Chapter 16
The room erupted into chaos. Chairs were knocked back as people jumped to their feet, some to get further away, some to move closer to the action.
Lorna yelled out from behind the bar, while two patrons grabbed the man from behind as Duncan staggered backward an alarming distance, although Bex suspected the punch was only partly to blame; the rest was from the alcohol coursing through his system, making it impossible for him to keep his balance.
‘What the heck?’ Duncan rubbed his jaw. He was held upright by Bex on one side, while his other side leaned against the back of a chair. She was grateful for the furniture’s presence. She knew from experience that holding up a drunken Duncan was almost always a two-person job.
The man struggled against the arms holding him in place.
‘You slept with my girl,’ he snarled.
‘What? Nah.’ Duncan shook his head. The motion more of a loll than a deliberate action. ‘You’ve got the wrong fella.’
‘Yes, you did! I’ve got photos.’ He turned to one of the men holding him. ‘My phone. It’s in my pocket.’
After an exchanged look between the self-proclaimed bouncers, the right arm of the disgruntled boyfriend was tentatively released. Immediately, he pulled out his phone and began flicking through it.
‘I think you’ve got the wrong guy.’ Duncan’s words rolled drunkenly into one another. ‘I think you’re a bit drunk too.’
‘You reckon? Looks like I was spot on to me, mate.’
There wasn’t a hint of a slur to the man’s voice as he shoved the screen towards Duncan.
Bex’s stomach plummeted. The photo was very definitely of Duncan, wearing nothing but boxers, lying on a bed next to a woman.
Bex recognised her immediately as one of the women she’d seen Duncan with at the pub on the night she’d arrived.
Pain seared through her chest, though she tried not to show it.
She and Duncan had been broken up at the time.
Not just taking a break, or giving each other some space.
But very definitely broken up. She could hardly hold it against him.
Besides, from the glazed look in his eyes, he hadn’t exactly been sober when this photo was taken either.
‘Oh, hell,’ Duncan groaned, running a hand through his hair.
‘I should knock all your teeth out for that.’ The man shifted forwards only to be yanked back as he was once again held in place.
‘Look, I dinnae know she had a boyfriend, okay?’ Duncan tried. ‘She dinnae say she had a boyfriend. And why are you having a go at me? Have a go at your lass. She’s the one who cheated on you.’
‘Don’t you dare say a word against her!’ the man growled, thrashing again. ‘I’ll swing again, I swear—’
‘The world’s gone bloody mad,’ Duncan muttered. ‘Damn fools.’
The man lunged again, and Bex stepped between them, placing her hands on Duncan’s chest.
‘That’s enough,’ she said. Her throat was tight.
The image of the beautiful girl, barely dressed, lying on the bed with Duncan beside her was all she could see.
She tried to push it away, but she didn’t think that would ever be possible.
What had happened before this photo was taken? Worse still, what happened after?
‘Look, mate.’ Duncan’s shoulders slumped. ‘I don’t even think we did anything. I’m pretty sure I passed out drunk.’
‘Yeah, right,’ the man spat.
‘I mean it. I was in a bad way. You know. Heartbroken and all that. She wasn’t the one I wanted to be with.’
The man stiffened. ‘What’s that meant to mean? You think you’re too good for her? Or you were just messin’ with her? That’s what you’re saying?’
‘No… I… I…’ Bex could see the way Duncan was struggling.
He’d tried to offer the man some sort of comfort.
A reasoned explanation – if that was even possible.
But the man wasn’t having it. He had come for a fight.
Still, Duncan tried. ‘I mean, it’s not like she wasn’t nice and everything, but I like my women smart, you know. ’
The man’s eyes bulged. ‘You’re saying my missus ain’t smart?’
Duncan shrugged. ‘She asked a very drunk, clearly unstable and emotionally unavailable man back to her hotel room. That doesn’t exactly scream Mensa material, does it?’
That was it. The man’s fury exploded. In a swift move, he wriggled free of the hands restraining him, ducking and twisting until he broke loose.
Bex froze. Her instinct was to stay where she was, a barrier between the boyfriend and Duncan. After all, the man wanted Duncan, but he wouldn’t hit her to get to him, would he?
‘Duncan, just stay where you are,’ she hissed, but before she could even take another step, Duncan had side-stepped around her. His massive body blocked her entire view.
‘Duncan, just think!’ The words could have been from Bex, but it was Lorna who shouted them now out from behind the bar. Three patrons were trying to subdue this single Australian, but somehow he kept slipping an arm free. If they didn’t get a better hold of him soon, he’d be on Duncan again.
‘It’s fine, lads,’ Duncan said. ‘It’s my fight. I’ll deal with it.’
Thankfully, the locals ignored Duncan and kept a good hold on the Australian.
‘We should leave,’ Bex said. ‘Come on. You can come up to my room. Wait there.’
If Duncan heard her, he didn’t show it. Instead, his attention remained fixed on the man who continued to struggle against the hands that held him in place.
‘Just give up,’ Duncan said, sounding the most sober she’d heard him all night. ‘I’ve had a rough day. Rough couple of months, actually. I dinnae need this.’
‘I’m gonna kill you,’ the man spat back.
Duncan’s sigh was heavy and whisky-filled as he shook his head.
‘I doubt it. But hey, the lads can’t hold you forever. They’ve got pints gettin’ warm. So here’s what’s gonna happen. They’re gonna let you go now, and I suggest you make for the door. I’m sayin’ this as a favour to you. Just leave. Take my apologies, and go.’
The man scoffed as he continued to writhe and struggle for just a moment or two longer, before finally dropping his head and groaning.
‘You really think nothing happened?’
‘With the amount I’d drunk, best I’d have given her was a headache with my snoring.’
Bex wanted to laugh, but she couldn’t. It was still far too raw for that. Besides, she knew Duncan was only saying it for the man’s benefit. Well, maybe hers too, but that didn’t make it true.
‘All right. All right, mate. You’re right. Soz. Seriously. I’ll go.’
He looked to the men on either side of him, offering a single nod to each. Cautiously, they released him.
For a single heartbeat, Bex thought that was it.
That the man was going to keep his word, accept Duncan’s apology and leave.
But while he took one measured footstep towards the door, his second movement was a lunge, straight towards Duncan.
His fist was back in the air, ready for a second collision with Duncan’s jaw, but this time was different.
Because this time Duncan was expecting it.
The man’s lips were curled up in a snarl, but his knuckles were still a good two feet away from impact when Duncan’s hand flew through the air.
A single thud to the man’s left jaw saw his entire head spin ninety degrees.
His eyes widened in shock before rolling to the back of his head, just before he fell straight back onto the ground with a bang.
A series of gasps rattled out around the pub as Bex looked on, frozen, her heart hammering against her ribs.
She’d never seen a fight in person before and wasn’t exactly sure what she’d expected.
But this? The man out cold from a single punch…
She wasn’t sure whether she was proud of Duncan or if she wanted to throttle him. Quite possibly both.
She turned to look at him. To see if he was okay or whether the earlier hook to the jaw needed tending to, but before she could, a voice spoke over by the door.
‘Well, Becky Boo. It seems we’ve turned up at a very exciting time.’