Page 46 of When The Noise Stops

"What'd you call her?"

Ronny turned.

"Tiny, don't—"

Too late.

Tiny's uppercut landed clean. You don't get hit by somebody that big and stay on your feet. The cousin wobbled and dropped.

All hell broke loose, and we hadn't been in the place a good thirty minutes.

Chairs went. Peck came over the table. Hawk put him back down on it. Sully took a stool to the ribs. Deacon blocked the hall.

A man reached for Lila. I grabbed him and drove him into the jukebox. The song skipped. Somebody's ring opened my mouth. I tasted blood.

Out of the corner of my eye, Ronny had Lila by the wrist, backing toward the door. They looked like this was the best time they'd ever had.

At least one of them had some sense.

Then some asshole hit Tiny with a bottle.

Lila stopped.

"Oh, hell no."

Ronny stopped too.

I knew immediately we had a problem.

"Stay there," I said.

Ronny stared at her.

"Stay here? Bitch, what you mean? I'm fighting too."

She dropped her purse on the floor.

Jesus fucking Christ.

They were too far into the melee for me to get between them. Lila grabbed a pool cue and started swinging her way toward Tiny.

I had to barrel through the place to get us outside.

"What the fuck is wrong with the two of you?" I asked when we were safe down the road.

Lila's hair was a mess. Ronny was missing an earring, and the T-shirt she was wearing was ripped.

"They were jumping Tiny."

"Tiny is six-six and three hundred fucking pounds."

"So?"

"He did not need your help."

Tiny wiped blood off his mouth.

"But I appreciated the support."