Page 56 of This Thing of Ours

But instead of being smart, the guy had to go and open his big mouth. Again. “It is my business when you and your bitch are disrupting the movie.”

Bitch. Really? What a jerk.

They were drawing the attention of the people around them. Marco leaned over, gave her a kiss on the cheek, and said, “Sorry, cara mia.”

And that was all the warning she got before Marco stood, stretching his six-foot-two frame across the row of seats in front of them to grab the guy by the collar of his shirt and haul him up and out of his seat.

Of course, the guy protested. “What the fuck, man?” And then he shouted, “Someone call security!” Which was followed by a stuttering groan, as Marco gave the guy a good shake.

She saw but couldn’t hear Marco lean into the guy and tell him something and at the same time, in her periphery, saw someone dart out of the row and exit into the aisle.

She set her tub of popcorn on the floor and tried to grab Marco’s attention by tugging on the arm that he used to keep his balance on the chair in front of him.

He was oblivious.

The guy started nodding his head vigorously, obviously in full agreement with whatever Marco was saying.

“Now, apologize to the lady.”

The guy’s eyes were bugged out and his face was turning an alarming shade of red, but he managed to get out, “I’m sorry, ma’am,” before Marco let him go without a care. The guy landed on the floor between the rows of seats, his arms splayed out to his sides and legs practically up over his head.

Marco’s gaze landed on something over her head, and Gabby turned to find a security guard in the aisle at the end of their row.

“Sir, you need to come with me,” he said, shining a flashlight in their faces.

Gabby had just brought a hand up to shield her eyes, when Marco said, “Grab your popcorn, baby. I need to deal with this rent-a-cop.”

“Please don’t do anything stupid.” She picked up the tub and cradled it in her arm—yeah, she wasn’t leaving it behind.

Marco followed the security guard inside an office while Gabby waited just outside of it. A few minutes later, Mr. Big Mouth arrived and entered the office, not meeting Gabby’s eyes as he passed her. Another few minutes after that, Marco came out.

He took her hand. “You ready to get out of here?”

“Are you free to go?”

“Yes.”

“Are you lying?”

“No.”

“Then yes, I’m ready to get out of here.” They made their way to the exit, the concession stand guy and ticket seller’s eyes on them until they left the building.

After a minute of Marco not sharing, she asked, “Are you going to tell me what happened in there?”

“No.”

“What did you say to Mr. Big Mouth?”

“Who?”

She shook her head, “You know, the guy you assaulted.”

“Nothing.”

“Are you ever going to answer in more than one-word responses?”

He threw her a smirk. “Yes.”

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