“If you’re done babysitting me then I think I’m hanging up the pool cue, Everett. It’s been nice playing with you.”
I went to hang up the cue when Dreygon’s voice echoed through the room. “What are you doing?”
I turned around. “I’m giving the babysitter the night off. He wants a beer, and neither of us is in the mood for pool.”
“Well, I was just coming to watch you both play, so why don’t you grab that cue again.”
We stared at each other, a game of chicken we played often. Dreygon broke first. “Angel knows how to take care of herself. Why don’t you let some of the other men talk to her for a change.”
“She’s not some possession you can barter with.”
He laughed. “Is that so? Because you seem to be pretty fucking possessive when it comes to my granddaughter.”
Everett laid his cue down on the table. The conversation seemed to make him uneasy.
“Everett, pick up that cue,” Dreygon commanded. “The game isn’t over.” Now he turned his scowl toward me. “Finish the game. Thought you had more confidence than that, Son. If she’s truly in love with you then a little attention from other men isn’t going to change that.”
He was a warped old bastard, and he knew how to fuck with my mind. I picked up the cue and leaned over the table. Now I wanted this game to be over. I took care of every ball in a few shots. The black ball stared at me from across the table. It was at an impossible angle so I took a wild shot and missed.
Everett had even less enthusiasm for the game now, especially with Dreygon breathing down our necks. I looked through toward the other room. Angel smiled weakly at something Johnny said to her and then as if she’d felt me watching her, she glanced my direction. Our gazes locked instantly. Johnny glanced back to see what had Angel’s attention. His jaw jutted forward in anger. He turned around and said something to Angel. Her mouth dropped into a frown. She tried to push past him, but he grabbed hold of her wrist. She yanked it free.
“This is fucking bullshit.” I smacked the pool cue hard against the table, startling both Everett and Dreygon. I stormed into the barroom, pushed through the others, and stood face to face with Johnny. He was taller and thicker than me. “I’m taking her with me.” I took hold of Angel’s hand and pulled her through to the pool room. Dreygon had been right. I was fucking possessive when it came to Angel, and there was no way I could stop myself. I didn’t want to stop.
I expected to see a storm of rage in Dreygon’s expression but instead a wicked smile pulled at the corners of his mouth. I pulled Angel along to the last table. My hands went roughly around her waist, and I lifted her up to sit on the edge of the table. I leaned between her legs and ran my hands up the sleek leather of her boots. She threw her arms around my neck and our mouths slammed together. We kissed long and deep as if we were the only people standing in the room.
Angel was nearly breathless as she lifted her mouth from mine. “Shit, Reno, don’t ever leave me alone like that again.” She leaned in to kiss me again and her eyes widened. “Watch out!”
Two tree trunk sized arms wrapped around my chest like iron straps. Angel scooted on her butt to the center of the table to get out of the way.
I leaned down and brought my elbow up like an ax about to cut wood. Johnny’s jaw snapped shut, and his grip fell away. I swung around. His fist clipped my chin. The ring on his finger sliced open my skin and blood dripped onto my shirt. The fight had gathered a small crowd of spectators, but no one seemed inclined to jump in. I kicked out and made contact with his neck. He stumbled back and coughed a few times. A combination of pure rage and being struck in the throat turned his face red.
His huge arms shot out and he lunged at me like a charging bull. He shoved me hard against the edge of the pool table. Pain shot through my back, and I dropped to my knees.
Angel hung her head over. “Get up, Luke.” Then she squealed. I shot to my feet at the sound of it. Jericho had grabbed her by the waist to pull her out of the way. She squirmed and protested, but she was no match for him.
The bull was coming at me again. I threw a right jab at his face, and even though the guy seemed to be built of fucking stone, I’d done some damage. He reached behind him on the wall and grabbed off a pool cue. My back ached from being smacked on the pool table, but I managed to duck and weave out of the way of the swinging stick. It whirred past my head twice, but on the third round, he brought it back so fast it caught me on the side of the face. I’d only see the proverbial stars twice before, both times after falling off my skateboard as a kid, but I was definitely seeing them now. I staggered over to the same table that had nailed me in the back and grabbed it for support.