What the hell?
“You dare show your face here?” Jack snapped.
The man rammed his head into Jack’s chest like a bull. Hell, no. I had no idea what this was about, but I hurriedly called 911 and gave them the deets about the assault. No way was I letting some loony asshole attack Jack. Then I blinked and watched in fascination. I’d seen Dad fight, but that wastae kwon do. There was a method to his hits and kicks. My man was pure street brawler. I couldn’t mesh that with the sleek businessman I knew. Jack was always so put-together.
I shouldn’t be surprised, considering that he, Max, and War often got into brawls in the years since I’d known them. And, occasionally, I’d seen the bruises they sported.
Jack ducked another hit, and with a powerful right hook, sent the man reeling.
“You bastard!” he yelled. Jack evaded another punch and landed a blow to his opponent’s chest, sending him staggering. “Y-you took her away—” he wheezed.
“The only thing I did was remove your fucking ATM. My sister’s safe from a scumbag like you—”
“No!” He lurched forward. Jack plowed his fist into his brother-in-law’s face, causing him to pitch back and crash into the walled fence. Jack grabbed him by his shirt. Curtis punched Jack in the stomach. He grunted and tripped back. Like a bullet, his insane brother-in-law rushed Jack, still hunched over from the blow.
Oh, no you don’t!I leaped forward and let loose a flying kick to his chest—he stumbled but remained on his feet.
“You bitch!” He pivoted for me.
“Touch her, and I’ll fucking kill you—” Jack dove for him, and they both crashed to the pavement just as a cop car squealed to a stop behind the Mustang.
Two officers jumped out and pulled Jack and Curtis apart.
Swiping his bleeding mouth, Jack growled out his name.
“I made the call,” I said quickly. “This man”—I pointed to Curtis—“just drove up and attacked us.”
The officers released Jack. His chest heaving, his expression like a thundercloud, Jack wiped his injured mouth again. Then he slipped his arm around me as Curtis spewed out curses that Jack had stolen his wife. I quickly straightened that out when the cops looked at me.
One cuffed Curtis and put him into the car. The other took a statement from Jack. Then he grabbed my hand and stormed back to the house.
“You okay?” I asked, studying the hard set of his features as we walked upstairs.
A tick worked in his jaw. “Yeah. I’m sorry you got caught up in this.”
“Jack, I’m always going to be at your side. God, I’m so glad Marie’s divorcing him.”
He remained silent.
“Another of Margo’s matches?” I asked then.
“I wish it were. Marie actually fell for the dumbshit. Grandmother gave her blessing because he came with a name. Lawson’s Ent.”
“The boat designers?”
Jack nodded. “But he lost his money gambling, their house in Carmel. The business hangs on a hinge, close to ruin.” His mouth tight, Jack pulled off his vest and headed for the bathroom. I followed, got out the first-aid kit, and waited for him. As he stepped out of the shower, a few minutes later, I motioned for him to sit on the toilet seat.
“I’m fine—”
“Sure, you are. Sit.”
Shaking his head, he wrapped the towel low on his lean hips and sat. I wet gauze with the alcoholic solution and gently swiped the cut on his mouth. He sported a bruise on his jaw, too. His hand moved to my hips. “I’m sorry about Curtis attacking you.”
“Don’t worry about it. I could have taken him down.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“My dad taught both Ila and me self-defense, but I also tooktae kwon dolessons, mostly because of too much energy. I had to direct it somewhere.”
