Page 74 of Obscurity
What followed was less a fight than a brawl, with both men grappling and throwing punches while festivalgoers scattered to give them room. Jason had training and technique on his side, but Pale Eyes fought dirty, going for eye gouges and kidney shots that forced Jason to adapt his approach.
Within seconds, other people got involved—some trying to break up the fight, others taking sides based on nothing more than crowd dynamics. Shouts erupted from multiple directions as the situation spiraled out of control.
“Fight! Fight!”
“Someone stop them!”
“Where’s security?”
The chaos lasted less than two minutes before Max appeared, cutting through the crowd with authority.
He stood between the men, arms outstretched, and separated them. “Enough!”
Olive had hoped not to draw any unnecessary attention.
That clearly hadn’t happened.
In fact, now everyone was watching them.
Max led both men behind the old buildings in town, away from the crowd and the continuing chaos their fight had created.
Olive followed. Leaving Jason alone with Max wasn’t an option given what she’d overheard in Brad’s house.
Max turned toward both men, standing between them like a referee maintaining separation.
“What was that about?” Max demanded, his attention focused primarily on Jason. “You can’t just start throwing punches because someone talks to your wife.”
“He grabbed her.” Jason glowered at Pale Eyes. “Hard enough to leave marks.”
“Bull,” Pale Eyes spat, though his jaw was already swelling from Jason’s initial punch. “I was just having a conversation with the lady.”
“A conversation that involved putting your hands on me without permission.” Olive rolled up her sleeve to show the finger-shaped bruises already forming on her arm.
Max’s expression darkened as he saw the marks, and for a moment Olive thought she detected genuine disgust in his face.
Then his professional mask slipped back into place. “Okay, everyone needs to cool down. Bobby, get back to the stage. Your band’s got another set to play.”
“This ain’t over,” Pale Eyes—apparently named Bobby—muttered as he headed back toward the festival area. He shot one last venomous look at Olive. “Not by a long shot.”
CHAPTER 52
After Pale Eyes/Bobby left, Max turned his attention to Jason and Olive. “You want to tell me what really happened here? Because that seemed personal.”
Olive made a quick decision. If Max was having doubts about the operation—and her overheard conversation suggested he was—maybe she could use that to her advantage.
“I ran into him at a gas station on my way here,” she said. “He tried to assault me when I asked for directions. My husband wasn’t there, so I had to defend myself.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Defend yourself how?”
“I have some self-defense training. Nothing fancy, but enough to get away from someone who doesn’t understand what ‘no’ means.”
Max studied her face as if trying to assess the truth of her statement. His expression was unreadable, but she sensed something shifting in his attitude.
“These mountains can be dangerous for outsiders,” he finally said. “Local law enforcement doesn’t always . . . respond quickly to certain types of incidents.”
There was something in his tone—a weariness, a hint of disgust—that made Olive think he’d seen this kind of situation before. And that he hadn’t liked it.
“Max, you seem like someone who actually cares about people’s safety.” Olive paused. “Can I ask you something?”
