He licks his lips. Hesitation grips him for a fraction of a second, and he realizes he looks weak. “Bitch! She’s a stupid bitch!” He hops a little and sticks his chest out further by arching his back. “So what?”
“Nobody disrespects my girl and gets away with it.”
“Yeah? What you gonna do?”
He should just turn his cap backward and start waving his fists around. Except you can’t project toughness when you’re an overgrown man-child from suburbia who’s worried about making the mortgage and car payments. Housing prices in Los Angeles are brutal, and Ferraris aren’t cheap.
“You think you can kick my ass? Huh?” His shouting is as hollow and loud as an empty can.
“I know I can. And I would have if you’d touched her.”
“You already fired me!”
“I can feed you your teeth, then make sure you never get a gig. Or get laid. Oh, and by the way, Molly isgreatin bed. It’s just that your dick’s so small she couldn’t feel anything. Assuming you can get it up in the first place. And don’t ejaculate too soon.”
“I don’t—”
“Might want to see a doctor about that. I hear these days they can cure almost anything. Even micro-penises.”
Finally, it’s too much for him. Owen takes a swing that looks like it’s coming in slow motion. Obviously, he’s never been in a fight.
I don’t try to dodge it. He connects, hitting my jaw, then shakes his hand. He tries to grin triumphantly through the pain, but it looks more like a grimace. I suppress a sigh.
“Wow. That hurts,” I say flatly. Then I smash his nose and mouth.
I don’t do any special martial art like Griffin, but I can handle myself in a fight. It’s the kind of thing you learn when you grow up with six brothers.
Blood spurts from Owen’s nose, and he reels back. “Ohfuck! My teeth!”
“Told you I’d feed ’em to you,” I say. “How do they taste?”
He’s sobbing and yelling at the same time. I ignore him and go to my Spectre. Molly runs out of the car and rushes toward me.
“Oh my God. Are you okay?” She starts to touch my face, then drops her hand. She bites her lip. “It looks so bad.”
Is she worried about that ridiculous tap to my jaw? I’m not even feeling it anymore.
She wrings her hands. “I’m so sorry I got you involved!”
I put an arm around her shoulders and escort her to the car, trying not to be irked that she tried to solve the Owen problem on her own. That asshole wasn’t going to quit until somebody bigger and stronger put him in his place.
“You got hurt because of me,” she adds.
She worries about the most inconsequential things, but it’s obvious she’s never seen a real fight. I help her into the car, then get behind the wheel.
“Does it hurt when you try to talk?”
I start to tell her I’m not hurt, but the way she stares at me is so cute that I decide to tease her a little. “Mm-hmm. Throbs like hell.” I purposely slur the words and faux-wince as I take the car on the road. “Ooh…”
“I knew it!” She stares at my cheek. “What if it bruises? Maybe I should get some eggs and roll them over the spot? I heard that helps.”
“Got something that works better.”
“What?” She looks at me earnestly.
“Sit on my face.”
Three beats pass as her face slowly turns bright red. “Nicholas!”
