Page 20 of Absolution

“See,” the man says, gesturing to Ricca, who shivers behind me. “It’s none of your business. Now get to stepping.”

Wrong move, dickhead.

I swing wide, connecting a right hook to his face. He stumbles back, falling into the bar top. A few men from the diner jolt out of their seats towards me. I turn, staring them down. They back down immediately, and I pivot my attention to Ricca.

“You okay?” I question, looking for redness forming or emerging bruises from his grip on her arm, and a sign that it’s okay to touch her. I lift my hand to her jaw line, caressing her soft skin with my elbow and she leans into my touch.

“I’m fine,” she mutters, just as I am jerked backwards. The man wraps his forearm around my throat in an attempt to choke me. Unfortunately for him, it doesn’t work. I angle my back releasing the pressure on my neck enough to head butt him. He stumbles back again and taking the chance, I turn, kneeing him in the stomach.

He gasps for air and falls to his knees. His eyes fall on Ricca.

“Get the fuck out of here,” he gasps. “You’re fired.”

“No!” she exclaims, glaring at me. “Big Joe, you can’t do this.”

“Get OUT!” he screams, while wiping blood away from his lip. Knowing the fucker is bleeding brings a smile to my face. He should be happy that a bloody lip is all he received, after pulling that kind of shit on my girl.

Ricca shoves past me towards the bar, gathering her things from underneath the counter top. I try to stop her, but she rushes past me and right out the door. Big Joe still gasps for air on the ground below me. I swipe a rag off the countertop and kneel before him.

“You don’t fucking touch what’s mine,” I warn him, tossing the towel into his face. “If you so much as breathe in her direction, I will end you.”

I rise from the ground and stalk out of the place without so much as looking at the people gaping around me. It was a risk getting physical with the guy, but no one touches her or any other woman like that in front of me. I may be a cold-hearted killer for my club, but even I know that rule. Women and kids are off limits, and should be protected. A lesson I wish my own mother had learned prior to being my incubator. Some people were never meant to be parents, her included.

Just as I step through the door, I see Ricca peeling out of the parking lot in a truck. Dust fills the air, clouding her escape. I look around, surprised by the lack of red and blue lights. Knowing the patrons of the diner were smart enough to not get the police involved, eases the tension of the possibility of staying the night in the gray bar hotel for assault. I’ve done the jail thing before as a teenager, and I’d rather avoid that shit happening again. Apparently, taking orders is just not something I am equipped to do, unless it comes from my Prez and the club.

I smirk watching her leave because this cat and mouse game is only just beginning.

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