takes away his ability to reproduce.
I should’ve been more appalled, shocked by the violence. But there was something surreal about watchinghimbe bruised for once.
The broad one grabbed Gabe’s chin, forcing him to look up at them. Muffled by the helmet, his voice was gruff. “Why does every loser with a cheap suit and some cash to blow think he can touch a woman like that?”
With a shrug, the lean one shook out his shoulders, ready for more.
But the other squeezed Gabe’s bloody face and wound up his other fist. He brought it down hard, the leather jacket strained around his huge biceps as his punch wiped across Gabe’s sorry face.
There was athudas Gabe’s body hit the cement.
Without checking on him, the lean one passed me a helmet. “Put this on, sweetheart.”
I couldn’t look away from Gabe’s squirming body, even as I shoved my head into the motorcycle helmet. My vision blurred under the tinted visor and my hearing muffled. It made it all the more impressive that these two bikers landed as many shots as they did.
It wasn’t until the lean one threw his leg over the bike and turned on the ignition that reality set in. My chest tightened as I watched Gabe squirming on the ground, the door to the bar swinging open as his posse of tech bros flooded onto the sidewalk.
Turning in his helmet to look at me, the biker explained what was about to happen. “Wrap your arms around my waist and hold on tight. If you need me to stop, tap me twice. Don’t be shy.”
All I could do was nod as a dozen little Gabe minions rushed to his side.
And as the crowd grew, the two motorcycles peeled down the street into the dark night. I gripped the lean biker with all my force. The roar of the engine was enough to send waves of fear through my entire body.
I’d promised my dad I’d never get on one. But I hoped that wherever he was — if he was somehow watching me — that he’d understand the exception.
Looking back over my shoulder, I could see Gabe trying to stand.
If this night wasn’t bad before, it certainly was now. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to go back to him without consequences. But I wasn’t sure I’d ever want to.
