“If you lay a finger on her again,” Crow said, his voice eerily calm despite the clear threat. “I will break every bone in your body and scatter you across the entire state of California. Is that clear?”
Joey sputtered a laugh. “Big talk from a guy who probably can’t get it up anymore.” He turned to me, jerking a thumb in Crow’s direction. “Is that what gets your engine going, sweetheart? Let me tell you, Grandpa over here has a serious case of limp dick. You need a real man – ”
He never got to finish. Crow swung his fist, connecting with Joey’s face. I flinched at how quickly and violently it all happened. I heard the audible crack like the snap of a tree branch as his knuckles hit Joey’s jaw. I saw the blood spew from Joey’s mouth and splatter across a nearby table. I saw him hit the ground so hard that his head bounced off the floor.
“I told you to watch your fucking mouth,” Crow said. “Don’t talk to her like that.”
Joey went red in the face with rage. He scrambled to his feet, wiping the blood from his mouth with the back of his hand.
“You think this is fair?” he demanded. “Two against one, huh? If I take you out, old man, your buddy there will rip me to pieces.”
Crow shook his head. Every movement, every word he spoke was so carefully measured and controlled. It was chilling to watch.
“Oh, no, not at all,” Crow replied. “This is my fight. Bear knows that.”
He stripped off his leather vest and handed it to Bear. I knew I shouldn’t have stared but I couldn’t help it. My gaze darted over him, taking in the sight of his snug long-sleeve black shirt, tight against his torso, rigid with muscle.
Joey bounced on his toes, nodding. “Okay. Bare fists. Man to man. Let’s do this.”
He lunged. Crow easily sidestepped and drove his knee into Joey’s stomach. Joey doubled over, stumbling. He caught himself against a nearby chair and straightened.
“Dodging hits like a coward ain’t fightin’.”
Crow shrugged and spread his hands. “You’re right.”
In two long strides, he’d crossed the space between them. Joey threw a flurry of punches and Crow deflected every single one without batting an eye.
Then before I knew it, Crow had Joey in a headlock and Joey was wheezing at the lack of air.
“Apologize to Dani for being a fucking creep and making her uncomfortable,” Crow said through his teeth.
Joey clawed at Crow’s forearm, locked across his throat.
“Can’t…breathe.”
Instead of granting mercy and loosening his hold, Crow delivered a short, sharp jab to Joey’s right kidney. Joey squawked in pain and his knees buckled. Crow tightened his hold and kept Joey standing.
“Do it,” he barked. “Apologize.”
The whole scene should have made me grab my friends and run out the door. Instead, I stood there, rooted to the spot and transfixed by how precise and methodical Crow was.
Joey winced. “I - I’m sorry.”
“Louder,” Crow said, his voice low. “And be more specific.”
Joey whimpered, straining against Crow’s forearm.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated, thin and high with fear. “I’m sorry for…for being a creep.”
Crow released Joey with a shove.
“Get outta here. Before I decide to start breaking bones.”
Joey’s gaze flicked over to me. It almost seemed like he wanted to say something else at the last minute. Some final dig that he would toss out and make a run for the door.
In the end, Joey kept his mouth shut and hurriedly left. Crow turned to me, cupping my elbow with a feather-light touch I could barely feel - a startling contrast to the crushing hold he’d had on Joey two seconds ago.
“You all right?” he asked.