“You might not want to do that son.”
The old man started to bluster but the brothers soon had him otherwise occupied and he was too much of a coward himself anyway to come to his son’s defense.
She started to shake and I knew she’d had enough. She’d done what I brought her here for, now the rest was up to me. I had my woman and child to protect.
I took her face in my hands to make her look at me. “You’re fine, I’ve got you. Simon, take my woman outta here.”
“No, Caleb...” She tried clinging onto me but she couldn’t be here for this shit.
I kissed her again hard as I passed her off to the boys who didn’t look like they wanted to leave either. In the end half went with Simon and her, and Mikey, Diego and Alex stayed back with me.
I did the unexpected and sat back down in my seat while my boys did the same. The buzz had already started and I’m sure everyone was waiting with baited breath to see what would happen next.
I knew he wouldn’t come at me. No man that would take his fists to a woman and put a bullet in her head would have the balls to face his own death, so it was up to me to push him to the point where he made first strike.
I ignored him and his old man who was now hovering behind him, while the other patrons pretended that they weren’t listening and watching this shit unfold.
I started up a conversation with the boys, which was of course loud enough not only for the asshole to hear, but those tables closest to us as well.
“I thought for sure this barking squirrel would’ve been worth my time, but looks like it was a wasted trip boys.” I saw him hitch himself up out the corner of my eye. I’m not sure he knew what the words meant but I’m sure he knew it was an insult.
“Looks that way boss, at least our girl got her pound of flesh. Hard to believe that our little beauty was ever hooked up with this batch of crumbs though.” Alex looked him up and down not even trying to hide his disdain.
“I wonder what makes a man do such a thing, what do you think boss?”
“Well Mikey, I’m inclined to believe from what my woman told me that he was trying to compensate for his lack of manliness in other areas.” I made a point of looking at the asshole’s fly so that there was no mistaking my meaning this time.
There was no way to miss the reaction of the other patrons. Every man in the place had heard me call this fool out for being a coward. And since I knew that they were all aware of his treatment of her, there was no way they didn’t know what I was talking about.
He was hemming and hawing at this point, and his breathing got choppy, but still he didn’t make a move. I really didn’t want to throw the first punch. The only reason I’d gotten off with a warning the last time was because the asshole had started it, and the judge was a friend.
But he’d warned me to keep my hands to myself or else. I wasn’t trying to miss my wife’s first pregnancy because I was sitting in jail for this asshole.
“Looks like we’re done here, I don’t fight women and children and this one’s still a little wet behind the ears. I think I’ll go let my woman show me around her town before we head out.
I don’t think I’ll be letting her come back here ever; the place seems a little off to me. The men, or at least this one is nothing more than dickless assholes who’re still attached to daddy’s nut sac.” I stood as if to leave knowing full well that the idiot was going to have to do something to save face, and he did not disappoint. Huzzah.
He stepped in and that was all I needed. I hit him in the throat with my thumb first, and as he was bending over retching I caught him in the nuts with my knee.
I didn’t take time to play with my food, but methodically beat him with my fists as he tried in vain to protect himself.
It wasn’t even fun beating his bitch ass, because he wasn’t man enough to swing on me, what the fuck?
When he was curled up on the floor whimpering I could only look down at him wondering if I’d been caught in some alternate universe or some fuck.
This couldn’t be the same offal that had terrorized my girl; he had to be an impostor. Even my boys were shaking their heads. I was beyond fucking disgusted when I turned and walked away.
I should’ve known though. Once a snake...he waited until my back was turned, to attack. I’d let my boys move out ahead of me as we headed for the door.
I was a little deflated at the way things had gone. I was really geared up for a fight, looks like I was gonna have to save my anger for the return home and Cecily.
I was almost to the door when I felt him behind me and ducked out of the way. He still caught me in the leg with the roundhouse follow up.