Page 42 of The Reluctant Hero

“You wait your turn. I’m not getting frostbite over here for nothing.”

“Excuse me?” Matthias snarls and takes another step.

I do the same until our noses are practically smashed together.

“Bring it on,pookie. I’ve got at least six years of good behavior to make up for.”

“I doubt that you’ve ever beengood, Mana-chan. Atanything.”

“Gabe,” the guard barks as my eyes widen with pain.

He sees how hard that hit me and seems to regret it, but it’s too late.

My hand raised the magazine before I could think it through, and I hit him on top of the head with it. Both of us blink in surprise as soon as it lands, but I rally quickly.

“That onehurtasshole! Take it back!”

Not the verbal bash down I was looking for but he leans back with a scowl.

“I didn’t mean it, damn it. I just wanted to win,” he snaps and rubs the top of his head.

“You’re damn right you didn’t mean it, and you can choke on defeat,” I huff and take a big step back. “Nowget out!”

“Jeff!” Manny hisses from the doorway as if he’s been calling me for the longest time.

I spin on my heels and yell, “What?” at the same time as Matthias.

How dare he yell at Manny! The glare I give him should make him spontaneously combust.

Manny’s eyes widen, and he whispers, “Loser is here.”

My anger drops so abruptly that I feel dizzy. My violent stance turns around and hides.

I haven’t heard a single word from the man for months and he shows upnow? With fake mafia guys and photos of his indiscretions everywhere? It hasn’t passed my notice that they figured out it was Loser in the pictures, either. I don’t want to know how they figured it out.

This is turning out to be the most ego-flattering day I’ve experienced in a while. The pain that stirred up seeing them holding those pictures has amplified.

“What?” I ask weakly.

Manny gives me a big, helpless shrug. “Do you want me to stop him?”

Do I?

No, Manny’s just a kid. The only way either one of us would get anything accomplished is if we sneak attack him. I don’t want to talk to him ever again. Not after all of the things I’ve learned.

“If I distract him, can you push him down the stairs?” I ask hopefully. I don’t mean it but I do at the same time. “I swear, I’ll say I did it. My utter joy will sell it for you.”

Manny gapes at me, “Hellno!”

“Damn,” I mutter dismally.

“What are you thinking?” He asks warily and backtracks. “You’ve gone from porcupine to honey badger? I can’t see you backing that shit up.”

“Language, and I just hithim,” I say with a ridiculous amount of pride as I point at Matthias.

“I told you I don’t give a shit about your language rules. You cuss like a sailor. And,” he looks over my shoulder with a cringe at the men behind me. “I don’t have a suit for your funeral, but I’ll be there. I won’t tell a soul I saw you guys. She means nothing to me.”

“Heh,” I give a short laugh as I think about my dad. I’m just like him, apparently. No cussing and then a vent session fullof me learning new eye-opening curse words. The second half of his statement has me excited, though.

---