Chapter Twenty-two #2
Jesse shook his head, even more confused. “I bitch at Kenny all the time.” He looked around Trish to Kenny. “Don’t I?”
“Yeah, but I’ve learned how to tune you out over the years. Don’t worry, Trish, you will, too.”
Jesse looked back to Trish. “And I’d bitch at Jules too, if he ever screwed up.” He peeked at Julian. “When we go in there, will you do me a favor and mess up so I can bitch at you?”
Julian gave him a two-fingered salute. “No problem.”
Jesse focused on Trish and smiled, lifting his voice to be more cheerful.
“See? You’ll get to watch me rag on Jules now.
Won’t that be fun?” Before she could answer, he wrapped his arms around her and swayed her back and forth in his embrace.
“You should’ve let me know this was the problem sooner.
I would’ve found more reasons to bitch at them a long time ago, especially Kenny. ”
Trish forced out a single, strangled chuckle and hugged him in return.
“Awe, look who’s pretending to be a man,” Tim mocked from the doorway. “Sorry, princess, but holding a woman just doesn’t suit you.”
Jesse released Trish and whirled toward Tim. “Get your sorry ass out of my face! I’m not in the mood to deal with your bullshit today!”
“Jess,” Kenny said cautiously, rising from the couch and moving toward him.
Julian rose also to assist Kenny.
“Settle down, sweetie,” Tim sniggered. “I didn’t know you’re the type that can only dish it out and not take it. Except for when you’re on your knees, isn’t that right?”
“Fuck you!” Jesse yelled, and lunged for him.
Kenny dove forward and caught Jesse around his waist with Julian leaping to help, but Jesse froze at the sight of Evan appearing in the doorway behind Tim.
Evan slammed Tim on the back with both hands.
Tim flew forward, stumbling for balance, and spun to see who had pushed him.
As he came fully around, his mouth met Evan’s fist. Tim reeled back from the hit.
He caught himself enough to leap at Evan and throw a punch.
Evan swept back, allowing Tim’s fist to blow harmlessly by his face, then stepped forward, his right fist speeding for Tim’s left cheek with the momentum of his weight behind it.
He connected hard, sending Tim sprawling to the ground.
“Fucking prick bastard,” Evan growled, standing over him. “I gave you the courtesy of a warning, and you decided not to listen. Now get your ass up so we can finish this.”
Greg and JJ ran into the room. Greg rushed to Tim. JJ caught Evan under his arms and around his chest, and hauled him back.
“Well, that temper certainly hasn’t changed,” JJ said.
“What the hell is the matter with you, Evan?” Greg demanded.
Jesse stared in shock at Tim sprawled on the floor, blood leaking from his split lip, then lifted his gaze to Evan.
Evan’s eyes were focused on Tim, his gaze still held a lethal threat, though he didn’t struggle against JJ’s hold.
For his modest size, Jesse couldn’t believe the force Evan had struck with, the speed and skill of his maneuvers.
He realized that he had witnessed for the first time what Greg referred to as Evan’s “very nasty temper.”
Evan moved his gaze from Tim to Jesse. Jesse’s heart pounded faster at the fierce protectiveness he saw.
The moment broke as Tim slapped Greg’s hands away from him.
He began to rise, shaky and unsteady, his face filled with vindictive righteousness.
“You’re done,” he hissed, blood spattering from his lips.
“Kiss your little comeback goodbye. By the time I’m through with you, there won’t be a person in the world who won’t know what you are. ”
The threat struck Jesse harder than it seemed to hit Evan.
He pulled away from Kenny and Julian, and stormed past Tim to stand in front of Evan.
Acting as a shield between them, he faced Tim.
“If you want to come after someone, then come after me, you worthless piece of shit! I’m the one you’ve wanted to bring down since day one! Leave him out of our fight!”
“Don’t worry, princess. I plan on taking you down with your queen.”
Jesse felt Evan’s explosion a nanosecond before his movement.
Evan broke from JJ’s hold with such force he almost elbowed JJ in the face.
He leaped around Jesse. His arm cocked back and shot forward, the hit carrying not only the momentum of his weight, but also the speed of his lunge.
Tim lashed both arms up to cover his face.
Evan’s fist split the gap between Tim’s arms and nailed him in the mouth a second time.
Tim flew backward, crashing hard on his back.
In the instant that Evan attacked, Jesse saw JJ step back, clearly not ready to jump in to stop him again.
Greg looked frantic and incapable of moving.
He already knew Kenny was no fighter, and he doubted Julian was willing to help stop Evan either.
That only left him and Trish, and no matter how fit or strong she was, there was no way she could wrestle Evan under control.