Page 231 of Mountain Grump
“What?” Ralph shouts back.
The guy points.
Away from the house.
Toward the park.
“Company.”
Ralph and I both turn our attention in that direction.
Toward the state park property line.
Toward the angry park ranger.
Chapter 125
Ethan
My chest is heaving.
But not from the run through the forest.
From the sight of a man.This fucking man.Standing with his filthy hands against my wife’s window.
“You.” My voice is low. Gritty.
Ralph steps away from the house into the driveway.
His eyes are wide. Wild. But he’s more angry than scared.
And this motherfucker needs to be more scared.
My boots crunch on gravel, the width of the driveway the only thing between us.
“This doesn’t concern you,” the weasel whines.
“You just threatened my wife.” My stride is steady. Measured. “And that should fucking concernyou.”
His chin wobbles, but he holds his ground. “What’re you gonna do? Arrest me?” His eyes dart to the gun at my hip as I continue to cut the distance between us.
“No. And I’m not going to shoot you.” I roll my head side to side. “I’m going to punch you.”
Blood sizzles through my veins as I take the last two steps quicker.
Then, in a blink, I do exactly what I said I would do.
I shift my stance.
I pull my right arm back.
And I throw my weight forward and out.
He tries to step back. Tries to lift his arms in defense. But Ralph is slow. And my fist connects with his jaw.
The sound isloud.
His head snaps to the side, and his arms flail as he trips over his own feet and falls to the ground.
