Deadly Illusions(51)

“What do you mean?” Sophie asked.

“At first sight, they all kind of look different,” Emma said. “I think it’s the hair. They all have the same angular jaws, broad shoulders, and deep brown eyes. You can tell they’re related when they’re all standing together like that.”

“When Ally is around, she fits right in with them,” Mandy said. “Other than the broad shoulders. She’s just as bossy as they are, too.”

Emma laughed. “Yeah, I can see that.”

Conversation continued at the table, everyone sipping from a pitcher of beer and letting the jovial banter relax them. Every few minutes, the boasts at the pool table got big – and the laughter got even bigger – proving the Hardy men were having just as good a time as the women in their lives.

Unfortunately, the fun didn’t last.

Three men, all wearing leather motorcycle jackets and dull expressions on their faces, wedged themselves next to the table with the women.

“You three looked lonely over here,” one of the men, a rough-looking scoundrel with a scar on his left cheek and the name “Road Warrior” emblazoned on the back of his jacket, said as he sat down in the chair next to Sophie. “We thought we would give you some company.”

“We don’t need company,” Mandy said, keeping her tone cool and clipped. “We’re perfectly fine entertaining ourselves. In fact, we prefer it that way.”

“Ah, now, don’t be like that, blondie.”

Since James often used the nickname as a term of endearment, this Neanderthal using it chafed Mandy’s insides.

“Listen, we’re having a good time just the three of us,” Sophie interjected. “I’m sure you gentlemen are … paragons of good conversation the world over, but we’d rather be left alone.”

“What did you call me?”

“She called you an ass,” Mandy said, her temper flaring. “So why don’t you haul your asses back over to your table and leave us alone.”

“You have a mouth on you,” the man said.

“Someone should teach her how to use it,” one of the other man said, cackling maniacally.

Sophie leaned forward, keeping her voice low. “We are not alone,” she said. “And if you don’t leave this table right now, you’re not going to like what happens. I can pretty much guarantee it.”

“Something tells me I’ll like anything you want to give me, honey,” the third man said, reaching over and tugging on a strand of Sophie’s hair.

That did it. Mandy was on her feet, the pitcher of beer in her hand. She heaved it, the liquid inside landing on the moron touching Sophie’s hair, dousing him. The man ran a hand down his face, wiping the beer from his eyes, and fixing her with a murderous look. “You bitch!”

“Go,” Mandy ordered.

“Blondie, you’re going to be really sorry you did that,” Neanderthal number one said, grabbing her arm.

“Is there a problem here?”

Mandy shifted her gaze over the man’s shoulder, focusing on James. “These … gentlemen were just leaving.”

“It doesn’t look like it,” Grady said, moving in behind Sophie. “It looks like they’re harassing our women.”

“Your women?” Sophie asked, her eyes dark. “That’s a little insulting.”

Grady ignored her, never taking his eyes off the beer-soaked man who was standing far too close to his girlfriend. James was focused on the man closest to Mandy, specifically on the hand he had wrapped around her wrist. Finn had moved around the table so he could position himself at Emma’s side.

“Take your hand off her,” James warned.

“What is she to you?”

“The woman I’m going to beat your ass for touching,” James said.

“Are you threatening me?” The man stood up, releasing Mandy’s wrist so he could face James.

“Let’s find out,” James suggested.

This was bad, Mandy realized. This was really bad.





Twenty-One


As bar brawls go, this fight wasn’t really one for the record books. Given their military training, the Hardy brothers had a handle on the situation before the rough-and-tumble hoodlums could throw more than one punch each, none of them making contact with their target.

James didn’t hesitate to slam his fist into the face of the man who’d dared to touch his girlfriend, leaving the man screaming and clutching at his nose – which proceeded to gush with blood.

Grady grabbed Sophie’s ‘friend’ by his hair before leading him away, slamming his foot into the man’s knee from behind and knocking him to the floor. He then lifted his knee and made contact with the man’s ribs – tossing him two feet into the air and onto his back – before yanking him back to his feet and pushing him toward the door.