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The rolling in Shell’s stomach morphed into full-on acrobatics. Shit. This could turn ugly fast. Izzy was the type to show Rusty the error of his ways with a knee to the balls and a wicked right hook to the jaw. Shell had seen her lay a large man out flat in the ring. But Izzy was also pregnant. A brawl would not only have Jig’s head exploding, it’d put Izzy at risk. Shell prayed her friend remembered to keep her cool.
“Rusty,” Shell said. “She’s—”
“Shut up,” he barked as his arm fell off Izzy’s shoulders. Inches from her face, he said, “If you’re not in my room and on your knees in the next sixty seconds, I’ll make sure you never show your face here again. Got it, bitch?”
To Izzy’s credit, she remained calm despite the sparks shooting out her eyes. Being unable to pummel Rusty’s misogynistic ass had to be killing her. Instead of murdering him, she crossed her arms and snorted. “Pretty sure my ol’ man would have something to say about that.”
“Who the fuck’s your ol’ man?” Rusty wrapped his hand around Izzy’s arm much as he did to Shell a few moments ago.
“Jigsaw.”
Throwing back his head, Rusty laughed long and loud. Shell clenched her back teeth as well as her fists. Izzy looked to be doing much of the same.
“Jig. That’s priceless. You gonna tattle to that pussy? Think he’s gonna protect you? Pretty sure he let his first wife get murdered. Trust me, you’re better off with a real man.”
Shell sucked in a sharp breath. Jig’s wife and daughter had been killed around seven years ago in a tragic act of violence that nearly destroyed him. Only recently, with the addition of Izzy to his life, had he begun to heal and learn to live again. Rusty’s words were the lowest of blows.
Izzy grew deathly quiet. The two stared each other down, and Shell knew her friend was employing every restraint technique she knew to keep from wrapping her manicured fingers around Rusty’s throat.
A few of the partiers nearby had taken notice of the interaction and started forming a circle around Izzy, Rusty, and herself. Glancing over her shoulder, Shell searched for someone to intervene. Someone who wouldn’t fly off the handle and cause an even bigger scene.
Just as she was about to call out for help from Mav who was the closest, Jig and Copper emerged from Copper’s office. As though drawn by some mystical connection, Jig’s gaze zeroed in directly on Izzy. His face turned thunderous, and he immediately started shoving through the crowd, Copper hot on his heels.
“Rusty,” Shell said in a calm, even voice. “Jig is on his way over here. You might want to let Izzy go. He’ll flip his shit if your hands are on his woman when he gets here.”
Rusty turned to her, distracted for a moment, which allowed Izzy to extricate her arm without a struggle. What Shell saw in Rusty’s eyes had her shivering. Nothingness stared back at her. No anger, fear, hatred, just a blank stare, cold as ice and just as hard. “You think I give a shit? Am I supposed to be scared? I back down for no man, doll.”
“There better be a good reason you’ve got your fucking hands on my fucking woman. I’m thinking nothing short of her bleeding out and you trying to save her life is gonna be fucking acceptable right now.”
Whoa.
Never before had she heard Jig speak with such lethal intent. Rusty was a dead man if he didn’t choose his words carefully.
“Babe—” Izzy said. When Jig cut her a look she raised her hands by her head and took a step back. “Okay, do your macho thing.”
Rusty did a slow turn, a smirk on his face and not an ounce of remorse for miles.
“My bad, brother. Thought she was a Honey. Trust me when I say she was asking for it. Practically begging for it.”
“No, I fucking wasn—” Izzy started.
Jig lunged forward but stopped when Copper snagged his shoulder. “Let’s settle the fuck down here. Rust, Izzy is Jig’s ol’ lady. She gets all the fucking respect that goes with the title. Jig, Rusty has been gone a long time. Doesn’t know everyone anymore. Sure it was just a stupid ass mistake. Right, Rust?”
Rusty snorted and rolled his eyes. “Sure, big brother. Whatever you say. You’re always fucking right.”
Copper frowned, and Shell’s heart squeezed. Copper’s blind spot was far too big where Rusty was concerned. He’d be crushed when it all became crystal clear as it one day would. Too much poison flowed through Rusty’s veins for him not to ruin Copper’s image of who his baby brother was.
“Fucking animal should still be in his cage,” Jig muttered under his breath.
Quick as a striking cobra, Rusty tossed the liquid in his glass right in Jig’s face. Alcohol splashed all over both Jig and Copper. The sound of shattering glass drowned out Jig’s shocked grunt. Not even a full second later, Rusty’s fist plowed into Jig’s jaw. Jig staggered back two steps before flying forward with a punch of his own.
