Page 35 of F*cking Shattered

“Me and my buddies are about to head out. You ever rode on a real man’s bike before?”

I snort in laughter. “No, I can honestly say I haven’t.”

I see River walk out of the bathroom from over the bikers shoulder. Thank God.

“Do you want to?”

I scrunch up my nose. “Not tonight, but thank you,” I reply, trying to be polite and not start trouble.

“Can I get your number then? Maybe tomorrow.” What a persistent little shit.

Lightbulb! “Sure.”

He hands me a napkin and pulls a pen from his leather vest.

I write down a fake number and slide it across the bar. He looks cocky as he picks it up and folds it in half. “I look forward to talking to you again.”

I smile and nod. Yeah right, guy. You’re never going to hear from me again.

Before he turns to walk away, he wraps his big arm around my shoulders and pulls me in for a kiss. His mustache rubs against my face as his fat, wet lips press against mine.

I’m in complete shock. My eyes are wide open while I’m completely frozen. River’s eyes land on mine and he sees the panic written in them.

“Hey!” He pulls the big man away from me.

The man doesn’t even say anything. He just swings, connecting with River’s jaw.

One hit was all it took. The whole atmosphere of the bar changes. Everyone saw the exchange and it seems to give them the permission they needed to hit any person who’s annoyed them all night.

I stand stunned as a huge fight breaks out all around me. River is throwing punches at the biker, landing one after another. And somehow, he tosses the man down long enough to grab my wrist and pull me towards the exit. Just as we’re running through the door, a beer bottle flies behind me, shattering off the wall and I duck instinctively, heart hammering.

We rush to the car and the people fighting seem to trickle out with us.

When the cops speed into the parking lot, we kick up dust leaving fast.

“What the fuck happened?” he asks me with blood dripping from his lip.

I smile with realization. “I get to cross off three things.”

“Sing karaoke, give out a fake number, and what?” he asks, his eyes glancing from the road to me and back.

“Start a bar fight!” I pull the list from my bag and cross off three more.

Chapter Nine

“I think I was the one that started the bar fight,” River insists as his face lights up from the oncoming traffic.

My mouth hangs open. “What? It was over me!”

“But I was the one who hit the guy,” he argues.

“Well if you want to get technical, he hit you first. And since it was all over me, I started the bar fight.” I smile, full of excitement, embarrassment, and maybe feeling a little shameless.

He lets the subject drop as we quietly drive back to the hotel.

When we get back, I grab a bucket of ice and put some in a towel. I crawl up on his lap and hold it on his jaw. “It’s already starting to bruise,” I say, lightly trailing a finger across the purple bruise forming on his jaw.

It feels like everything around us quietens as he looks up at me with sincere eyes. “It’s alright. I’d do it all over again for you.”

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