“Son, I think this conversation is over.”
Tiana’s heart was pounding so loud in her head, but over it she was ninety percent sure that was the voice of Arthur Santino.
Brock looked over his shoulder. “Mind your own business, old man.”
Tiana glanced to the side, she could only barely see past Brock’s shoulder, but she saw it was Mr. Santino. Relief washed over her. She knew she was safe. Brock, however, she feared, was not going to fare as well.
Arthur Santino was somewhat of a legend in Hope Falls. No one knew what his backstory was, but he’d done pretty epic, heroic feats on several occasions. Saved more than one life.
“Son, when you scream at a young lady, you make it my business.”
“Look grandpa, I don’t want to go to jail today for elder abuse, sofuck off,” Brock threatened.
“So you abuse women and the elderly, is that to compensate for something?”
Brock’s nostrils flared like a bull ready to charge, and he turned all the way around to face Mr. Santino. When he did, Tiana rushed out from the corner and was running to get help when she looked over her shoulder and saw…
“What did you say, old man?” Brock puffed up his chest, hovering eight inches taller than Mr. Santino.
“I said so you abuse women and?—”
Before he got the rest of the sentence out, Brock took a swing at Mr. Santino but missed. Mr. Santino reached up and grabbed Brock by the throat, but just the center of his throat, like where his Adam’s apple would be.
The entire thing happened in a matter of seconds. Tiana stopped running and watched as Mr. Santino looked as though he was not exerting any energy whatsoever, and Brock was turning red, then purple, then dropped to his knees while his arms were flailing at his sides.
Mr. Santino bent down and said as languidly as could be, “I’m gonna remove my hand in five to ten seconds and when I do, you are going to apologize to the young lady and then promise her that you willneverharass or bother her again. And you will keep that promise, or you will deal with me. Do you understand?”
Brock nodded as his eyes bulged out of his head. When Mr. Santino released his grip, Brock’s hand covered his throat, and there was visible panic on his face as he gasped for air.
“Can’t hear that apology son, you’re gonna have to speak up.”
“I’m…sorry…” he managed between jagged breaths.
“And?” Mr. Santino prompted.
“And I will never harass or bother you again.” Brock started to straighten and adjust his shirt and tried to stand up when Mr. Santino had him by the throat again.
Brock’s eyes were even wider that time in shock. He wasn’t the only one, Tiana jumped back, too. She hadn’t been expecting that. Brock was trying to pull Mr. Santino’s arms down, but it was futile.
Mr. Santino bent down and got an inch from his face, and in a coldly calm voice said, “In a few seconds, you’re gonna lose consciousness. When you wake up,ifyou wake up, you’re going to have one doozy of a headache because of the lack of oxygen reaching your brain as we speak…” He slowed down his speechpattern. “You are going to have some brain damage. Not a lot. Just enough to make you a little slow. From this day forward, you won’t be yourself. When you try to figure things out, simple things, things you took for granted knowing, your brain is gonna be a few steps behind. And you’re gonna wonder, is this because I’m tired, I’m dumb, or is it because of my tiny dick syndrome? Because that tiny dick made you think it was a good idea to bully people who were vulnerable so you could feel like a big man. Do you feel like a big man now?”
Brock’s face was turning blue as he shook his head no.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Mr. Santino released his grip, and Brock slid to the ground completely limp and unconscious.
“He’s going to have brain damage?” Tiana asked, horrified that she’d allowed things to get to this point.
“Nah, just a bad headache.Buthe’s gonna think he does. And he’s gonna doubt himself for the rest of his life. And that’s what I call a nice bit of karma.”
Tiana threw her arms around Mr. Santino. “Thank you.”
He didn’t hug her back, he just patted her on the shoulder with his left hand. “Nothin’ to thank me for. Just teachin’ the boy some manners.”
“What happened?” Tiana heard Niko’s voice, and she looked while still clinging to Mr. Santino. She saw Niko looking at Brock on the ground before he scanned her from head to toe. “Are you okay?”
She dropped her arms. “Thanks to Mr. Santino, I am.”
He was already walking off back to the cottage he shared with Yaya, like he hadn’t just done something totally badass. “Who is he?” she asked.
