"How about if I go down?" His deep chuckle spread across the side of her throat. "Do you want me to go down, Kate?"
"Don't even think about it." Turtle missed his next shot, and Kate stepped away. She'd had enough. Enough of Rob and enough of the Worsleys. She bent over the table and shot the eight into the corner pocket.
"My turn at her," Victor announced and approached the end of the table.
"Guys, I'm finished."
"You can't leave until you play Victor."
"I'm not playing Victor," she said as she moved to the cue rack and placed the stick inside. Her nerves were raw and she just wanted to go to bed. "I'm going home."
"You have to play," Victor insisted. "No one beats us Worsleys."
"Especially a girl," Turtle added.
Uh-oh. They were drunk, she told herself. "Maybe some other time."
"Everyone knows that it isn't right for a woman to beat a man."
She supposed she should let that one go, but she'd been biting her tongue all evening. She was tired of trying to be nice. "Victor, if it takes beating a woman to make you feel better about yourself, you have some real problems that go beyond the way you play pool."
"What does that mean?"
She really wished she didn't have to explain. "It means that a real man isn't threatened by a woman."
"I'll show you a real man."
Lord, if he grabbed his crotch, she was going to throw up. She shook her head. "Are you on crack?"
"No."
"Fall on your head?"
"No. Got kicked by horses plenty."
"Well, that explains it," she said and tried to move past. He stepped in front and wouldn't let her by.
"You're not leaving till we play."
Kate looked into Victor's mean, bloodshot blue eyes and felt her heart slam against her ribs.
"Hey, numb nuts," Rob interrupted from behind Victor. "She said she doesn't want to play with you boys anymore."
Kate's gaze moved passed Turtle to Rob who stood a few feet away. A vast sense of relief calmed her speeding heart to a steady pound.
"This isn't your business," Tuttle said.
"I'm making it my business."
"Figures you'd take up for her. She's mannish, but that's probably what you like about her."
"Exactly what are you trying to say Tuttle?"
"That you're a faggot." He pointed with his thumb to Kate. "And she's your dyke."
Kate guessed that answered the question.
"That wasn't nice." Rob sighed as he took off his hat and tossed it on the pool table. "You owe Kate an apology."